Academic literacy: prepare to learn will appeal to lecturers with large classes, as well as tutors dealing with smaller groups. Although the book could also be used in follow-up support courses or in academic writing centres, it is primarily intended for use with first-time students at universities, universities of technology or comprehensive institutions. It comprehensively covers - in ways different from the traditional - the range of skills, competencies and learning strategies that students at this level (and beyond) need:

Academic literacy: prepare to learn is different from traditional courses in that it is task-based: it requires of language learners who are developing their academic literacy to do authentic academic tasks and to solve real academic problems. It assumes that telling students about how tasks must be done is never enough - they must be allowed to demonstrate that they can actually do real academic work. The book is also different from other titles in that tasks have been sequenced in line with current research into the acquisition of academic literacy.

Not only students and lecturers, but also prospective students preparing for university entrance examinations will find the course a valuable resource.

"The workbook is based on years of experience in teaching students, a thorough understanding of the language and cognitive requirements of tertiary education and familiarity with the vast research literature in the fields of Second Language Acquisition and academic literacy."

Elizabeth de Kadt. 2004. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 22(1): 95.

Albert Weideman is a professor in the Unit for Academic Literacy at the University of Pretoria, where his primary responsibility is language test and course development. His expertise lies in alternative and innovative second language teaching methodologies and language testing. His theoretical work deals with how teachers respond to the introduction of innovations to language teaching, and he has authored a number of practical language teaching courses that illustrate how innovation in language teaching can benefit learners.