At JCU Singapore, we offer an English Language preparation program to students who need help with their English. This program has been specifically designed to enable students to develop their language skills for university study, and also their critical and independent learning abilities.

In terms of language skills, the core texts have an academic skills focus, and these are supplemented by a number of additional activities focused on particular skills. For example, in all levels students must carry out presentations on a regular basis, ending up with an independent academic presentation on Level 3.

The students’ ability to learn independently is developed over the program, with students being asked to complete larger pieces of coursework as they move through the program. On Level 3 the students spend ten weeks working on a 1,500 word academic essay, receiving support through individual tutorials. Critical thinking is also encouraged, with students being required to form opinions on a range of subjects and express these arguments in both written and spoken form.

For those students who wish to develop their English proficiency further, Level 4 of the ELPP is a good option. This level is designed to enable students to develop their advanced communication skills up to an equivalent of IELTS 6.5. In class, students will engage with real world topics of importance to the globalised world, attending lectures, reading and carrying out tasks in relation to these topics. Students who successfully complete all their Level 4 assignments, will also be able to apply for 3 credits exemption from their tertiary course.

This program helps students in the following ways:

• Prepares students for full degree programs at JCU Singapore
• Enhances students’ abilities in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English
• Equips students to present information, concepts and ideas on a variety of topics
• Enables students to express feelings and emotions, exchange opinions and make observations in English
• Improves students’ writing and research skills

Study Program / Learning Outcomes

Introductory Level

• Understand simple reading texts on familiar topics.
• Produce short texts on familiar topics using simple sentence structures.
• Understand short listening texts on familiar topics.
• Talk about familiar topics using simple language.

Level 1

• Describe familiar topics such as, origin, families, likes and dislikes and hobbies. Students will be able to do this with relative ease and fluency.
• Engage in everyday situations independently and comfortably in English.
• Understand and use a range of grammatical forms and be able to logically connect ideas to create basic cohesive texts.
• Derive meaning from and perform simple analysis of short reading and listening passages.

Level 2

• Speak logically and clearly on a variety of topics in an organised and confident manner.
• Summarise and paraphrase texts using complex and compound sentences.
• Understand and synthesise spoken and written input.
• Produce cohesive written work on relevant topics using appropriate academic vocabulary.
• Read extensively and critically on general and academic topics.

Level 3

• Demonstrate understanding of a variety of spoken discourse.
• Display critical thinking of academic topics through speech and writing.
• Derive meaning of specific details from different types of discourse.
• Produce academic essays, following Australian university conventions.
• Read academic texts, using appropriate reading techniques.

Level 4

• Demonstrate understanding of key issues of importance in the globalised world.
• Demonstrate practical oral skills through presentations.
• Locate and analyse information from a range of resources.
• Understand, analyse and present arguments on a range of issues.
• Demonstrate understanding of spoken academic discourse.
• Produce academics essays and reports, using appropriate style and format.