Students

LING120 – Exploring English

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Maria Herke
Contact via maria.herke@mq.edu.au
C5A 506
TBA to students at beginning of Session
Administration
Margaret Wood
Contact via 98508740
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The English language is used in many different ways: to inform, to question, to report, to regulate, to express emotions, to advertise products, to create images, to construct works of literature. Drawing on a view of language as a 'social semiotic', this unit moves from some basic and traditional concepts in English grammar to looking at the grammatical choices users of English make in a variety of contexts, with lectures covering both theory and practice. The theoretical lectures provide an introduction to some basic concepts of, and tools for, a functional approach to grammar description and analysis of its application to context. The practical lectures, conducted as interactive workshops, invite students to explore the relationship between the grammar of and the contextual meanings in texts – both spoken and written – drawn from many different social contexts.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology (in terms of both traditional and systemic functional grammar) used by grammarians to describe grammatical phenomena
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

General Assessment Information

The final grade for LING120 will be based on your aggregate marks across all assessments. Please note that attendance at the exam is compulsory - students can pass overall even if they fail the exam but failure to sit the exam will result in automatic failure overall no matter what your aggregate raw mark.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Exam 40% No University examination period
Short essay 10% No Tueday March 28.
Grammar excercise 20% No Tuesday May 9
Major essay 30% No Tuesday May 23

Exam

Due: University examination period
Weighting: 40%

This is a compulsory exam held in the formal Univesrity examination period.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology (in terms of both traditional and systemic functional grammar) used by grammarians to describe grammatical phenomena
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Short essay

Due: Tueday March 28.
Weighting: 10%

 

In this short essay students analyse the context of a text (500 words)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Grammar excercise

Due: Tuesday May 9
Weighting: 20%

This grammar exercise is based on Lectures 4-14 and will cover experiential and interpersonal meanings.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology (in terms of both traditional and systemic functional grammar) used by grammarians to describe grammatical phenomena
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts

Major essay

Due: Tuesday May 23
Weighting: 30%

This 1200 word essay will require you to compare two texts using both experiential and interpersonal meanings as your analytical tools.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology (in terms of both traditional and systemic functional grammar) used by grammarians to describe grammatical phenomena
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Delivery and Resources

Unit delivery

We deliver this unit through lectures and weekly tutorials, both beginning in week 1. We use iLearn for uploading notes and other materials and for your access to the recording of the lectures through ECHO. For other information about how the unit runs, once you have enrolled in LING120 please see the iLearn site, where you will find a more detailed Unit Outline.

There is a set textbook: Butt, Fahey, Feez and Spinks, Using Functional Grammar:An explorer's guide to English, Edition 3, published by Palgrave Macmillan.

This unit runs over the full 13 weeks of Semester 1. Please note that the Semester break is a break from face to face teaching, not a vacation break, and we may set work to be done during those two weeks.

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment tasks

  • Exam
  • Short essay
  • Major essay

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic terminology (in terms of both traditional and systemic functional grammar) used by grammarians to describe grammatical phenomena
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment tasks

  • Exam
  • Short essay
  • Grammar excercise
  • Major essay

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment tasks

  • Exam
  • Short essay
  • Grammar excercise
  • Major essay

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment tasks

  • Exam
  • Grammar excercise
  • Major essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Be able to analyse short texts in terms of their grammatical patterns.
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment task

  • Short essay

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Assessment tasks

  • Short essay
  • Major essay

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate a general understanding of what is meant by a functional approach to English grammar, and in particular the functional approach taken by systemic functional grammarians
  • Discuss the role of language as it is used in a variety of social contexts
  • Communicate in academic writing the ways composers of either written or spoken texts use language choices and other text design strategies to target their chosen audience as well as meet their own needs in the communicative process.

Changes from Previous Offering

Change to the convenor, removal of lecture schedule from this guide, removal of the advice from 2016 that assessments had changed from 2015 as this is no longer relevant. Otherwise the same information, assignment dates updated to reflect 2017 dates.