Practical Course of the English Language: Grammar, Phonetics, Practice of Oral and Written Speech

Bachelor 2022/2023

Type: Compulsory course (Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication)

Area of studies: Linguistics

Delivered by: School of Foreign Languages

When: 1 year, 1-4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Ананьева Елена Петровна, Кульков Даниил Андреевич, Листопадова Мария Владимировна, Михеева Наталья Дмитриевна, Кульков Даниил Андреевич, Карпова Алина Владиславовна, Садекова София Равилевна, Ананьева Елена Петровна, Yulia Aleshina, Evgeniya Kim, Kseniia Kindenova, Polina Kirillova, Elena Krasilnikova, Daria Mazurova, Ekaterina Molchanova, Sergey Ryabchun, Adzhieva Salima, Tatiana Sidelnikova, Elena Terekhova, Ksenia Vasilyuk, Першина Дарья Станиславовна

Language: English

ECTS credits: 17

Contact hours: 318

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The “Practical Course of the English Language” is designed for the first and second-year students of the Undergraduate Programme “Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication” and aims at developing students’ English language communicative competence at B2+/С1 levels according to the Common European Framework of Reference. The course immerses students into the field of professional academic interaction focusing on skills and products relevant for successful university education performance. The course syllabus incorporates a wide range of academic input featuring up-to-date discussion topics and providing students with a variety of activities involving individual, group, and project contact and self-study work, receptive, productive, and integrated skills assignments, as well as SMART LMS training.

Learning Objectives

enhance English pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar skills for university studies
develop effective listening, reading, and note-taking skills to work with different types of academic input
develop academic communication writing skills: emails, paragraphs, essays
develop academic communication speaking skills: self-presentation, academic talk, academic discussion

Expected Learning Outcomes

To get awareness of the system of organs of speech and identify the functions of organs of speech
To describe peculiarities of the articulatory basis of the English language
To distinguish between texts of different genres and registers, between general and academic meaning, and between British and American vocabulary variations
To recognise and follow different types of academic listening input
To choose the most appropriate listening strategies and note-taking methods based on the listening purpose
To know grammatical phenomena in different types of academic input
To be able to adopt various reading strategies (skimming, scanning, identifying gist and differentiating details, inferring meaning from context, comprehending writer’s attitude)
To be able to paraphrase, summarise, and synthesise information from various types of texts using appropriate and diverse reporting verbs and phrases to write thesis statements
To understand and express different attitudes, emotions, opinions, and communication purposes in emails by analysing and using appropriate vocabulary and modal verbs
To present oneself in a way that leaves the desired image in accordance with socially and culturally accepted norms of action and behaviour
To structure an academic talk using relevant signposting phrases to facilitate organisation of speech and mark the progression of argumentation
To produce clear, well-structured, detailed texts on different subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices avoiding logical fallacies
To conduct group discussions with audience awareness knowing the structure, purposes of an academic discussion, and speakers’ roles and to communicate opinions effectively relying on relevant arguments and evidence

Course Contents

Section 3. Listening and Note-taking for University Studies
Section 4. Advanced Understanding of the English Tense System
Section 5. Reading for University Studies and Locating and Writing Thesis Statements
Section 6. Academic Communication Skills: University Interaction via Emails
Section 7. Intonation in Context
Section 8. Academic Communication Skills: Self-presentation
Section 9. Academic Communication Skills: Academic Talk
Section 10. Academic Communication Skills: from Paragraph to Essay
Section 11. Academic Communication Skills: Academic Discussion
Module 1. ‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.’ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Module 2. 'All artforms are in the service of the greatest of all arts: the art of living.’ Karl Marx

Assessment Elements

Continuous Assessment
Linguistic phenomena or academic style quizzes which are aimed at controlling new knowledge and skills formation, timely correction of reaching strategies. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G continuous assessment = (G c.a. 1 + G c.a. 2 + …….)/G total number.
Academic Progress Assessment
Student’s academic progress is comprised by the following constituent parts: active classroom participation, demonstration of critical and original thinking, homework completion. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 3 (+/- system may be applied as well). To calculate the final grade for this type of assessment a percentage formula is applied: G academic progress = G cumulative * 10/G max. points.
Smart LMS
Smart LMS training includes extra tasks and practical exercises aimed at extending student learning beyond the classroom and checking knowledge acquisition and skills development progress. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 100%, which is then converted to the 10-point scale using the percentage formula.
Exam Module 2
The examination is taken during the period of 10 days prior to an examination week in written format. The exam paper is based on the materials studied throughout all the Sections in Modules 1-2.
Integrated Skills
Integrated Skills assessment element consists of receptive activities such as listening and reading tasks as well as productive activities, such as speaking and writing tasks, which may include monologues, debates, discussions, projects, presentations, paragraphs, essays. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G integrated skills = (G task 1 + G task 2 + …….)/G total number.
Exam Module 4
The exam is taken on the examination week. It tests the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the whole academic year and includes receptive and productive tasks. The exam consists of written and oral parts. The written part includes a written product. The oral part includes a discussion task.
Practice of Speech
The Current Grade in Practice of Speech is calculated according to the formula: G pr.o.sp. = 0,1*G contact work + 0,3*G quizzes + 0,3*G speaking/writing + 0,3*G final test 1. Contact work – student’s work in class/at home is comprised by the following constituent parts: active classroom participation, demonstration of critical and original thinking, self-study activities. Each class you receive +/- for each constituent part. The number of pluses is calculated and then the following formula is applied: G CW = G cumulative * 9/G max. points. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 9. You may earn 1extra point if you complete >90% of Smart LMS activities. Thus, you may receive 10 as the final grade for this type of assessment. If a seminar is held online, active classroom participation is graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on. 2. Quizzes – lexical or academic style tests which are aimed at controlling new knowledge and skills formation, timely correction of reaching strategies. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G quizzes = (G quiz 1 + G quiz 2 + …….)/G total number; If a seminar is held online, quizzes are graded graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on. 3. Speaking and writing activities – monologues, debates, discussions, role-plays, round-table discussions, projects, written products. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G speaking/writing = (G speaking 1 + G speaking 2 + …….)/G total number; If a seminar is held online, speaking and writing activities are graded graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on. 4. Final tests – the lexical test on the entire Unit. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. If a seminar is held online, final tests are graded graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on.
Phonetics
Grammar
The Current Grade in Grammar is calculated according to the formula: G gr. = 0,25*G class work + 0,25*G LMS Tests + 0,5*G Intermediate tests 1. Class work - Student’s work is comprised by the following constituent parts: attendance, active classroom participation, home assignment. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment, the following formula is applied: G class work = (G class 1 + Grade class 2...)/total number*33.3333333333333. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 9. You may earn 1extra point if you complete >90% of Smart LMS activities. Thus, you may receive 10 as the final grade for this type of assessment. If a seminar is held online, active classroom participation is graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on. 2. LMS tasks - online tests in LMS system. The students are given a list of tests that they need to do online asyncronically at their own pace for each module, and are informed about the deadlines. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment, the following formula is applied for each module: G LMS tests M1/2 = (G lms test 1 + G lms test 2 + ...)/total number. Then, the average grade for 2 modules is calculated. The following formula is applied: G LMS Tests = (G LMS tests M1 + G LMS tests M2)/2. 3. Tests - grammar tests which are aimed at controlling new knowledge and skills formation, ability to apply the rules studied correctly. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. There are 2 tests in Module 1 and 2 tests in Module 2. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G tests = (G test 1 + G test 2 + G test 3 + G test 4)/4. If a seminar is held online, tests are graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on.
Exam Module 3
The examination is taken during the period of 10 days prior to an examination week in both written and oral formats. The written part includes writing an email, the oral part includes self-presentation and academic talk tasks.
Independent Work Assessment
Independent work assessment includes extra tasks and practical exercises aimed at extending student learning beyond the classroom and checking knowledge acquisition and skills development progress. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 100%, which is then converted to the 10-point scale using the percentage formula.
Language Systems
Linguistic phenomena or academic style quizzes which are aimed at controlling new knowledge and skills formation, timely correction of reaching strategies. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G continuous assessment = (G c.a. 1 + G c.a. 2 + …….)/G total number
Language Skills
The assessment element consists of receptive activities such as listening and reading tasks as well as productive activities, such as speaking and writing tasks, which may include monologues, debates, discussions, projects, presentations, paragraphs, essays. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G integrated skills = (G task 1 + G task 2 + …….)/G total number.
Exam Module 1
The examination is taken during the period of 10 days prior to an examination week and includes productive activities tasks.
Final Exam Module 2
The examination is taken during the examination week in Module 2. The exam includes productive activities tasks.
Academic Progress
Linguistic phenomena or academic style quizzes which are aimed at controlling new knowledge and skills formation, timely correction of reaching strategies. The maximum grade for this type of assessment is 10. To calculate the final (cumulative) grade for this type of assessment the following formula is applied: G continuous assessment = (G c.a. 1 + G c.a. 2 + …….)/G total number.

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 2nd module
0.125 * Integrated Skills + 0.05 * Academic Progress + 0.1 * Continuous Assessment + 0.075 * Smart LMS + 0.3 * Exam Module 2
2022/2023 3rd module
0.2 * Continuous Assessment + 0.1 * Academic Progress + 0.15 * Smart LMS + 0.25 * Integrated Skills + 0.3 * Exam Module 3
2022/2023 4th module
0.1 * Academic Progress + 0.2 * Continuous Assessment + 0.15 * Smart LMS + 0.3 * Exam Module 4 + 0.25 * Integrated Skills
2023/2024 1st module
0.25 * Language Skills + 0.25 * Language Systems + 0.2 * Academic Progress Assessment + 0.25 * Exam Module 1 + 0.05 * Independent Work Assessment
2023/2024 2nd module
0.05 * Independent Work Assessment + 0.25 * Final Exam Module 2 + 0.25 * Language Systems + 0.2 * Academic Progress Assessment + 0.25 * Language Skills

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Strongman, L. (2013). Academic Writing. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=816736

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Academic project presentations. Student's workbook: Презентация научных проектов на английском языке : Учеб. пособие для вузов, Кузьменкова, Ю.Б., 2009

Authors

CHIGIREVA EKATERINA SERGEEVNA
BOGOLEPOVA SVETLANA VIKTOROVNA
KINDENOVA KSENIYA YUREVNA
VASILYUK KSENIYA YUREVNA
BUDNIKOVA ALINA ALEKSANDROVNA
MARTIROSYAN ANNA ARMENOVNA

Course Syllabus