This course unit aims to develop the five skills described below to at least B1+ level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). By the end of this course unit, students will be able to demonstrate the following competences.
Reading Comprehension (B1+): students will be able to understand lengthy texts related to their field of study, infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from context, search for information in lengthy texts, and understand the development and conclusions of an argument without necessarily understanding all the details.
Listening Comprehension (B1+): students will be able to follow the main points of a lengthy discussion in the target language, understand simple technical information, and understand the information contained in most recorded or broadcast material when they are familiar with the subject and the language is clearly articulated.
Spoken Production (B1+): students will be able to recount an event, providing the details necessary for it to be understood; describe their feelings and reactions; explain a problem and present solutions; develop a sufficiently clear argument; check through questions whether they have been understood; and present and explain a concept, original idea or anecdote to the class.
Spoken Interaction (B1+): students will be able to initiate a conversation on a familiar topic, express personal opinions, communicate with a degree of confidence on familiar topics related to their interests and field of study, and express their thoughts on an abstract or cultural topic.
Written Production (B1+): students will be able to write simple texts on a range of topics related to their field of study; report on experiences, describing their feelings and reactions in a simple text; tell a story; write very brief reports conveying routine factual information; take notes during a simple presentation; write a short argumentative text on a familiar topic; and communicate information in the context of a professional email.
The English 1 course is a general English course aimed at enabling all students to reach B1+ level in all language skills by the end of Block 1.
The final learning outcomes that all students are expected to achieve by the end of the academic year are as follows:
Reception: students will be able to search for information in written and audiovisual sources and identify and understand relevant information (essential information vs. non-essential information, data, interpretation/elaboration of data, or an argument) in order to form an opinion or answer questions.
Spoken Production: students will be able to understand their interlocutor, clearly express and justify their point of view, and respond to and position themselves in relation to their interlocutor’s views on one or more familiar topics, using clear, well-articulated and fluent spoken English, as well as accurate pronunciation. They will also be able to give a brief presentation on a chosen topic in a clear and structured manner.
Written Production: based on prior preparation, students will be able to organise information and express their point of view in a multi-paragraph text on a familiar topic, using clear and well-structured writing that accurately reflects their ideas. They will also be able to communicate clearly and professionally in an email exchange.
Through the various activities proposed in class, as well as self-directed learning, students will develop and consolidate their grammatical and lexical knowledge at B1+ level.
Note: Although the course refers to B1+ level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), successful completion of the course does not constitute an official certification of this level, as would be the case with a recognised international language certification test.
Diagnostic Test
During Weeks 1 and 2, all students will be required to take a diagnostic test via the WebCampus online platform. The test will assess several skills, including reading comprehension, listening comprehension, vocabulary and grammar, in order to determine each student’s CEFR level.
Although it does not contribute to the final grade, this test is compulsory and will enable the teaching team to place students in appropriately levelled groups.
Students who are beginners or are assessed at A1 level are strongly advised to take steps to catch up, for example by attending intensive English courses outside the university. Unfortunately, taking the ECDLB190 course alone will not be sufficient to successfully complete the course and acquire the competences required for the next stages of the programme, given the substantial gap between A1 and B1+ level.
Students assessed at A2 level will be invited to attend a remedial module taught by Ms V. Bar (vanina.bar@unamur.be) in addition to the ECDLB190 course. Once the deadline for completing the diagnostic test has passed, the course coordinator will contact the students concerned and invite them to the introductory session of this module.
The test will also enable students who have already reached the target level to be placed in advanced groups. Whether students are placed in an advanced group or attend the remedial sessions in addition to the main course, the final examination will be the same for all students.
If a student joins the course late and the diagnostic test has already closed, they must contact the course lecturers and will, by default, be placed in an intermediate-level group.
Main Course
Through the use of authentic materials and a variety of interactive activities, students will develop their reading and listening comprehension skills as well as their spoken and written production skills. The course will also enable students to expand their vocabulary and consolidate relevant grammatical structures, while developing strategies that promote effective and independent language learning.
Activities will focus on a range of contemporary topics, including the university environment, new technologies, societal changes, the world of work, attitudes towards money, the environmental impact of our consumption habits, and disinformation.
Preparation exercises must be completed before each class.
In addition to the preparation work to be completed before attending class, certain grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation points will need to be studied independently.
Further practice exercises and additional resources are also available on the WebCampus platform (grammar explanations and exercises, pronunciation exercises, vocabulary-learning tools, etc.).
Classes are held in small groups of no more than 30 students, in the form of interactive seminars. Attendance and participation in class are strongly recommended. Each session provides opportunities to develop and practise spoken and written production skills.
The course is based on the flipped classroom approach. In order to make the most of the class sessions, students are expected to work independently. This means that class sessions will only be effective if students actively prepare the assigned exercises before coming to class.
In addition to the preparatory exercises, certain aspects of the course content, particularly grammar and vocabulary, will be covered through self-study. It is therefore essential to work regularly in order to avoid allowing the material to accumulate and to identify any difficulties sufficiently early in the academic year. The self-study material includes:
The vocabulary from selected units of English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate (4th edition);
Certain grammar points that are not covered in class or are only briefly addressed.
In order to provide students with appropriate guidance, a preparation programme has been set up on the WebCampus platform. Both on the platform and in the syllabus, the work will be organised into different learning units. The work for each unit is structured as follows:
Before class: preparation related to the content that will be covered in class, to be completed in the syllabus and/or on the WebCampus platform. This may involve preparing a text or video, carrying out research, preparing a production task, reviewing a grammar point, etc.
In class: review of the preparation and further activities related to the topic of the unit. Based on authentic materials, the course will provide opportunities to practise the language both receptively (listening and reading comprehension) and productively (written and spoken production). The course will also cover various lexical and grammatical points directly related to the content addressed in the unit. Finally, sessions will include strategic advice to help students develop effective language-learning strategies.
After class: review of the material covered in class, work on the content to be addressed through self-study, and additional consolidation exercises where necessary.
Use of AI
Artificial intelligence can be a useful learning tool, provided that it remains a tool in the service of learning and does not replace students’ own work and productions.
In this course, artificial intelligence may only be used in the following cases:
Brainstorming ideas before starting a production task;
Receiving feedback on one’s own work;
Creating additional exercises to practise grammar, vocabulary, etc.;
Generating additional explanations to help understand a particular aspect of the course content.
Artificial intelligence is not permitted to create (parts of) texts that are to be directly incorporated into class activities, oral presentations, formative tasks, tests, etc.
Continuous Assessment
Continuous assessment accounts for 30% of the final grade. It consists of:
End-of-Q1 Partial Test (25%)
This test will take place during the final class of the first semester and will cover all vocabulary and grammar points addressed in class and studied independently during the first semester (15%). Students will also be required to write a professional email (10%).
Note: Students who obtain a grade below 10/20 on this test will not be allowed to retake this component in June, as the grade can still be improved during the second semester. In the August/September examination session, students who have failed this component (and only those students) will be required to retake it. The new grade will automatically replace the grade obtained in December, whether it is higher or lower.
Mini Group Presentation (5%)
This presentation will be completed in pairs (individual grade) during the second-semester classes. The presentation is compulsory for all students. Unlike the partial test, this assessment cannot be retaken in the August/September examination session in the event of failure. The grade obtained in June is final and will simply be carried forward to the second examination session.
Written Examination – June Examination Session
A comprehensive written examination will be held during the June examination session. It will account for 45% of the final grade and will cover the following:
Listening and reading comprehension exercises based on unseen material related to the topics addressed throughout the academic year (10%);
Questions on vocabulary and grammar addressed in class and studied independently throughout the academic year (15%);
Writing an opinion essay (20%).
Oral Examination – June Examination Session
A pair-based oral examination will be held during the June examination session. Although the examination will be conducted in pairs, the grade will be individual. It will account for 25% of the final grade and will cover the following:
Pronunciation of a list of words encountered in the syllabus activities or in the vocabulary book;
Pair interaction based on questions related to the topics addressed throughout the academic year.
Registration for the oral examination will take place in pairs via WebCampus during the second semester. In the event of failure to register for the oral examination by the WebCampus deadline, a two-point penalty will be applied to the oral examination grade.
Important: no further registration for the oral examination will be accepted once the examination session has begun.
August/September Examination Session
If a student’s overall average does not reach 10/20 in June, they will be required to take the August/September resit examination and will only retake the assessment components for which they have failed. This may include failure in the end-of-Q1 partial test and/or the written examination and/or the oral examination. The grade obtained for the mini group presentation cannot be improved and will therefore be carried forward unchanged to the second examination session.
Important: For both the June and August/September examination sessions, the principle of échec absorbant(automatic 9/20) may be applied in four specific cases:
If the student obtains an overall average of 10/20 or above, but has a significant failure (a grade below 9/20) in the written examination, OR the oral examination, OR the December partial test;
If the student obtains an overall average of 10/20 or above and has failed (a grade below 10/20) both the written examination AND the oral examination;
If the student obtains an overall average of 10/20 or above and has failed (a grade below 10/20) both the written examination AND the December partial test;
If the student obtains an overall average of 10/20 or above and has failed (a grade below 10/20) both the oral examination AND the December partial test.
Students must therefore take all assessment components seriously in order to pass the course. If one of the assessment components is not completed, the final grade will not be validated.
For students required to take the resit examination, if an assessment component for which they obtained a grade below 10/20 in June (with the exception of the mini group presentation) is not retaken in August/September, the grade for that component will not be carried forward and a 0 will be recorded for that component.
Note: In the event of an absence on the day of an assessment, students must notify the lecturer of their absence as soon as possible and, in any event, before the assessment begins. Failing this, the absence will be considered unjustified. Supporting documentation may be submitted at a later date. In the event of a duly justified absence, an alternative assessment or appropriate arrangements may be considered.
The exact dates and locations of the examinations will be communicated via WebCampus and can be consulted via the examination timetable.
The WebCampus course page: ECDLB190 – English I (B1+). This page is essential for completing the preparation work, accessing course materials and receiving communications from the lecturers.
The English I course notes: ECDLB190 – English I (B1+). The course notes are available in digital format on WebCampus.
Redman, S. (2017, August 4th). English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate Book with Answers: Vocabulary Reference and Practice (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This vocabulary book is required for independent vocabulary study and is available at the "reprographie" office.
Murphy, R. (2019, January 24th). English Grammar in Use Book with Answers: A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Intermediate Learners of English (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This grammar book is recommended for independent grammar study and practice. It is available at the "reprographie" office.
Uploading the English I course notes to the internet (sharing platforms, artificial intelligence tools or any other platform) is strictly prohibited.
| Training | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Political Sciences : General | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Information and Communication | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Business Engineering | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Economics and Management | 1 | 3 | Yes |