UCL - English communication skills

[ANGL2433]

[30h] 3 credits

This course is taught in the 1st semester.

Teacher(s): Philippe Detry(coord.), Marie Duelz, Sandrine Mulkers

Language: English

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The main objective of the course is the development of skills that will enable the students in the communication business (public relations, journalism) to function in the daily situations of their future professional activities.
By the end of the course (at the end of BAC 3), the student should have reached the B2 level
of the " Common European Framework " (Council of Europe) for the following skills :
- reading comprehension,
- listening comprehension,
- oral expression,
- written expression.

Main themes

Oral skills :
B2 level of the 'Common European Framework' (Council of Europe).
By the end of the course (at the end of BAC 3), the students should be able :
- to interact with a native speaker with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction possible;
- to engage in extended conversation in such situations as :
. socialising
. interviewing
. taking part in / chairing a meeting
. negotiating, building up an argument, exchanging information
. telephoning
. applying for a job
- to make an oral presentation (press conference) of a new product, concept;
- to give and defend their opinion on the news items and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of different possibilities.

Written skills:
B2 level of the 'Common European Framework' (Council of Europe).
By the end of the course (at the end of BAC 3), the students should be able :
- to write a short press article,
- to write an e-mail message properly,
- to write a short text about a relevant topic in their field of studies.

Content and teaching methods

Before each class activity, the teacher places a range of tools (communication techniques, useful expressions, general and specialised vocabulary, grammatical reminders) and resources (written documents, audiovisual aids, web sites ) at the students' disposal. Most of them are mentioned in the syllabus and enable the students to interact in communication situations in so far as they have been prepared beforehand.
Feedback activities are also planned.
Students are given detailed instructions before each activity.
Texts and videos are used as inputs to the oral discussion.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites:
The student should have followed a course corresponding to the B1 level of the " Common European Framework " (Council of Europe).

Assessment
Students are assessed:
- in class (for preparing and participating in the various activities and more particularly when giving a talk / press conference);
- at the collective and individual oral exam.

Course material:
Course notes (available at the ILV) - compulsory for everybody

Other
- Courses given in the other UCL curricula and for which the student has to contact his study adviser or the academic secretary of his faculty to specify the recognized equivalent parts and to know the modalities of complement: course initials : ANGL 2431