English for Political Science - Advanced level

langl1531  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

English for Political Science - Advanced level
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
3 credits
45.0 h
Q1 and Q2
Teacher(s)
Byrne Timothy (coordinator); Opello Katherine;
Language
English
Prerequisites
The student should have followed the intermediate-level course (LANGL1331) or a course of a similar level, corresponding to the Upper B1 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages' (European Council).

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Main themes
  • Reading outside the classroom of texts linked to the student's domain.
  • Debates organized in little groups on the texts read outside the classroom.
  • Weekly broadcasting of news bulletins and other television-programs on topical issues.
  • Debates organized in little groups on the programs seen in the language laboratory.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 Reading Comprehension
  • The student should be able to understand articles and reports on topical issues in which the author(s) adopt(s) a particular attitude or a specific point of view.
  • The student should be able to quickly scan or skim through long and complex factual texts to find specific pieces of information or get the gist of their main points.
  • He or she should be able to extract information, ideas and opinions from specialized sources in his or her domain.
  • They should have a broad vocabulary to this end.
  • They should be able to apply the main points of a text in conversation.
Upper B2 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages'.
Listening Comprehension - Individual:
  • The student should be able to understand conferences and longish speeches and be able to follow complex argumentation.
  • They should be able to understand current-event television programs and the television news, as well as the majority of feature films in standard English.
Listening Comprehension - Interactive:
  • The student should be able to follow argumentation in conversation (even if they would need to be explained certain details, especially if the accent is not familiar to them).
Upper B2 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages'.

Speaking Skills - Individual:
  • The student should be able to develop a point of view on a topical subject and explain the advantages and shortcomings of various possibilities.
  • They should be able to present complex subject-matter, integrating its themes, developing certain points and conclude their intervention appropriately.
Speaking Skills - Interactive:
  • The student should be able to communicate spontaneously and fluently, to a degree that allows for normal interaction with a native-speaker interlocutor.
Upper B2 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages'.
Writing Skills
  • The student should be able to write an essay putting across information or developing the reasons in favour or against a given opinion.
  • They should be able to express themselves in a clear and well-structured text and develop their point of view.
Upper B2 level of the 'Common European Framework for Languages'.
 
 

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
As far as the program is concerned, the set-up is 45 hours a year. The rhythm will be twelve 90-minute sessions in Q1 followed by twelve 90-minute sessions in Q2. The activities include watching videos and listening to podcasts, reading texts, speaking activities, lexical exercises, presentations, writing assignments and other miscellaneous activities, with a focus on improving your productive skills: speaking and writing. Nine units will be covered, with themes either directly or indirectly linked to the world of politics.
Teaching methods
  • 90-minute classes in groups of maximum 25 students
Evaluation methods
Continuous assessment (summative and formative):
  • vocabulary tests
  • essay-writing and graphs descriptions on the Moodle platform of the course
  • classroom participation (press reviews)
  • classroom presentations
  • listening comprehension tests
Oral exam (no written exam!)
Online resources
http://moodleucl.uclouvain.be/
Faculty or entity
ILV


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Bachelor in Political Sciences: General
SPOL1BA
3
LANGL1331