This subject, which accompanies English Language I and English Language II in the first semester of the Degree in English Studies, offers students theoretical and practical lessons consisting of a range of activities that will give them practice in pronunciation for both speaking and understanding and the opportunity to improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills at level B2+.

This subject belongs to Module M02 (English Language). It contributes to the achievement of general competencies G001 and G009, transversal competency G008 and specific competencies M02CM01 and M02CM02 by the end of the degree in English Studies:



-G001 – To be able to understand and produce any type of spoken and written discourse in English.

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



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



-M02CM01 – To be able to understand oral and written texts in English of a C2 level of proficiency.

-M02CM02 – To be able to produce oral and written texts in English of a C2 level of proficiency (including academic written texts).



LEARNING OUTCOMES



Upon completion of this course students will be able to:



- understand recordings and broadcast audio materials delivered in a variety of English accents recognising implicit meaning and identifying finer points of detail.

- identify complete phrases within utterances.

- read aloud a range of short texts showing accurate pronunciation, stress and intonation.

- apply the knowledge gained in the course regarding the articulation of the sounds of English, the pronunciation of –(e)s and –(e)d endings as well as connected speech phenomena.

- formulate ideas and opinions without much disruption, coherently developing particular points.

- deliver an oral presentation in front of an audience.

- show a good command of well-known spoken phrases, colloquial expressions and idioms.

The contents of the course are presented here broken down by two broad language components:

(1) oral comprehension and (2)oral expression.



1. ORAL COMPREHENSION

1.1. Listening practice

1.2. Dictation practice



2. ORAL EXPRESSION

2.1 Reading aloud practice

2.2. Pronunciation training

2.2.1. The sounds of English: Phonetic transcription using IPA symbols

2.2.2. Weak forms

2.2.3. Stress and intonation

2.2.4. Connected speech phenomena

2.3. Speaking practice

2.3.1. Oral presentation guidelines

2.3.2. Class speaking activities

2.4. Vocabulary: well-known spoken phrases, colloquial words, expressions and idioms

This is a skills-oriented course aiming at strengthening students' oral/aural skills and building up colloquial vocabulary. Classes will be devoted to reading aloud practice, pronunciation training, dictation, listening comprehension and speaking practice. Classes are interactive and student-centered. Activities will be carried out both individually and in groups.



Students will be encouraged to work on a variety of activities, including checking-your-knowledge questionnaires via Kahoot! to help students build relations among theoretical concepts pertaining to pronunciation and assimilate colloquial expressions, both in the classroom and at home. In order to consolidate learning done in class they are also expected to do out-of-class work including both homework assigned in class and students’ exposure to authentic language via extensive listening.



Teachers will use their own materials in lessons, which will be available at the photocopy room at the beginning of the term.

• Sistema de Evaluación Continua
• Sistema de Evaluación Final
• Herramientas y porcentajes de calificación:
  • Prueba escrita a desarrollar (%): 60
  • Exposición de trabajos, lecturas… (%): 20
  • PRUEBAS DE LECTURA EN VOZ ALTA (%): 20

Assessment in this course is continuous. Students will be assessed according to their performance in the following testing tasks:



READING ALOUD TASKS (20%): Students will read aloud two short texts during class time in lab. 1.50. Their performance will be recorded. They will have one week to prepare each text. Students will have to show that (1) they articulate the sounds of English accurately, (2) they stress the words precisely, and (3) they read the texts with appropriate intonation.



ORAL PRESENTATION (20%): Students will pair up to give a 20-minute oral presentation on a topic chosen by them. As part of this task, students will have to prepare a summary of the presentation to be distributed in class and a set of questions for their class-mates that demonstrate their understanding. They must follow the guidelines and hints on oral presentations offered to them at the beginning of the course. Students will be provided with a schedule for the exact dates when presentations will be given. Dates for the oral presentations will be assigned on a first-come basis throughout September. The students who have not signed up for the oral presentation by September 30th will not be allowed to give it and therefore not completing this testing task will result in zero (0).

Structure, performance, linguistic accuracy, fluency and pronunciation will be assessed.



END-OF-COURSE EXAM (60%): The exam consists of exercises on (i) pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); (ii) dictation, (iii) listening comprehension and (iv) vocabulary.

CONDITIONS

1. Not performing the testing tasks on the day appointed for them will result in zero(0).

2. Students can be asked to provide proof of their identity at any moment during the assessment tasks. Students will be allowed to do so by means of their Student's card or their ID / passport.

3. In order for the students to pass the course, they must obtain a pass mark (5 or above) in the end-of-course exam. Partial marks (reading aloud tasks and oral presentation) will be added to the mark obtained in the examination if and only if the student gets a pass in it.

4. Information on the use of resources and materials for the testing tasks

Oral Presentation: the student's own words must be used and the sources of all facts, ideas, opinions and viewpoints must be cited and included in the list of references provided on a slide at the end of the presentation.

End-of-course exam: the use of mobile or electronic devices, notes, books is not allowed. Should a student make use of these devices during the exam, she/he will receive a zero (0) on the exam.

5. Withdrawal from continuous assessment

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 write the instructor by the end of week 9 of the course explicitly renouncing continuous assessment and requesting final assessment.

Final assessment, which is evaluated as a 100% block, consists of a number of testing tasks that are done on the official date: (1) a reading aloud task (20%), (2) a speaking task (20%), and (3) a final exam (60%) consisting of exercises on (i) pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); (ii) dictation, (iii) listening comprehension and (iv) vocabulary.

Students can be asked to provide proof of their identity at any moment during the final assessment tasks. Students will be allowed to do so by means of their Student's card or their ID / passport.

In order for the final assessment students to pass the course, they must obtain a pass mark (5 or above) in the final exam (60%).

6. Withdrawal from an exam call: Students who withdraw from a call receive a final mark of no presentado/ez aurkeztua.

6.1. In the case of continuous assessment, as the end-of-course exam is worth more than 40%, not sitting the exam on the official exam date qualifies as an automatic withdrawal from the exam call.

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

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

http://www.ehu.eus/es/web/estudiosdegrado-gradukoikasketak/ebaluaziorako-arautegia

7. In the case of online assessment

All the tasks will be done by means of timed tasks on eGela.

Continuous assessment: End-of-course exam: pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); dictation, listening comprehension and vocabulary

Final assesment: 1)Reading aloud 2)Speaking task 3)End-of-course exam (see above)

1.First Call Continuous Assessment

For First Call continuous assessment students going to the Second Call, the marks obtained in the reading aloud tasks and the oral presentation are carried over to the Second Call provided students have completed the aforementioned tasks and obtained a pass mark (5 or above) in each of them. If this is the case, on the official exam date these students take a final exam that is worth 60% consisting of exercises on (i) pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and (e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); (ii) dictation, (iii) listening comprehension and (iv) vocabulary.

Nevertheless, all First Call continuous assessment students going to the Second Call have the option of doing the testing tasks which are evaluated as a 100% block on the official date: (1) a reading aloud task (20%), (2) a speaking task (20%), and (3) a final exam (60%) consisting of exercises on (i) pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); (ii) dictation, (iii) listening comprehension and (iv) vocabulary.

Students can be asked to provide proof of their identity at any moment during the assessment tasks. Students will be allowed to do so by means of their Student's card or their ID / passport.

In order for the continuous assessment students to pass the course, they must obtain a pass mark (5 or above) in the final exam.

2. First Call Final Assessment:If First Call final assessment students go to the Second call, they must do the testing tasks which are evaluated as a 100% block on the official exam date: (1) a reading aloud task (20%), (2) a speaking task (20%), and (3)a final exam (60%) consisting of exercises on (i) pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); (ii) dictation, (iii) listening comprehension and (iv) vocabulary.

Students can be asked to provide proof of their identity at any moment during the assessment tasks. Students will be allowed to do so by means of their Student's card or their ID / passport.

In order for the final assessment students to pass the course, they must obtain a pass mark (5 or above) in the final exam (60%).

3. Information on the use of resources and materials

Final exam: the use of mobile or electronic devices, notes, books is not allowed. Should a student make use of these devices during the exam, she/he will receive a zero (0) on the exam.

Speaking task: the student’s own words must be used and the sources of all facts, ideas, opinions and viewpoints must be cited.

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

http://www.ehu.eus/es/web/estudiosdegrado-gradukoikasketak/ebaluaziorako-arautegia

4. In the case of online assessment



All the tasks will be done by means of timed tasks on eGela.



Continuous assessment:

Option 1( Only for those who want to keep their marks from Reading Aloud and Oral Presentation provided they have a pass in them): End-of-course exam (pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); dictation, listening comprehension and vocabulary ).



Option 2: Reading Aloud;Speaking task; End-of-course exam (pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); dictation, listening comprehension and vocabulary ).



Final assessment:

1) Reading aloud

2) Speaking task

3) End-of-course exam (pronunciation (phonemic transcription, stress and intonation, -ed and –(e)s morphemes, as well as connected speech phenomena); dictation, listening comprehension and vocabulary).

A pack of selected activities will be available at the photocopy room at the beginning of the term.

Bibliografía básica

Baker, Ann. 1981. Ship or Sheep? An intermediate pronunciation course. Cambridge: C.U.P.



Bowler, Bill & Sara Cunningham. 1999. New Headway Pronunciation Course. (Intermediate and Upper Intermediate). Oxford: O.U.P.



Caudwell, Richard. 2008. Words Alive! Pronunciation Podcasts. Cambridge: C.U.P.



Hancock, Mark. 2012. English Pronunciation in Use (Intermediate). Cambridge: C.U.P.



Hewings, Martin. 2007. English Pronunciation in Use (Advanced). Cambridge: C.U.P.



Vaughan-Rees, Michael. 2002. Test your Pronunciation. Essex: Penguin.

Bibliografía de profundización

Estebas Vilaplana, Eva. 2012. Teach Yourself English Pronunciation. An Interactive Course for Spanish Speakers. Uned

García Lecumberri, María Luisa & John A. Maidment. 2000. English Transcription Course. London: Arnold.

O'Connor, Joseph D. & Clare Fletcher. 1994. Sounds English: A Pronunciation Practice Book. London: Longman.

Pye, Diana & Simon Greenall. 1996. CAE Listening and Speaking Skills. Cambridge: C.U.P.

Roach, Peter. 2009. English Phonetics and Phonology. Cambridge: C.U.P.

Wells, John.C. 2008. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow: Pearson Longman.

Direcciones web

BBC World Service-international news: http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice
CNN-international news: http://www.cnn.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices (examples of British regional accents)
Learning English (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en), a site run by the British Council, contains very useful materials for both students and teachers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-2734.php
http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunciation/regular%20past%20pronunciation%20ending%20sounds.htm