ANGLO-AMERICAN LANGUAGE 1

The teaching of Anglo-American Language 1 at Ca’ Foscari is based on the notion of English as a great space for communication and intellectual creativity. The English that our students learn is intimately connected to ideas that, flowing from the US, invite us to decipher our reality and face the most urgent challenges of our time. We offer our students competences in linguistic structures and cutting-edge theoretical instruments. Our motto is: words and ideas.

The course consists of a module held in the second semester and a year-round language practice course (“esercitazioni”) closely integrated with the module and co-ordinated by the Instructor. The general aim is to consolidate the metalinguistic competences needed to describe the English language and to achieve an operational competence of B2+ on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference). This semester the module is co-taught with Prof. Filomena Mitrano, who will focus on “Issues in Anglo-American Language.” Prof. Mitrano and I will alternate each teaching a cluster of 7 to 8 classes. My part of the course focuses on providing the instruments to achieve a detailed understanding of the English verb system.

The expected learning outcomes are assessed in a structured exam at the end of the course.

Dowling's Module:
1. Knowledge and understanding of verb tenses and aspects, ability to use complex verb structures (modal verbs, passive voice, conditional sentences, direct and indirect discourse, use of the infinitive and participle forms); the ability to understand complex academic texts; awareness of linguistic registers.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: the ability to understand complex and lengthy academic texts, oral presentations and lectures in English, appropriate to the context of the course of study. The metalinguistic awareness acquired in the module should facilitate language learning in an academic context.
3. Making judgments: interpreting and synthesizing complex texts in English in an efficient and personalized way.
.4 Communication skills: Level B2+ of the CEFR, for receptive skills, written production, oral production and oral interaction. Students should be able to express themselves clearly, in a structured way, and with few errors.
5. Learning skills: understanding academic texts and the ability to paraphrase them; note-taking while listening and the ability to summarize texts after listening.

Level B2 of the CEFR and interest in the subject.

Module: The English Verb System:

Expressing time: present, future, past;
Dynamic and stative verbs;
Perfect forms; contrast past simple and present perfect;
Simple and progressive forms and their meaning;
Modal verbs: permission, ability, possibility, necessity, obligation;
Conditional sentences
Passive voice;
Direct and indirect discourse;
Infinitive and –ing form.

Lettorato:

- developing comprehension skills for oral and written texts
- developing the principal skills for oral and written production
- consolidation of overall level of B2 on CEFR

Module:
Leech, Geoffrey. MEANING AND THE ENGLISH VERB. Routledge, 2004.
oppure
Lews, Michael. THE ENGLISH VERB: AN EXPLORATION OF STRUCTURE AND MEANING. Cengage, 1986
oppure
Dowling, Gregory. A STUDY OF THE ENGLISH VERB. Supernova, 2015.

Lettorato:
Course-book:
LANGUAGE HUB C1; ADVANCED STUDENT’S BOOK (978-1-380-01750-5) (Macmillan)

Grammar:
Vince, Michael: GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT WITH KEY, Macmillan

The final exam of Anglo-American Language 1 is articulated in two stages:
1. Thematic module with a double focus on the structure of the language and on theoretical questions connected with it;
2. Language exercises

1.Module
The module is co-taught by Profs Dowling and Mitrano.
The final exam at the end of the module consists in:
A) a written part managed by Prof. Dowling (Verb System)
B) a theoretical oral part managed by Prof. Mitrano (Issues in Anglo-American Language)

2). In order to accede to the final exam of the module, and thus gain a final mark, the student must attain a sufficient level in the language skills preparatory to the contents of the module, skills taught by our Language Collaborators, Dott.ssa Cawthra and Dott.ssa Santini. Dott.sse Cawthra and Santini will decide either on a cumulative assessment at the end of the exercises, or on a gradual portfolio-based assessment.
Evaluation
The evaluation of your final exam in Lingua Anglo-Americana 1 will be a final grade. The final grade will take into account your level in “esercitazioni linguistiche.” You can earn three (3) levels in “esercitazioni linguistiche”: A level, or excellent; B level, or average; C level, sufficient. Only students with a sufficient level (Level C) in “esercitazioni lingusitiche” can take the final exam in Lingua Anglo-Americana 1 and get a final grade. Moreover, students who earn a B Level in “esercitazioni linguistiche” will be entitled to up to 2 additional grades, while students who earn an A Level in “esercitazioni linguistiche” will be entitled to up to 4 additional grades.

Traditional ("frontal") with the help of multimedia supports on the university's e-learning platform moodle.unive.it.

English

written and oral