SFE10210 English: Language and Communication (Autumn 2012)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Mandatory course in the one-year English programme, may be taken as an optional course in the 60 ECTS optional part of the bachelor programme in Society, Language and Culture.

Lecture Semester

Autumn Semester.

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

KNOWLEDGE

At completion of the course the students will have acquired

- knowledge of intercultural competence and intercultural communication
- knowledge of the sound system of English, of vocabulary and the grammatical structure of the language with a focus on differences and similarities between English and Norwegian, and knowledge of cultural conventions of language usage
- knowledge of English as a global language
- knowledge of intercultural learning
- knowledge of genres and their central characteristics and of norms pertaining to academic text production, as well as knowledge of reliable source referencing and privacy protection.

SKILLS

At completion of the course

- students will have improved their written and oral proficiency and their genre awareness.

GENERAL COMPETENCE

At completion of the course

- students will be able to teach relevant content and communicate in English in a way that is adapted to the target group
- students will be able to work independently as well as with others to solve identified problems.

Content

In the oral part of the course the students are introduced to various forms of oral communication in English, such as formal and informal conversations and different types of presentations. They practice presentation techniques in the seminars and in group-work. They are also introduced to phonetics and intonation with the emphasis on practical skills. As it is important to regard communication in a cultural context the course also uses examples of modern English-language literature. The literature reading is discussed with a focus on argumentation and problem solving. Intercultural communication is also introduced with a focus on intercultural competence. English as a global language is also an issue.

In the written part the students learn various text strategies and how to write longer texts. Important key words are textual coherence, paragraphs, genres, linguistic tools, style, and English varieties. An introduction is also given to linguistic structures, including grammatical terminology and syntactic analysis.

Forms of teaching and learning

The course is taught as lectures, seminars and groups and in the language lab. The learning platform Fronter is used for distribution of information.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

One oral presentation given at set deadlines..

The coursework has to be approved before a student may take the final exam.

Examination

Individual portfolio assessment and oral examination

• The portfolio should contain three written contributions submitted at given deadlines.
• The oral examination lasts approx. 25 minutes and may adjust the written result by up to two levels on the A-F scale.

Assessment is on the A-F grading scale, where A is the best mark, E is the lowest pass mark and F means failed. The oral exam is assessed by at least two examiners, either one internal and one external or two internal examiners.

The portfolio will have to be assessed as a pass before the student is allowed to take the oral exam. Both the portfolio and the oral exam will have to be passed.
One final mark is given.

A new assessment means that both parts of the exam must be taken again.

If a complaint is filed about the final result, the written part will be reassessed. In the case of a changed result a new oral exam will be arranged

Course evaluation

Literature

• Bøhn, H et al., (2011) Compendium: Language and Communication (local print, to be bought in the local bookshop)
• Dypedahl, M, H Hasselgård & B Løken (2012), Introducing English Grammar. Second Edition. Fagbokforlaget
• Griffith, K (2002), Writing Essays about Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet. Harcourt Brace
• Haddon, M (2004), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Vintake
• Jones, D (2006), English Pronouncing Dictionary. Cambridge UP
• Nilsen,T S (2010), British and American English Pronunciation. 3^rd ed. Universitetsforlaget

Additionally, material handed out in class or published on the learning platform Fronter.

All the students must have access to an English-English dictionary such as Collins Cobuild Dictionary, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, or another dictionary designed for non-native users of English.