This course aims to enhance students’ English language skills in critical reading, listening, academic writing, as well as speaking. They will be introduced to academic arguments and various argumentation models, analyse arguments, and respond critically to ideas. Through reflection and self-assessment, they will become more independent and competent readers, listeners, and writers.

This course strengthens students’ ability to: (1) analyse academic discourse by examining the rhetorical and linguistic features used in academic writing, and learn to formulate arguments using various argumentation models; (2) respond critically to ideas through examining and evaluating evidence and arguments, while employing diverse argumentation models to strengthen their responses; (3) develop critical thinking, reading and writing skills, and transfer them to crafting well structured academic essays; and (4) use reflection and self-assessment to become more independent and competent readers and writers, with an emphasis on the ability to evaluate good argument structures.