BUSINESS ENGLISH
Classes are in English; students should ideally have receptive (reading, listening) skills at CEF B1+ level and higher.
Assessment and Final Exam
To access the final written exam, you must first complete the assigned 'coursework' —a ‘Past Paper’. This submission is for formative assessment only, meaning it does not contribute to your final course grade.
1. Coursework Components
The coursework consists of one exam paper from Cambridge Business Vantage (B2 level). This is a formative assignment that helps you build skills for the final exam. These sample exams will be assigned on the Teams platform under the "Assignments" tab, with a deadline set for shortly after the course ends. No other submission methods are accepted.
Final Exam
Acquired skills —from class attendance, independent reading, coursework completion, and individual study — are formally assessed in a final written exam. The content and format of this exam reflect what is covered throughout the course.
The exam lasts max. 2 hours and 20 minutes and is divided into two parts:
Part 1: Reading Comprehension (15/30 Marks)
This section tests your ability to comprehend short extracts from specialized Business English texts (upper-intermediate level, B2/C1). The topics and language reflect what was covered in the course. The tasks include methods like paragraph reordering, multiple matching, and multiple-choice questions.
Part 2: Use of English (15/30 Marks)
This is an automated test providing immediate results. It assesses your proficiency in the structures, vocabulary, and phrasing of B2+ level Business English as developed in the course. Question formats include multiple-choice, word completion, and word/sentence transformation in context.
Pass score: 18 / 30 for 3 CFUs (credits).
Upon completing the Business English course, through a combination of in-class learning and individual study, students will be able to:
• Consolidate foundational syntactic and lexical skills acquired in previous courses.
• Develop new communication skills at a B2+ level, including elements of IELTS abilities (Academic English).
• familiarise themselves with specialized business English, preparatory for language certifications in Economics and Management (e.g. Linguaskill Business).
• Unserstand essential information from academic and broader-spectrum original sources.
In line with the Global Scale of English (GSE) criteria, students will be able to:
Reading
• Interpret and comment on common graphical and statistical data in English.
• Comprehend intermediate-to-advanced texts produced for the sector (e.g., expository texts, case studies, short articles from specialized press).
• Understand short introductory texts from research in the fields of economics and finance (e.g., abstracts and introductions from the academic journal 'Journal of Financial Economics').
• Identify relevant discourse markers (e.g., contrast, addition, example, explanation, conclusion)
Listening
• Understand short audio and video contributions focussing on economics and marketing, level up to B2.
• Complete simple notes using active listening techniques and practical exercises (based on the Cambridge Assessment model).
Writing
• Provide brief answers to a selection of questions, including some from past Cambridge Assessment exam papers (Business Vantage and Higher). (See the 'coursework' section, required to access to the final exam).
Speaking
• Describe a short scenario or case study in English, using appropriate basic terminology for economics specialists.
• Describe visual and statistical data clearly, using suitable vocabulary and phrasing.
1. Reading
Authentic texts from academic journals ('Journal of Financial Economics' ) and specialised magazines such as 'The Economist'. These materials focus on macro-economics. Additionally, a BEC Vantage textbook for readings and practice, which helps you master specialized language in context. Many of these reading activities are done independently, as the book includes an answer key.
2. In-Class Activities
During class, we analyse texts and multimedia content related to business management, focusing on language (vocabulary, syntax, listening, and active production).
Themes covered:
Contracts. Pricing. Hypothesizing on business results and sales reports. Forecasting and reporting results. Corporate ethics, fair trade, and ethical business practices
The course also focuses on key syntax, such as:
Using tenses when reporting data. Using the passive voice for an impersonal tone. Hypothesizing with modals and conditionals. Forecasting with future tenses. Using discourse markers (linkers) to signpost.
All materials for in-class activities will be available to students in the "Exam" folder on the Teams platform.
Activities aim to build sound language foundations through real reading and practice materials. Real-world communication skills like teamwork, problem-solving, initiative, and decision-making are also emphasised.
3. 'Business Vantage Trainer' Manual
Recommended but not mandatory, the book is a reinforcement and self-assessment resource, providing practice for specialised vocabulary, functional grammar, and preparation for B2-level business certifications.
4. Mandatory Coursework
To access the final exam, you must complete and submit a brief Exam Paper by a specified deadline. This paper is a recent BEC Vantage certification exam, which you must complete independently, including the writing section. It will be posted under the "Assignments" function in the Teams class. Submissions will only be accepted through this method.
This paper is for ‘formative’ purposes only and does not contribute to your final course grade.
5. Additional Materials
Your individual files detailing your answers to the tests /quizzes conducted during the course, and other extra materials in the "Exam" folder.
Methods and Materials
• Reading: Students read articles and work through exercises in shared files as directed. This portfolio serves as the foundation for learning vocabulary, syntax, and specialized content from authentic sources. It also helps students prepare their responses for the assigned exam paper and participate in class discussions.
• In-Class Activities:
1. Guided Lessons: The class has a dialogue-based approach, including presentations and discussions on central topics, language structures, specialized vocabulary, common "false friends" between English and Italian, pronunciation/phonetics, and guided listening. The course also features formative tests on digital platforms and completion of sections from official 'Business Vantage' past papers.
2. Interactive Activities: Whenever possible, interactive activities such as speaking exercises and case studies are included.
• Mandatory Coursework: Students must complete the assigned work (one selected Exam Paper from those uploaded) independently and submit it via the "Assignments" function on Teams by the specified deadline. Although graded informally, this coursework is essential for completing the course and is a requirement for accessing the final exam.
• Formative Tests: The course will include an entry test, a mid-course test, and possibly others. The individual files from these online tests serve as study /revision material.
Attendance, in-class activities, intensive reading, autonomous practice, and the mandatory coursework all aim at building specific skills for the final exam.
Lessons and activities are taught in English by a native-speaking lecturer. Attendance is highly recommended (sign-in sheet).
The Teams platform is the repository for all course materials and the preferential communication channel for any questions or additional information. The Uninsubria E-learning site will be only used for initial communications to newly enrolled students.
Contact the lecturer on your Teams Classroom chat for further questions and info (fast responses via this channel). Promptly get in touch with the lecturer should you experience any issues or discuss any special terms as to attendance, assignments or exam. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The E-Learning portal will ONLY be used for short initial communications to new members. A LINK to the TEAMS CLASS is present in the first notice on the Uninsubria e-learning portal: Each student must be present in the Teams class, which functions as course noticeboard, repository, and communication channel (alerts, task assignments, submissions, etc). Students can only access course material and submit coursework once they are in the Teams Classroom. Students are responsible for reading notifications on the General channel in the Teams Classroom (or, the copy of the notifications which are automatically forwarded on students' personal emails). The Teams Classroom is the course notice board and repository, as well as the communication channel for messages, assignments and submissions. Students are advised to turn on notifications and check frequently. Language certifications as substitutes for this exam: please read info on PAGE 9 of the Regolamento Didattico; (course regulations): https://www.uninsubria.it/sites/default/files/2024-06/Regolamento-didatt...
Professors
Borrowers
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Degree course in: ECONOMIA, DIRITTO E FINANZA D’IMPRESA (EDIFI)