English Learning Programme

English Learning Programme es un programa lingüístico específico que se imparte de forma coordinada con los estudios de grado y que se organiza de la siguiente forma:

• Primer curso: B2
  120 horas
  Preparación First Certificate (o equivalente), ACLES B2, TOEFL 87-109
• Segundo curso:  C1.1
  120 horas
• Tercer curso: C1.2
  120 horas
  Preparación Cambridge Advanced (o equivalente), ACLES C1, TOEFL 110-120

No obstante, los alumnos con nivel superior el B2 podrán acceder a los cursos superiores si su horario es compatible.

El programa, de tres años de duración, incluye clases de inglés impartidas por filólogos e  integradas dentro del horario oficial del curso. Al concluirlo los estudiantes habrán adquirido un nivel equivalente a C1 del Marco de Referencia Europeo (MCER), que, combinado con su grado, les convertirá en parte de una minoría de profesionales muy valorada.

Al final del primer y tercer curso el alumno recibirá formación específica orientada a superar los principales exámenes de acreditación en idiomas. English Learning Programme tiene por objetivo que el alumno acredite sus competencias lingüísticas con los mejores instrumentos que ofrece el mercado.

Créditos

Adicionalmente, los alumnos que completen el English Learning Programme recibirán 6 créditos ECTS de extensión universitaria y el reconocimiento dentro del expediente académico de la universidad.

El curso integrará en la medida de lo posible materiales específicos de la carrera en coordinación con los estudios de grado.

Programación Primer curso – Nivel B2

FIRST YEAR: B2 LEVEL

1. Objectives and competences

Upon completion of the course and in accordance with the CEFR description of B2 , students should be able to:

• Understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation.
• Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
• Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

(Adapted from: CEFR, Common Reference Levels: global scale)

2. Methodology

The course book (English File third edition: Upper-intermediate) provides the basic guidelines of the programme and class activities. These will be adapted to the characteristics of the group and supplemented with materials and tasks in Mi aulario.

Classes are mainly practical and always delivered in English. Students are expected to participate actively in order to develop their communicative skills. New language is presented in real life situations. There are brief analyses of the new structures followed by controlled and free practice exercises to facilitate learning and acquisition. Special emphasis is given to the use of authentic materials from the Internet and from the Resource Centre for independent learning.

Students can also attend individual tutorial sessions where the teacher provides  guidance and feedback on their learning process.

3. Contents

The syllabus is based on the general English course book : English File Upper-Intermediate. (Third Edition)  and the supplementary materials in  “Mi Aulario”.

Vocabulary topics:
Compound adjectives, Modifiers. Illnesses and treatment. Clothes and fashion.  Air travel. Adverbs and adverbial phrases.  Crime and punishment.  The environment. The weather. Expressions with take.  Feelings.  Verbs often confused.  The body.  Music. Sleep. The media.  Collocation: word pairs.   Science, -ed/-ing adjectives and related verbs.  Expressions with go.  Business and advertising.  Word building: prefixes and suffixes.

Grammar topics:
Question formation.  Auxiliary verbs.The…the..+comparatives. Present perfect (simple and continuous) Using adjectives as nouns, adjective order. Narrative tenses, past perfect continuous. So  and such…that. Adverbs and adverbial phrases. Future perfect and future continous. Conditionals and future time clauses. Unreal conditionals. Structures after wish. Gerunds and infinitives. Used to , be used to , get used to. Past modals. “would rather, had better”. Verbs of the senses. Passive (all forms), it is said that….he is thought to…etc. .  Reporting verbs. Clauses of contrast and purpose. Uncountable and plural nouns. Quantifiers: all/every, etc..
Reading :

• Articles about current affairs.
• Opinion articles.
• Extracts from easy no-adapted novels       

Listening:

• Extracts from radio programmes in standard English.
• Selected clips from TV series and films.
• Lectures and talks about general topics
• Unscripted authentic speech when speakers are interviewed in a studio and in the street.

       
Writing:

• Informal email.
• Semi-formal email
• Essay
• Article 
• Report
• Review

4. Evaluation

In order to successfully pass the course and progress to the next level, students must demonstrate that they have reached the required level of competence.

The pass mark for the course is 6.

The final mark will be calculated as follows:

A.  Final examination: 50% of the total mark.

All students will have to sit a final examination with the following parts:
 
 Use of English (Grammar and Vocabulary)  20%
 Listening      20%
 Reading       20%
 Writing        20%
 Speaking       20%

B.  Continuous assessment:  50% of the total mark.

Students will be required to do the following  tasks:

• Progress Tests   30%
• Writing Tasks    30%
• Weekly and Monthly tasks  20%
  (These will include reading,  listening and short writing tasks and should be handed in  before the last day of the month.)
• Oral production Tasks    20%

5. Bibliography

Text book:
Christina Latham-Koenig  and Clive Oxenden. 
English File third edition: Upper-intermediate: Student's Book with iTutor and Online Skills.
Oxford University Press.

Complementary bibliography:

Grammar Practice:
Mann, Malcom & Taylore-Knowles, S. (2008). Destination B1 Grammar & Vocabulary with Key. Macmillan.
Mann, Malcom & Taylore-Knowles, S. (2008). Destination B2 Grammar & Vocabulary with Key. Macmillan.
Murphy, R. (1995). English Grammar in Use. Intermediate (3rd Ed). Self-study with key. C.U.P.
Grammar for FCE. CUP

Vocabulary:
McCarthy, M. & O'Dell, F. (1994). English Vocabulary in Use. C.U.P.
Vocabulary for FCE . CUP
Shovel, Martin. Making Sense of Phrasal Verbs.
Really Learn 100 Phrasal verbs. OUP

Pronunciation:
Baker, Ann (2006). Ship or Sheep? Intermediate. C.U.P.
Bowler, B. and S. Cunningham. (1990). Headway Intermediate Pronunciation. Oxford: O.U.P.

Web-sites:

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.euronews.com/
http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html
http://www.elllo.org/
http://www.ted.com

Subir

Programación Segundo curso – Nivel C1.1

SECOND  YEAR: C1.1. LEVEL

1. Course objectives

According to the European Framework of reference at C1.1 level a student should be able to:

• Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning.
• Express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
• Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
• Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

A long process of learning and assimilation is required to achieve a satisfactory proficiency in C1 level. That is why our Language Learning Programme offers two consecutive years to reach the completion of the level.
In C1.1 students will cover the first half of the journey.

2. Methodology

The C1.1 level course is based on a student text book, which is the focal point for grammar and vocabulary instruction. Although material from other sources will be used. Articles, magazines from the CSI library and several online resources will be incorporated into the syllabus throughout the academic year. This material is placed on Mi Aulario for easy access to students.

The general methodological principles adopted for this course are learner-centered and based on integrating all four skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening). Students will take part in grammar activities, vocabulary puzzles, pronunciation practice as well as sounds and spelling rules, Colloquial English activities, role plays and debates, etc… The activities selected are highly motivational, given that they are adapted to the students’ interests and needs.
Moreover, emphasis is given to autonomous learning, wherein students are motivated towards self study, through continuous evaluation. The student will have constant feedback on his/her progress with the aim of readjusting, when and where necessary, his/her learning. This feedback will take place in the class and in tutorials when necessary and it will consist in consolidating the linguistic abilities of students, in such a way that they are not only learning theoretical knowledge, but are also given the necessary tools to continue their language learning through self-study, based on life-long learning techniques learned along the course.

3. Contents

The programme is based on the book ‘English File Advanced (Oxford)’ plus extra materials on MiAulario.

Listening
Activities based on recordings of native speakers with different accents talking at normal speed and including some non-standard language usage. These will include casual conversations, discussions, talks, etc. selected from advanced level course books , broadcast audio material and films. Tasks will include standard listening exercises as well as oral and written summaries. 
Reading
Activities based on complex texts from online newspapers magazines and advanced level coursebooks. Tasks will include standard reading exercises and oral and written summaries.
Writing
Exercises to develop writing skills at pre-CAE level. Text types include summaries, narratives, letters and e-mails, opinion and discursive essays, reports,and reviews.
Speaking
Debates, presentations, discussions.
Use of English
Grammar: Verb tenses, reported speech, modal verbs, passive, linking words, verbs followed by –ing or infinitive, conditionals wishes and related forms, emphatic structures: Inversion.

Vocabulary : Besides topic related vocabulary  (feelings, health and medicine, education, crime, etc) attention is paid to other areas of vocabulary learning, such as word formation, collocations and phrasal verbs.

4. Evaluation

In order to successfully complete the course, students must demonstrate that they have reached the required level of competence.

The passing grade for the course is 6.

Students will be evaluated in the following way:
A.  Final examination 50%. All students will have to sit a final examination.
B.  Continuous assessment. 50%

Continuous Evaluation: Table of requirements

• Progress tests   30%
• Oral production Tasks - 1 MIDTERM and 1 FINAL 20%
• Writing Tasks   30%
• Homework: weekly tasks  ( These will include reading,  listening and short writing tasks)  20%

5. Bibliography

Students’ Book and workbook: English File Advanced. Oxford, Third Edition. Oxford University Press  2015.
• Students also have at their disposal a resource centre with internet access, a study room and a library where they can borrow novels and films.

COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

HEWINGS, M.  Advanced grammar in use (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.2005.
VINCE, M. (with P. SUNDERLAND).  Advanced Language Practice. Oxford: Macmillan, 2009.
MCCARTHY, M. & F. O'DELL. English Phrasal Verbs in Use: Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
MCCARTHY, M. & F. O'DELL. English Vocabulary in Use: Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2007

Web Pages
Reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary…
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
www.macmillanenglish.com
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/
Reading:
www.guardian.co.uk/world www.independent.co.uk/ www.time.com/time/magazine/europe/  www.newsweek.com/
Reading and listening:
http://news.bbc.co.uk  (news)
http://www.imdb.com (cinema)
http://www.rollingstone.com  (music)
Listening:
www.ted.com http://www.npr.org/
http://www.esl-lab.com/
Dictionaries
www.macmillandictionary.com/
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
www.wordreference.com/

Subir

Programación Tercer curso – Nivel C1.2

THIRD YEAR : C1.2. LEVEL
    
1. Course objectives

According to the European Framework of reference at C1 level a student should be able to:

• Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning.
• Express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
• Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
• Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

A long process of learning and assimilation is required to achieve a satisfactory proficiency in C1 level. That is why our Centro Superior de Idiomas offers two consecutive years to reach the completion of the level.
In C1.2 students will cover the second half of the journey.

2. Methodology

The C1 level course is based on a student text book, which is the focal point for grammar and vocabulary instruction. Although material from other sources will be used. Articles, magazines from the CSI library and several online resources will be incorporated into the syllabus throughout the academic year. This material is placed on Mi Aulario for easy access to students.

The general methodological principles adopted for this course are learner-centered and based on integrating all four skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening). Students will take part in grammar activities, vocabulary puzzles, pronunciation practice as well as sounds and spelling rules, Colloquial English activities, role plays and debates, etc… The activities selected are highly motivational, given that they are adapted to the students’ interests and needs.

Moreover, emphasis is given to autonomous learning, wherein students are motivated towards self study, through continuous evaluation. The student will have constant feedback on his/her progress with the aim of readjusting, when and where necessary, his/her learning. This feedback will take place in the class and in tutorials when necessary and it will consist in consolidating the linguistic abilities of students, in such a way that they are not only learning theoretical knowledge, but are also given the necessary tools to continue their language learning through self-study, based on life-long learning techniques learned along the course.
 
3. Contents

The programme is based on the book ‘Cutting Edge Advanced (New Edition)’ plus extra materials on MiAulario.

Listening
Activities based on recordings of native speakers with different accents talking at normal speed and including some non-standard language usage. These will include casual conversations, discussions, talks, etc. selected from advanced level course books , broadcast audio material and films. Tasks will include standard listening exercises: (CAE  types) as well as oral and written summaries.

Reading
Activities based on complex texts from online newspapers magazines and advanced level coursebooks. Tasks will include standard reading exercises (CAE types) and oral and written summaries.

Writing
Exercises to develop writing skills at CAE level. Text types include summaries, narratives, letters and e-mails, opinion and discursive essays, reports and reviews.

Speaking
Debates, presentations, discussions.

Use of English
Grammar: Verb tenses, reported speech, modal verbs, passive, linking words, verbs followed by –ing or infinitive, conditionals wishes and related forms, emphatic structures: Inversion.

Vocabulary : Besides topic related vocabulary  (feelings, health and medicine, education, crime, etc) attention is paid to other areas of vocabulary learning, such as word formation, collocations and phrasal verbs.

4. Evaluation

In order to successfully complete the course, students must demonstrate that they have reached the required level of competence.

The passing grade for the course is 6.

Students will be evaluated in the following way:
A.  Final examination 50%
All students will have to sit a final examination.
B.  Continuous assessment. 50%

Continuous Evaluation: Table of requirements

• Progress tests   30%
• Oral production Tasks - 1 MIDTERM and 1 FINAL 20%
• Writing Tasks   30%
• Homework: weekly tasks  ( These will include reading,  listening and short writing tasks)  20%

5. Bibliography

Students’ Book and workbook: Cutting Edge Advanced (New Edition), Pearson 2014.
• Students also have at their disposal a resource centre with internet access, a study room and a library where they can borrow novels and films.

COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

HEWINGS, M.  Advanced grammar in use (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.2005.
VINCE, M. Macmillan  English Grammar in Context. Oxford: Macmillan, 2008
VINCE, M. (with P. SUNDERLAND).  Advanced Language Practice. Oxford: Macmillan, 2009.
MCCARTHY, M. & F. O'DELL. English Phrasal Verbs in Use: Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
MCCARTHY, M. & F. O'DELL. English Vocabulary in Use: Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2007

Web Pages
Reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary…
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
www.macmillanenglish.com
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/
Reading:
www.guardian.co.uk/world www.independent.co.uk/ www.time.com/time/magazine/europe/  www.newsweek.com/
Reading and listening:
http://news.bbc.co.uk  (news)
http://www.imdb.com (cinema)
http://www.rollingstone.com  (music)
Listening:
www.ted.com http://www.npr.org/
http://www.esl-lab.com/

Dictionaries
www.macmillandictionary.com/
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
www.wordreference.com/

Subir