ENGLISH LANGUAGE II
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Classes are taught in English; this entails receptive mastery (reading, listening) and language skills equalling at least level B1.
Should these be lacking, individual revision is recommended, as well as an extra guided self-study program at the language lab.
ASSESSMENT
Candidates only access the final oral exam upon completing their mandatory 'Coursework' (formative assessment). While assessment given for coursework parts (assigned under 'Activities' on Teams) is not factored in the average for the final grade, the work may be the subject of an additional oral question (accounting of students’ choices or mistakes).
1. Coursework Components (Formative assessment).
COURSEWORK: Tests. During the course, the candidate completes a batch of training tests in preparation for the communicative skills needed in the final oral exam. The tests (Listening tasks, Past Exam papers) are assigned on the Teams platform under the heading “Attività” (deadline shortly after the course final date). No other submission procedures are accepted. Completing at least 50% of the short Listening Tasks (6/12) and at least 1 out of 8 Exam Papers by the closing date entitles candidates to access the oral exam.
COURSEWORK: Multiple-choice test. Passing 60% of the multiple-choice questions on Unit 1 gives access to the oral exam. The automated test, to be sat in person in the last week of the course, focuses on all the contents from Unit 1 (including the short Case Studies, the Key Terms and the Tables). The test is set up on an assessment platform and a device (laptop or tablet) is required; results are given in real time at the end of the test. In the event of a score below 60%, the test can be taken a second time before the exam sessions and no later than a certain date.
2. ORAL TEST
Skills and competences built through attendance, coursework completion and individual work are formally assessed in an oral test in English. The oral exam factors in (and aims at appreciating) all of the candidate’s communication skills (not the mere 'grammar & syntax' aspect). Details and requirements for the oral test are clearly laid out in the “ORAL EXAM DETAILS” file, published in the Teams classroom.
Test structure:
Part 1: Presentation. Structured expository part. Marks: 15/30
The candidate presents (Powerpoint, Prezi or other application) a travel design / tourism management project informed by the SWOT model (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), on one of three assigned themes (A. Sustainable Tourism; or B; Promoting an off-the- beaten-track location in Lombardy (or other region); or C. 'Impact of Brexit on the UK-Italy travel industry' – with no text (only photos, graphic data and concise captions), followed by Q&A session.
Part 2: Discussion. Interactive and argumentative part. Marks 15/30
The student shows a range of syntactic, lexical and dialogic skills (B2 + ESP framework) while answering:
- 1 question covering an aspect of the project presented (argumentative);
- 1 question asking to summarise the contents of the additional chosen unit (expository);
- 1 question on a mistake in the test on Unit 1, or on an answer in the submitted Past Papers.
- (at the examiner’s discretion: an 'opinion' question on the candidate’s summary of the ‘additional’ unit)
The assessment grid is detailed in the "ASSESSMENT GRID" file (published on the Teams class); it aims to weigh up a student's global skills based on these benchmarks:
Part 1: overall design of work (5 marks); content quality (5 marks); overall fluency and cohesion (5 marks).
Part 2: language quality (syntax, collocations, lexis, pronunciation) (7 marks); ability to answer (5 marks); pragmatic / presentation skills + compliance with time given (3 marks).
Upon completing the course, as a result of classroom learning and individual work, every student:
• has revised a range of basic language skills belonging to former English syllabuses (General English and / or ESP for Travel and Tourism)
• has built new communication skills (syntactic, lexical, dialogic and pragmatic) leading to level B2+.
• answers common questions from Travel & Tourism vocational tests (BTEC Nationals, BTEC First, IGCSE, AS Level), with second-language skills;
• understands and interprets information from original sources in English
Building on pre-established and newly acquired skills, the student:
Reading:
• understands a variety of intermediate texts (promotional, expository, technical, case studies) from authentic sources and aimed at industry specialists;
• understands short introductory texts from scientific research sources (abstracts from academic journals Journal of Tourism Research and Journal of Sustainable Tourism);
• understands and briefly discusses common graphical-statistical data in English
• identifies key logical steps in discourse (contrast, addition, example, explanation, conclusion, etc.) through linkers
Listening:
• understands a variety of exchanges and audio / video content (B2) on industry-specific topics
• is aware of accent varieties, entailing more realistic oral comprehension skills and appreciation of sociolinguistic diversity in the extended Anglosphere.
Writing:
• can write short ESP-Tourism texts (simple travel plan, promotional content), using industry-specific vocabulary and register fitting the communicative and / or cultural scenario;
• can briefly answer a selection of questions from official past papers for the 'Travel & Tourism' syllabus (BTEC First, IGCSE, A / AS Level).
• can draft a persuasive text aimed at marketing local tourism for an ‘off-the-beaten-track’ travel design project in Lombardy (or other region).
Speaking:
• can describe a brief scenario / case study in English with suitable terminology in use for Tourism Management specialists
• can prepare and present a short project (oral exam) informed by the SWOT model (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), on one of three assigned themes (Sustainable Tourism, Appreciation of local ‘unbeaten’ territory; Impact of Brexit on UK - Italy tourism)
• can discuss her / his work in a short Q&A session.
• can pronounce standard English correctly, aware of phonetic ambiguities (stemming from one's own native language sounds or due to the features of English phonetics), so that listening skills are also enhanced as a result;
• can use correct nation names and nationality adjectives / nouns (with special reference to the geography of the extended Anglosphere: British Isles, Commonwealth, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc).
1. Reading Portfolio: designed to prepare students for travel & tourism vocational certification modules, the reading book (BTEC) provides a 'reading portfolio' of authentic texts, leading students to master specialized contents along with language. Students read 2 learning macro-units (or modules) (one compulsory + of their own choice), based on core themes:
• 1. The world of Travel and Tourism (compulsory for all candidates)
+ ONE unit to be chosen (for a summary / discussion in the oral exam) between:
• 2. Global Destinations
• 3. Principles of Marketing in the Travel Industry
• 4. Managing the Customer Experience in Travel and Tourism
2. Classroom activities. The following themes are covered through relevant case studies and a thorough study of industry-specific language:
• Trends in Tourism. Tourist motivations. Push and pull factors
• Describing visual data
• Tailoring a travel package
• Advertising and publicity for tourism. Improving a media profile
• Hotel branding and innovations in the hotel industry; investing in hotels
• Sustainability and ecotourism. Impact of tourism on communities. Developing an eco-resort.
• Heritage and history. Presenting architectural features.
• Working as a tour guide
• Designing a museum exhibition
• Managing events. Making a festival profitable.
• Careers in travel & tourism. Personality traits for the career. Recruiting the right person.
• Promoting gastronomy and culinary tourism. Describing food. Planning a food & wine tour.
• The SWOT model: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Promoting off-the-beaten track locations
• Impact of Brexit on tourism
• (possible add-on: Describing local architecture - Basilica and Cloister of Saint Abundius
Activities include 'employability skills' (communication, team work, problem solving, initiative, planning and organizing, decision making, self-management) and cover some UN SDG goals.
3. Workbook: the booklet (grammar, syntax, specialised vocabulary, listening, writing) sums up all of the classroom activities and provides consolidation and self-assessment material throughout the course.
4. Mandatory 'Coursework' files (required to access the oral exam) to be completed by the end of the course:
Exam Papers (selection of certification exams from recent years); at least 1 is to be submitted.
12 Listening Tasks themed on the travel industry, of which at least 6 are to be submitted.
Other content in: PdF files of online tests; additional materials; course presentation Ppoint with links to mentioned resources.
1. Reading Portfolio: Students read widely from the 'reading book' (BTEC) units. Through their reading students familiarise themselves with relevant collocations and specialised language and content from authentic sources, with a view to producing answers to the chosen exam paper(s), besides gaining confidence in the oral discussion of contents.
In the classroom:
a. dialogic lecture or flipped learning: presentation of central topics, language structures, specialized vocabulary, English-Italian false friends, pronunciation / phonetics, guided listening, training and progress tests.
b. interactive group activities (speaking, listening, specialized translation, case study);
Coursework: students submit assigned coursework (at least 6 Listening extracts; at least 1 Exam Paper) under the 'Attività' function in Teams by the deadline. Though informally assessed, such work is key to a successful completion of the course. Group work outside the classroom is encouraged as a way to produce suitable answers to the Paper(s).
In-progress formative tests: Entry test (1 or 2), Mid-course test (+ any other): the online test files (with results and scores) are to be kept as revision material.
Attendance, classroom activities, reading and individual practice combine to build the skills needed for the final oral exam.
Classes are taught in English. Participation is required (at least 60%). The Teams classroom is a follow-up channel before and after every lecture (material repository, communication channel for queries, etc).
Students’ learning attitudes should be aimed at building sound, durable language and communication skills, to be capitalized on in further academic / career choices.
Online office hours on Teams (preferred) or email mary.bo@uninsubria.it for queries, further info and insights.
Students are encouraged to regularly check their Teams virtual class for notices, materials, coursework assigned and explanatory exam files (e.g: Oral Exam Details, Assessment Rubric).