ACADEMIC READING & WRITING UBC CERTIFICATE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE (CEL)

For students at the lower advanced level planning to enter an English-speaking university or college Purpose: to enhance your reading skills learn to identify and evaluate the important features of academic style texts in different disciplines apply critical reading strategies understand and analyze a wide range of academic texts increase your reading speed in order to prepare for the demands of university courses readings improve your writing greater clarity and sophistication of expression in your writing improve your grammar and usage, building both your general and academic vocabulary learn to use the formats required for a range of academic writing tasks emails, data description, formal essays, reviews, and short research papers follow the writing process to draft, write, and revise your work effectively

Assessment Reading Assignments 35% Writing Assignments 35% Final Exam 30% 1. A minimum of 75% is required to pass this course. 2. A UBC Certificate in English Language will be awarded upon completion of both the RW and the SL Courses

Learning Plan What is a Learning Plan? Why Have a Learning Plan? A Learning Plan is created BY you and FOR you guides you to be a more independent and successful learner lays out goals you have for your academic studies offers specific ways to reach these goals week by week I will help make sure you stay on schedule for your learning plan over the next eight weeks Why Have a Learning Plan? easy to say, “I want to improve my English” harder to do without a clear plan your Learning Plan will be customized to your strengths and weaknesses I can assist you in finding valuable resources and methods to achieve your goals. Remember, this should be used as a guide to assist your learning process.

What Kind of Student am you? How do you learn best? What time of day are most productive and alert? What methods do you use? Do you prefer to work in groups or alone, through listening, reading or watching videos about a specific topic? What are your strengths as a student? These can be strengths for academic or language skills. What areas do you need to improve to be a better student? These can be specific academic skills or language skills.

Make an 8-week plan Make a Week 1 plan What are the most important areas that you would like to improve over the next eight weeks? Give practical solutions to achieve your goals. Remember to be specific with your word choice. Don’t write general statements like, “I’d like to write essays more clearly.” Instead write, “I’d like to learn how to organize a persuasive essay more quickly.” Make an 8-week plan Make a Week 1 plan

Writing Prompts – 40 minutes Education is the single most important factor in the development of a country. Do you agree? The idea of going overseas for university study is an exciting prospect for many people. But while it may offer some advantages, it is probably better to stay home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a different culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement? Give reasons for your answer. In Canada, when someone gets old, they often go to live in a home with other old people where there are nurses to look after them. Sometimes the government has to pay for this care. Who should be responsible for our old people? Give reasons. Some businesses now say that no one can smoke cigarettes in any of their offices. Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons. To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?