2026/2027
English Proficiency Exams Practice
ID 1121511
Type:
Optional course
Delivered by:
School of Foreign Languages
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
1-3 module
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Антонова Евгения Борисовна,
Пинчукова Анна Евгеньевна,
Вержбицкая Елизавета Дмитриевна,
Кузина Екатерина Андреевна,
Джахангирова Вефа Сабухи кызы,
Жаркова Марина Геннадьевна,
Колмакова Анжелика Владимировна,
Тейбаш Виктория Анатольевна,
Шмакова Анастасия Валерьевна,
Цораева Олеся Игоревна,
Говорина Елена Ивановна,
Кульков Даниил Андреевич,
Спиридонова Анна Александровна,
Мнеян Тамара Армановна,
Софронова Ольга Олеговна,
Плясунова Елизавета Денисовна,
Шендерович Мария Филипповна,
Иллюк Арина Павловна,
Антонова Евгения Борисовна,
Yuliya Antonova,
Natalya Bagrintseva,
Tatyana Baranova,
Tatyana Baranovskaya,
Nadezhda Aleksandrovna Borzova,
Olga V. Burenkova,
Daria Chikhacheva,
Alla A. Efimova,
Inna Sergeevna Egorova,
Irina S. Egorova,
Anastasiia Emelianova,
Anastasia Gavrilina,
Natalia Vasilyevna Gridina,
Maria Ivanchenko,
Alexandra Kazachkova,
Evgeniya Yuryevna Klepko,
Victoria Kosheleva,
Sofia Lozovaia,
Viktor Makarenko,
Yana Makarova,
Elena Yurievna Mostacheva,
Tatyana Nurgaleeva,
Natalia Ovsiannikova,
Tatiana Pitra,
Tatiana Borisovna Pospelova,
Maria Pronina,
Lyudmila Yurievna Rokotyanskaya,
Alexandra Semenova,
Marina Sildimirova,
Elena Sorokina,
Irina Stolyarova,
Evgenia Vasilyeva,
Maria Zamkovaya,
Liliya Vasilevna Zhilina,
Балакирева Юлия Александровна,
Наумова Екатерина Михайловна,
Лесниченко Михаил Михайлович,
Балакирева Юлия Александровна
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
“English Language Certification Exams Course” (ELCEC) is a specialised highly intensive programme designed to give students insight into the most common exam tasks (Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking), their aims and requirements. Classes are scheduled for 25 consecutive weeks. There are 18 practice lessons accompanied by seven assessment lessons (exams). Being an exam prep course, ELCEC is quite different from a General English Language course. The programme is designed to help students familiarise themselves with the standard exam tasks and common techniques that ensure exam success. A flipped classroom model is used to motivate students to study the content of the course regularly and independently. The students study the new material at home and come to the next class fully informed about its topic and therefore able to contribute effectively to a group discussion. Three parts of homework are designed to suit any group of students. The “Compulsory” section focuses on exam tasks, a “Preparation for the next lesson” section is for students to get knowledge on a topic scheduled for a particular lesson, "Helpdesk" invites students to think about three questions they would like to clarify for themselves. There is a section called “Shadow reading” which imitates a language laboratory in a language school. The additional part of homework is a “Revision grammar” section designed predominantly for practicing grammar and vocabulary exercises (including training of listening skills). An "Extra exercises" section is a collection of topics that students could be faced with on the exam. Throughout the course various methods and elements of assessment are used: 0,1 – attendance (cannot be retaken), 0,1 – English grammar and vocabulary test (can be retaken within 7 days) (reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary tests, and written papers), 0,1 – home assignment (HA) (can be retaken within 7 days), 0,2 – written assessment (WA) (cannot be retaken), 0,2 – oral assessment (OA) (cannot be retaken), 0,3 – final assessment (FA) (can be retaken during the retake period). No blocking assessment elements are included.
Learning Objectives
- to give an overview of English Language Certification Exams;
- to provide students with the language, grammar and test-taking strategies;
- to improve all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) as required for English Language Certification Exams.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Writing: produce different types of written tasks for exams; demonstrate enhanced vocabulary and grammatical structures.
- Reading: understand a variety of different academic text types; use different reading strategies and focus on target material in all types of reading passages.
- Listening: understand academic and professional discourse; identify the main ideas and distinguish relevant supporting details of a formal or academic passage.
- Speaking: demonstrate enhanced speaking in different task formats; formulate, express and defend opinions using appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures.
Course Contents
- Lesson 1
- Lesson 2
- Lesson 3
- Lesson 4
- Lesson 5
- Lesson 6
- Lesson 7
- Lesson 8
- Lesson 9
- Lesson 10
- Lesson 11
- Lesson 12
- Lesson 13
- Lesson 14
- Lesson 15
- Lesson 16
- Lesson 17
- Lesson 18
- Lesson 19
- Lesson 20
- Lesson 21
- Lesson 22
- Lesson 23
- Lesson 23.
- Lesson 24.
Assessment Elements
- Attendance
- Written Assessment (WA)
- Oral Assessment (OA)
- Final Assessment (FA)The “automatic” grade is awarded starting from the grade 7.
- Home Assignment (HA)
- English Grammar and Vocabulary Test
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 3rd module0.1 * Home Assignment (HA) + 0.1 * Attendance + 0.1 * English Grammar and Vocabulary Test + 0.2 * Written Assessment (WA) + 0.3 * Final Assessment (FA) + 0.2 * Oral Assessment (OA)
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Distinction : English for advanced learners, Foley, M., 2000
- English for academic study : listening, Campbell, C., 2008
- Skills in English. Writing. Level 3: course book, Phillips, T., 2005
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Advanced practice for the TOEFL, Pyle, M.A., 1992
- Barron's TOEFL strategies and tips : outsmart the TOEFL, Sharpe, P. J., 2015
- English for academic study: Extended writing & research skills, McCormack, J., 2005
- English for academic study: Writing : course book, Pallant, A., 2004
- Speaking, Reading and Writing in English = Практикум по устной и письменной речи на английском языке - Зырянова И. П. - Нижнетагильский государственный социально-педагогический институт-филиал РГППУ - 978-5-907804-88-3 - 2024 - русский - https://e.lanbook.com/book/475937 - ЛАНЬ - 475937
- Writing academic English : level 4, Oshima, A., 2006