The Language Centre offers support with both Academic Writing and Communication Skills.
Classes are designed for international students who have started their degree studies. We offer general sessions as well as some sessions specifically related to your degree subject.
For more information about the sessions and to book a place, please view the sections below.
Please note that while we're preparing classes and workshops for the next academic year, some links and titles might not be available, but will be updated within the next couple of weeks.
Academic Writing Skills
- Writing classes
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These classes will highlight the common features of academic writing in English. To help with possible differences in writing styles and expectations:
• each session focuses on one aspect of the writing process
• you will work with examples of academic writing
• you will develop skills to produce effective writing
• an opportunity for you to ask questions about writing
• a relaxed and supporting environmentPlease note each class runs twice a week. You should only sign up for one each week as it is the same class on both days. The classes are on campus.
For more details and to book, see below.
- Academic grammar: an introduction
Wednesday 2 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Academic grammar: an introduction here
or Friday 4 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Academic grammar: an introduction (repeat) here
- Academic vocabulary: an introduction
Wednesday 9 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Academic vocabulary: an introduction here
- Responding to a writing task: Focusing on the question
Wednesday 16 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Responding to a writing task: Focusing on the question here
- Integrating sources to support your writing (citing & referencing)
Wednesday 23 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Integrating sources to support your writing (citing & referencing) here
- Organising your writing
Wednesday 30 October: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Organising your writing here
- Writing fluently
Wednesday 6 November: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Writing fluently here
- Critical thinking
Wednesday 13 November: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Critical thinking here
- Academic writing styles
Wednesday 20 November: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Academic writing styles here
- Using tables, figures, charts etc in your writing
Wednesday 27 November: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Using tables, figures, charts etc in your writing here
- Checking your writing: proofreading & editing
Wednesday 4 December: 13.45 – 15.15
Book your place at Checking your writing: proofreading & editing here
- Legal academic writing for LLM students
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This in-sessional course has been designed for students doing an LLM in the Law Dept. Each weekly session focuses on writing sub-skills that are transferable to different LLM assessments. The course is especially tailored to meet the writing and language requirements of international law students. The classes are on campus only.
Classes may be available in the following semester.
- 1-2-1 (book an appointment)
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These sessions are helpful if you are experiencing some challenges with your writing tasks, or if you would like some general advice about your writing. You will have up to an hour with an experienced writing tutor to discuss your concerns. This could include issues such as:
- Getting started with your writing assessments
- Understanding what it is you are being asked to do
- Trying to organise your writing
- Understanding your grades and feedback
- Citing skills (showing where you got information from)
- Writing in your own words
- Writing clearly (grammar, vocabulary, sentence structures)
- Or, you may have something else that you would like to discuss regarding your writing.
Click here to make an appointment. A tutor will then contact you to arrange an appointment.
Please note the advice we give focuses on supporting you with writing assessments in English. It is advice only which you may choose to accept or not. Academic Writing tutors are not subject experts and cannot advise specifically about subject content. For that, you should contact your subject tutor.
1-2-1 sessions are limited to 3 per student per semester.
- Drop-in sessions (no appointment required)
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These sessions are helpful if you have a quick question about your writing. For example, you might be working on an assessment and find you are not sure about something such as:
- how to write something clearly
- your paragraph organisation
- academic style, grammar & vocabulary
- how to use citations (referencing)
- …or something else
You can just drop in and ask a tutor.
Please note that the time you have with a tutor may be limited, depending on the numbers of students looking for help.
Date, time & venue:
We are not offering drop in-sessions at the moment.
What our students say
I wouldn’t have written anything without these courses, because I was at a loss at first as it was my first to write academic English.
It helps me to have a basic structure about essay writing in my mind, this class is helpful, and I think I have learned some writing skills which are contributed to my essay.
Gives me a better idea of expectations from the professors, the structure of the assignment, etc. And as someone who has not been in academia in a few years, I appreciate that.
It serves as a reminder of the need for developing critical thinking skills, approaching academic writing, and provides a guide to follow.
Academic Communication Skills
- Presentation skills: PPT Presentations
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These sessions are to help you create effective, well-designed, and clear presentations.
If you are currently working on a presentation, or need to prepare one in the future, these sessions can support you with its design & delivery. Bring your laptop.
Classes may be available in the following semester.
- Presentation Skills: Poster Presentations
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These sessions are to help you create effective, well-designed, and clear presentations.
If you are currently working on a presentation, or need to prepare one in the future, these sessions can support you with its design & delivery. Bring your laptop.
For more details and to book, see below.
Presentation Skills: Poster Presentations
- Session 1 - Understanding the requirements of the presentation
Wednesday 20 November: 16.00 – 17.00
Book your place at Poster Presentations: Session 1 here
- Session 2 - Creating your Poster Presentation
Wednesday 27 November: 16.00 – 17.00
Book your place at Poster Presentations: Session 2 here
- Session 3: Designing the layout of a Poster presentation
Wednesday 4 December: 16.00 – 17.00
Book your place at Poster Presentations: Session 3 here
- Session 4: Skills for effective delivery of presentations
Wednesday 11 December: 16.00 – 17.00
Book your place at Poster Presentations: Session 4 here
- Session 5: Delivering your presentation
Wednesday 18 December: 16.00 – 17.00
- Seminar skills
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Part of your degree studies may involve participation in seminars and group discussions. Our seminar skills sessions are an opportunity for you to practise these skills in a small and relaxed group environment. The more you can speak & communicate, the more confident you may feel about your studies in general.
To find out more about the class and to book, click on the links below.
- Introductory discussion activities, introduction to academic cultures, and mini discussions
Friday 4 October: 15.30 - 17.00 - Cancelled
- Problems & solutions: language & discussion
Friday 11 October: 15.30 - 17.00
Book your place at Problems & solutions: language & discussion (Repeat) here
- Analysis and evaluation from different perspectives: language & discussion
Friday 18 October: 15:30 - 17:00
Book your place at Analysis and evaluation from different perspectives: language & discussion (Repeat) here
- Comparing & contrasting, drawing conclusions, and evaluating: language & discussion
Friday 25 October: 15:30 - 17:00
- Supporting or opposing a position
Friday 1 November: 15:30 - 17:00
This class in cancelled
- Listening Skills
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These sessions are for students whose first language is not English and who may feel less confident in their listening skills. Listening to lectures, for example, in a different language can sometimes be hard work! We will look at strategies to help with this, as well as provide listening practice and opportunities for you to explore your own listening skills. It is a relaxed and social course where you can meet other students and work on your skills together.
- Listening Skills 1: Selecting strategies
Friday 2 February: 15:30 - 16:30
Book your place at Listening Skills 1 here
2. Listening Skills 2: Predicting content
Friday 9 February: 15:30 - 16:30
Book your place at Listening Skills 2 here
3. Listening Skills 3: Identifying key terms and concepts
Friday 16 February: 15:30 - 16:30
Book your place at Listening Skills 3 here
4. Listening Skills 4: Following signposting language
Friday 23 February: 15:30 - 16:30
Book your place at Listening Skills 4 here
5. Listening Skills 5: Connecting ideas
Friday 1 March: 15:30 - 16:30
Book your place at Listening Skills 5 here
6. Listening Skills 6: Following up on a lecture
Friday 8 March: 15:30 - 16:30
What our students say
Academic Communication sessions helped me overcome some difficulties in communicating in English to a certain extent, such as lack of self-confidence, nervousness, etc.
I learned to make my expression more natural in different contexts, and also more confident.
Fluency & Communication
- Fluency & Communication Sessions
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These sessions are an opportunity to talk & socialise with other students in a relaxed environment. Topics of discussion are informal and are an opportunity to find out more about living in the UK. They are intended to help build your confidence in your speaking skills.
Classes may be available in the following semester.