ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRE-INTERMEDIATE - PRACTICE

This is a core course for all students enrolled in the Foundation Year and is intended for those students who are required to reach or consolidate a pre-intermediate and intermediate level in English (Level B1 of the European Common Framework). Students are enrolled in the pre-intermediate course following a placement interview held at the start of the semester. Since English is the sole language of instruction at the Ca’ Foscari School for International Education, the course can also provide support to students who are still struggling with English-language material or assignments for other classes.

The course is designed to help students progress towards or consolidate an intermediate level in English (Level B1 of the European Common Framework or above), with a focus on using English for academic purposes. By reaching this level of competence in English, students will be fully equipped to enrol in academic programmes or attend university-level courses in which English is the primary or only language of instruction.

According to the CEFR descriptors (https://www.coe.int/en/web/language-policy/cefr ), the B1 level defines an independent English Language user that:
- Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
- Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
- Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans
- Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken.

Pre-requirements:

Level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

The contents used in class activities and assignments are especially selected from a range of varied authentic texts to allow students to practise and consolidate their language skills so as to reach the expected learning outcomes listed above.

In order to test their level of engagement, progress and achievement of the expected learning outcomes, students will be assessed throughout the course through two online tests and an oral presentation, which are described in detail further below in the “Assessment method” section.

To prepare for the presentation and tests, students will be regularly given home assignments on which they will be asked to work individually (or in small groups of 2-3 students each). Such assignments will include:

- preparing presentations to be delivered in class
- reading texts in preparation for debates /discussions
- writing short essays, summaries or reports
- completing exercises testing and reinforcing specific language structures, skills and competences

Students’ attendance and active participation in class will contribute to the final grade. Students who regularly attend class in sync (at least 80% of the total amount) will be awarded an extra 10% in the final grade, which is equivalent to 3 points in the Italian grading scale (1-30). Students whose attendance rate is below 80% (more than 6 classes missed) will not be awarded the extra 10%.

There is no textbook for this course, as teaching material will be made available to students on Moodle over the course of the module, mostly in text or video format. Students are encouraged to use online dictionaries as support for their assignments.

The final grade will be based on four separate parts:

- 1 mid-term exam made up of 4 parts: Part 1 testing Reading Comprehension skills; Part 2 testing Grammar and Use of English; Part 3 testing Vocabulary and Part 4 testing Writing skills (30% of the final grade);
- 1 final exam made up of the same 4 parts: Part 1 testing Reading Comprehension skills; Part 2 testing Grammar and Use of English; Part 3 testing Vocabulary and Part 4 testing Writing skills (30% of the final grade);
- 1 final presentation delivered by students working in pairs. The presentation will be on a topic chosen by the course instructor out of two proposals made by each pair of students (25% of the final grade);
- 1 formative assessment which evaluates all the contributions given by students during the interactive activities of the course - written and oral tasks - (5% of the final grade).

Each of the tests above will be scored on a 1-100 scale; each student is required to score at least 60/100 to pass each test.

Students can also earn an extra 10% by regularly attending classes (at least 80% of the total amount).

The final grade will be converted to the Italian grading scale (1-30): outstanding students may be awarded the “30 e lode” grade (equivalent to A+ or A*). The minimum grade required to pass the exam is 18/30 (corresponding to 60/100 in a 1-100 scale).

The course will follow an interactive, communicative approach requiring students to actively engage with the texts provided through in-class debates, presentations, short essays, and other assignments.

Moreover, the class will often be divided into smaller subgroups that are designed to encourage interaction, and reinforce students’ speaking skills.

English

Office Hours on Zoom.

Please e-mail the instructor in advance to schedule a meeting (elena.borsetto@unive.it). Students who cannot arrange a meeting during office hours due to time difference can schedule a meeting at a different date and time.

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development