Interactive Communication
[ANGL2410]
[30h] 3 credits
This course is taught in the 1st & 2d semester.
Teacher(s): Philippe Denis
Language: English
Level: Second
Aims
Speaking Skills:
The students have to master enough grammar, vocabulary and phonetics to successfully take part in discussions, debates or language-focused activities. Grammar and phonetics are practised in class during targeted activities.
A self-teaching guide is also enclosed in the course-notes and the students are tested on their grammatical knowledge of it.
The teacher's American Culture & Language website is also used to increase their speaking proficiency.
Writing Skills:
The students are required to contribute articles on the Culture & Language website. These contributions have to meet certain stylistic requirements. Developing this aptitude is not this course's main priority.
Reading Comprehension:
The learners will be able to read the following rather fluently
1. The American website articles, forum contributions, encyclopaedia entries, quiz-related questions, clues and explanations, quotes and odd facts,
2. Any course-notes worksheets used as a basis for discussion.
Listening Comprehension:
- To understand authentic English radio, TV and on-line recordings.
- To follow a conversation among native speakers as long as it is about course-related subjects.
It is a realistic objective for a skill that is no longer honed and only serves as a starting point for conversational activities.
Main themes
The terminology related to these socio-professional topics are activated in class: socializing, telephoning, the language of argumentation, traveling abroad and applying for a job.
The American Language and Culture website is integrated into the course through home assignments and seven interactive sessions, approximately once every four weeks.
Content and teaching methods
This course is interactive and conversation-oriented regardless of the level. The teacher resorts to various techniques and media to help the learners hold a conversation, participate in debates and take the floor. The students are strongly encouraged to prepare before class for it to be truly interactive.
By means of the website the students will also be trained to report on articles, radio and TV programs;
give a short talk on music, film or theatre; discuss historical events and current news; argue about the American way of life; plan out a trip to the USA and take part in quizzes.
Homework should amount to roughly 34 hours a year for an average student.
1. Studying the grammatical guide: 16 hours.
2. Working on the website: 10 hours.
3. Studying the thematic vocabulary and preparing for the end-of-year role-play: 8 hours.
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)
To have passed their second year and reached a B1 level in the targeted skills, namely speaking.
Assessment
The final mark is based on four criteria, each of which worth 25%:
1. Class attendance and active participation.
2. The written grammar and vocabulary test at the end of the first term.
3. The website-related homework.
4. The June role-play.
Course material
For the input the teacher relies on all available multimedia aids.
References:
The course-book is entitled « INTERACTIVE ENGLISH SEMINAR. It features a self-teaching grammar guide:« ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR FLUENT SPEAKERS ».
Other documents are likely to be added during the year.
Training staff:
- Philippe DENIS, coordinator and professor in charge.
- The teacher is available an hour a week and by appointment for individualized tuition and guidance.
- Weaker or stronger students can also improve their language in the ILV multimedia and the self-tuition centers.