Criterion

Grade: 5/4/3/2/1

Comments (5 being the highest grade and 1 the lowest)

Originality

        5

This book offers inclusive comprehensive coverage of key skills, including the pronunciation features vital to achieving successful listening comprehension. It also raises the student’s awareness of poignant factors pertaining to skill development and academic institutions. It promotes critical thinking and develops note taking skills. All of this is combined with authentic lectures and valid academic topics, all of which are uniquely presented in an integrated way.

Practicality 

        5

As a self-study resource, the information is user-friendly and easily accessible.

• The Introduction provides useful information regarding the structure, content and use of the book, with some very practical study tips.
• This book could be worked through sequentially or units could be used in isolation, as required/preferred. In particular, the authentic lectures are independent of the Units and therefore could be repeatedly referred to for practice.
• The MP3 files provided on the CD, can be copied to the student’s desk top, for further study at a later time! The relevant file for each exercise is clearly identifiable in the book, the number of the file being written underneath a picture of a set of headphones, next to the exercise.

Presentation

        4

• The content of this book is organised as follows: The purpose of, preparing for, and the structure of, lectures; Features of speech, Understanding points, such as the lecturer’s voice, fact and opinion and thinking critically; Strategies for note taking and understanding your notes; Other types of academic listening, such as tutorials, and seminars; and finally, Focusing forward, knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
• Following on from the Contents page and Introduction, this book contains ten chapters. Each chapter begins with outlining its aims and is followed by a self-evaluation quiz of 3-4 questions.
• A section on pronunciation features is integrated within each Unit
• Aspects of grammar are highlighted where and when appropriate
• There are multiple listening activities within each Unit.
• At the end of each Unit there is a summary of important points to remember.
• Clear and concise explanations are given, making the information accessible.  There is a glossary outlining key terminology adjacent to where it is being presented on the page.
• Exercises are clearly identifiable in shaded boxes and vary in length as appropriate
• Authentic tasks are presented, leading to authentic outcomes
• The information on each page is clearly divided through the use of sub-headings and questions
• Very useful tips are presented throughout each Unit, at appropriate points, concerning academic considerations both for the individual and concerning academic institutions.
• Five authentic lectures are included within the book. These are stand-alone listening activities and are situated two units apart throughout the book. Following each authentic lecture there are questions for reflection. The Collins ELT website is also referred to where students can listen to the lectures in full. Transcripts are also provided. The lectures are given in British English, Canadian, and American (Mid West) accents.
• Provided at the back of the book is a full glossary of the terminology used throughout, together with the audio scripts and answer key. Further information regarding online learner resources, for both listening to lectures and pronunciation, are also provided.

Overall rating 

      5

What outstanding strengths/ weaknesses do you feel this title possesses?

Strengths:

This book addresses the key questions and issues that international students ask and experience when grappling with the challenges of comprehending lectures whilst simultaneously taking notes. Its overriding strength is that it seeks to develop both the top down and bottom up processing skills needed to successfully listen to, comprehend, take notes of and evaluate the information given, in university lectures.

It asks relevant questions, focusing the student’s attention and promoting active and critical reading, as they work through the Unit. For example: Unit 6, Thinking Critically, asks and answers the following questions, through the exercises presented: How can I analyze the views given in my lectures? And, How do I evaluate the ideas presented in my lectures? What’s my lecturer’s opinion? Furthermore, attention is drawn towards elements of connected speech; Rhetorical questions are examined and identified and definitions regarding critical thinking are considered.

Attention is given to features of pronunciation as they are integrated throughout each unit and the book as a whole. For example, when students are asked to distinguish between old and new information being given in a lecture, recognition of the use of intonation patterns, is highlighted.

Authentic tasks and outcomes have been designed to support, equip and enable the successful comprehension of university lectures. For instance, an example of a lecturer’s hand out, as given in advance of a lecture, is used as a reference for the purpose of note taking, together with hand outs of a lecturer’s power point slides against which to write notes.

Authentic lectures are provided, including the opportunity to listen to the full lecture via the website www.collinselt.com/academicskills Full audio transcripts are also provided.

The difference in terminology used between the UK, Australian and USA, university systems, is briefly acknowledged and one of the authentic lectures covers the history of Western Universities. 

The MP3 files, on the accompanying CD, can be copied onto the student’s desktop. This is a highly motivational concept for the student!

The use of reflection questions following the authentic lectures, encourage and enable the students to review, re-consider and reinforce that which they have learnt in the previous units. In particular, diagnostic questions are used, following Lecture 4, to enable the student to discern their strengths and weaknesses, in order to be able to continue progressing beyond the use of the book.

Weakness:

A variety of accents are used on the recordings. Typically, these are British English, American, and Australian, amongst others. Whilst this may make the book applicable to a variety of student audiences, the variation of accents and consequent unpredictability within a single Unit may initially be ‘unsettling’, as the student begins to work through the Unit.  However, once the student becomes accustomed to the rotation of accents, this should not be a problem.

On which courses do you envisage being able to use this material?

This book could be used as an additional self-study resource on any of the following programmes:

Pre-sessional, Foundation, First year Undergraduate students on degree or comparative programmes,

Preparatory Academic English programmes

With regard to Study Skills courses, whilst this book would be a significant additional resource, it is worth noting that it is not a course book. The approach taken throughout the book requires that it is read through, step by step, and it would therefore not necessarily lend itself to be, being taught from. However, the stand alone lectures could be used in a whole class setting.

This self-study book has not been mapped against the CEFR (Common European Framework). Whilst the explanations have been written in a highly accessible way, that is, simply, clearly, and effectively, in no more than 4-6 lines, the language used within the exercises is much more complex. Consequently, a student with an IELTS score of approximately 4.5 or less, may struggle in obtaining the full benefit to be had from using this book.

Typically a student of IELTS 6.0 or above would use this resource with relative ease, in terms of comprehensibility.

Other comments

This book does not simply provide listening and note taking practise, it focuses the students’ attention on the key issues pertaining to successful skills development. It addresses and guides the student through, step by step, the problematic areas typically experienced by international students, when listening to lectures. Furthermore, this book enables the student to understand why listening to lectures can be problematic whilst simultaneously, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to successfully develop their ability to listen to lectures and take notes.

As the students skills are developed through authentic tasks and outcomes, this book also provides insight into studying at university by asking and answering such questions as, ‘How does my course structure relate to my lectures?’, ‘Why is note taking important for my assessments?’ ‘How can I check my notes are accurate?’, and ‘How can I use my notes in written assessments like essays?’

Exercises are designed to enable the student to discern and think critically as they are listening.

Students are given insight into what would be expected of them, by lecturers, as well as incredibly helpful study skill tips.

Where student engagement, focus and maintaining concentration, can be problematic for students who are studying independently, this book, has the potential to inspire and motivate, providing opportunities for learning in association with, and beyond the book itself.

This is a tremendous resource and would be a valuable asset to an international student studying or preparing to study at university!