The course aims to develop the competences corresponding to B1+ and B2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in the following areas:
Reading and Listening Comprehension (B2)
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Read and understand increasingly complex adapted scientific articles;
Identify the main ideas, key information and a complex argumentative structure.
Spoken Production (B1+/B2)
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Participate in informal classroom discussions and small-group presentations on scientific topics related to their disciplinary courses;
Express and justify opinions, explain processes and ask questions to check understanding.
Written Production (B1+/B2)
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Write a short popular science article clearly explaining a concept to a general audience;
Write a concise scientific abstract based on a scientific article, applying the basic principles of academic writing, including structure, formal style and grammar.
The Block 2 English course builds on the Block 1 course. Having reached B1+ level at the end of Block 1, students continue their progression towards B2 level.
In this course, receptive skills (listening and reading comprehension) are primarily developed at B2 level, while productive skills (spoken and written production) are consolidated at B1+ level, with a gradual progression towards B2, which will be fully targeted and consolidated in Block 3.
The course aims in particular to develop the competences required to:
Explain scientific content clearly and simply, particularly in the context of writing a popular science article;
Present scientific content and lead a discussion on a topic related to the students’ field of study;
Understand the structure and content of simplified scientific articles;
Interact, express and justify an opinion on topics addressed in simplified scientific articles;
Write a scientific abstract, drawing on the basic principles of scientific English.
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+/B2 level.
Note: Although the course refers to B1+ and B2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), successful completion of the course does not constitute an official certification of these levels, as would be the case with a recognised international language certification test.
Reading and listening comprehension will be developed through authentic materials, whether adapted or not, focusing primarily on topics related to the students’ fields of study. Particular attention will be paid to the progressive introduction to and understanding of the characteristics of so-called “scientific” English (Scientific English).
Written production will be developed through a range of writing tasks throughout the academic year. Particular attention will be paid to the characteristics and conventions of different genres of science communication, with a science magazine article and a scientific abstract as the final written tasks.
Spoken production will be practised in class through activities aimed at progressively developing students’ speaking skills. These activities will also prepare students for the oral examination, during which they will be required to present a portfolio of scientific articles.
Additional materials are available on WebCampus to help students familiarise themselves with the written tasks.
For students wishing to explore certain topics further or review specific aspects of the course content, a section entitled “Additional Resources” is available on the WebCampus course page. This section provides a range of resources and tips for reviewing, maintaining and improving their English outside the classroom.
Introduction to Scientific English (level B1 and above) [SCDLB105]
Classes are held in small groups of no more than 25 students, in the form of interactive seminars. Attendance is compulsory. Each session provides opportunities to develop and practise spoken and written production skills.
The course is primarily based on practical activities that require active and regular participation, as well as regular preparation and self-directed learning throughout the academic year.
English communication is addressed in its different dimensions in order to prepare students to carry out the target tasks of the course:
Linguistic: vocabulary, syntax, grammar and phonology;
Sociolinguistic: markers of social relationships, language registers, conventions and rules of politeness;
Pragmatic: organisation and structuring of discourse, coherence, and adaptation to the context and the interlocutor.
In addition to the content and activities covered in class, students are expected to work independently on certain aspects of the course content (see Self-study). This material is an integral part of the course and contributes to consolidating students’ lexical and grammatical knowledge.
If a student is unable to attend a session, they are required to notify the lecturer of their absence and provide supporting documentation.
Note: A timetable conflict with a course taught in another block does not constitute a valid reason for an absence. When such a conflict cannot be avoided, students are advised to give priority to the course belonging to the lower block.
In the event of an absence on the day of an assessment, including a formative 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.
Use of AI
AI can be a useful learning tool, but it can never replace students’ own work. In this course, AI may be used only to:
Brainstorm ideas;
Obtain feedback on students’ own work;
Obtain additional explanations about aspects of the course content;
Generate practice exercises.
However, it is strictly forbidden to use an AI tool to generate content intended to be used as such in class activities, presentations, assignments or assessments.
The syllabus and course materials may not be shared on any online platform or submitted to an AI tool.
Continuous Assessment throughout the Academic Year (60%)
Formative Assessment Activities during the Course
Each student will give two Student Corner presentations (one per semester) and participate in the Student Corner presentations given by other students. Following each presentation, the student who gave the presentation will write a short report based on a topic provided by the lecturer.
These activities will not be assessed as such. They are intended to prepare students for the summative assessments. Although they are not graded, these activities must be completed seriously and conscientiously.
If a student fails to give a Student Corner presentation, a 0A will be recorded for the course in the first examination session. If a student fails to participate in their classmates’ presentations, a one-point penalty will be applied to the final grade for each missed activity.
Grammar and Vocabulary Tests (30%)
A grammar and vocabulary test will be held during the final class of Semester 1, and another during the final class of Semester 2. Each test will cover all vocabulary and grammar points addressed in class and studied independently during the semester (see the Self-study section).
The vocabulary tested will include vocabulary arising from the different course activities (vocabulary exercises, lexical boxes, underlined words and vocabulary written on the board).
Written Tasks in Semesters 1 and 2 (30%)
Two written tasks will be completed in class. During Semester 1, students will be asked to write a popular science article based on a simplified scientific article. During Semester 2, they will be asked to write a scientific abstract based on a simplified scientific article.
Similar tasks to those used for assessment will be practised during the course, and materials will be made available on WebCampus to help students familiarise themselves with the assessment tasks.
Note: All continuous assessment components must be completed in order for the final grade to be validated.
Oral Examination – June Examination Session (40%)
The oral examination will consist of:
Pronouncing a list of words encountered during the course;
A discussion with the lecturer based on a portfolio containing (1) two scientific articles (simplified or not) and (2) two popular science magazine articles.
The articles must cover two different topics, with one scientific article and one popular science article for each topic.
The portfolio will not be assessed as such, but it must be complete and valid in order for students to be admitted to the oral examination.
During the oral examination, particular attention will be paid to the student’s ability to make connections between the different articles in the portfolio. Students will also be expected to synthesise information and express an opinion.
Note: Registration for the oral examination will take place via WebCampus during Semester 2. The selected time slot may be changed to ensure the smooth organisation of the examination day. In the event of late registration, a two-point penalty may be applied to the oral examination grade. Please note that registration for the oral examination will no longer be possible once the examination session has begun. Failure to submit the portfolio by the deadline may also result in students being denied access to the oral examination.
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 must retake the assessment components for which they have failed.
Important: The principle of échec absorbant (automatic 9/20) may be applied in two 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 average for either the continuous assessment OR the oral examination;
If the student obtains a rounded overall average of 10/20 and has failed (a grade below 10/20) both the continuous assessment average AND the oral examination.
Students must therefore complete 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 is not retaken in August/September, the grade for that component will not be carried forward and a 0A will be recorded for that component.
In the August session, students who have failed the average of the grammar and vocabulary tests will take a grammar and vocabulary test covering the content of the entire academic year.
Note: In the second examination session, the penalties applied for unjustified absences from formative activities will be waived. However, students may be required to complete compensatory tasks. Students are therefore strongly advised to attend classes regularly in order to avoid a substantial additional workload during the second examination session.
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: SCDLB205 – English II. This page is essential for completing the preparatory work, accessing course materials and receiving emails.
The course notes, available exclusively in digital format on WebCampus.
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 not used directly in class, but is recommended for students who need to review certain grammar points independently. The book is available at the "reprographie" office.
| Training | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Physics | 2 | 3 | Yes |