General Description
Study Skills for Business 1 (SSB1) in the spring semester and SSB 2 in the fall semester will improve students'
English skills by focusing on developing writing, listening, note-taking, and speaking skills as well as vocabulary.
Students in the Faculty of Business Administration should take Study Skills for Business 1 (SSB1) in the spring
semester and SSB 2 in the fall semester together with Business English (BE) 1 in the spring semester and BE 2 in
the fall semester.
Goals and Objectives
This course follows the Curriculum for General Academic Skills
The aim is to help you study in English at the university and overseas
- By the end of this course, for writing and speaking, you will be able to:
- collect ideas, take notes, and research effectively (Invention)
- organise your ideas clearly (Arrangement)
- express your ideas clearly (Style)
- present your ideas well (Presentation)
- You will also work on:
- vocabulary
- reading and listening fluency
- critical thinking
- goal setting and time management
- communicating in an academic environment
- directing your own learning
- using software and online tools effectively
- using learning strategies
- learning vocabulary and handling unknown words
Required Materials
A4 40 pocket plastic folder
No text. Materials supplied by teacher
Evaluation/Assessment
Required items and points for doing extra
| Item | % | Minimum
(NG points if not) | OK points for extra?
see get independent learning points | Instructions |
|---|
| Paragraphs | 30% | 3 paragraphs (ABC) (10% each) | No | see weekly schedule |
| Homework (RR) | 30% | 6 reports
(RR2,4,6 assessed) | Do "Logs" instead | see weekly schedule |
| Participation | 20% | =NG-Attendance+OK | Participation is OK points | see get independent learning points |
| Self Access (Writing Centre) | 5% | 5% for 2 visits | No | see use the Self Access Centre |
| English Forum | 5% | 5% for 5 visits | max 5 OK points for 5 more (total 10) | see use the Self Access Centre |
| Quickwrite Activities (QW) | 5% | 28 minimum | max 5 OK points for 15 extra (total 43) | see do a quickwrite |
| Logs (Reading/Listening activities) | OK/NG only | 6 minimum (matching RR1-6) | max 5 OK points for 5 extra (total 11) | see log input |
| Speed Reading (SR) | OK/NG only | 1 book (20 readings) minimum | max 5 OK points for 20 extra (total 40) | see do a speed reading |
| Vocabulary Project (V) | 10% (test) | 10 words per class (280 total) | No | see learn vocabulary |
Grading system
See grading system
Essay content
Report Content
Report List Spring
Report List Fall
| RR1 = Combined (lecture + related news) | Practice - not Graded | Print only |
| RR2 = Combined (lecture + related news) | 10% | Print and email |
| RR3 = outline an academic article | Practice - not Graded | Print only |
| RR4 = outline an academic article | 10% | Print and email |
| RR5 = Combined Academic (lecture+article) | Practice - not graded | Print only |
| RR6 = Combined Academic (lecture+article) | 10% | Print and email |
Weekly Schedule
Class 1 - Skills Class 1 (Thu 04/04)
What we will do in class:
The basics:
Class 2 - Skills Class 2 (Mon 04/08)
What to prepare for this class:
- Check you have the "Required Materials"
- Make sure you can access the Google Drive: (link)
- Remember you must be logged in with @soka-u.jp NOT your own personal Gmail.
- Have a look. Star it for later.
What we will do in class:
Review the basics:
Writing Class 1 (Mon 04/15)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Discuss this term's writing project
- Do some introductory listening and reading for the project
- How to follow a writing process
- How to find the templates
- How to find the example essay
Writing Class 2 (Mon 04/22)
What to prepare for this class:
- do a quickwrite, learn vocabulary, do a speed reading
- Download the templates
- TEMPLATE for ESSAY OUTLINE
- TEMPLATE for ESSAY
- CHOOSE A TOPIC! Read the instructions on good topics.
- Read the project page
- Read the example essay (see project page for link)
- Research your topic A LITTLE:
- Check you have 3 problems and 3 solutions
- Enough to give a 3-5 minute presentation next week
- What is your topic? How is it made? Where from? Etc.
- What problems does it cause?
- What solutions are there?
- Are the solutions working?
- Read Wikipedia, but remember you CANNOT use your notes in the essay
- Read at least 3 sources about your topic and take notes
- Read JAPANESE sources, but take notes in English
- Take handwritten notes for now.
- I will explain the typed template next week.
- Keywords / Note english only - this is an outline
- Don't copy-paste!
- Keep a note of where you found your sources (the links).
- Don't worry about APA for now.
What we will do in class:
- Share your research in pairs
- Check topics are OK
- Check outlines
- How to use "Template for Essay Outline"
Writing Class 3 (Mon 05/06)
What to prepare for this class:
- do a quickwrite, learn vocabulary, do a speed reading
- Research your topic more!
- Read at least 3 MORE things about your topic.
- This time, read only ENGLISH sources.
- Add your notes to the outline
- This time, use APA. Do your best!
- Fix your outline based on comments from last class
- Don't delete any parts of the template
What we will do in class:
- Present your research in pairs
- Check full draft outline in class
- Style: How to write A
Writing Class 4 (Mon 05/13)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
HW for the next two weeks
- Reserve the Writing Centre
- Reservation must AFTER you check B1
- Reservation must be BEFORE deadline for B2/B3
- Best time is in middle
Writing Class 5 (Mon 05/20)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check everyone sent A1/A2
- How to write B
Writing Class 6 (Mon 05/27)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
Writing Class 7 (Mon 06/03)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check everyone sent A3
- How to write C
Writing Class 8 (Mon 06/10)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- This is a review and catch up class.
- If you have any questions this is the class to ask them
- If you are behind on submitting A3, B2/B3, or researching C, try to catch up this week.
Writing Class 9 (Mon 06/17)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check everyone sent B1/B2/B3
- Receive A Final Grade
- Present C research
HW for the next two weeks
- Reserve the Writing Centre again
- Reservation must be at least a day AFTER you check C1
- Reservation must be at least a day BEFORE deadline for C3
- Best time is in the middle
Writing Class 10 (Mon 06/24)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
Writing Class 11 (Mon 07/01)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check everyone sent B4
- Arrangement/Style for Intro
Writing Class 12 (Mon 07/08)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- B final grade,
- Check everyone sent C1/C2/C3
- Review Introductions
- Arrangement/Style for Conclusion
Writing Class 13 (Mon 07/15)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Review C3 feedback
- Check Intro & Conc
Report Class 1 (Thu 04/11)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check QW and Vocab formatting and content
- How to outline Research Report 1 (RR1)
- Study Skills 3
Report Class 2 (Thu 04/18)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Team A: present Research Report 1 (RR1)
- Team B: present on your log
- Study Skills 4
Report Class 3 (Thu 04/25)
What to prepare for this class:
- do a quickwrite, learn vocabulary
- Team A: log input
- Team A: We've now reviewed APA.
- Add your References section.
- I will check your RR1 again this week.
- Team B: outline RR1
- DO NOT email me this report - it is not graded.
- Print it and bring it to class - I will check it.
- Don't forget your APA References
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Check APA for Team A
- Check full RR1 for Team B
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present RR1
- Check class report progress
- How to do Research Report 2 (RR2)
- Study Skills 5
Report Class 4 (Thu 05/09)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present RR2
- Team B: present on your log
Report Class 5 (Thu 05/16)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress. If you are > 1 week behind the minimum, you get a minus point!
- Check SAC progress
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present on RR2
- How to do Report 3 (RR3)
- Check-up day
- Back up check! You should back up your work!
- QW minimum count goes up today! Short QW = NG point from next class.
- SAC progress check day. Bring your sheets!
- Mid-term survey: (link)
Report Class 6 (Thu 05/23)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on RR3
- Team B: present on your log
Report Class 7 (Thu 05/30)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present on RR3
- How to do Report 4 (RR4)
Report Class 8 (Thu 06/06
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on RR4
- Team B: present on your log
Report Class 9 (Thu 06/13)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present on RR4
- How to do Report 5 (RR5)
Report Class 10 (Thu 06/20)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress. Minus points if behind!
- Check SAC progress
- Check backups
- Team A: present RR5
- Team B: present on your log
- Check-up day
- Back up check! You should back up your work!
- QW minimum count goes up today! Short QW = NG point from next class.
- SAC progress check day. Bring your sheets!
- Mid-term survey: (link)
Report Class 11 (Thu 06/27)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present on RR5
- How to do Report 6 (RR6)
Report Class 12 (Thu 07/04)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present RR6
- Team B: present on your log
Report Class 13 (Thu 07/11)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- Check class report progress
- Team A: present on your log
- Team B: present on RR6
Class 29 - Penultimate class (Thu 07/18)
What to prepare for this class:
- do a quickwrite, learn vocabulary
- All your homework should be done by this class
- Email Intro+A+B+C4+Conclusion
- Catch up on any missing RR, vocab, QW, logs, etc
- Fix your vocab sheets - they should be PRINTED, NUMBERED and IN ORDER
- Finalize Self Access sheets (transfer all substitute slips)
What we will do in class:
- Check progress on paragraphs, reports, logs, etc
- How to make a holiday study plan
- Questionnaires (class, SAC, other)
- Start checking Self Access sheets (if finished)
Class 30 - Last Class (Mon 07/22)
What to prepare for this class:
What we will do in class:
- receive C final grade
- Share your holiday homework plan with your group
- Final Vocab Test
- Party! (you eat and speak while I check your work). I will:
- Check class reports
- Check Self Access Sheets
- Check Namecards
- Confirm your Report/Essay scores and Self Assessment
HW for the future!
Follow your holiday homework plan.