Language I (English) (2235.YR.004885.2)

General information

Type:	BAS	Curs:	1	Period:	S semester
ECTS Credits:	6 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group	Teacher	Department	Language
Year 1	James Venner	English Section	ENG

This course is for all first year students starting from CEFR level B2 and up. All students will have taken the ESADE placement test in advance, whether or not they hold an official certificate. Recognized certificates along with the placement test are used to place students into the most suitable edition for their level.

Students have experience in language learning and will have developed competencies in the acquisition of foreign languages.

This course is for all first year students and the number of hours and content will depend on the English entry level during the admissions procedure, as decided by the English department. In order to obtain full benefit from the course, students should be able to communicate relatively fluently on subjects of a general nature. All students are required to take the placement test in advance, whether or not they hold an official certificate. The actual format of the classes, whether they are online, face to face, or a combination of both, is decided by programme management.

Professional transactions, whether they take place in one's own country or abroad, have become increasingly international in nature. A good command of English is therefore essential for effective communication to take place, not only with native speakers but also as a lingua franca between non-native speakers.

Many students choose to do their exchange in an English speaking country and, therefore, need to develop the skills necessary to interact with their classmates in an academic setting. Many of the subjects or electives studied in ESADE are in English. English 1 helps students with the language required to follow these courses successfully.

The objective of the English department is that students not only reach a high C1 on graduating, but that they also acquire the necessary business and communication skills which they will need in their academic and professional environments.
Students completing the first year of English will:

- Understand extended speech and discussion on both general topics and areas specifically related to the field of business.
- Read articles and reports concerned with current affairs and contemporary problems.
- Express themselves with a degree of fluency that makes interaction with native speakers possible without too much effort for either party.
- Produce clear text on a range of subjects, explain a viewpoint and build an argument on a topical issue.
- Participate effectively in simulations of professional settings.

Students will learn to:

- Skim, scan and read a text in detail, adapting the skill to the task in hand.
- Produce a text which structures information clearly and coherently. Essay writing is seen as preparation for business writing in future courses.
- Understand the main points of a presentation, dialogue or group discussion and recognize speaker attitudes.
- Distinguish between formal and informal registers in spoken and written English.
- Prepare and deliver a team presentation including visual support.
- Participate actively in discussions, meetings and decision-making processes.
- Research, present and discuss material related to aspects of management studies.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses and take appropriate action to facilitate learning.
- Become more aware of the nature of language learning and apply study skills accordingly.

1. Speaking Activities designed to work on speaking skills include discussions, debates, meetings, role plays and case studies. A set number of classes are dedicated to deal specifically with presentation and meeting skills: students will give team presentations as well as participate in problem soliving meetings.

2. Listening comprehension Students will practise listening for gist, identifying key points, listening for detail and identifying a speaker's attitude, through classroom activities and resources for individual use drawing not only on learning materials, but also on a wide range of authentic material from sources such as radio / television programs and the Internet. There will be particular focus on practicing for the TOEFL exam.

3. Reading Different skills are developed, including skimming, scanning and reading for study purposes using texts drawn from a variety of sources. Students will become aware of the difference between formal and more informal registers. Specific study skills helping students to deal with longer texts.

4. Writing Tasks include essay writing, not as an end in itself, but in preparation for reports, memos and other types of business communication practised at more advanced levels and in the world of business.

5. Linguistic resources ACTIVITIES Oral: Group discussion, team presentations and problem -solving meetings Written: opinion essays

Classes are conducted in English throughout, and demand full participation and commitment on the part of the individual student and of the group. Effective learning also depends on extensive individual work outside class, writing tasks, extensive and intensive reading, studying structural and lexical aspects of the language, preparing presentations and researching topics related with management studies.

Speaking skills: activities designed to work on speaking skills include discussions, debates, meetings, role plays and case studies. A set number of classes are dedicated to deal specifically with presentation and meeting skills: students will give team presentations as well as participate in problem solving meetings.

Listening comprehension: students will practise listening for gist, identifying key points, listening for detail and identifying a speaker's attitude, through classroom activities and resources for individual use drawing not only on learning materials, but also on a wide range of authentic material from a range of sources.

Reading: different skills are developed, including skimming, scanning and reading for study purposes using texts drawn from a variety of sources. Students will become aware of the difference between formal and more informal registers.

Writing: tasks include essay writing, not as an end in itself, but in preparation for reports, e-mails and other types of business communication practised at more advanced levels and in the world of business.

Students will be prepared for sections of the TOEFL exam - particular focus will be paid to oral and writing.

Linguistic resources: all the above skills demand constant consolidation and expansion of syntactic and lexical knowledge, and practice in pronunciation and intonation. This involves focusing on aspects of the language that students are already familiar with, but do not yet control fully.

ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN

Basic bibliography:.
All material for the course will be indicated by the teacher in the first weeks of class.

Group	Teacher	Department
Year 1	James Venner	English Section