Students

APPL8400 – Language for Specific Purposes

2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Cassi Liardet
cassi.liardet@mq.edu.au
Margaret Wood
margaret.wood@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MAppLing or MAppLingTESOL or MTransInterMAppLingTESOL or MAccComm or MEd
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides an introduction to major issues in language for specific purposes. The focus is on analysis of the socio-cultural contexts associated with business, professional and vocational areas and the specific characteristics of both oral and written text types associated with them. Such information is essential in evaluating appropriate materials and assessment tasks for teaching language for specific purposes. We consider the implications of globalisation for communication, the impact of new technologies and new approaches to learning and teaching language. Students will have the opportunity to specialise in particular vocational or professional areas in assignments.

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:

  • ULO1: Explain the main historical trends in LSP since the 1960s and how they have impacted LSP teaching and learning
  • ULO2: Apply appropriate theoretical understandings to practical issues related to teaching LSP
  • ULO3: Apply principles of needs analysis and discourse analysis to analyzing specific language learning contexts and specific contexts of language use.
  • ULO4: Apply an understanding of the features of oral and written texts associated with particular professions and business and vocational contexts to the selection and development of appropriate curricula, materials and assessment practices in the context of teaching LSP
  • ULO5: Reflect on an LSP context of interest and evaluate the merits of different approaches to researching that site.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Exploration of an Aspect of LSP 45% No 19 April 2021
Analysis of a Unit of Teaching 50% No 15 June 2021
Class or group participation 5% No Weekly

Exploration of an Aspect of LSP

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 43 hours
Due: 19 April 2021
Weighting: 45%

This assignment allows you to explore in depth an aspect of LSP that interests you. You may select a topic from the list available in the folder labelled Assignments on the iLearn website for APPL8400, or you may negotiate a topic with the unit convenor. Length: 3000 words
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the main historical trends in LSP since the 1960s and how they have impacted LSP teaching and learning
  • Apply appropriate theoretical understandings to practical issues related to teaching LSP

Analysis of a Unit of Teaching

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 49 hours
Due: 15 June 2021
Weighting: 50%

This assignment asks you to analyse a unit of teaching; using the methods and approaches considered in APPL8400, and to suggest approaches, methods and activities that you might use to teach this unit to a specified group of learners. Full details are available on iLearn. Length: 3000 words
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply appropriate theoretical understandings to practical issues related to teaching LSP
  • Apply principles of needs analysis and discourse analysis to analyzing specific language learning contexts and specific contexts of language use.
  • Apply an understanding of the features of oral and written texts associated with particular professions and business and vocational contexts to the selection and development of appropriate curricula, materials and assessment practices in the context of teaching LSP

Class or group participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 6 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 5%

As an important part of learning in this unit, students are expected to engage with tasks and interact with classmates. Your participation in classroom-based discussions (internal students) or online group discussions (external students) will be noted, but the content of your contributions will not be evaluated. Marks will be awarded based on lecturer observations of your participation.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the main historical trends in LSP since the 1960s and how they have impacted LSP teaching and learning
  • Apply appropriate theoretical understandings to practical issues related to teaching LSP
  • Apply principles of needs analysis and discourse analysis to analyzing specific language learning contexts and specific contexts of language use.
  • Apply an understanding of the features of oral and written texts associated with particular professions and business and vocational contexts to the selection and development of appropriate curricula, materials and assessment practices in the context of teaching LSP
  • Reflect on an LSP context of interest and evaluate the merits of different approaches to researching that site.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The learning and teaching strategies used in this Unit are virtual recorded sessions and live discussion groups; interaction with materials on iLearn; discussion; and self-study of course readings.

Time:    Thursday 12.00 – 14.00

The course lecturer will be contactable through email to answer any queries that might arise.

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

There is one required textbook for APPL8400: Language for Specific Purposes (Gollin-Kies, Hall & Moore, 2015). This book complements materials studied in the unit, rather than simpy duplicating them.

The following books are also highly recommended:

  • Bargiela-Chiappini, F. & Gotti, M. (2005). Asian Business Discourse(s). Bern: Peter Lang
  • Basturkmen, H. (2006). Ideas and options in English for Specific Purposes. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
  • Basturkmen, H. (2010). Developing Courses in English for Specific Purposes. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave McMillan
  • Belcher, D., Johns, A. & Paltridge, B. (2011). New directions in English for Specific Purposes research. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
  • Belcher, D. (2009). English for Specific Purposes in theory and practice. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
  • Candlin, C.N. & Gotti, M. (Eds). (2004). Intercultural aspects of specialised communication. Bern: Peter Lang
  • Handford, M. (2010). The language of business meetings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Harding, K. (2007). English for Specific Purposes. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Paltridge, B. & Starfield, S. (2013). The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Orr, T. (2002). English for Specific Purposes. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

The following journals contain useful articles:

  • English for Specific Purposes
  • TESOL Quarterly
  • Discourse Studies

Module Readings

There are between two and five 'required readings' for each module in this unit. You need to read a minimum of two for each module. Readings are essential as they discuss the major themes involved in the unit. You will find these readings on iLearn, via the ‘Leganto’ link.

Recommended books are shelved in the Reserve section of the library and can be borrowed for limited periods of time.

Unit Schedule

Week

Date Range

Topic

1

22-26 February

Introduction to LSP

2

1-5 March

Discourse & Discourse Communities

3

8-12 March

Genre in Business & Professional Contexts

4

15-19 March

Investigating the Language of LSP

5

22-26 March

Interpersonal Communication in LSP

6

29 March-2 April

Intercultural Communication and ELF

-

5-18 April

RECESS

7

19-23 April

LSP, Globalisation & New Technology

8

26-30 April

Needs Analysis in LSP

9

3-7 May

Course Design in LSP

10

10-14 May

Materials Selection & Design (1)

11

17-21 May

Materials Selection & Design (2)

12

24-28 May

Assessment in LSP

13

31 May-4 June

Researching LSP

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Assignment Submission

Assignments for this unit should be submitted to Turnitin via iLearn. The submission links are in the ‘Assessment’ tab in iLearn. Please do not submit assignments by email directly to the Unit Convenor.

For each assignment, you must:

  • include your full name as a footer
  • type double-spaced
  • submit the assignment in MSWord or RTF format

Late Assignment Submission

Late submissions without an extension will receive a penalty of 5% of the total mark available for the assignment per day (i.e. 2.25 marks/day).

Return of Marked Assignments

Students’ marked assignments will, in general, be returned to them within iLearn’s Gradebook within 3 weeks of the submission date. Please note that assignments cannot be accepted after the return of marked materials.

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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.

Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook