Portfolio tasks from the University of Southampton

(FL = Foreign Language)

Grammar and Writing

1. Choose a grammar point that you find difficult to understand/apply.

2. Complete 3-5 published exercises to practise this point which may be taken from various sources including:

- grammar books

- grammar software available in the LRC (Language Resource Centre), Hartley library etc.

- language websites.

Check your answers and correct any errors.

3. Write a short text to demonstrate appropriate and accurate use of this particular grammar point. (250 words).

4. In English, evaluate your task by answering the following types of questions to guide your critical reflection: why do I find this grammar point difficult? Where can I find further explanations/exercises to help me? How can I transfer the grammar I have learnt to my writing? Am I now more confident in applying this particular grammar point? If so, why? If not, why not and how can I become more confident? (200 words).

Vocabulary and Speaking

1. Choose a topic that interests you personally.

2. Note down the vocabulary related to this topic that you already know. Check spelling etc. and then add any further vocabulary that you do not know by using a bilingual dictionary carefully.

3. Create a thematic vocabulary record including comprehensive lexical information for future reference.

4. In note form, compose a short but logically structured presentation about this topic integrating the subject-specific vocabulary that you have recorded.

5. Record an unscripted version of your presentation of around 2 minutes. Deposit a clearly labelled digital copy of your presentation in the Dropbox of your course Blackboard or burn it onto a CD. NB: Do not read continuous prose directly from a sheet as this will compromise your pronunciation and your fluency.

6. In English, write 6 questions relating to the content of your presentation and provide the answers on a different sheet.

7. Listen to your recording. In English, critically evaluate your oral performance in terms of pronunciation, fluency, accuracy and range of expression with reference to specific examples in your presentation (200 words).

Vocabulary and Writing

1. Select and copy an article in the FL. Note source and all publication details.

2. Skim read the text all the way through underlining/highlighting and guessing unknown vocabulary as you proceed. Do not stop to look words up in a dictionary.

3. Draw a table with 3 columns. In the first column, write a list of all the unknown vocabulary you have underlined/highlighted in the text. In the second column, write your contextualised guess as to the meaning of all the unknown words.

4. In the third column, write the confirmed or corrected meaning of each lexical item in context by using a good bilingual dictionary carefully.

5. From your list of previously unknown vocabulary, select 8 words and/or expressions that you would like to add to your active vocabulary for future use. Look up these 8 lexical items again and create a comprehensive vocabulary record including formal and usage details.

6. Recycle these 8 items in a 150 word text. Ensure that you use them accurately and appropriately in the context that you create.

7. Write a critical evaluation in English reflecting on the various aspects of the task and the development of your awareness of effective vocabulary use (200 words).

Grammar

1. In your previous language work, identify a grammar point that you find difficult to form and/or apply correctly.

2. In the online or hard copy newspaper or magazine of your choice, find 8 examples of this grammar point in use. Copy and paste or copy out each example in context. Note the sources and all publication details.

3. Explain the formation and justify the usage of each example.

4. Produce a teaching document, to be published on your course Blackboard and used by your fellow students, clearly explaining the formation and usage of this particular grammar point. You must use your own examples to illustrate your explanation. Do not exceed 2 sides of A4.

5. Create an exercise of the format of your choice to consolidate understanding and practise application of this grammar point (5 questions minimum). Provide an answer key, with explanations as necessary, on a separate sheet.

NB: Steps 4 and 5 must represent your own work and must not be copied from grammar teaching publications.

6. In English, critically evaluate your task by addressing the following considerations to guide your reflection: your justification for choice of grammar point; the function of learning through teaching others; any difficulties encountered; the effect (if any) of the prospect of having your work made public for othersÂ’ use (200 words).

Listening/Reading and Writing

1. Either:

Select a FL feature film that you have not seen before

Or:

Select a FL fictional short story or reader that you have not read before

2. Watch the first 30 minutes (approx) of the film with FL subtitles to guide you/read the first third of the book. Take notes while you are watching/reading to help you recall specific details (e.g. names, places etc).

3. Based on the first section of the film or book that you have seen/read, write 300-350 words in the FL on one of the following:

- predict what will happen next or at a later point in the plot

- in the style of the film or book if possible, write a script or a follow-up to the story

4. Critically evaluate your task in English by analysing your experience of watching a feature film/reading a book in the foreign language and suggesting alternative strategies to help you exploit authentic audio/visual materials in the future (200 words).

5. You may also complete the film or book to confirm or correct your predictions!

Listening

1. Select 2 separate recent pre-recorded news bulletins. These may be off-air versions available online or video or digital recordings available in the LRC.

2. Take a separate ‘News Grid’ document for each bulletin and write the source and date at the top of each sheet.

3. Watch/listen to each bulletin all the way through without pauses and complete as many details in the ‘News Grid’ in the foreign language as you can. Use a separate row for each news story.

4. Watch/listen to the bulletin all the way through again and pause the footage in order to complete further details. Repeat this again if necessary. Do not worry if you have not managed to fill all of the boxes on the grid by this point.

5. Confirm and/or correct and supplement the details you have heard by referring to written versions of the news stories covered in online or hard copy newspapers in the FL. Record these additional details in the grid in a different colour to document your learning process.

6. In English, write 5 questions minimum per bulletin to elicit details about each news item. These questions may be of the format of your choice. Provide answers on separate sheets for each set of questions.

7. In English, write an evaluation of the task by reflecting on questions such as the use of multimedia resources to promote independent language learning; the development of your listening and scan reading skills throughout this activity; the cultural aspects of basing your practice on authentic materials (200 words).

Listening and Writing

1. Select a full length feature film in the FL.

2. Watch the film all the way through and use FL subtitles to help you. Take notes while you are watching to help you recall specific details (e.g. names, places etc).

3. In English or in the FL, write a set of 8 questions to elicit some of the main narrative and aesthetic aspects of the film. Your questions should seek to elicit both specific details and subjective opinions. Provide a set of answers on a separate sheet.

4. In 250 words in the FL, write one of the following:

- a description of one of the characters, justifying your personal opinion of him/her

- a synopsis of the film in your own words

- a personal review of the film, justifying your opinions

5. Critically evaluate your task in English by justifying your choice of film and post-viewing tasks and analysing the relative merits of developing language skills and your knowledge of the foreign language by undertaking these sorts of practice activities (200 words).

Reading

Find a partner and each do the following:

1. Select and copy an article or short reader in the FL. Note the source and publication details.

2. Skim read the text all the way through guessing unknown vocabulary as you proceed. Do not stop to look words up in a dictionary. In the FL, write a single sentence summary of the whole text in your own words to help you consolidate your initial understanding.

3. Re-read the text, confirming and correcting guessed or unknown vocabulary with the help of a good bilingual dictionary. In the FL, write a brief keyword summary for each paragraph in your own words to further elicit the meaning of the text.

4. In English or the FL, write 10 questions relating to the content, style and vocabulary of the text. (e.g. a mixture of True/False, multiple choice, gap-fill, open-ended or subjective questions. Use the question formats used by your language tutor in seminar work as a guide). Provide a list of key vocabulary and a set of answers on separate sheets.

5. By a mutually agreed date, swap a clean copy of the text, the questions and the vocabulary list with your partner. Study your partnerÂ’s text and answer all the questions s/he has set on it.

6. By a mutually agreed date, give your answers to your partner, and mark and correct theirs. Arrange a meeting with your partner and give each other feedback.

7. Critically evaluate the task in English by reflecting on considerations such as your justification for choice of text and questions; the function of peer teaching and learning with regard to developing reading comprehension and language awareness skills and the collaborative nature of this activity (200 words).

Speaking

1. Select and copy a paper-based/digital picture or video clip. Note all publication details.

2. Record a spoken and scripted 2-3 minute free interpretation of this picture/clip in the foreign language; e.g. a personal commentary; a detailed physical description; an imaginary story relating to it. Deposit a clearly labelled digital copy of your interpretation in the Dropbox of your course Blackboard or burn it onto a CD.

NB: Do not read continuous prose directly from a sheet as this will compromise your pronunciation and your fluency.

3. Write 5 questions relating to the picture/clip and your interpretation in the FL in the format of your choice (e.g. a mixture of True/False, multiple choice, and gapped text, open-ended or subjective questions. Use the question formats used by your language tutor in seminar work as a guide). Provide your answers on a separate sheet.

4. Critically evaluate your task in terms of your justification for choice of visual stimulus and interpretation. Listen to your recording and evaluate your oral performance in terms of pronunciation, fluency, accuracy and range of expression with reference to specific examples in your interpretation (200 words).

Speaking and Writing

1. Select a subject of your choice on which you can base a survey which you will conduct with native speakers of your FL.

2. Write a series of questions in the FL relating to aspects of the subject. Formulate both Yes/No and open-ended type questions (e.g. subject = smoking in public places; “Do you support the banning of smoking in public places in the UK?”; “What effects do you think this ban will have on pub and restaurant sales?” etc).

3. Conduct your survey with native speakers and make a digital recording of each of your interviews. Deposit a clearly labelled digital copy of your interviews in the Dropbox of your course Blackboard or burn them onto a CD.

4. Listen to the recordings of your interviews and write up and analyse your findings in the FL (250 words).

5. Listen to the recordings again and in English, critically reflect on the task in terms of how successful your question types were; how effective you were at eliciting opinions and how you interacted with native speakers. Evaluate your oral performance in terms of pronunciation, fluency, accuracy and communication skills with reference to specific examples in your interviews (200 words).

Reading and Writing

Find a partner and do Steps 1-7 together. Find another pair of students who are undertaking this task to do Steps 6-7.

1. Select and copy an article or short reader in the FL with your partner. Note all publication details.

2. Skim read the whole text guessing unknown vocabulary and helping each other as you proceed. Do not look words up in a dictionary. In the FL, write a single sentence summary of the whole text to help you consolidate your initial understanding.

3. Re-read the text, confirming and correcting guessed or unknown vocabulary with the help of a good bilingual dictionary.

4. In English or the FL, one partner writes 5 questions relating to the content of the text and the other writes 6 questions relating to the style and vocabulary. (You should both try and use a mixture of question types, e.g. True/False, multiple choice, gap-fill, open-ended or subjective questions. Use the question formats used by your language tutor in seminar work as a guide). Provide a set of answers on a separate sheet.

5. Swap questions with your partner and answer them. Give your answers to your partner, and mark and correct theirs. Give each other feedback and decide on the best answers.

6. By a mutually agreed date, exchange a clean copy of your text and all your questions with another pair of students.

7. By a mutually agreed date, give your answers the other students, and mark and correct theirs. Arrange a meeting with them and give each other feedback.

8. Individually, critically evaluate the task in English by reflecting on considerations such as your justification for choice of text and the focus of your questions; the function of peer teaching and learning with regard to developing reading comprehension and language awareness skills and the collaborative nature of this activity (200 words).

Writing

1. Either conduct an email tandem discussion about a mutually agreed topic with a partner from your language unit or make at least 3 contributions to an online discussion board on your course Blackboard which will be initiated by your language tutor. In both cases, each participant in the discussion must produce at least 300 words in the FL.

2. When you have completed your online discussion, download your personal contributions and arrange a meeting with your email partner or another participant on your board.

3. Together, revise all your contributions for errors with a dictionary, grammar books etc. Type up a revised version of your own contributions and submit both this and your original text.

4. In English, critically evaluate your task; consider: your choice of medium and topic; the quality of language in your contributions; the collaborative revision process and an analysis of errors in your language work with examples from your discussion and correction strategies (200 words).