English: Speaking and Writing II

Foregrounding the productive skills, "English: Speaking and Writing" is a suite of three courses that enables learners from different academic backgrounds to gain accuracy, range, confidence and fluency in written and spoken English, primarily for study purposes.

Drawing on a broad spectrum of academically oriented source material, "Speaking and Writing II" aims to engage your interest in a variety of contexts which will allow you to hone your productive skills. During the course you will work in pairs and groups, discussing source material, analysing and practising language, thereby enabling you to produce a succession of short texts. This course builds on the previous course by extending the range and complexity of language functions addressed, including among others: identifying textual features; expressing points of view; describing change; situating and outlining a process; comparing and contrasting; exploring cause and effect relationships; describing and evaluating data; defining and classifying; making a presentation.

The course gives you the opportunity to:

  • compose a series of essays and other task-focussed written assignments which allow you to bring general, as well as your own research perspectives into play,
  • participate in pair and group discussions which encourage you to reflect on your own and others' research experience,
  • practise your pronunciation,
  • improve your language control,
  • learn and use academic vocabulary,
  • exercise range in your grammatical and lexical choices,
  • develop aspects of coherence and cohesion: paragraphing, punctuation, linking,
  • prepare and give a short presentation to your peers.

While special attention is paid to the lexical features and functions of more formal academic discourse, this course can also make a good parallel option for those working towards English language certificates.

Prospective participants are advised to contact the Language Center for consultation about suitable intensive courses during the semester break that will prepare them for this course.

Course information

Course level
C1
Date
25.09.2019–11.12.2019
  • Wednesday, 18:00–19:30
24 Lessons
Lecturer
Annelies Beyboer, lic. phil.
Credit points
2 ECTS
Registration deadline
Tuesday 24.09.2019
Course fee
Students and PhD candidates: CHF 243.00
Members of staff: CHF 483.00
Alumni: CHF 483.00

Course materials

  • Academic Vocabulary in Use; Cambridge University Press 2016; ISBN: 978-1-107-59166-0
  • Script

Further details will be found in the course confirmation. Please do not acquire the course materials before then.

Requirements

Requirements for acquisition of credit points

In order to receive credit points, candidates will

  • not be absent more than twice,
  • submit four satisfactory written assignments (if an assignment is unsatisfactory, it may be resubmitted once),
  • deliver one oral presentation, followed by a class discussion,
  • submit a portfolio consisting of the four written assignments, along with the improved versions thereof, and the support materials for the oral presentation.

You can get a total of 2 credit points.

Students are assessed by means of a portfolio (pass/fail).

Homework

± 90 minutes / week

Certificate of attendance

In order to receive a certificate of attendance (available on request) for this course, you are not allowed to be absent more than maximum two times.

Placement test

This course requires either an obligatory computer placement test or completion of a preceding course. If you have not attended a preceding course, a computer placement test has to be taken prior to registration.

Replacement date

The supplementary replacement date for lessons that might not take place is: 07.12.2019 from 10:00 - 16:00.

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