69469 - English Language and Culture III (Second Language)

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Andrew John Cresswell
  • Credits: 5
  • SSD: L-LIN/12
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Intercultural and Linguistic Mediation (cod. 8059)

Learning outcomes

The student will learn to understand and produce a wide range of written texts and speeches in English in a fluent and spontaneous way.

Course contents

The starting point of the course is discourse analysis and the objective is the practical application to oral production of theoretical understandings of the management of communication, in the context of the process of negotiation intrinsic to dialogue interpreting. The main analytical aspects are dealt with in outline and the emphasis is above all on the application of analytical understanding to the practice of communication. Thus students are encouraged to reflect on the communicative effect of a range of interpersonal language, including phonology (sounds, intonation), lexis (discourse markers, hedges) and prosody (pauses), and to critically evaluate and appreciate their own oral production (accuracy and fluency) in English.

Readings/Bibliography

A reading list (the items on which are optional) will be made available on the course Moodle site.

Teaching methods

Most of the lessons involve pair or group work, and there will be plenty of opportunities for students to put their knowledge of spoken English into practice in activities such as discussions, roleplays, memorisation exercises and peer and individual evaluation.

Assessment methods

Students will write a brief analysis of their own oral production during the term and in the exam (held in the language lab) will record a spoken summary of an extract of semi-specialist language. Assessment will be on the basis of listening comprehension, oral production and critical ability.

Teaching tools

In order to prepare students for the work of dialogue interpreting, the course uses electronic media such as films, videos and radio podcasts to provide experience of specialist language, as well as programs for the recording and analysis of spoken language. All the materials will be posted on the Moodle e-learning platform, as will instructions for exercises and activities and the reading list (optional).

Office hours

See the website of Andrew John Cresswell