English (level A)

Duration

90h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Stéphane Ghijsen, Amaël Verbeure

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

All year long, with partial in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course has a B1-B2 CEFRL level (B1 for writing, speaking and listening skills, B2 for reading comprehension).
The aim of the course is a) to reactivate, consolidate and extend the students' general language understanding and use, and b) to introduce the specific features of the language related to politics. This is done in the four language skills, i.e. reading, listening, speaking and writing. Concretely students will deal with:

• selected articles and readings (From Dictatorship to Democracy')
• discussions and oral presentations
• writing exercises (definitions, compare and contrast, commentaries, ...)
• grammar revision
• George Orwell's novel 1984 as well as articles contextualising this novel. 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The dual purpose of the course is

• to consolidate and extend the students' general language understanding and use
• to introduce the specific features of the language related to politics

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Intermediate level, A2+ CEFRL level
We highly recommend that beginners and students requiring a deep revision of the basics of the English language take part in the remedial classes.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

In addition to regular preparation work, students will have to:

• do 1 oral presentation
• at least 4 unannounced tests throughout the year, which can grant each student up to 1 point out of 20 for their final grade. 

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

The course is divided into two weekly sessions of 2h in small groups (main course) and 1h, all students together (grammar course) from September to May.
Two more 1-hour sessions will be organized every week, so that students who need them can catch up. One will be dedicated to grammar, the other one to conversation. 

Weekly preparation work is expected. The work load this represents is variable and depends on the students' level of competence.
We strongly advise students to read articles about the themes discussed in class, on their own. 
You can also practice your grammar skills online on eCampus thanks to GABi, an on-line English grammar course.

Recommended or required readings

• Course book Political Science - English for First-Year Students
• Book Level 4: 1984 (Pearson English Graded Readers, 2008) ( = adapted and simplified version of George Orwell's famous novel 1984).
• The blue grammar : Raymond Murphy English Grammar in use 4th edition (Cambridge University Press)

Assessment methods and criteria

Written exams in January and June, and oral exam in June. The written exam (70%) will include reading and listening comprehension exercises, grammar and vocabulary exercises, and some writing. The oral exam (25%) will deal with articles from a readings file, the oral presentations and the book 1984.
The assessment grid for the oral exam takes into account content and language skills. In case the student did not get at least 4.5/10 for each part, the final grade for the oral exam cannot be equal or above 10/20. 
The in-class oral presentation (second term) accounts for 5% of the final grade.
To pass this course, students will have to obtain a real 10/20, which means that grades between 9,5 and 9,99 will not be rounded up. 

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The placement test will take place on 18/09/2018, 16:00-18:00  in Trifac 3 (B33). The test is compulsory for every student except for repeating students who must contact their teacher in order to choose a group. 

Contacts

Amaël Verbeure - amael.verbeure@uliege.be Stéphane Ghijsen - s.ghijsen@uliege.be ISLV