The course aims to deepen the skills acquired through the LCDLB022 English 2 course (level B1 or higher).
The aim of this class is to reach a B2 level (cf. CEFR) of English and get familiar with academic articles in the Humanities. More specifically, students should be able to identify the structure of a humanities research article, understand the main argument of an article, recognise how evidence is used, discuss academic texts in English and present as well as critically evaluate an academic article. On top of that, students should be able to demonstrate understanding of a range of contemporary social, cultural, ethical and political issues in the English-speaking world and beyond.
In addition to the objectives mentioned above, particular attention will be given to fluency, accuracy and sophistication.
Overall, it will be expected that the student masters the following B2-level English skills:
The learner will be able to:
identify the structure of a humanities research article.
understand the main argument of an article.
recognise how evidence is used.
discuss academic texts in English.
present and critically evaluate an academic article.
develop a clear argument by highlighting significant points and relevant elements.
respond with ease and spontaneity to questions and arguments from others.
synthesise information and arguments from different sources and present them through an oral presentation.
understand and exchange complex information and opinions on a wide range of topics related to their field(s) of study.
use expressions (e.g. 'language chunks') to buy time to formulate their thoughts and maintain control of the conversation.
The course will be divided into two main chapters:
1) Reading, Analysing and Presenting Academic Articles in the Humanities
2) Contemporary Challenges: Culture, Knowledge and Society
Cf. course notes available on Webcampus
English 2 (level B1 or higher) [LCDLB022]
The course is delivered face-to-face. It takes the form of interactive seminars conducted in English and is structured around two main chapters. Attendance is mandatory. Each course includes opportunities to work on both oral and written production. The objectives and activities are aligned with the philosophy of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Language communication is developed by addressing linguistic (vocabulary, syntax, phonology), sociolinguistic (social markers, politeness rules, etc.) and pragmatic (organisation, adaptation, discourse structure) skills necessary for the target tasks. The course encompasses more than just linguistic knowledge.
A) Continuous assessment (30 %)
The continuous assessment mark consists of two parts:
Seminar (15%): In the first term, students have to form small groups of 3-4 students and present an academic article.
Presentation (15%): In the second term, students have to form small groups of 3-4 students and present a topic of their choosing, provided that it is related to what has been covered in the second term.
B) Oral exam in June (35%)
The oral exam takes place during the exam session and lasts fifteen minutes. It is based on topics covered throughout the year.
C) Written exam (35%)
The written exam takes place during the exam session. Students are expected to (1) give their opinion on topics covered in class and (2) study the vocabulary covered this year.
D) August session
For the August resit:
The final grade for the August session is calculated in the same way as in June.
Note that it is not possible to resit the seminar or the presentation. Students are only allowed to retake the oral and/or written exams.
The documents needed to follow the course are available on WebCampus.
| Training | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in History | 2 | 3 | No |
| Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology: General | 2 | 4 | No |
| Bachelor in History | 3 | 3 | No |
| Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology: General | 3 | 4 | No |