Identifying Data 2019/20
Subject (*) English Language 4 Code 613G01019
Study programme
Grao en Español: Estudos Lingüísticos e Literarios
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Graduate 2nd four-month period
Second Obligatory 6
Language
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Letras
Coordinador
Nuñez Puente, Carolina
E-mail
c.nunez@udc.es
Lecturers
Fowlie , James Alexander
Nuñez Puente, Carolina
E-mail
james.fowlie@udc.es
c.nunez@udc.es
Web http://www.udc.es
General description Esta materia amplía a formación básica na descrición da lingua inglesa e a teoría e práctica do inglés. O obxectivo xeral é chegar ao nivel C1 de CEF.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A1 Coñecer e aplicar os métodos e as técnicas de análise lingüística e literaria.
A2 Saber analizar e comentar textos e discursos literarios e non literarios utilizando apropiadamente as técnicas de análise textual.
A6 Ter un dominio instrumental avanzado oral e escrito da lingua inglesa.
A9 Elaborar textos orais e escritos de diferente tipo en lingua galega, española e inglesa.
A10 Ter capacidade para avaliar criticamente o estilo dun texto e para formular propostas alternativas e correccións.
A11 Ter capacidade para avaliar, analizar e sintetizar criticamente información especializada.
A15 Ser capaz de aplicar os coñecementos lingüísticos e literarios á práctica.
B1 Utilizar os recursos bibliográficos, as bases de datos e as ferramentas de busca de información.
B2 Manexar ferramentas, programas e aplicacións informáticas específicas.
B3 Adquirir capacidade de autoformación.
B4 Ser capaz de comunicarse de maneira efectiva en calquera contorno.
B5 Relacionar os coñecementos cos doutras áreas e disciplinas.
B6 Ter capacidade de organizar o traballo, planificar e xestionar o tempo e resolver problemas de forma efectiva.
B7 Ter capacidade de análise e síntese, de valorar criticamente o coñecemento e de exercer o pensamento crítico.
B8 Apreciar a diversidade.
B10 Comportarse con ética e responsabilidade social como cidadán/á e profesional.
C2 Dominar a expresión e a comprensión de forma oral e escrita dun idioma estranxeiro.
C3 Utilizar as ferramentas básicas das tecnoloxías da información e as comunicacións (TIC) necesarias para o exercicio da súa profesión e para a aprendizaxe ao longo da súa vida.
C4 Desenvolverse para o exercicio dunha cidadanía aberta, culta, crítica, comprometida, democrática e solidaria, capaz de analizar a realidade, diagnosticar problemas, formular e implantar solucións baseadas no coñecemento e orientadas ao ben común.
C7 Asumir como profesional e cidadán a importancia da aprendizaxe ao longo da vida.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
Speaking skills: Be able to interact with native and non-native speakers; give information, express and justify opinions, make appropriate comments, agree/disagree with proposals, compare, describe and speculate. Students should show that they can communicate effectively, by giving full and extended responses to stimuli. A6
A15
B4
B5
B6
B8
B10
C2
C4
C7
Listening skills: Be capable of listening to and understanding different kinds of authentic discourse; monologues, announcements, radio and TV broadcasts, speeches, talks, anecdotes, interacting speakers, interviews, discussions. A6
A9
B8
C2
C3
C7
Writing skills: Be capable of composing various types of texts, such as letters, articles, longer essays, informative texts, proposals, complaints, reports, reviews. A6
A9
A10
A11
A15
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
C2
C3
C4
Use of English: Be familiar with a wide range of general vocabulary, common phrases and collocations, shades of meaning, phrasal verbs, linking mechanisms, grammatical transformations. A6
A10
B4
B5
C2
C7
Reading skills: Be able to understand varied authentic texts from newspapers, magazines, fiction/non-fiction, promotional or commercial sources. A1
A2
A6
A11
B3
B6
B7
B8
C2
C4
C7
Grammar: Demonstrate an understanding of and proficiency in English grammar appropriate to a C1 level of English. A6
A15
B3
B8
C2
C7

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
-WRITING

What is the MLA writing style? Style and register, formal and informal language, connotation and denotation, post-structuralism and binary opposition, punctuation, paragraph, connectors, the essay (e.g. argumentative and research essays), title, introduction, (hypo)thesis vs. topic, body, conclusion, information sources (web and printed), list of works cited, citations in the body of the text, plagiarism, footnotes and endnotes, etc.

Throughout the course, you will learn to write different texts such as the motivation letter, the professional CV, and the MLA essay. The latter will be the part of the final exam.
-READING

What is critical reading? Different levels of comprehension of a text, grammar, vocabulary, structure, rhetorical figures, story and plot, themes, characterization, inference, deduction, analysis, scope and impact, meaning and interpretation, conclusions, etc.


We will read and discuss diverse documents. Two of these documents will be part of the reading comprehension in the final exam.
SPEAKING

How to make an oral presentation, participate in a debate and behave in a job interviewTypes of discourses; tips to fight against stage fright; use of pauses, intonation and rhythm in orality; body language; cohesion and coherence; convince and persuade.

Each student must come to class prepared to answer orally about the reading material assigned for that day, as well as to participate in the debates and other activities.
-LISTENING The listening exercises will be related to the grammar and vocabulary seen in class. Students will also work with job interviews and practice for the audio-oral test.

In class you will practice listening to the English language. Listening, apart from being necessary for understanding, is also an ethical act and students are expected to practice ethics.
-GRAMMAR
Review and consolidation of both the use of words and important grammatical structures.

Connectors and other elements of textual cohesion. Verbal tenses: their correct and consistent use. Subordinate clauses: relative (e.g. with prepositions) and adverbial. Agreement and order among words. Distinguish among types of words and phrases: adjectives vs. adverbs, conjunctions vs. prepositions and prepositional phrases vs. adverbial phrases.
-VOCABULARY

Expansion of vocabulary, with special attention to idiomatic expressions, false friends, phrasal verbs and formal language.

Topics: finding work and describing professional skills; discussing about current issues, both linguistic (e.g. [non] sexist language, [not] using gender markers) and social (emotions, gender, sexuality, diversity and the environment, among others).

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Guest lecture / keynote speech A1 A2 A6 A10 B1 B2 B4 B5 B8 C2 25 25 50
Seminar A1 A2 A6 A9 A10 A11 A15 B4 B7 B8 C2 C4 16 16 32
Supervised projects A2 A6 A9 A10 A11 A15 B4 B5 B7 B8 C2 4 8 12
Oral presentation A6 A9 A15 B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B8 B10 C2 C3 C4 C7 0 5 5
Workshop A6 B4 B8 C2 C4 16 15 31
Short answer questions A9 A10 C2 2 4 6
Mixed objective/subjective test A6 A9 A10 B3 B4 B10 C2 2 10 12
 
Personalized attention 2 0 2
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech Lecture complemented with the use of audiovisual media and the introduction of some questions addressed to students, in order to transmit knowledge and facilitate learning. This session will be completed with directed discussions.
Seminar Group work technique whose purpose is the intensive study of a topic or a reading. It is characterized by discussion, participation, the elaboration of documents and the conclusions to which all the components of the seminar must reach.
Supervised projects Methodology designed to enhance the autonomous learning of students, under the tutelage of the teacher and in varied scenarios (academic and professional).
Oral presentation Exercise inherent to teaching-learning processes based on the verbal exposition through which students present works.
Workshop Formative method oriented to the application of learning in which different methodologies / tests can be combined (presentations, simulations, debates, problem solving, guided practices, etc.) through which students develop practical tasks.
Short answer questions Objective test aimed at remembering and putting into practice previous learning.
Mixed objective/subjective test Test that integrates essay and objective questions.
As for essay questions, it gathers open questions of development. With regards to objective questions, it can combine multiple-choice questions and others related to ordering, brief response, discrimination, completion, and / or association.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Supervised projects
Description
We are available and happy to meet our students during the scheduled office hours and by appointment.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Short answer questions A9 A10 C2 Throughout the semester, you will take some TESTS that will evaluate the continuity with which you acquire the theoretical knowledge and your capacity to put it into practice. The dates of these tests will be announced at the beginning of the semester. 20
Supervised projects A2 A6 A9 A10 A11 A15 B4 B5 B7 B8 C2 -A MOTIVATION LETTER (10%)
-A PROFESSIONAL CV (10%)
The guidelines to complete the assignments will be explained in class, on Moodle and during office hours. The submission dates will be announced ahead of time.
20
Oral presentation A6 A9 A15 B1 B2 B3 B4 B6 B8 B10 C2 C3 C4 C7 This consists of a video project, between 3 and 10 people, presenting a commercial or infomercial to sell a product or method. Under no circumstances will the students read from any kind of notes, and they will have to prepare the script, record the video and upload it. The rest of the guidelines will be explained in due time.
This activity is not mandatory.
10
Mixed objective/subjective test A6 A9 A10 B3 B4 B10 C2 The exam will include the following sections: WRITTEN PRODUCTION following the methodology explained in this course (20%), READING COMPREHENSION of the called exam texts (15%) and AUDIO-ORAL TEST consisting of a job interview (15%). 50
 
Assessment comments

-To pass this course, you must be graded with at least 5 (out of 10) IN EACH OF THE SUPERVISED PROJECTS, the SHORT RESPONSE TESTS and the EXAMINATIONS, and at least 5 (out of 10) in the FINAL GRADE.

-For the JULY opportunity assessment, there will be supervised projects, short answer tests and mandatory exams as in June (the optional video-project will have THE SAME REQUIREMENTS too). On this occasion, each student must complete the section(s) that she or he did not pass in the first opportunity.

-Students sitting the December exam (final exam brought forward) will be assessed according to the criteria specified for the July opportunity.

-Students officially enrolled part-time who have been granted an official dispensation from attending classes will need to contact the teachers at the beginning of the semester. These students will be assessed according to the criteria applied in the July opportunity.

-In order NOT to obtain the grade of "No presentado" (Absent), the student must attend the exam (even if it is just to write her or his name) OR do at least half of the scoring work.

-Students can only do ONE volunteer activity to raise their final grade +0.5. That is, you can EITHER participate in a talent show (speaking in English) OR write an essay on one (or both) mandatory readings. More information will be given in class and via Moodle. Obviously, the extra percentage will be added to the final grade as long as it is equal to or higher than 5. IMPORTANT: to be able to do volunteer work it is NECESSARY to contact the coordinator at the beginning of the course and strictly follow the guidelines set by her.

-All assignments must be submitted in time and in the specified format in order to avoid a penalty of 25% on the grade obtained.

-Teachers can use the "Turnitin" plagiarism detection service to review student work. Plagiarism in any activity will mean obtaining a "zero" in it.

-If the coordinator considers it appropriate, there may be topics of self-study by the students (e.g. to increase your knowledge). These materials, which will not be subject to evaluation, will be provided on Moodle.


Sources of information
Basic

Barnet, Sylvan, Pat Bellanca, and Marcia Stubbs. A Short Guide to College Writing. Harvard University Press, 2014.

Burgess, Sally, and Amanda Thomas. Gold Advanced Coursebook. Pearson ELT, 2014. 

Collins COBUILD Advanced Dictionary of English. Collins ELT, 2012.

Collins COBUILD Students’ Dictionary plus Grammar (Book & CD). Collins ELT, 2005.

Cunningham, Gillie, Jan Bell, and Theresa Clementson. Face2face Advanced. Student’s Book and DVD Rom. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Downes, Colm. Cambridge English for Job Hunting. Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Edwards, Lynda, and Jacky Newbrook. Gold Advanced. Maximiser with Key. Pearson, 2014.

Hewings, Martin. Advanced Grammar in Use: a Self-study Reference and Practice Book for Advanced Learners of English; with Answers and CD-ROM. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

---. Cambridge Grammar for CAE and Proficiency with Answers and Audio CDs. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Hopkins, Diana, and Pauline Cullens. Cambridge Grammar for IELTS with Answers: a Self-study Grammar Reference and Practice. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Jones, Leo. New Cambridge Advanced English. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Mann, M. Destination C1 & C2: Grammar and Vocabulary. MacMillan, 2008.

OED. Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2017, www.oed.com. Accessed 26 July 2019.

Quirk, Randolph, et al. Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman, 1989.

Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press, 1996.

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University, 2008, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html. Accessed 26 July 2019.

Tims, Nicholas, et al. Face2face Advanced Workbook. Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Vince, Michael. Advanced Language Practice: English Grammar and Vocabulary. Macmillan, 2009. 

Complementary


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.