The course aims to develop the competences corresponding to B2 level 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:
Understand increasingly complex adapted scientific articles;
Understand texts and spoken contributions of increasing complexity related to their field of study, identifying the key information, main points and argumentative structure.
Spoken Production (B2)
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Express and justify their point of view, particularly in the context of a debate among specialists;
Present a scientific topic clearly, in a structured and detailed manner, using appropriate vocabulary and register;
Interact appropriately with a specialist audience.
Written Production (B2)
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Synthesise and reformulate information from different sources related to their field of specialisation in the form of a clear, structured and coherent text;
Write using the basic principles of academic writing, including appropriate structure, formal style and grammar.
In this course, receptive skills (listening and reading comprehension) are maintained at B2 level, while productive skills (spoken and written production) are consolidated at B2 level.
The Block 3 English course aims to prepare students to use English in scientific and academic communication contexts, particularly to:
Understand and use scientific information from written and spoken sources;
Present and discuss scientific content in English, particularly in the context of technical presentations and debates;
Write clear, structured texts adapted to the requirements of the scientific community.
Through the various activities proposed in class, as well as self-directed learning, students will acquire new B2-level grammar and vocabulary.
Note: Although the course refers to B2 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.
The course focuses on the use of English in scientific and academic contexts related to the students’ field of study. It covers in particular:
The understanding and analysis of scientific texts and presentations;
Oral presentations of scientific content;
Argumentation and debate on topics related to the students’ field of specialisation;
Synthesis and academic writing.
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.
English II (level B1 and above) [SCDLB205]
Classes are held in small groups of no more than 15 students, in the form of interactive seminars. Attendance is compulsory. Each session provides opportunities to develop and practise spoken and written production skillsthrough practical and interactive activities.
The course is primarily based on practical activities that require active participation as well as regular preparationthroughout 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 course materials may not be shared on any online platform or submitted to an AI tool.
Continuous Assessment throughout the Academic Year (70%)
Formative Assessment Activities during the Course
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 participate in a formative assessment task, a one-point penalty will be applied to the final grade for each missed activity.
Grammar and Vocabulary Tests (20%)
A grammar and vocabulary test will be held during the final class of Q1, and another during the final class of Q2. Each test will cover all vocabulary and grammar points addressed in class and studied independently (see the Self-studysection) during the semester. 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 Q1 and Q2 (20%)
Two written tasks to be completed in class, focusing on the use of scientific English, will be organised in Q1 and Q2. Students will be asked to rework an extract from a scientific article by applying the principles covered in class. A task similar to the assessment task, together with a model answer, will be made available on WebCampus to help students familiarise themselves with the task that will be assessed.
Technical Presentation (30%)
This presentation will be completed individually or in groups (the exact arrangements will be specified by the lecturer depending on the number of students enrolled in the course) and will take place during the second-semester classes. If the presentation is completed in a group, part of the grade will be awarded individually and part collectively.
Note: All continuous assessment tasks must be completed in order for the final grade to be validated.
Oral Examination – June Examination Session (30%)
The examination will include:
Pronouncing a list of words encountered during the course;
A question related to the topics covered in the debate sessions;
A discussion with the lecturer based on a portfolio containing (1) two short reports written on the basis of two selected presentations given by classmates and (2) two short summaries of selected videos (online lectures, interviews, TED Talks, etc.) relating to the two topics addressed in the selected class presentations.
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 elements of 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 the second semester. 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 either the continuous assessment average 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 assessment 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. Students who have failed the average of the written tasks will retake one written task covering the content of both tasks completed during the 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: SCDLB305 – English III. 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 | 3 | 3 | Yes |