Intermediate English

Teacher(s)

Denis Philippe (coordinator);

Language

English

Prerequisites

Level B1+ of the CEFR

Main themes

Topics relating to the students' future professional life, current affairs. The topics covered are flexible because discussions are based on articles posted on Moodle, which can be changed to keep the course up-to-date. Students can choose topics to cover.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	The aim of this course is to develop communication skills (particularly speaking skills) and to reach level B2 of the CEFR in speaking and writing. Reading: be able to read with ease a variety of general and professional texts Listening: be able to understand lectures, debates and interviews Speaking: be able to speak about general subjects and own subject speciality, and to participate in debates and discussions. Writing: be able to write a book review; be able to express an opinion on current topics and participate in an online forum.

Content

The course includes 3 distinctive parts.
Part I. The English-Speaking Culture(s) and Language(s)
Part II. The Creative Writing Workshop
Part III. Student Talks

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

The course is  taught in a classroom with technological support such as a Moodle platform, Teams and Internet sources. This blended approach might evolve in accordance with constraints linked to the sanitary crisis.
Such contemporary methodologies as CLIL, blended learning, flipped classroom are put into practice.
The course aims to develop both fluency and accuracy, in both productive skills. That class participation is crucial to your progress cannot be stressed enough. Attendance is therefore compulsory and personal investment, valued and rewarded.
 

Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

PART I. CULTURE & THE ORAL EXAM  (30%)
In order to keep in touch with the latest news in the English-speaking world, the students are requested to either watch 2 (related) deep-running, content-rich movies or listen to interesting programs.
Their 10-minute oral exam in week 13 will consist in presenting the facts and stakes in all their complexity for the first 7 minutes and answering the teacher’s questions for the last 3.

PART II.  CREATING WRITING & THE WRITTEN EXAM  (30%)
The students will be asked to take part in four sessions, all boosted by such props as pictures, music, storylines and stimulating societal questions.
For the written exam in week 12 they will have to go in search of an instrumental piece of music or a (silenced) movie to write a story to. That very text will be performed live in class with the chosen sequence.

PART III.  STUDENT-LED CLASSES (20%)

Active participation and personel investment: 20%

Online resources

http://moodleucl.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=9

Teaching materials

• Interactive, Interfaculty Course: The 4 Skills

Faculty or entity

ILV