This course is offered in the first term of the first year of the Degree in Translation and Interpretation. This subject is the first part of a series of two aimed at offering students the training they need in order to acquire a linguistic competence in English at the B1+ 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, and in the classroom or at home.

COMPETENCES



This subject belongs to Module M03 (Lenguas B y C). It contributes to the achievement of general competence G002 and specific competence M03CM07 in the Degree in Translation and Interpretation:



- G002: Correct use of, at least, two foreign languages.

- M03CM07: To be able to use the foreign language in social communicative situations both in and outside the academic context.



LEARNING OUTCOMES



At this level students can:



- Understand the main ideas in oral Standard English discourse dealing with current affairs (Level B1+).

- Understand the main ideas in written Standard English discourse dealing with current affairs (Level B1+).

- Express ideas on familiar topics in predictable everyday situations (Level B1+).

- Express ideas on familiar and personal topics in written form, using correctly the sub-writing skills (spelling, punctuation

and cohesion) (Level B1+).

- Use reasonably accurately a grammatical, lexical and phonological repertoire (Level B1+).

UNIT 1:

Grammar: Pronouns. Adjectives

Vocabulary: Names. Adjective Suffixes

Pronunciation: Vowel Sounds (I). Word Stress (I)



UNIT 2:

Grammar: Present tenses. Possessives

Vocabulary: Packing. Shops and services

Pronunciation: /s/ and /z/. The r and final -r .



UNIT 3:

Grammar: Past simple, past continuous, or used to? Prepositions

Vocabulary: Stages of life. Photography

Pronunciation: -ed endings. Sentence rhythm (I). Word Stress (II)



UNIT 4:

Grammar: Future forms: will / shall and be going to. First and second conditionals

Vocabulary: Rubbish and Recycling. Study and Work

Pronunciation: /aI/, and /eI/. Word stress (III)



UNIT 5:

Grammar: Present perfect simple. Present perfect continuous.

Vocabulary: Television. The Country

Pronunciation: /w/, /v/, and /b/. Vowel sounds (II). Sentence rhythm (II)



WRITING-FOCUSED CONTENTS: a description, an article, an email, a covering letter.

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.



Classes are interactive and student-centred. As the focus of the course is communication, a number of activities will be based on collaborative learning, thus, students will do different tasks with classmates to strengthen their communicative skills.



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 homework assigned in class, reading a set book and the students’ exposure to authentic language via extensive listening and reading for pleasure.



Each class follows a coursebook and teachers also use their own materials in lessons.

• Ebaluazio Jarraituaren Sistema
• Azken Ebaluazioaren Sistema
• Kalifikazioko tresnak eta ehunekoak:
  • Garatu beharreko proba idatzia (%): 20
  • Ahozko defentsa (%): 10
  • END-OF-COURSE EXAM (%): 70

1. ASSESSMENT



1.1. Continuous assessment

The type of assessment that will be implemented in this subject is what the Normativa de gestión para las enseñanzas de grado de primer y segundo ciclo/Graduko lehenengo eta bigarren zikloko ikasketen gestiorako arautegia for the current academic year refers to as Continuous Assessment. Students will be assessed according to their performance in the following testing tasks:



a. WRITING TASK: 20%

An article or an email (160-200 words) written in class will be given summative assessment, i.e. students will receive correction of mistakes, feedback and a mark.

The written task will be assessed according to the following criteria: (1) coherence and cohesion; (2) accuracy (grammar, spelling and punctuation), (3) range of vocabulary and structures and (4) content.



b. SPEAKING TASK: 10%

Students will pair up to carry out an interactive spoken activity. At the beginning of the semester, students will be provided with a list of conversation topics. They will choose one topic and prepare a 5-minute conversation in which they will have to show that (i) they know the relevant vocabulary to talk about that specific topic, (ii) they can use English grammar quite accurately, (iii) their pronunciation and intonation are good enough as to make themselves understood without much difficulty, and (iv) that they have a fairly good command of the conversation skills practised in class.

Reading directly from one’s notes when instructed not to will be considered as grounds for an automatic zero (0).



c. END-OF-COURSE EXAM: 70%

The examination will consist of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation exercises and a set of questions on written texts and listening activities .



STUDENTS FAILING TO COME TO CLASS ON THE DAY APPOINTED FOR THE ASSESSMENT TASKS a.) AND b.) WILL RECEIVE NO CREDIT (0 MARKS) FOR THE MISSED WORK.



1.2. Final assessment

Students who withdraw from continuous assessment (see section 2) will take a final examination that counts 100% of the final mark. This examination will consist of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation exercises and a set of questions on written texts and listening activities (70%), a piece of writing with the format of an article or an email (160-200 words) (10%) and another piece of writing based on the book "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4" by Sue Townsend (in its original version) (10%), and a speaking task on one of the topics covered in the course (10%). (Reading directly from one’s notes when instructed not to will be considered as grounds for an automatic zero [0]).

REFERENCE:

Townsend, Sue. 2010 [1982]. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4. London: Penguin Books.





1.3 Assessment Regulations

The use of mobile or electronic devices, notes, books is not allowed during assessment tasks.



Plagiarism will imply an automatic grade of zero (0) for any oral / written activity. Translating information from other languages into English and presenting it as one’s own work will be considered plagiarism. Assignments must consist of original work.



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





2. WITHDRAWALS



2.1.Withdrawal from continuous assessment

All students have the right to be evaluated according to the final evaluation procedure independently of whether or not they have participated in the continuous assessment module. In order to do so, they must write the instructor responsible for the course expressing their desire to withdraw from continuous assessment. Students can do so within the first 9 weeks of the course, according to the academic calendar of their centre.



2.2. Withdrawal from an exam call

Withdrawal from a call will be assessed as “no grade reported” [no presentado/a].



2.2.1. 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.



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



ONLINE ASSESSMENT

In the case of online assessment, both continuous and final evaluation students will have to carry out the aforementioned testing tasks by means of online platforms such as eGela and/or Google Forms. The weight (%) of each testing task will be the same as in face-to-face assessment.

1.Continuous assessment

The students from continuous assessment who fail the subject in the “convocatoria ordinaria/ohiko deialdia” exam, will be graded on a final 100% exam. No grades from the continuous assessment will be carried over to the second call. This examination will consist of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation exercises and a set of questions on written texts and listening activities (70%), a piece of writing with the format of an article, an email or a cover letter (160-200 words) (20%), and a speaking task on one of the topics covered in the course (10%).



2.Final assessment (100%)

The students from final assessment, together with those assessed as “no grade reported” [no presentado/a] will be graded on a final 100% exam. This examination will consist of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation exercises and a set of questions on written texts and listening activities (70%), a piece of writing with the format of an article, an email or a cover letter (160-200 words) (10%) and another piece of writing based on the book "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4" by Sue Townsend (in its original version) (10%), and a speaking task on one of the topics covered in the course (10%).

REFERENCE:

Townsend, Sue. 2010 [1982]. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4. London: Penguin Books.



3. Assessment regulations

The use of mobile or electronic devices, notes, books is not allowed during assessment tasks.



Plagiarism will imply an automatic grade of zero (0) for any oral / written activity. Translating information from other languages into English and presenting it as one’s own work will be considered plagiarism. Assignments must consist of original work.



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

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

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



ONLINE ASSESSMENT

In the case of online assessment, both continuous and final evaluation students will have to carry out the aforementioned testing tasks by means of online platforms such as eGela and/or Google Forms. The weight (%) of each testing task will be the same as in face-to-face assessment.

Lathan-Koenig, Christina, Oxenden, Clive & Boyle, Mike (2014). English File (Intermediate Plus) (Third edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Student’s book)

Lathan-Koenig, Christina, Oxenden, Clive & Hudson, Jane (2014). English File (Intermediate Plus) (Third edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Workbook)

Oinarrizko bibliografia

Latham-Koenig, Christina, Clive Oxenden and Kate Chomacki. 2020. English File. B2.1 (Fourth Edition) (Student’s Book and Workbook). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gehiago sakontzeko bibliografia

Michael Swan (2005) Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Aldizkariak

SPEAK UP Magazine con CD-Rom.

Web helbideak

- Cambridge Dictionaries online
http://dictionary.cambridge.org
- Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary online
http://www.oup.com/elt/oald
- BBC- Learning materials
http://bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
- British Council-Learning materials
http://learnenglish.org.uk
- BBC World Service-international news
http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice
- CNN-international news
http://www.cnn.com/