Inglese AB - ENG

ENGLISH 2012-2013
COURSES A-B
Alba Rizzi (alba.rizzi@eco.unipmn.it)
Milena Ferrante (milena.ferrante@eco.unipmn.it)
Novara

Course code E0148
Subject code L-LIN/12
First year courses

Degree courses in: Business Administration (CLEA), Promotion and Tourism Management (TURISMO), Legal Services for Business (CLISGI)

32 hours, 4 ECTS (CLEA)
48 hours, 6 ECTS (TURISMO)
48 hours, 6 ECTS (CLISGI. CLISGI students are also required to attend English for Economics, Finance and Law with dr. C.I. Bell to get further 4 credits)


EDUCATIONAL AIMS

The institutional course will:
1. promote a concept of "language competence" based on spoken and written interaction skills in real situations in a business context;
2. implement training and achieve real operational Business English language skills (with emphasis on listening and speaking) according to the B1 and B2 parameters (i.e. levels of language proficiency) established by the Council of Europe in the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference);
3. match the real needs of the professional sector, creating the basis for improving the students’ academic curriculum;
4. provide a background to achieve certifications such as BEC Preliminary, BEC Vantage, the International Legal English Certificate.

PREREQUISITES

From a. y. 2008-09, the following rules will be enforced:

1. The entry Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Languages issued by the Council Of Europe is an essential requirement for access to the two courses A and B (content and exams are identical).
2. A “Screening test" on paper (30 minutes) in the first lesson, aimed at verifying the level of skills of incoming students (Students who hold Cambridge PET with merit, BEC Preliminary, First Certificate will not need to take the test and will be required, for information only purposes, to sign in a special list drawn up by the teachers).
The test is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended to define the students’ starting level. If students do not reach B1 level, they can attend the course, but they are strongly recommended to reach  B1 level in the shortest time possible, as the lack of prerequisites could seriously compromise a successful result in the final exam.

The students/freshmen at level A1, A2 (Beginner / Elementary) identified by the Screening Test of the Department of Economics, are invited to purchase an individual license (about 100 Euros including face to face lessons) of the Cambridge CRUI B1 on line course, specifically designed by the University of Cambridge to train students from A2 to B1 in 100 hours (75 hours of monitored self-learning online teaching and 25 hours of face to face learning, starting on a date to be announced), organized around the development of the four language skills, listening, speaking, reading, writing). More information available on Moodle (https://eco.dir.unipmn.it), INGLESE 1B (valid also for course A) and on the first lesson.

For information on any meetings dealing with tutoring  students level A1 (beginner) and A2 (elementary) that could be held during the academic year, please regularly check the bulletin board or Moodle INGLESE IB at the following address : https://eco.dir.unipmn.it. No password is required.

Note: The descriptors of the levels A1, A2 and B1 are shown at the following link: http://www.alte.org/resources/filter (select the Framework Resource Type drop-down menu and then the English language)


OPTIONAL TEXTS FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY:

With regard to self-study activities, aimed at the achievement of Level B1, especially addressed to students who do not attend, we recommend the following texts:

Norman Whitby, Business Benchmark Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate, Student's Book, CUP (level B1 with key)  This book is available in the library
M. Vince, G. Cerulli, Into Grammar, MacMillan 2007 (B1) This book is available in the library
Success with BEC Preliminary, Workbook with Key, Summertown Publishing, 2008 (B1) This book is available in the library
John Eastwood, Oxford Practice Grammar (Intermediate), Oxford University Press (with key for all exercises) This book is available in the library

Intelligent Business Pre-Intermediate Workbook This book is available in the library
Intelligent Business Intermediate Workbook This book is available in the library
both with audio CD (both texts contain the key to all exercises).


For non attending students and workers a document with advice is available on Moodle (see above) - INGLESE 1 B.


Content of the courses

32 or 48 hours of lessons, teaching split into two classes ("A" and "B"). Attending: CLEA, CLISGI, TUR
Functions and Notions – B1 towards B2.

See the program in Italian for details on content.


NON ATTENDING STUDENTS:

EXAM FOR NON ATTENDING STUDENTS.
NON ATTENDING STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO STUDY THE SAME PROGRAM AS THE ONE OF ATTENDING STUDENTS.

Teaching materials (which all students absolutely NEED for attendance)

Marjorie Rosenberg, Business Advantage Intermediate Student's Book,  ISBN: 9780521132206, Cambridge University Press, 2012 This book is available in the library
Christine Johnson, Intelligent Business Pre-Intermediate, Coursebook, Longman, 2006. This book is available in the library
T. Trappe, G. Tullis, Intelligent Business Intermediate, Coursebook, Longman, 2005. This book is available in the library

Support texts (not used in class):
Norman Whitby Business Benchmark Upper-Intermediate, Student's Book, CUP (B2 level with solutions), ISBN: 9780521672894.  This book is available in the library
Marjorie Rosenberg, Business Advantage Intermediate Personal Study Book with Audio CD, ISBN: 9781107692640, Cambridge University Press, 2012. This book is available in the library


Grammar reference:
Paul Emmerson, Essential Business Grammar Builder (intermediate to upper intermediate level) (Audio CD with exercises and key, see a sample: www.paulemmerson.com / pdfs / EBGB-shrunk.pdf) MacMillan, 2006 .  This book is available in the library


Optional texts for additional work:
The workbooks of previous texts, namely:

Intelligent Business Pre-Intermediate Workbook, Longman  This book is available in the library
Intelligent Business Intermediate Workbook, Longman  This book is available in the library
each with audio CD and key for all exercises.
J. Allison with Paul Emmerson, The Business Intermediate, Student's Book, MacMillan (ISBN 978-1-40508369-0)  This book is available in the library


Recommended dictionaries:
Monolingual: Economic Business + CD, Freeman ISBN 88-08-07019-0
Monolingual English Business Dictionary (New), Cambridge ISBN 978052112250-4
Monolingual English Dictionary for advanced learners, MacMillan 2007 ISBN 978 1405 0252 6 3 (paperback + CD-ROM)


To check for availability of books and audio CDs in the library follow the link: http://www.librinlinea.it/search/public/appl/search.php (Advanced Search and then select the Library of the Department of Economics pull-down menu)



EXAMINATION

FROM SESSION of January 2013

The final examination for the courses CLEA and CLISGI is valid for a pass without mark, while the TURISMO course will produce a mark out of thirty.
The exam is the same for all courses "A" and "B" and will consist of:

WRITTEN TEST

1. Reading comprehension (type: gap filling, multiple choice, etc..)
2. Writing (type: e-mail, letter, fax, etc..)
3. Listening comprehension (type: gap filling, multiple choice, etc..)


ORAL TEST

After passing the written examination, the oral examination will be held in the same examination session (3 sessions in winter, 3 in summer, 1 in autumn) except in case of problems (work or other examinations held in the same day).

NB. All students are required to register for the written and oral examinations. For this a specific online registration is arranged. Ask the secretary office.

We do not accept registrations by mail or on the day of the exam.
Please talk to the secretary office if you do not know how to register.
To address problems related to the online registration send an e-mail to comesami@unipmn.it.
The written examination lasts about two hours, and may be held in different groups, so reserve a full day. You are strongly advised to register on Moodle INGLESE 1B (valid for course A as well) to get real-time information about the exams; visit it frequently during exam periods to verify changes in time and/or date or to check for presentation lists.


Speaking:

1. Spoken interaction between two candidates based on prompt Business English cards prepared by the examiners;
2. Discussion between two candidates on a short problem solving similar to the ones presented during the course;
3. Presentation and discussion of at least 15 articles (topics: economics, tourism or law, this last one for CLISGI students) chosen by the candidate, from newspapers or magazines (as The Economist or Newsweek) or textbooks (only Intelligent Business Pre-intermediate or intermediate, the articles bearing "The Economist" logo).

IMPORTANT: COURSE FOR CLISGI STUDENTS

CLISGI students from a.y. 2011-2012 onwards will take the exam INGLESE 1B (written and oral) and only after that, the examination of English for Economics, Finance and Law with dr. C. I. Bell. Students who passed the English exam 1B will be issued a note signed by the teacher confirming they have passed the INGLESE 1B exam. They will then present the written note to Dr. Bell during the exam of English for Economics, Finance and Law for the registration of all ECTS awarded for the first year English exam.


DETAILED INFO ABOUT EXAMINATIONS

For more detailed information, pass criteria and sample exam tasks please refer to the section INGLESE IB on Moodle at the following address: https://eco.dir.unipmn.it/
No password is required for access.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EXAMINATION CAN BE TAKEN ONLY 3 TIMES FOR EACH ACADEMIC YEAR (FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER INCLUDED)

A PASS MARK IN THE EXAMINATION RESULTS FROM THE SUM OF PARTIAL MARKS OF WRITTEN AND ORAL TESTS.
IF PASSED, THE EXAM AWARDS ECTS AS ESTABLISHED FOR EACH COURSE (see above).

CANDIDATES WHO HOLD BEC VANTAGE OR INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ENGLISH CERTIFICATE (the latter only for the CLISGI course) WILL BE ASSIGNED ECTS WITHOUT TAKING THE EXAM. SUCH CANDIDATES WILL BE ONLY REQUIRED TO REGISTER THE MARK AT THE ORAL EXAM SESSION UPON PRESENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT OR A COPY/SCAN.

CANDIDATES WHO HOLD CAMBRIDGE PET WITH MERIT, BEC PRELIMINARY, FIRST CERTIFICATE, CAE, PROFICIENCY DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE WRITTEN EXAM BUT WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE ORAL EXAM. SUCH CANDIDATES ARE REQUIRED TO PRESENT THE ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE AT THE ORAL EXAM SESSION.

CANDIDATES WHO HOLD A DIFFERENT CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE SAME LEVEL AS THOSE ABOVE MENTIONED INCLUDING ALL FOUR SKILLS (READING, WRITING, LISTENING, SPEAKING) ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT THE TEACHERS FOR A POTENTIAL VALIDATION PROCESS.