ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

ACADEMIC ENGLISH FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES - The Science of Language, LM Programme
Graduate Degree Program (DM270)
Academic Discpline Sector: L-LIN/12

With reference to the Dublin Descriptors:

This is a course in advanced academic English, as applied to the social sciences.. Students will practice the language in the realms of current events, social and political issues, and in particular, intercultural relations.
They will perfect their oral and comprehension skills through textual analyses, with spontaneous debates in class, the texts provided to be prepared before the relative lesson. Training in listening comprehension will also be provided.

B2 level English of the CEFR.

Study of texts for spontaneous discussion and analysis, study of documentaries for listening comprehension, a study of the various registers of language, and study of the techniques of academic writing. The possibility to work in groups will also be offered. The texts will be drawn from various sources according to events and the desired journalistic quality.

Documentaries by renowned specialists and journalists will be projected, with prior lexical study, for comprehension, critical analysis and spontaneous debate. The videos can also be cited as references in the elaboration of written work.

Academic Writing: Some lessons will be devoted to “expository writing”, describing trends and graphs, and writing thesis abstracts.
Others will be devoted to language and lexical semantics, customs, and relations in the intercultural environment.

Material uploaded on moodle, to be consulted regularly between lessons.

Change in the final exam format due to the current Covid crisis:
For technical reasons, the format of the final exam as originally planned, for the duration of the crisis, will take place as per the following:
Written: A developed essay of about 500 words based on the material studied during the course, title to be selected from among those proposed by the instructor.
Oral: Discussion on the paper submitted, plus a question on a topic covered in class, different from that chosen for the essay. Students will be evaluated on the knowledge and skills acquired during the course, and on the capacity to use them in an intercultural environment. They are expected to maintain a critical mind and to defend their points of view in an eloquent manner.

Written work is to be evaluated on structure according to the guidelines provided in our "academic expository writing" lessons – writing concise answers with the use of balanced sentences with correct syntax - and the capacity to cite sources clearly.

Students will be evaluated according to the skills learned in the course and their capacity to use them in an intercultural environment.

English

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion: Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments.

Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with
mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "International cooperation" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development