English 3

Duration

80h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Anne Desirotte

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

All year long, with partial in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

• ImplementationThe course will allow students to be in charge of the daily management of a company, an organization or a project by - implementing a given strategy - working from a holistic perspective, taking into account the interactions between various positions - giving some emphasis to the characteristics of an increasingly digitized world - working efficiently in an international and multidisciplinary team, among others in a leading position - analysing managerial practice with a critical and ethical mind

• Everyday and business vocabulary (intermediate and advanced levels).
• Le Bled vocabulary (see 'Assessment method and criteria')
• Revision of intermediate grammar and introduction to some advanced grammar items.
• Listening comprehensions.
• Expressing oneself, giving one's opinion, communicating.
• Project linked to innovation and product development including trip to a non French-speaking place.
• Project linked to marketing and advertising.
• Writing of 1 or 2 report(s) linked to the projects.
• Oral presentations.
• Commercial letters, covering letters, interviews, TOEFL...
• Finance, accountancy and supply change management.
• Imposed reading of book extracts.
• Vocabulary, texts and videos, (film) linked to the following topics: innovation et product development, ethics and corporate responsibility, social economy, marketing and advertising, supply chain management, corporate legal framework, human resources and corporate social issues, money and some philosophical considerations, world news.
• Conferences/events (attendance compulsory).

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

• In practice: this includes being able to understand and to express oneself fluently using formal language and a high register on business and/or economic topics, being able to write a report, a summary or an essay using academic language, and being able to display autonomy in most situations.
• Aim: to reach the C1 European level of language proficiency and to develop the skills and capacities aimed at in the Intended Key Learning Outcomes of the school.

• Strategy: The course will allow students to set out a strategy in order to optimize the value chain of a company, an organization or a project. - based on the analysis of its financial and economic context - taking into account its political, social and societal context - taking into account its legal constraints - adopting the position of a specialist in the field of management of his/her specialty field - demonstrating scientific precision and a critical mind
• Communication: The course will allow students to communicate efficiently, internally and externally, about a company, an organization or a project - in English - taking into account the multicultural and international features of their environment
• Adaptability: The course will allow students to adapt their managerial practices to the needs of a fast-evolving world by
• - being conscious of the societal, economic, political and environmental issues
• - displaying curiosity and a scientific precision of academic level
• - displaying creativity, autonomy and entrepreneurship
• - developing one's expertise within a continuous prospect

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

• B2 European level.
• Intermediate everyday English is a prerequisite at this level. The vocabulary and structures linked to intermediate business English should also be fairly well acquired. It is an advantage to know French as a great deal of the vocabulary to be studied is given on 'English-French' lists. Lists giving explanations on top of French translations are sometimes also provided but it is not the case for the Bled vocabulary, for instance. The students who do not understand French will therefore have to make their own lists with their own translations into their own language or explanations if they prefer this. French will not be used in their assessments.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

• Breaking the ice and getting back to practising English with a speaking activity based on a video of Mr Bean. Students will learn and use intermediate and advanced everyday vocabulary and they will practise their rephrasing skills thanks to images in context.
• Reading of texts from sources such as The Financial Times, The Economist etc., possibly scientific articles as well as book extracts.
• Learning of vocabulary from those sources as well as from the audio aid and derived vocabulary.
• Listening comprehensions from the BBC World Service + Dragons' Den + Apprentice + other materials.
• Rephrasing and academic writing (summary and possibly essay).
• Practising metalinguistic functions (politeness, listening...)
• One (or two) marked report(s) of the projects + individual report.
• Speaking (discussions on different topics, case studies etc.)
• Presentations skills: alone and within a group.
• Autonomous group activities: invention or innovation of a product or service, use of SWOT analysis, business canvas and executive summary, introduction to advertising and marketing, presentation of the projects and (filmed) collection of feedback and data in a non-French-speaking place (Britain, Holland...) Note that the trip will not be financed by the school but there is no obligation to go far.
• Online listening comprehension and grammar exercises.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

Attendance is compulsory as participation is going to be assessed in a continuous way. Attendance is particularly important due to the continuous group work. The course is 3 hours a week and is given in two ways: 2 hours a week in class and one hour a week consists of online preparations. Homework is also required on top of this, given the high number of credits (7).
 

Recommended or required readings

• The notes will be provided on the school's platform Lol@ (course code: LANG1997-1). However, it is desirable to take some more notes especially in order to improve personally. Indeed, the lecturer will give as much general and individual feedback as possible.
• The book extracts and the book to read will be announced in class.
• Lol@: http://lola.hec.ulg.be/course/view.php?id=226

Assessment methods and criteria

• Quality and Performance Control: The course will allow students to plan and implement performance and quality control in a company, an organization or a project

• Important notice: the final mark comprises more than just that of an exam in June; it is based on several marks related to the acquisition of the main language skills. Any test/exam not taken will lead automatically to failure in June and an exam resit in August. Erasmus students who only attend the first term will have to do the tasks of this term and take the January exam, as well as an oral exam in January ('E' hereunder indicates that Erasmus students are concerned by the assessment described). Erasmus students who will be at HEC for the whole academic year will follow the course like ordinary students. The HEC students coming back from their Erasmus programme as well as the semester 2 Erasmus students will have to take the evaluation of the second term only plus write an individual presentation (see 'B' for the evaluations that concern them below). Those students will have to present a product of the country they did their exchange programme in/their country of origin as well as a personal report. The mark distribution for incoming Erasmus students and back from Erasmus students will be different from the ones presented hereunder (see table with marks on Lol@) when available.

• For the first Bled test on the units seen during the first and second level English courses, Erasmus students and back from Erasmus students will have to study 10 units only that will be announced by email, via Lol@ of the electronic notice board ('valves').

• Written language: 40/160 (25%)

• Oral language: 40/160 (25%)

• Listening comprehension (specifically): 25/160 (+ bonus if possibility of online assessment) (+/- 16%)

• Reading comprehension (specifically): 15/160 (+ bonus if possibility of online assessment) (+/- 9%)

• Vocabulary/Grammar: 40/160 (25%)

Work placement(s)

No training course.

Organizational remarks

The schedule and programme per semester for this year (subject to change) will be available on Lol@.
Please note that the number of seats is limited in each group so that a system is in place in order to even out the six groups (using Doodle via Lol@ or the notice board 'les valves'). Students are allowed to exchange their seats provided all agree (including the teacher). Ms Desirotte may be reached via email for special requests but it is up to the students to find solutions and the seats will not be guaranteed in the first month of the course. A student not able to join any group with seats available this year will have to take the course next year.

Contacts

Ms Désirotte : Desirotte@ulg.ac.be(Anne.Desirotte@ulg.ac.be )
Office 207 in N1
Note that there is no assistant to Ms Desirotte
(Mr Solheid is not her assistant despite the note on Lol@ - this is only for internal organisation)
 
Registration on Lol@
http://lola.hec.ulg.ac.be/course/view.php?id=119