This subject belongs to the Module of Basic Formation MO1. Thus, it aims at achieving the Module competences M01CM01, M01CM02 and the Degree competences G001, G003, G006, G007, G008, G009. The subject is the second in a series of two aimed at offering students the training they need in order to acquire a linguistic competence in English at the B2 level. In order to attain this goal, theoretical and practical lessons will be offered in which students will have the opportunity to practice the different facets of the four basic language skills - listening, speaking, reading, writing - by means of a number of formative activities that will be carried out by students both individually and in groups, as well as in the classroom or at home.

COMPETENCES



This subject belongs to the Module of English Language. Thus, it aims at achieving the module competences:

- M01CM02 To be able to express oneself with fluency both orally and in writing in a second language.

- M01CM03 To be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts in a second language.

The achievement of the Module competences above will entail the fulfillment of the following Degree competences G001/ G003/ G006/ G007/ G008/ G009.

- G001 To be able to produce and understand any type of oral and written text in English.

- G003 To analyze, synthesise, and explain the grammar and use of English.

- G006 To be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts in a second language and to express oneself with fluency both orally and in writing in that language.

- G007 To be able to relate the specific knowledge of the degree with other areas and disciplines and to transmit that knowledge in further studies in order to favour conciliatory and tolerant attitudes towards multilingual and multicultural diversity.

- G008 To be able to work autonomously and in teams, making use of the techniques and tools acquired.

- G009 To be able to transmit the knowledge acquired in different academic contexts to be used in diverse professional contexts.



LEARNING OUTCOMES



By the end of the course the student will be able to:

1. Listening: to understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly (B2 level). (Module competences/degree competences: M01CM03 /G001 G006 G008)

2. Reading: to understand extended texts, appreciating distinctions of style as well as specialized articles and longer technical instructions (B2 level). (Module competences/ degree competences: M01CMO3 /G001 G006 G008)

4. Writing: to produce well-structured texts, expressing points of view at a certain length and select an appropriate style taking the audience into account (B2 level). (Module competences/degree competences: M01CMO2 /G001 G006 G007 G008 G009)

5. Speaking: to produce well-structured speeches, expressing points of view and clear arguments at a certain length in an exposition about abstract and cultural issues. To use proper structures in communicative oral interactions. To apply pronunciation rules and proper intonation and to select an appropriate style in an oral performance (B2 level). (Module competences/degree competences:M01CM0l M01CM02 /G001 G006 G007 G008 G009)

6. Grammar: to display analytical knowledge about the grammar of English. To express ideas in written and oral productions with accurate grammar (B2 level). (Module competences/degree competences: M01CMOl /G003 G008).

7. Vocabulary: to reproduce and put in practice an ample repertoire of vocabulary. To formulate an elaborated speech and use a wide range of expressions (B2 level). (Module competences/degree competences: M01CMOl /G003 G008).

8. To work on their own or in a team, using the techniques and tools they have acquired. (Module competences / degree competences: M01CMOl /G008)

This is a skills-oriented course delivered through a series of lessons and activities that incorporate different contents. The course aims to help students strengthen their mastery of three main language components (grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation) as well as four language skills (speaking, writing, reading and listening).

Classes focus on speaking, listening, reading and writing skills as well as vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation; each lesson will consist mainly of tasks designed around a communicative situation to help students improve their command of these skills and language components.

Students will be encouraged to work both in the classroom –individually, in pairs and in groups– and at home. They are also expected to do out-of-class work in order to consolidate learning done in class. This out-of-class work includes both homework assigned in class and the students’ exposure to authentic language via extensive listening and reading for pleasure.

• Sistema de Evaluación Continua
• Sistema de Evaluación Final
• Herramientas y porcentajes de calificación:
  • Prueba tipo test (%): 60
  • Trabajos individuales (%): 40

The course will be assessed according to the continuous assessment procedure. At the beginning of the term students will be provided with a calendar for the various assignments they have to do during the course.



Students will be assessed according to their performance in:

- Writing assignments: 25% Formal email (10%); Short story (15%)

- Speaking assignment: 15%

- Comprehension tasks: 20%

- In-class grammar activities 10%

- Use of English Final Exam: 30%



For the points of an assignment, task and course-final exam to be counted toward the final grade, a minimum grade of 50% (e.g., 5 points out of 10) must be reached on that assignment, test or exam. If less than 50% is achieved, the assignments, test or exam will be scored as zero (0).



The marks obtained in the continuous assessment assignments will be kept for the 2nd-call exam (ONLY the passing grades). In the 2nd-call exam, it is compulsory to redo all failed assignments.



Alternative dates for missed exams and in-class tasks will be arranged only in the cases included in article 25 (f and g) of the official assessment regulation.



Withdrawal from continuous assessment: All students have the right to be evaluated according to the final 100% evaluation procedure.

Final assessment consists of similar parts as the continuous evaluation, but it is evaluated as a 100% block. Students will be evaluated according to their performance in the following tasks:

- Writing assignments: 25% Formal email (10%); Short story (15%)

- Speaking assignment: 15%

- Comprehension tasks: 20%

- Use of English Exam: 40%



For the points of an assignment, task and exam to be counted toward the final grade, a minimum grade of 50% (e.g., 5 points out of 10) must be reached on that assignment, task or exam. If less than 50% is achieved, they will be scored as zero (0).



ALL the students (continuous and final assessment) will have to do the SPEAKING TASK IN CLASS IN THE LAST WEEK OF THE COURSE. Students will have to register for the speaking task following the instructions provided by their professors in due course.



Students desiring final assessment must write their instructor by the end of week 9 of the course explicitly renouncing continuous assessment and requesting final assessment (Capítulo II, artículo 8, 3).

If a student withdraws from continuous assessment, no grades from the continuous assessment will be carried over to the second-call final assessment and all assignments must be re-done.

If first-call final assessment students go to the second call, they must re-do all assignments in the Second Call.

The regulation about assessment can be found at the following link:

https://www.ehu.eus/es/web/graduak/normativa/evaluacion-del-alumnado-en-las-titulaciones-oficiales-de-grado



In the case of 100% final assessment, not sitting the exam on the official date of the exam qualifies as an automatic withdrawal from the corresponding call.



Important: Information on the use of resources and materials in exams and assignments

Exam: The use of mobile or electronic devices, notes, books is not allowed.

Assignments: Assignments containing plagiarism will receive a grade of zero (0) on the given task. Assignments must be done using the student’s own words and all sources must be cited and referenced in APA o MLA styles. Translating from other languages into English and presenting it as one’s own work is also plagiarism (Capítulo II, artículo 11,3).

For the second call, the students who withdrew from the first call will have to take an exam covering 100% of the mark. This exam will be similar to the exam that students in the final assessment carry out in the first call and described above.

Students in the continuous assessment who did not pass the first call must redo all the failed assignments. Final evaluation students must redo all the assignments; continuous evaluation students can also redo them, but it is not compulsory.

Class materials

Bibliografía básica

Murphy, Raymond. 2019. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Carter, Ronald and McCarthy, Michael. 2006. Cambridge Grammar of English Paperback with CD-ROM: A comprehensive guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.



McCarthy, Michael and Felicity O’Dell. 2001. Vocabulary in Use (upper-intermediate) with answers. Cambridge: CUP.



Vince, Michael. 2009. First Certificate Language Practice. English Grammar and Vocabulary. 4th. ed. Oxford: Macmillan.



Diccionario Oxford de Phrasal Verbs. Inglés-Español. 2006. Oxford: OUP.



Macmillan Phrasal Verbs Plus.2005. Oxford: Macmillan.

Bibliografía de profundización

Mann, Malcolm and Steve Taylore-Knowles. 2008. Destination B2. Grammar and Vocabulary with Answer Key. Oxford: Macmillan.

McCarthy, Michael and Felicity O’Dell. 2002. Test your Vocabulary in Use (upper-intermediate). Cambridge: CUP.

Wells, J.C. 2008. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow: Pearson Education Longman.

Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. 2005. Harlow: Pearson Longman.

Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English. 2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Revistas

Newsweek Magazine.
Speak Up magazine with CD-Rom.
The Economist Magazine.
Time Magazine.

Direcciones web

Collins Dictionary online: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/

http://www.merriam-webster.com /

Cambridge Dictionaries online: http://dictionary.cambridge.org

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary online: http://www.oup.com/elt/oald

BBC World Service-international news: http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice

CNN-international news: http://www.cnn.com

Learning English (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en), a site run by the British Council, contains very useful materials for both students and teachers

Learning English (bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish), a site run by the World Service arm of the BBC, has a good range of activities

Dave’s ESL Café (elscafe.com) has a large number of activities for students and great links page which will take users to many other different websites

The Internet Tesol Journal has lots of activities for students (including quizzes) at http://a4esl.org/. But their links page (at http://iteslj.org/links/) is a great place for students to start looking around. For example, they have a large list of podcast sites as well as grammar exercises, webquests and quiz links.

Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab (http://www.esl-lab.com/) contains lots of useful activities for both teachers and students. Highly recommendable are the links to everyday conversations with adult and children’s voices and to listening quizzes for academic purposes.