Institutional Communication in English

The course aims to introduce students to a specific type of English for Specific Purposes: institutional discourse. In particular, it seeks to provide students with foundational knowledge of linguistic variation in relation to context and communicative purposes.
The educational objective of the course is to develop knowledge of both written and spoken forms of institutional discourse across different domains. The in-depth focus on the genre of press releases as a tool for disseminating institutional discourse—in a wide range of contexts and not only institutional ones—aims to foster students' ability to interpret and produce texts in institutional settings.

Students will become familiar with different forms and genres of institutional discourse; they will learn to recognize and use rhetorical structures and specialized vocabulary. They will learn to apply the knowledge acquired to distinguish between different text types in different contexts and to evaluate and make decisions in terms of communicative appropriateness and effectiveness. They will be able to use appropriate lexis and rhetorical structures according to different text types.
The structure of the exams, together with the practical activities carried out during each class, will enhance written production skills, while oral interactions and discussions are designed to develop speaking skills and communicative effectiveness. Finally, activities involving the comparison of different texts are designed to strengthen interpretative and critical analysis skills, which are essential tools for the comprehension, processing, and critical interpretation of different types of texts, including in students' future professional contexts.