510102 - ENGLISH LANGUAGE (c.p.)

courses

ID:

510102

Duration (hours):

40

CFU:

SSD:

LINGUA E TRADUZIONE - LINGUA INGLESE

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (23/02/2026 - 29/05/2026)

Course Objectives

The course aims to provide the theoretical and practical tools to understand and produce argumentative and persuasive texts in English. Additionally, the course seeks to guide students in the oral presentation of academic and professional content, with a particular focus on pitches. By the end of the course, students should be able to: understand written and oral texts in English, especially persuasive ones; clearly and effectively present an academic or professional topic orally; express opinions and provide information in both written and oral communication settings.

Course Prerequisites

While there are no mandatory prerequisites, a preliminary knowledge of English would maximize the learning experience.

Teaching Methods

The course is taught through mainly interactive lectures, accompanied by frontal lectures to introduce and explain new notions and topics. The active participation of the students is strongly encouraged. PowerPoint presentations will be used to both introduce and provide examples of the theories taught during the course. Analysis of authentic texts taken from a range of sources will be used to reinforce the topics presented so as to provide an integrated learning experience. Online resources and activities are available for both the professor's and the CEL courses. Inclusive teaching modalities: students holding a certificate complying with the University regulations (https://portale.unipv.it/it/didattica/servizi-lo-studente/modalita-didattiche-inclusive) will be granted up to two online office hours per week in addition to information about materials for preparing the exam autonomously.

Assessment Methods

The exam consists of two parts: a written test and an oral examination. The written test must be taken before the oral one and consists of a written production task (academic essay in which the students will analyze a text or compare two texts); monolingual dictionaries are allowed during the written test. For the oral exam students will deliver a pitch presentation with power point slides to promote a topic, activity or product of their choice, followed by questions on the course contents. Students must pass the written test before accessing the oral exam. Once it has been passed, the written test is valid for one calendar year. Language certificates at level B2 or higher, obtained no earlier than two years before the written exam, may be averaged with the written test grade (more details are available on the course Kiro page).

Texts

1) Course materials are available online on the KIRO page of the course. 2) Grammar revision: Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, (with Answers). A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Intermediate Students, Cambridge University Press. Materials and online resources are available on Kiro. Worker students and PA110L students can access the video recordings of the lectures and can use the additional materials that will be uploaded onto the Kiro platform to integrate the course slides.

The course consists of language classes with the CEL and a 40-hour lecturer's course. The language classes aim at reinforcing grammar up to a B2+ level and academic writing skills. The lecturer's course is structured as follows. In the first part of the course the focus is on different oral and written text types in English, with special attention to persuasive and argumentative genres within the professional domain. In the second part the focus is on oral skills, with particular reference to phonetics, pragmalinguistics and oral / pitch presentation strategies. Integrative readings and materials are available on the course Kiro page for students who cannot attend classes.

Course Language

English

More information

Tutoring is available during the entire academic year, both in person and online. The professor and the CEL will hold in-person and/or online office hours during the whole academic year. To enroll for the written exam on the ESSE-3 platform, please click on “Tipo di Prova: Scritto - Verbalizzazione: prova parziale senza verbalizzazione". To enroll for the oral exam please click on “Tipo di Prova: Orale - Verbalizzazione: Appello On-Line (silenzio - assenso) con firma digitale”.