Study Guide

Objective

The student can function in English-language situations typically encountered within the field both in speaking and in writing. The student uses a varied range of language tools and strategies to develop his/her language skills within an authentic professional context. S/he can use field-related terminology and relevant written and spoken text types and registers. The student can realistically assess his/her English communication skills and needs for development, and can act accordingly. Level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is aimed at.

Content

Information is sought and retrieved from various kinds of English-language sources, and processed to produce reports, talks and other relevant output. The more demanding field-specific text types are studied. Presentation skills are enhanced. The demands of an international working environment are pondered. The study unit is partly integrated with studies in chemical engineering and materials technology.

Materials

Links to materials can be found in itslearning. Some material is provided by the students themselves.

Teaching methods

The topics dealt with both in speaking and in writing are related to the content matter within the student's degree programme.

Exam schedules

The course is assessed continuously based on tasks and active attendance. There is no final exam and thus also no retake exam. Possibly some small tests on limited subject area content (homework material) along the way.

International connections

This is a skills subject and skills need to be practised. Therefore, the group meets weekly online, and each student has weekly writing or reading tasks on the itslearning platform. Webcam + microphone needed for the online sessions.

Student workload

Contact sessions online, 13 x 2 h
Independent information retrieval
Reporting in speaking and in writing

Content scheduling

January through February, online sessions once a week.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The students complete and process course content in weekly writing/reading tasks as well as spoken tasks during online sessions. A total of 12 points can be collected. Grades correspond to points as shown below.

Points Grade
11-12 5
9-10 4
7-8 3
5-6 2
2-4 1
Failed tasks 0

The attendance activity points are to be interpreted such that
- 1 point means the students has attended at least 80 % of contact sessions, and
- 2 points means the student has attended at least 80 % of contact sessions and has contributed actively in discussions and pair and group work in class.

The points for the different tasks are to be interpreted such that
- 0 points means that the report was not handed in by due date or not accepted without corrections (unanswered questions or missing/incorrect descriptions)
- 1 point means that the task is accepted, everything was included but there were some mistakes or some parts were omitted/ignored
- 2 points means that all the requested work was included and that appropriate style and terminology as well as good language mechanics were applied.