Writing and Communication Skills
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with an understanding of the linguistic tools and communication strategies used in the English of political, legal and economic discourse at the international level. The course offers students a theoretical introduction to English for Academic Purposes, as well as the chance to practice their active skills (writing and speaking), applied to the fields of international politics, law and economics. The material used during the course includes authentic texts about international affairs.
Expected learning outcomes
The course is expected to develop: the familiarity with some concepts and theories that underlie English for Specific Purposes in general and English for Academic Purposes in particular; the overall ability to both write about and discuss the fundamental ideas of complex factual or abstract matters regarding the area of specialization (international politics, law and economics). In particular, the course aims to develop the students' ability to write a short text following the requirements of academic/formal English, and the ability to give a short presentation in English about a specialised topic, and answering questions afterw
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
In case of a health emergency, the course will be taught online live, through MS Teams, and the recorded sessions will be uploaded on Ariel.
Exams will assess the same abilities, but may be administered either online, through MS Teams and Moodle + SEB / proctoring, or as oral interviews.
Exams will assess the same abilities, but may be administered either online, through MS Teams and Moodle + SEB / proctoring, or as oral interviews.
Course syllabus
Module 1 - English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
An introduction to the history and functions of - as well as the main concepts in - domain-specific English. The focus will be on academic English as used in political, legal and economic international communication.
Module 2 - Academic Writing
This part will concentrate on the active production of EAP, especially on writing skills. The notions of genre, text, cohesion and coherence will be introduced and put into practice in class. Students will be required to participate actively by working in teams and individually, with the aim of producing short academic texts, such as abstracts, summaries, etc.
Module 3 - Academic Presentations
The last part will also concentrate on the active production of EAP, but on speaking skills in particular. Basic notions in public speaking, presenting in academic contexts, managing question times, etc. will be provided and practiced by students in class collectively and individually. The objective is to allow students to make short presentations about topics in international political, legal and economic discourse.
An introduction to the history and functions of - as well as the main concepts in - domain-specific English. The focus will be on academic English as used in political, legal and economic international communication.
Module 2 - Academic Writing
This part will concentrate on the active production of EAP, especially on writing skills. The notions of genre, text, cohesion and coherence will be introduced and put into practice in class. Students will be required to participate actively by working in teams and individually, with the aim of producing short academic texts, such as abstracts, summaries, etc.
Module 3 - Academic Presentations
The last part will also concentrate on the active production of EAP, but on speaking skills in particular. Basic notions in public speaking, presenting in academic contexts, managing question times, etc. will be provided and practiced by students in class collectively and individually. The objective is to allow students to make short presentations about topics in international political, legal and economic discourse.
Prerequisites for admission
The minimum requirement for students to profitably attend the course is a level of English language competence matching the B2 level in the CEFR. The exit level is set at C1 of the CEFR.
Students whose competences do not meet the minimum entry requirements must autonomously fill any gaps in their preliminary knowledge of English. To this end, the following book is recommended:
Murphy, Raymond 2012. English Grammar in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: CUP.
Students whose competences do not meet the minimum entry requirements must autonomously fill any gaps in their preliminary knowledge of English. To this end, the following book is recommended:
Murphy, Raymond 2012. English Grammar in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: CUP.
Teaching methods
The course is lecture-based, but students are expected to actively participate in the lessons. The development of skills and competences is crucial; because of this, students will be required to work assiduosuly on the development and consolidation of academic and political, legal and economic English skills through constant critical practice. The teaching methods used will draw from applied functional linguistics, especially from the English-speaking tradition. Classes will be taught in English.
Teaching Resources
- Rogers, Louis & Lindsay Warwick. Skillful Second Edition Level 4 Reading and Writing Premium Student's Book Pack. London: Macmillan Education.
- Stephen Bailey. 2018. Academic writing. A Handbook for International Students. 5th edition. London and New York: Routledge.
- Erika J. Williams. 2008. Presentations in English. Oxford: Macmillan.
All the material that will be provided on Ariel:
- Slides shown during the course
- Grammar exercises and tasks
- Authentic texts to study and analyse
- Any other additional material used during the course
Recommended grammar:
-Hewings, Martin. Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. With keys.
- Stephen Bailey. 2018. Academic writing. A Handbook for International Students. 5th edition. London and New York: Routledge.
- Erika J. Williams. 2008. Presentations in English. Oxford: Macmillan.
All the material that will be provided on Ariel:
- Slides shown during the course
- Grammar exercises and tasks
- Authentic texts to study and analyse
- Any other additional material used during the course
Recommended grammar:
-Hewings, Martin. Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. With keys.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Evaluation is exam based. The exam will comprise both a written and a spoken component, aimed at ascertaining that students have acquired the theoretical and applied competences in the topics and language varieties dealt with during the course and provided in the textbooks and materials given in the reading list. In particular, students will have to prove their competence in using the structures of academic English (C1 level), and to be familiar with the linguistic structures of Academic English and the main features of international political, legal and economic discourse discussed during the course.
The exam comprises the following parts:
- A closed-question test on the notions and competences acquired about English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) (Module 1) (30 minutes); no dictionary allowed. The test is composed of 35 items and the final mark is expressed out of 30 points.
- Writing a short academic text. This part will test the notions and competences acquired in Academic Writing (Module 2). Students will have to write a one-page text of about 250 words of a genre and about a topic chosen from among those studied during the course (90 minutes); English monolingual dictionary allowed. The mark for this part will be expressed out of 30 points.
- Giving a short academic presentation. This part will test the notions and competences acquired in Academic Presentations (Module 3). Students will have to give a short presentation of about 10 minutes including question time, on a topic chosen from among those studied during the course. The mark for this part will be expressed out of 30 points.
The final mark will be calculated as the average of the marks obtained in the various parts and will be expressed out of 30 points. Continuous assessment may be implemented, in the form of interim tests.
The exam comprises the following parts:
- A closed-question test on the notions and competences acquired about English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) (Module 1) (30 minutes); no dictionary allowed. The test is composed of 35 items and the final mark is expressed out of 30 points.
- Writing a short academic text. This part will test the notions and competences acquired in Academic Writing (Module 2). Students will have to write a one-page text of about 250 words of a genre and about a topic chosen from among those studied during the course (90 minutes); English monolingual dictionary allowed. The mark for this part will be expressed out of 30 points.
- Giving a short academic presentation. This part will test the notions and competences acquired in Academic Presentations (Module 3). Students will have to give a short presentation of about 10 minutes including question time, on a topic chosen from among those studied during the course. The mark for this part will be expressed out of 30 points.
The final mark will be calculated as the average of the marks obtained in the various parts and will be expressed out of 30 points. Continuous assessment may be implemented, in the form of interim tests.
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Grego Kim Serena, Tiengo Adele
Professor(s)
Reception:
Preferably email me for an app.t, but I'm in most days most of the time.
Room 103