English Language 1 is a core course in the first term of the first year of the English Studies degree. It is part of the Basic Formation Module. It is the first of two first-year English language courses training students to acquire upper-intermediate (B2) proficiency in an academic setting. It is followed by English Language 2 in the second term.



This course develops skills for writing formal academic essays and their oral presentation and debate. English Language 2 turns to written and oral narrative styles in order to develop students' skills in a variety of genres and registers at B2 proficiency.



This course also offers students the possibility of participating, on a voluntary basis, in a virtual international exchange with native English speakers at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania.



Given its core character, this course is fundamental to all other degree courses that require proficient use and comprehension of English.



The tasks done in this course allow students to develop both formal language skills and analytic argumentative skills that are highly relevant in foreign language teaching, translation and interpreting, and international academic research.



Upon beginning the course, students should have good control of the active and passive intermediate English language skills developed in the final year of A-level qualification/senior high school.

Competences



This course belongs to the Basic Formation Module (M01). It develops these module competences:



- To express oneself fluently both orally and in writing in a second language (M01CM02).

- To understand the main ideas of complex texts in a second language (M01CM03).



The achievement of these Module competences entails the fulfilment of the following general and cross-curricular degree competences:



- To produce and understand any type of oral and written text in English (G001).

- To analyse, synthesize, and explain the grammar and use of English (G003).

- To understand the main ideas of complex texts in a second language and to express oneself clearly and fluently both orally and in writing in that language (G006).

- To relate 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 (G007).

- To work autonomously and in teams, making use of the techniques and tools acquired (G008).

- To transmit acquired knowledge in various academic contexts as preparation for various professional contexts (G009).



Learning Outcomes



By the end of this course, successful students will achieve these outcomes in the following language areas:



- Written Production: produce clear, detailed and well-structured texts on a variety of subjects at a certain length and to select an appropriate style taking the audience into account at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM02/G001, G006, G007, G008, G009.]

- Spoken Production: give clear, detailed descriptions, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples; apply pronunciation rules and proper intonation; produce clear, detailed and well-structured speech on a variety of subjects at a certain length and select an appropriate style taking the audience into account at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM02/G001, G006, G007, G008, G009]

- Grammar: express ideas in written and oral productions with accurate grammar of sufficient range, displaying analytical knowledge of the grammar and the use of English at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM02/G003, G008.]

- Vocabulary: reproduce and put into practice an ample repertoire of vocabulary and discourse structures at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM02/G003, G008.]

- Organisation: organise their workload autonomously and collaboratively in order to define goals and achieve them at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM02/G008.]

- Reading Comprehension: understand extended texts, appreciating distinctions in style as well as specialized articles and technical reports at B2 proficiency.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM03/G001, G006, G008.]

- Listening Comprehension: understand extended speech at B2 proficiency even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly.

[Learning outcomes linked to Module/Degree competences M01CM03/G001, G006, G008.]

Written Production: strategies and guidelines to write clear, well-structured written B2 level texts



Spoken Production: strategies and guidelines to speak clear, detailed, well-structured oral B2 level texts



Reading Comprehension: skills to understand and interpret critically written language at B2 proficiency



Listening Comprehension: skills to understand spoken language at B2 proficiency



Grammar: reinforcement of accurate use of grammar in B2 level oral and written texts



Vocabulary: reinforcement of consistent use of appropriate vocabulary at B2 proficiency

This course employs a variety of teaching strategies. In class, the instructor will explain the specific characteristics and language features of each assignment. The primary assignments are an argumentative essay, a for-and-against essay, a pair conversation, and a group debate.



Students will receive written or face-to-face feedback on their assignments following the criteria in the rubrics. The rubrics are available in the Student Guide. Students will also have opportunities to discuss and re-submit certain assignments before receiving a final grade.



Most class time focuses on student-centred interactive exercises with students working individually, in pairs, and in groups. Class atmosphere is participatory.



The methodology of Gamification is used to stimulate oral learning outcomes. Comprehension Tasks are used to develop writing, listening and reading learning outcomes progressively.



Out-of-class work will involve performing research and organising individually, in pairs, and in groups in order to prepare the writing and speaking assignments.



Students are encouraged to follow the Free Voluntary Reading methodology to achieve reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary learning outcomes.

• Sistema de Evaluación Continua
• Sistema de Evaluación Final
• Herramientas y porcentajes de calificación:
  • 1. Argumentative Essay (20%) 2. For-and-Against Essay (10%) 3. Pair Conversation (20%) 4. Group Debate (10%) 5. Comprehension Tasks (15%) 6. Use of English Test (25%) (%): 100

Assessment in this course is continuous: tasks are completed throughout the term with no final exam. Continuous Assessment tasks are:



1. Argumentative Essay (20%)

2. For-and-Against Essay (10%)

3. Pair Conversation (20%)

4. Group Debate (10%)

5. Comprehension Tasks (15%)

6. Use of English Test (25%)



Feedback will be provided in written or in face-to-face form. Students will also have opportunities to discuss and re-submit certain assignments before receiving a grade.



Assignments will be evaluated with rubrics developed from the specific assignment criteria, and B2 criteria from Cambridge English Language Assessment and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The rubrics will be made available as part of the Student Guide.



The final grade will be calculated as the sum of the task results, but, for all tasks, a minimum grade of 60% must be obtained on a task for the grade on that task to be included in the calculation of the final grade.



Continuous assessment students may carry over the grades obtained in the First Call to the Resit Call.



Nevertheless, all students have the right to be evaluated according to the final assessment procedure independently of whether or not they have participated in the continuous assessment.



Students desiring final assessment must present the official withdrawal document to their instructor before the end of week 9 of the Course Calendar.



Follow this link to download the official withdrawal document:



http://www.ehu.eus/eu/web/letrak/idazkaritza



Students who withdraw from continuous assessment carry no grades over to the First Exam Call final assessment.



Final assessment consists of a final exam with the same task types as the continuous assessment:



1. Writing Paper: Part 1: Argumentative Essay (20%); Part 2: For-and-Against Essay (10%)

2. Speaking Paper: Part 1: Pair Conversation (20%); Part 2: Debate (10%)

3. Reading and Listening Comprehension Paper (15%)

4. Use of English Paper (25%)



Papers 1-3 will be evaluated with the same rubrics as in the continuous assessment.



The final grade will be calculated as the sum of the results, but, for all Papers or parts of Papers, a minimum grade of 60% must be obtained on a Paper/part for the grade on that Paper/part to be included in the calculation of the final grade.



Final assessment students carry no grades over to the Resit Call.



Continuous assessment students withdraw from the First Call by writing their instructor before the end of week 12 of the Course Calendar explicitly withdrawing from the call.



Final assessment students withdraw from the First Exam Call by not sitting the exam.



Students who withdraw from a call receive a final grade of *no grade submitted* [ez aurkeztua/no presentado].



Students who withdraw from the First Exam Call carry no grades over to the Resit Exam Call.



Assignments containing plagiarism will receive a grade of zero (0). Assignments must be done using the student's own words and all sources must be cited and referenced in APA 7th edition style. Translating from other languages into English and presenting it as one's own work is also plagiarism. Assignments must consist of the student's original work (UPV/EHU's Protocol of Academic Ethics).



If we are confined again, the tasks and papers will be administered virtually.

The Resit Call has the same structure as the final assessment. It is a final exam:



1. Writing Paper: Part 1: Argumentative Essay (20%); Part 2: For-and-Against Essay (10%)

2. Speaking Paper: Part 1: Pair Conversation (20%); Part 2: Debate (10%)

3. Reading and Listening Comprehension Paper (15%)

4. Use of English Paper (25%)



Papers 1-3 will be evaluated with the same rubrics as in the continuous assessment.



The final grade will be calculated as the sum of the results, but, for all Papers or parts of Papers, a minimum grade of 60% must be obtained on a Paper/part for the grade on that Paper/part to be included in the calculation of the final grade.



First Call continuous assessment students may sit the Papers or parts of Papers corresponding to the

First Call tasks that they wish to improve. When they sit a Paper or a part of a Paper in the Resit Call, the Resit grade replaces the First Call grade even if the Resit grade is worse than the First Call grade.



Students withdraw from the Resit Call by not sitting the exam.



If we are confined again, the papers will be administered virtually.

Murphy, R. (2019). English grammar in use without answers: A self-study reference and practice book for intermediate learners of English (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

- Additional course materials are available at the faculty photocopy shop and on the eGela course page.

Bibliografía básica

American Psychological Association. (2019). Concise guide to APA style (7th ed.).



McCarthy, M., & O'Dell, F. (2017). Vocabulary in use, upper-intermediate (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.



Vince, M. (2009). First certificate language practice: English grammar and vocabulary (4th ed.). Macmillan.



Woolard, G. (2004). Key words for fluency, upper intermediate collocation practice: Learning and practising the most useful words of English. Cengage Learning.

Bibliografía de profundización

Carter, R., & McCarthy, M. (2006). Cambridge grammar of English. Cambridge University Press.

Longman dictionary of English language and culture. (2005). Pearson Longman.

Oxford collocations dictionary for students of English. (2000). Oxford University Press.

Swan, M. (2017). Practical English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Wells, J. C. (2008). Longman pronunciation dictionary. Pearson Education Longman.

Revistas

English Language Teaching; Journal of English Learner Education; Language Teaching Research; Speak Up

Direcciones web

- Dictionaries
Cambridge Dictionaries: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

- News
BBC World Service: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service

- BBC English
Learning English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/

- British Council
Learn English: https://www.britishcouncil.org/english/learn-online