502786 - ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES (A-L)

courses

ID:

502786

Duration (hours):

60

CFU:

SSD:

LINGUA E TRADUZIONE - LINGUA INGLESE

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 12/12/2025)

Course Objectives

The course aims to provide students with theoretical and practical tools for using English in different communicative settings and for delivering oral presentations in an academic environment. At the end of the course, students will be able to: comprehend oral and written English texts of different genres; effectively use and understand English language use across different communication contexts; analyze and produce oral and written texts by using pragmalinguistic functions appropriately; analyze a text through clear and effective oral presentations; argue for their opinion and provide information effectively in oral and written communication contexts.

Course Prerequisites

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

Teaching Methods

The professor’s course is taught through frontal lectures, in which the active participation of the students is strongly encouraged. PowerPoint presentations and interactive tools will be used to both introduce and provide examples of the concepts and topics taught during the course. Authentic texts taken from a range of sources will be analyzed and used as examples, including advertisements and commercials, news pieces, webpages and speeches. 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/servizilo- 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

Students are assessed through a written and an oral examination. The written test is divided into two parts: an online grammar test (45 minutes) and a short essay writing task where students will analyze a text (90 minutes; for this section, students are allowed to use a monolingual dictionary). At the oral exam students will deliver a short presentation with original power point slides analyzing a text of their choice (e.g. a news article, an advertisement, a speech, a webpage, a video) and will answer questions related to the course topics. Students must pass the written exam before they can access the oral exam. The written tests are valid for one calendar year. Students holding a language certificate at B2 level or higher, obtained no earlier than two years before the written exam, are exempt from the online grammar test (more details are available on the course Kiro page).

Texts

CEL course: - Soars, L. and J., New Headway Intermediate. Fourth Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Professor's course: - Course slides - Readings on Kiro - Students not attending the course: o Culpeper, J. et al. (2018), English Language: Description, Variation and Context, Macmillan, London. Chapters 23 pp. 365-372 (Speech, writing and discourse type), 24 (Language in newspapers), 25 (Language in advertisements). o A. Goddard (1998), The language of advertising, Routledge, London/New York. Pp. 40-50; pp. 103-119. Suggested readings: - McCourt, J. (2003), English for Communication Science, Libreria Editrice Cafoscarina, Venezia. Units 1 (Englishes), 2 (Media literacy), 8 (The print media), 9 (Writing news), 10 (Advertising), 11 (Persuasive ads). - Grammar review: Murphy, R. (2021), English Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Materials and online resources are available on Kiro.

The course is divided into two parts: (1) Frontal lectures with the professor, in which, moving from the principles of communication, students will explore how English is used in the spoken and written medium and in different communicative contexts and genres, including advertising, the news and the web. The lectures will concurrently focus on English grammar and phonetics and on the potential of language as a tool for inclusion and equality, based on examples from different communicative contexts. (2) Students also attend Language classes with the CEL. These classes aim at reinforcing grammar up to the B2 level and academic writing skills. Integrative readings and materials are available on the course Kiro page for students who cannot attend classes.

Course Language

Italian, 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.