COURSE PRESENTATION FORM - ENGLISH - 2009/2010
COURSE NAME: English
COURSE CODE: 70134
LECTURER: Gerard Vitti
TEACHING ASSISTANT: --
TEACHING LANGUAGE: English
CREDIT POINTS: 4
LECTURE HOURS: 36
EXERCISE HOURS: --
TIMESPAN: 28.09.2009 - 23.01.2010
TIMETABLE: see
Timetable Page
OFFICE HOURS LECTURER: Monday 16:00-18:00 and Thursday 14:00-16:00, Piazza Università 5, Block K, office 401.
OFFICE HOURS TEACHING ASSISTANT: --
PREREQUISITES
A level of receptive and productive skills in English equivalent to approx. 300 hours of English tuition – intermediate (B1) level.
OBJECTIVES
A specifically designed course to introduce students to the language of Computer Science through use of general and specific texts, both written and spoken. The course aims to facilitate comprehension and participation in the other courses offered by the Faculty with emphasis on improving receptive and productive skills.
Topics covered include consolidation of basic grammatical structures through use of practical applications. Teaching methodology emphasises student co-operation and participation in and outside the classroom through individual, pair and group work.
Attendance of the course is strongly advised.
Elementary students are also advised to participate in Language Centre courses to improve their basic language level.
SYLLABUS
- General overview of basic grammatical structures
- Study skills: note taking, report writing, summarising (written and oral), basic oral presentation skills
- Use of authentic reading texts from the world of computing
- Use of authentic listening texts from the world of computing
- Vocabulary acquisition and word-building techniques
- Technical terms – comprehension and use
- Writing skills: formal EAP, development through use of cohesion – sequencing, etc.
TEACHING FORMAT
Practical lessons where student participation is required.
ASSESSMENT
- Portfolios (25% of final mark)
- Written exam (50% of final mark)
- Oral exam (25% of final mark)
Three portfolios will have to be completed during the semester. Students are only allowed to take the oral exam once they have passed (= min. 60%) the written exam.
The oral exam is a presentation on a topic concerning Computer Science as well as a discussion of the Portfolios submitted prior to the written exam.
Students must achieve a pass (60%) in all three components of the exam to pass the English course.
READING LIST
Textbook:
- Prodromou, Luke: Grammar and Vocabulary for First Certificate (Longman)
Units covered:
1 – Present and past tenses
2 – Future
3 – Modal verbs
5 – Conditionals
6 – Future 2
7 – The Passive
9/10 – Adjectives / Adverbs / Comparatives / Superlatives
12 – Articles
13 – Relative clauses
Plus chapters on word formation (prefixes/suffixes) and discourse markers (linkers, etc).
OR
- Any other B2 level grammar text (see lecturer)
SOFTWARE USED
None.
LEARNING OUTCOME
By the end of the course, students should be able to deal effectively with the following:
- Reading and comprehending authentic Computer Science texts in English;
- Writing clear, concise summaries of authentic CS texts;
- Writing clear, concise short essays for academic purposes;
- Organising and giving a short professionally acceptable presentation on a tropic connected to Computer Science;
- Giving clear technical instructions;
- Describing CS software and hardware.
COURSE PAGE
Reserve Collection