This e-Learning Platform on Academic Use of English is developed by the English Language Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute, Education Bureau. With explanatory notes and a variety of interactive activities with answer-checking function, this platform serves to enhance senior secondary students’ understanding of the academic use of English.

Aims

This platform aims to

• heighten senior secondary students’ awareness of the academic use of English, which is essential for study and research at the secondary level and beyond;
• support the promotion of the academic use of English through Reading across the Curriculum (RaC) and Language across the Curriculum (LaC) to stretch students’ potential in English learning; and
• foster students’ self-learning outside class through the explanatory notes and learning activities.

Contents

This platform comprises six chapters on the common features and skills in the academic use of English. Each chapter includes an introduction, brief notes on the topic and learning activities, which guide students to explore the academic use of English. An outline of the six chapters is as follows:

Chapter 1:	What is Academic English? Academic English vs Everyday English General Features of Academic English
Chapter 2:	Academic Vocabulary Academic Vocabulary vs General Vocabulary Subject-specific Words and Technical Terms Word Formation
Chapter 3:	Useful Sentence Structures and Language for Academic Writing Passive Construction Hedging Language Noun Phrases and Clauses Adjective Phrases and Clauses
Chapter 4:	Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quoting Paraphrasing Summarising Quoting
Chapter 5:	Paragraph Structure A Five-paragraph Essay Paragraph Purposes Topic Sentences Supporting Details Concluding Sentences Paragraph Cohesion
Chapter 6:	Common Academic Text Structures Cause and Effect Comparison and Contrast Procedure/Sequence Problem and Solution

How can this platform be used?

Students are encouraged to explore this platform to enrich their self-learning experience outside class. To maximise the learning opportunity, it is recommended that students consult relevant grammar and reference books for more examples and related forms and functions of the target language items.

It should be noted that the content of this platform is not all-inclusive. The activities and items designed may not capture a full range of assessment modes and question types. Teachers are advised to use it to complement grammar learning and LaC activities. The explanatory notes and practice provided on the platform are by no means an end in themselves. They should be used as a means to an end for developing students’ understanding of the academic use of English and the related skills for application. It is, therefore, crucial to provide further exposure and opportunities for students to apply the relevant knowledge and skills in subjects not limited to English Language.

The six chapters featured in this platform are also available in both PDF and MS WORD formats for ease of use and adaptation. Teachers might like to select and use the materials in the six chapters or adapt them to suit their students’ needs, interests and abilities. For the printable version and other resources on the academic use of English, please visit the designated website www.edb.gov.hk/Academic_English. For more advice on curriculum planning related to the promotion of LaC, teachers are encouraged to make reference to the resource package Connecting Students’ Learning Experiences through Promoting Reading and Writing across the Curriculum in the Junior Secondary English Classroom.