Academic English

Take your Academic English to the next level with our new online learning resources.

Strong academic English skills are the key to success at university. As a student on our Dubai campus, you can access a range of innovative online learning resources on Canvas. You just need to self-enrol with your University username and password.

Assess Your Academic English (AYAE)!

Identify your strengths and weaknesses in English grammar and vocabulary and do some focused practice in academic writing with our Canvas module, 'Assess Your Academic English!'.

The module covers academic style, effective paraphrasing and summarising, synthesising from sources, understanding citation, language accuracy (sentence structure, verb agreement, tense etc), understanding lectures and seminars as well as understanding feedback from your tutors.

You can self-enrol onto 'Assess Your Academic English!'.

Access the AYAE! module

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) toolkit

For focused self-study materials, access the EAP toolkit. It contains 80+ hours of activity-based learning, including online exercises to test your language and study skills.

The EAP toolkit covers:

  • Learning skills
  • Academic writing
  • Reading and critical thinking
  • Listening and note-taking
  • Communications skills
  • Grammar for academic purposes
  • Vocabulary for academic purposes

Access the EAP toolkit

From Reading into Writing

Good writing starts with good reading. Whether you are a social scientist or a STEM scientist studying Computer Science, Economics or Mechanical Engineering, From Reading into Writing is an online course developed to help you understand what’s expected of you when you write your assignments.

The courses take you through the process of assignment writing, including topics such as understanding essay questions, reading to increase your knowledge, paraphrasing, argumentation and avoiding plagiarism.

You’ll have access to 50+ academic language and skills quizzes, discussion boards, videos, study tips and reflective tasks.

Self-enrol on one of the courses and choose how much to do and when best to do it.

Access From Reading intoWriting for STEM

Access From Reading into Writing for Social Sciences

Understanding British academic culture e-guides

Explore the context and culture of university life with our specially-produced e-guides.

Working together with students and staff from many cultures is exciting, but at times it can be challenging. Learn how to analyse the influence of culture and develop strong intercultural skills for effective study.

Working together across cultures

Being a student at the University of Birmingham