47431 - English Language Lab 1 (F)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student: - is able to demonstrate full 'threshold' CEFR (B1) level English language proficiency, i.e.: - can understand the key points of familiar topics relating to school, leisure, personal interests, etc. ; - can interact in English with ease, without errors and misunderstandings in situations that may occur while traveling in Anglo-Saxon countries; - can produce a simple English text related to topics that are familiar or of personal interest; - can express experiences and events, plans, hopes and ambitions in English, and can simply explain the reasons for one's opinions and desires.

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Course contents

English language and culture. Brief review of English grammar from B1 level (or slightly above). Students will be divided into proficiency groups based on the compulsory placement test taken after Christmas. 

NB. Students attending this workshop in order to take the second-year exam must read the information in this link.

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Readings/Bibliography

The textbook will be indicated during the first lesson and will suit the level of the group.

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Teaching methods

The methods and techniques used include: reading and comprehension exercises in small groups, form-focussed grammar revision individually and in small groups, listening practice with small group exercises, flipped classroom student presentations of lexical, grammatical and video material, production of short texts, poems, scripts based on the language presented in the book, Grammar-Drama activities (acting out original scripts exemplifying grammar and pronunciation issues), songs, role-play, videos, collaborative and individual writing on paper and/or on virtual spaces like Moodle/Virtuale, Padlet, Edmodo, etc.

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Assessment methods

Continuous assessment during the workshop will be followed by a final formative test to give students an idea of their individual level and possible problems to work on. This test will count as final exam, and all the students who pass it and who have satisfactory «active presence» will be IDONEI; as such, they will carry on with the second year workshop in the following academic year. At the end of the second year workshop there will be a comprehensive language exam. 

In case of a fail, exams can be taken in consecutive regular appelli.

This regular exam will consist of a B1 language test which includes: Lexical exercises (naming objects, describing simple pictures, filling in the gaps in a text, finding the right words to describe a room, school, house, natural landscape, outdoor scene, etc., all at B1 level); Grammar exercises (sentence completion, grammatical choice, verb tenses, irregular verbs, pronouns, comparatives and superlatives, conditionals, etc., all at B1 level with a few B1+ questions); a Reading exercise (a short text with T/F/Not said questions, word definitions, simple synonym identification, title or sentence insertion, etc.); a Writing on familiar topics (describing people, common situations, simple school activities, etc., at least 100 words). The exam lasts 60 minutes.

For a facsimile of the exam, see here.

There is no session skipping or salto di appello.
Marks will be sent via the University email to each student, and details will be quoted for each part of the test. Students do not have to accept the ID result as registering (verbalizzazione) will be done by default.

In order to take the exam it is absolutely necessary for a student to have enrolled on Almaesami. It is not possible to take any exam without formal enrolment there. In case of problems with the enrolment process, students MUST CONTACT THE UFFICIO DIDATTICO BEFORE THE ENROLMENT DEADLINE. Once the enrolment lists are closed, no student can be added.

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Teaching tools

Apart from the book, students may work with presentations, audio clips, photos, videos from the book CDs and online, Padlet or similar, own cellphones to contribute materials on shared platforms like Moodle, or to ask questions online, OHP, besides traditional paper-based tools.

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Links to further information

https://www.gazzaro.it/b/Ricevimento.html

Office hours

See the website of Linda Vacondio