47431 - English Language Lab 1 (F)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student: - is able to demonstrate English language competence at full Threshold level of the CEFR (B1), that is:

• understanding the main points of familiar topics related to school, leisure, personal interests, etc.;

• interacting in English confidently and without errors or misunderstandings in situations that may arise when speaking with speakers of other languages;

• producing a simple written text in English on topics that are familiar or of personal interest;

• expressing in English experiences and events, plans, hopes and ambitions, and briefly explaining the reasons for their opinions and desires.

Course contents

English language at B1/B1+ level.

The goal of the first-year English language lab is to consolidate students’ receptive and productive language skills in order to promote English language competence that is both preparatory and functional for the contents of the labs in the third, fourth, and fifth year. In those later years, the focus will gradually shift from language learning to the study of appropriate approaches for teaching English. In the first-year lab, the emphasis will therefore be on reinforcing and strengthening the speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills acquired prior to university.

There will be no division into level groups. Consequently, each student may enrol in the group of their choice via AlmaEsami. Each group will follow exactly the same syllabus, using the same textbook. The textbook contents that will be covered with classroom activities and independent study will be specified by the lecturer during the first lesson and will constitute the study materials the final exam will be based on.

The first-year labs, divided into 8 groups, will all take place during the second semester of the current academic year. In addition to the 8 regular groups offered in the second semester, a ninth group will be added for the summer make-up lab.

It is not possible to change enrolment lists or split attendance across multiple groups: each student must therefore attend only the group for which they have officially enrolled. After successfully enrolling in a laboratory group, anyone who may wish to withdraw after the enrolment deadline must notify the lab instructor promptly.

All labs last 32 hours and are divided into 8 sessions of 4 hours each. Attendance is compulsory for at least 75 % of the total duration (i.e. for at least 6 lessons, equivalent to 24 hours). If a student is unable to attend a class, they must notify the lab instructor by email on a case-by-case basis, specifying in the email their first name, surname, student number, group and the date of the class they will be missing.

In the event of absences exceeding the maximum 8 hours allowed, ALL missed hours must be made up in the summer make-up lab. For example, if a student misses 8 + 3 hours, 11 hours must be made up. If absences total or exceed half of the overall lab duration (i. e. 16 or more missed hours), the entire lab must be retaken during the summer.

While the first and last lesson are not mandatory, they are strongly recommended. Students who are absent from BOTH the first and second sessions will be excluded from the rest of the lab.

Those who do not think they will be able to attend the first two sessions of the chosen lab are asked to withdraw (before the enrolment deadline) to make their place available to other students and (if necessary) to have the opportunity to enrol in another lab. It is not possible to be enrolled in more than one lab at the same time.

Attendance at all English workshops is permitted solely and exclusively in person.

NOTE TO INCOMING EXCHANGE STUDENTS: We regret that these labs are not available to Exchange students, due to the very nature of the workshops and their internal rules. For a list of courses in English you can attend in our Department, please refer to the guidelines (Incoming mobility: info on courses - English / Incoming mobility: info on courses -Spanish-/ on the following page (https://edu.unibo.it/en/teaching/international-mobility-programme/incoming-students). If you are interested in a course on English Language Teaching, you can attend course 13726 - English Language Teaching in the second semester (https://www.unibo.it/en/study/course-units-transferable-skills-moocs/course-unit-catalogue/course-unit/2025/498491).

Readings/Bibliography

English File B1/B1+, 5th edition, with digital pack (green book) ISBN: 9780194144018.

Teaching methods

The methods and techniques used may include: reading and comprehension exercises in small groups, grammar review focused on form both individually and in small groups, listening practice with group exercises, student presentations of lexical and grammatical material in a flipped classroom format, the production of short texts based on the language covered in the book, activities that illustrate issues relating to grammar and pronunciation, songs, role-plays, videos, and collaborative and individual writing on paper and on digital platforms such as Moodle, Padlet, etc.

Assessment methods

In order to register for the first-year examination, students must have attended the first-year workshop, unless credit for attendance has been granted on the basis of previous academic history.

The final exam for the first-year laboratories consists of a computer-based B1/B1+ test designed to assess linguistic competence in the areas of grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening and writing. The time allowed for the test is 70 minutes. The exam takes place in person, with mandatory prior registration on Almaesami.

More specifically:

• the reading comprehension test involves understanding a text of approximately 500–600 words, with one exercise comprising 15 questions, which may be of the following types: TRUE/FALSE/DOESN’T SAY, MULTIPLE CHOICE, OPEN CLOZE, WORD-BANK GAP FILL (with or without distractors);

 

• the listening comprehension test involves watching a video lasting approximately 1–2 minutes, followed by a 10-question exercise which may consist of MULTIPLE-CHOICE and/or GAP-FILL questions;

• the grammar test consists of 4 exercises, each containing 6 questions, which may be of the MULTIPLE CHOICE and/or GAP FILL type;

• the vocabulary test consists of 4 exercises, each containing 6 questions, which may be of the MULTIPLE CHOICE and/or GAP FILL type;

• the writing task involves producing a text, which may be an email, a book or film review, or a short story (fictional or real). Students must choose ONE of two different options. The text must be at least 100 words long and will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria, taking into account the level of the exam (B1/B1+):

- grammatical errors

- lexical and/or stylistic errors

- spelling mistakes

- cohesion and coherence

- ‍ adherence to the title

 

The exam does not award a grade out of thirty, but rather a pass/fail result (idoneità). The result is determined on the basis of the overall score, calculated out of thirty. The pass/fail result (idoneità) will be available on Almaesami as soon as the exam has been recorded. Acceptance of the result is not required: once passed, the exam will be automatically recorded. Students who wish to receive information and details about their performance on individual sections of the test should write to both of the following addresses: licia.masoni@unibo.it and paolamaria.caleffi@unibo.it.

If a student fails the exam, they may retake it in the next examination session, as the rule requiring students to skip a session before taking the exam again (salto d’appello) does not apply.

A sample version of the first-year final exam is available at this link. The enrolment key to access the online resource is: SFP1-fax (pay attention to upper- and lowercase). The password to open the test is specified in the description of the test itself.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or disabilities are strongly advised to contact the University's dedicated support service well in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it ) for any requests for accommodations. The University Support Service will propose any appropriate accommodations for the students concerned. Any such accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor at least 15 days in advance for approval. The instructor will assess their suitability in light of the intended learning outcomes of the course.

 

N.B. With regard to the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the examination, the use of AI is prohibited. Any such use constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

In addition to the textbook, students will work with presentations, audio clips, photos, online videos, Virtuale, and their own devices to complete activities, contribute materials on shared platforms, or ask questions online.

Links to further information

https://corsi.unibo.it/magistralecu/ScienzeFormazionePrimaria/laboratori-di-lingua-inglese#primo-anno

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Brambilla