2021/2022
English for General Communication Purposes. Upper-Intermediate Course - 1
Type:
Optional course
Delivered by:
School of Foreign Languages
When:
1, 2 module
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Денискина Юлия Викторовна,
Петрова Елена Николаевна,
Савицкая Наталия Александровна,
Воронцова-Менало Анна Сергеевна,
Денискина Юлия Викторовна,
Савицкая Наталия Александровна,
Ладина Дарья Александровна,
Леонов Тимофей Витальевич,
Перышкова Екатерина Вячеславовна,
Ладина Дарья Александровна,
Перышкова Екатерина Вячеславовна,
Балашова Полина Сергеевна,
Петрова Елена Николаевна,
Mukhiddin Abdulkhakimov,
Yulia Andrushkina,
Elena Borodkina,
Anna Cheremnykh,
Anna Gadeliya,
Natalia V. Katasonova,
Elena Petrovna Khoch,
Nella Viktorovna Kirillova,
Irina Alexandrovna Konovalova,
Galina Levitskaya,
Yuliya Safonova,
Vladislav Shilov,
Diana Solomasova,
Elena Suvorova,
Anna Vaisman,
Anna Viklova,
Marina Anatolievna Volkova,
Dinara Yusipova,
Anna Viktorovna Zakharova,
Егорова Ирина Сергеевна
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The discipline refers to the variable educational tracks offered to students of the curricula for bachelor's and master's degree at choice while mastering the optional course of English in accordance with the Concept of Development of English-language Communicative Competence of HSE Students. English for General Communication Purposes is a course that aims (1) to build students’ confidence in using English in different life situations and contexts, i.e. home, university, work, tourism, and (2) to develop students’ language skills and communicative competences to B2 level (HSE Scale 50-59). The course is designed to assist students in achieving the level of independent users through developing reading, listening, writing and speaking skills, attaining excellence in vocabulary management and grammatical accuracy. The course offers a variety of authentic materials that familiarize students with real English expressions and scenarios, provides an array of contemporary topics for discussion and develops 21st century skills such as critical thinking, text analysis, and digital literacy. The course develops a solid general English base for further success in learning English for academic or special purposes, taking international examinations, as well as future academic studies and research.
Learning Objectives
- This course helps students advance to the level of independent users of English for general communicative purposes and boost their language skills to B2 level (HSE Scale 50-59) via enhancing reading and listening comprehension, increasing effectiveness in spoken and written production, improving spoken interaction, promoting communicative language competences (vocabulary range and grammatical accuracy), and raising sociocultural awareness.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- follow a conversation between two or more speakers on a number of topics; give clear and detailed talks on a wide range of topics, expanding ideas with relevant examples, evidence, or arguments; communicate their opinions and reactions, providing explanations and examples; use appropriate written conventions when writing emails, summaries, etc.
- understand articles, reports, straightforward and specialised texts; know the text structure; write down notes during listening for later reference
- understand dialogues and polylogues on both familiar and unfamiliar topics; understand specialised complex longer texts/articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems; use basic reading techniques, skimming & scanning (predicting, understanding main ideas, understanding details); take part in dialogues on general topics (active listening, questioning, responding to questions, emphasizing)
- understand lectures; use basic listening techniques (predicting, understanding main ideas and details); communicate their opinions and reactions, providing explanations and examples; produce monologues (descriptive/informative/reasoning); write emails, summaries
Assessment Elements
- Written assessmentWritten assessment includes: minimum 1 reading test, minimum 1 listening test, minimum 2 vocabulary and grammar tests, minimum 2 written works (email + summary). The elements of written assessment can be retaken, if a student missed them for a valid reason. The absence must be documented (e.g. doctor’s confirmation). The elements of written assessment must be retaken within 10 working days after the day a student returns to classes.
- Oral assessmentOral assessment includes minimum 1 monologue on a given topic and minimum 1 discussion in the format of a Q&A session.
- Independent workIndependent work includes activities that students do at home, activities that students do in the classroom and online work. The elements of independent work cannot be retaken.
- Final AssessmentThe final assessment is held within 10 days before the exam period. The final assessment formula: (Listening + Writing) / 2 = 10 Listening: Max. 10 points (1 point for every correct answer) / Duration of audio file:5-7 minutes. Duration of the Listening part of the exam: no more than 20 minutes. / The recording is played twice. / Example: Listen to the audio file twice. 1. After you have listened to the file once, in questions 1-5 choose the correct answer (A, B or C) Example: The philosophy of water has taught the author... A) to promote his own glory and success. B) to promote the glory and success of others. C) not to promote glory and success. 2. After you have listened to the file twice, fill in the gaps in questions 6-10 using words or numbers from the text. Example: When it comes across an obstacle, water /_____________/ in a peaceful way. Writing: Max. 10 points Write a summary of the following text (text range: BE, AE, GE, ESP).Recommended word count: 10-30% of the total word count of the text. Duration of Writing exam part: no more than 50 minutes.
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 2nd module0.25 * Written assessment + 0.2 * Oral assessment + 0.25 * Independent work + 0.3 * Final Assessment
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- New language leader: upper intermediate : coursebook, Cotton, D., 2016
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Berry, R. (2018). English Grammar : A Resource Book for Students (Vol. 2nd edition). [Place of publication not identified]: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1753147
- Booth, T. (2018). English for Everyone : English Vocabulary Builder (Vol. First American edition). New York, New York: DK. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1636939