PACE: Personalised Autonomous Communication Enhancement

As a collective, UNSW staff represent more than 35 different language backgrounds, and Australia’s population alone speaks more than 300 languages. Confidence in speaking, listening, and writing across various modes is essential for staff success and happiness. In recognition of this, we are currently running a pilot iteration of this course to UNSW staff with plans to offer externally in 2025.

Introducing PACE: Personalised Autonomous Communication Enhancement, a unique course tailored to enhance your English communication skills in the way that suits you best. Ideal for academic staff looking to improve their English proficiency, this program offers a warm and inspiring community of peers to support your journey.

Course Overview

PACE is a unique course designed for individuals who want to improve their confidence and effectiveness in English communication. Whether you're interacting with students, colleagues, families, or professional stakeholders, this course offers a tailored learning experience that focuses on your specific needs and goals.

Building on the innovative pedagogy of PELE (Personalised English Language Enhancement - an elective/general education course for all students across faculties at UNSW), PACE turns language learning into a personalised, dynamic process that you can continue independently after the course ends. You’ll develop not just your linguistic skills but also the communication strategies needed to handle complex situations with confidence.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify personal language needs.
2. Apply tools and resources for language enhancement.
3. Design and carry out a personal project based on the analysis of personal language needs.
4. Reflect on and assess their own progress to sustain personal and professional language enhancement.
5. Communicate critical personal learning outcomes with peers.

How will I learn?

This course is delivered across a 10 week period through a combination of weekly face-to-face and online sessions alongside independent self-study, and reflection. Through a mixture of videos and activities, learners will be supplemented with resources to proceed through this course.

Volume of learning is 35 hours (approx).

Who is it for?

It is for anyone who wants to enhance their English communication skills and develop more effective learning strategies in a warm and inspiring learning community of peers.

Who is the Course Convenor

Associate Professor Mira Kim

Mira Kim is an Associate Professor in Translation and Interpreting Studies at the School of Humanities & Languages.

Her research spans translation studies, Systemic Functional Linguistics, and personalised autonomous learning. These three main fields are synergistically integrated in her work, enabling her to foster self-directed, lifelong learning among her students.

Mira's practical application of her research includes developing the Personalised English Language Enhancement (PELE). Since 2016, more than 2000 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students at UNSW have experienced the powerful pedagogy of PELE. PELE adopts a personalised autonomous (PA) model developed by her through action research. PELE transforms language learning into a dynamic, cyclical, and personalised exploration that can be repeated independently.

Beyond her research, Mira has been recognised internationally and nationally as a plenary speaker, guest lecturer, workshop facilitator, and presenter at conferences, seminars, and workshops. She has also authored papers in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and books.