Practical English

The practical English course is a system of modules. During the course the students will develop their academic English proficiency with regard to use of English, reading comprehension and writing as well as speaking and listening comprehension at a consistent B2+ level proceeding to C1.

The three components are elements of one subject and each must be passed in order to receive a positive grade, calculated on the basis of the mean average from the three components.

The course consists of the following components:

Use of English:

The course will cover selected issues connected to practical English grammar and vocabulary, focusing on aspects relevant to language production of both texts and speech at upper intermediate level over time proceeding towards advanced level (B2+ to elements of C1).

A tentative list of topics (which may be subject to modifications depending on students’ expressed needs or ongoing diagnosis conducted in all components of the Practical English course ) includes:

Content Distribution:

- Revision regarding conditionals and the unreal past, nouns and articles

- Linkers and other types of linking clauses

- Inversion

- Emphasis

- Formal English – grammatical and lexical aspects

- Collocations, idioms, words easily confused

- Word formation (continued)

- Selected phrasal verbs and prepositional phrases.

- Academic vocabulary

In addition to the listed issues, students will also successively improve their overall grammar and vocabulary skills through exercises testing and increasing global knowledge of English, such as open and multiple choice lexical and grammatical cloze, transformations and error correction. They will also improve their knowledge of vocabulary items including but not limited to idiomatic expressions, collocations, words easily confused and word formation, introduction to formal vocabulary as well as phrasal verbs and prepositions pertaining to selected topics with the goal of facilitating oral and written production. Elements of international exams, such as IELTS or TOEIC, will be used to practice and test obtained skills.

Reading and Writing

The course is designed so as to provide the foundation for effective critical reading of academic texts and essay writing. Upon successful completion of the course, students will master reading and writing skills as well as key vocabulary required to comprehend written academic texts and complete written assignments at B2+/C1 level, using a formal register.

Content Distribution:

Activities for integrated reading and writing

Selected topics and reading strategies:

- building academic vocabulary and dictionary activities

- reading textbooks and authentic materials; in-text references

- identifying main ideas vs. supporting details

- identifying the purpose/argument and structure of a text

- identifying language for comparison/contrast, persuasion, cause and effect, and evaluation

Selected topics and writing strategies:

- brainstorming to generate topics, gathering materials and writing in stages following group discussion

- practice exercises for citation, summary, paraphrase and quotation

- maximizing coherence; incorporating citation and in-text references

- editing for correct grammar, spelling, and use of mechanics.

- for and against, essay types descriptive, narrative, expository, argumentative

Speaking and Listening

During the course the students will exercise their skills regarding speaking formally in the academic register with regard to accuracy and fluency at B2+/C1 level. They will develop their abstract vocabulary and their ability to activate such vocabulary during discussions with emphasis on the ability to specify, defend and modify their own opinions in discussion. In addition, the students will develop their skills with regard to academic discourse. The students will practice listening comprehension skills, including the understanding of longer oral academic texts and the comprehension of different varieties of spoken English. The advanced (intellectually stimulating) materials will represent varied society- and academia-related themes.

Content Distribution:

Imagining and speculating: facts and opinions, making judgements, accessing and taking part in discussion, speculating;

Team building: reviewing a project, taking part in a meeting, discussing cause and effect;

Stress and relaxation: talking about stress, dealing with awkward situations, having difficult conversations;

Risk: assessing risk, ‘cyber’ risk and physical risk;

Envisioning: talking about visionaries and visions of the future, discussing burning contemporary issues;

Looking to the future: talking about future trends, planning for the future.

Speaking / Listening examination papers practice

Use of English

Required reading (selected chapters):

TOEIC test materials (paper V and VI)

Porter, David. 2007. Check Your Vocabulary for Academic English. A&C Black.

Vince, Michael. 2014. Macmillan English Grammar in Context: Advanced, Palgrave Macmillan.

Yule, George. 2015. Oxford Practice Grammar Advanced, Oxford University Press.

Moodle materials.

Additional reading:

Evans, Virginia. 2008. FCE Use of English 1. Express Publishing

Evans, Virginia. 2009. FCE Use of English 2. Express Publishing

Swan, Michael. 2005. Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press.

Reading and Writing

Required reading (selected chapters):

Chazal, Edward de and Sam McCarter. 2012. Oxford EAP. A Course in English for Academic Purposes. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Additional reading:

Resources available on the Moodle course page.

Speaking and Listening

Required reading (selected chapters):

Chazal, Edward de and Sam McCarter. 2012. Oxford EAP. A Course in English for Academic Purposes. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Lansford, Lewis, Paul Dummett and Helen Stephenson. 2016. Keynote Advanced. National Geographic Learning: Hampshire.

Additional reading:

English language lectures, popular science podcasts and other resources available on the Moodle course page.

Assessment methods:

Use of English:

Observation of participation, preparation and homework as well as Moodle assignment completion, documented in an activity log (U2, K1)

Mid-semester test and final test (W1, W2, U1)

Reading and Writing:

Observation of participation, preparation and homework as well as Moodle assignment completion, documented in an activity log (W3, U4, U5, K2)

Mid-semester writing assignments (W3, U4, U5, U6, U7)

Writing final test (W3, U4, U5, U6, U7, K2)

Speaking and Listening:

Continuous assessment of student activity in class work (including on-line learning) (U8, U9, U10, K3)

Assessed prepared and improvised presentations (W4, U8, U10)

Mid-semester tests (including vocabulary) (W4, U9)

Final oral test (W4, U9)

Assessment criteria:

Practical English course grades will be given in reference to the following criteria:

fail – 0 – 59%

satisfactory - 60 – 69%

satisfactory plus - 70 – 75%

good - 76 – 85%

good plus - 86 – 90%

very good - 91 – 100%

The final grade in the course is assigned to the average of the three components’ percentages.

The final test in every Practical English module is administered to determine the extent to which students have met the assumed learning outcomes. This test has to be passed for the successful completion of the course. Students who have failed a test are allowed one retake, which in case of the final test is administered in the retake examination session.

The students are evaluated in accordance with the university regulations, and they must attend all course meetings in a classroom or a distance learning platform. Informed participation in class discussions – based on completion of the assigned reading and supportive collaboration with classmates – is also required. Each class absence has to be excused in the first week after the lesson missed. The final grade percentage will be reduced for every unexcused absence from physical or virtual class or assignment that a student has failed to complete (homework or asynchronous learning).

A grade average of at least 60% must be achieved to pass each Practical English module, so the students who have passed the final test but failed to obtain the required cumulative grade point average have to retake the final test and achieve the result sufficient to make up for the points lost due to unexcused absences or failing course assignments.

Instructors are authorized to refuse credit when the student’s absenteeism rate is around 50% even if the absences have had valid reasons.

Timely completion of assigned tasks is obligatory. In the case of assignments submitted after the deadline or re-submitted, the grade is lowered.

NOTE: all the above principles apply to all kinds of classes: traditional classroom and all the forms of remote teaching situations. In case of online teaching, the tests may likewise be administered remotely in a form facilitating the verification of the achievement of learning outcomes.

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