Listening comprehension and specialised (business) English oral exercises [ LANGL2710 ]

B1 to B2 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages'.

Listening Comprehension

Students can follow recordings of interviews, discussions, presentations, documentaries etc. featuring both native and non-native speakers with various accents talking about complex business topics (e.g. training, finance and banking, strategy etc.) and are able to take notes, select relevant information, understand specialised terminology and answer questions based on the recordings.

Speaking Skills  

Individual: Students can give their opinion on the topics in the recordings and texts covered in class.

Interactive: Students can participate fluently and effectively in discussions.
Emphasis is on:

• content management
• spoken fluency
• coherence and cohesion
• vocabulary range
• grammatical accuracy
• phonological control

Reading Comprehension

Students can read specialised business texts and are able to select what is important or relevant for a specific task or to answer a specific question. Students can understand specialised terminology in texts e.g. business vocabulary, idiomatic expressions etc.

The main aim of this course is to improve students' listening comprehension skills. The course also aims to improve students' oral skills, to develop their knowledge of (specialised) vocabulary and to revise certain grammatical points.
 

15 % Le Répétiteur - written test in term 1

The following files will be tested: 'Expressions idiomatiques de base', 'Fautes de grammaire les plus fréquentes' and 'Fautes de vocabulaire les plus fréquentes'.

All students have to do the 'Répétiteur' test on the date that is indicated in the introduction to the course notes. Students who are absent for this test will get zero, unless they can provide their teacher with a valid official document to justify their absence e.g. a medical certificate.

25 % Oral exam in May/June

Students will be divided into groups of 4 and will be given questions to discuss based on the topics covered in class. Students will be given preparation time (individual preparation) and then they will discuss the topic they have chosen.
Students will be assessed on the basis of accuracy (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, stress etc.) and fluency (communication skills, building up an argument, interaction etc.).

The oral exam will take place either in the last week of class in May or during the exam session in June. Both the date of the exam and the schedule are arranged in consultation with the students. All students are expected to be present on the day of the exam. Students who are absent for the oral exam will get zero, unless they can provide their teacher with a valid official document to justify their absence e.g. a medical certificate.

60% Written exam in May/June

• 30% Listening comprehension questions based on the material covered in class and other unseen material.
• 25% Vocabulary questions based on the material covered in class.
• 5% Grammar questions based on the material covered in class.

The written exam will take place either in the last week of class in May or during the exam session in June. The date of the exam is arranged in conjunction with the student representatives and cannot be changed once it has been fixed. Therefore it is imperative that ALL  students are consulted by the student representatives before fixing the date of the exam. Students who are absent for the written exam will get zero, unless they can provide their teacher with a valid official document to justify their absence e.g. a medical certificate.

SEPTEMBER EXAM

The exam will consist of the following parts:

Written exam ' 75%

• 15% Le Répétiteur - The following files will be tested: 'Expressions idiomatiques de base', 'Fautes de grammaire les plus fréquentes' and 'Fautes de vocabulaire les plus fréquentes'.
• 60% This part will have the same format as the written exam in May/June i.e. listening comprehension, vocabulary and grammar.

Oral exam ' 25%

This part will have the same format as the oral exam in May/June i.e. discussion questions based on the topics covered in class.

Class time is used for listening comprehension activities, lexical activities, grammatical activities and activities to practise students' oral skills.

The course trains listening comprehension skills and oral skills in a specialised context (business).

1. Course notes
2. Textbook
3. Le Répétiteur

The teacher is available during his/her office-hour and can be contacted by e-mail.