This 6-hour integrated-skills course serves as a transition from general English to academic English, with a focus on expanding students’ vocabulary base with academic terms and synonyms. Students are introduced to academic writing conventions, practice reading and listening for a purpose, and work on improving their oral communication skills. The course emphasizes on continuous assessment that helps students monitor their learning progress. Thus, there is no final exam for this course.

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to: 1. give a clearly-organized talk of 3-5 minutes, both individually and/or in a group presentation and/or group discussion; 2. participate actively in thoughtprovoking speaking activities while using appropriate vocabulary (designed to improve oral and aural skills); 3. write basic academic texts clearly, using appropriate format and style and including sources as needed (emphasis on a three-part essay); 4. demonstrate understanding of main ideas and details in adapted and authentic reading and listening texts, identifying relevant and useful information for a given purpose; 5. employ basic critical thinking skills in searching for and interpreting information from oral and written sources; 6. demonstrate understanding of common vocabulary used in university, and to correctly use these vocabulary appropriately in speech and writing.