Learning outcomes

The course aims to achieve level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (intermediate level) for languages in the following skills:

-   Listening and reading comprehension

Students will be able to

o   understand documents related to their fields of interest and their discipline

o   understand the news (written and audio)

 

-   Oral production (alone and in interaction)

Students will be able to

-   discuss everyday topics related to their personal lives or professional environment;

-   after reading newspaper articles or watching a video, summarize the main points and discuss them with the teacher (in-depth questions, short opinion);

-   to talk about a series watched in English, closely or remotely related to their field of study/job;

-   to present a product or service and promote it in order to highlight its advantages.

Goals

The course focuses primarily on developing oral and written communication skills at level B1 (see CEFR). It emphasizes

-   writing texts required in a professional environment (emails, product or service descriptions);

-   oral skills such as everyday conversation, discussing the news, and describing products or services for sale.

Through these production skills, particular attention will be paid to grammatical and lexical accuracy as well as pragmatic skills.

Content

The course will cover the following topics: well-being at work (relationships, environment), communication (internal and external), commerce, and ethics in the workplace.

Table of contents

See course notes.

Exercices

See course notes.

Teaching methods

The course will be taught through interactive sessions requiring active student participation.

Both language and communication skills (“soft skills”) will be developed.

The course will be taught in a hybrid format, with 5 classes being given face-to-face and 3 classes on the Microsoft Teams platform. Students will be added to the ad hoc team in due course. Opportunities to practice oral and written production are planned for each session.

Assessment method

The final grade is calculated as follows:

C)   Continuous assessment (60%):

-   Written and oral assignments completed during class sessions (25%):

·      Email (10%)

·      Description and presentation of a product or service (15%)

-   Grammar/vocabulary (35%):

·      Test 1 (15%)

·      Test 2 (20%)

D)   Oral exam during the exam period (40%)

-   Presentation of a press file ** and a business series

The course can only be passed if all parts have been successfully completed.

August session

If students fail the course overall, they only need to retake the parts for which they did not obtain at least 10/20. The final grade and distribution of points for the August session are the same as during the year.

* Grammar/vocabulary tests will cover the vocabulary units mentioned in the self-study section as well as the grammar and vocabulary covered in class (lecture notes, videos, and texts). Specifically, students will be asked to: (1) identify and correct errors (vocabulary, grammar, and style) in sentences or paragraphs, (2) complete sentences with the appropriate word (vocabulary, grammar, and style) and (3) translate short sentences.

** Students must submit a press kit in order to be eligible for the oral exam.

Sources, references and any support material

Course notes are available on Webcampus.

Vocabulary book: Bill Mascull, Business Vocabulary in Use – Intermediate, 3rd edition, Cambridge University Press (2017).

Language of instruction

English