BTHU 101 Communicative English
PART A (Reading)
The prescribed reading textbook for students will be S. P. Dhanavel English and Communication Skills for Students of Science and Engineering (with audio CD), Orient Blackswan. They will go through the reading texts themselves with the help of a dictionary or word power as given at the end. As they progress from one reading to another they should learn to read fast with greater degree of understanding of both concrete and abstract topics. While taking up the textbook lessons in the classroom, the teacher shall ensure that students can do the following:
i. Identify the significant points and conclusions as given in the text.
ii. Handle large texts (even outside the prescribed book) with overall comprehension of the links between arguments and the finer distinction between stated and implied meanings.
iii. Generally read the stance or the point of view of the writer and present it in the form of a summary.
iv. Use the vocabulary learnt in the lessons (especially given in „word power‟) productively in various writing tasks as suggested at the end of each lesson.
v. Profitably use the grammatical items as discussed at the end of each lesson while producing language for communication. Besides the textbook, the teacher must insist that students extend their reading by taking up additional texts of their own choice.
PART B (Writing)
In addition to the various exercises given at the end of each lesson of Dhanavel‟s book, the teacher shall use Anne Laws Writing Skills, Orient Blackswan to teach the language and conventions of writing. The students must learn the language that expresses various cognitive functions that are frequently used in writing. With the help of the teacher who will give them adequate practice, the students should be able to:
i.Convey information on concrete or abstract topics with clarity and precision.
ii.Write about objects or events with appropriate detail in both descriptive and narrative form.
iii.Explain ideas and build up arguments with adequate support in a convincing manner.
iv.Use language with some degree of flexibility in consideration to the reader.
v.Produce effectively such forms of professional writing as business letter, emails, notes, memos, reports summaries etc.
While teaching, the teacher must inculcate in students the habit of revising their writing. The teacher can also use and recommend the relevant sections of the following books for developing writing skills in students.