Professional development seminar-German [ LALLE2501 ]

Students should have a good receptive knowledge of the basic grammar and vocabulary and have reached a LOWER B1 level (reading, listening and speaking) of the "Common European Framework of reference for Languages " (CEFR). An oral test will be organized to check if the student has the required level.

The course is structured around different themes related primarily to the professional world in which the student is meant to function in the future.

Reading comprehension:

• Can understand articles and reports on everyday topics or related to their field of study and can understand the writer's particular point of view.

B2- level of the CEFR.

Listening comprehension:

• Can understand standard spoken English (live or from recordings) on both familiar and unfamiliar topics normally encountered in personal, social, university or professional life.
• Can understand most of the newspapers and television programmes.

B2- level of the CEFR

Speaking skills:

• Can develop a simple, direct and prepared presentation on a familiar topic or a topic related to their field of study and can answer a series of questions linked to their presentation.

B1 level of the CEFR.

Writing skills:

• Can write short and simple notes in connection with specific needs.

A2 level of the CEFR.

Code:

• Expansion of basic vocabulary (2000 basic words) and reinforcement of specific German grammatical structures. As far as speaking skills are concerned, the course focuses more on communicative skills than on correction.

Culture

• for all the skills aforementioned: Introduction to German culture. The capacity to appreciate the values transmitted by this culture is developed through different fields (social, political, economical).

1. Continuous assessment (class participation, daily work, oral presentation in group')
2. Oral final exam: simulation of a businesslike communication task. This exam will take place at the last courseweek.

Groups of 20 students maximum.

The aim is to allow the student to know the professional world better, through the reading of newspaper articles, conferences, films, video sequences, company simulation exercises' All skills will be trained (listening, reading, speaking and writing) although the focus will be on developing speaking skills in a professional environment. Students are required to deliver a talk on one of the communication techniques related to professional life.  During this presentation, they are asked to create interaction with the public. The communication techniques themselves will be systematically trained in class.  All these activities require some preparation work to be done by the students who are also themselves responsible for perfecting their linguistic knowledge (vocabulary study, revision of grammatical points,').

Syllabus LALLE 2500-2501

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