COURSE SYLLABUS

ORAL EXPRESSION IN ENGLISH

(EA0912)

DEGREE: ENGLISH STUDIES

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Department and area of knowledge: English Studies

Type: Compulsory
Course: 2nd
Semester: 1st
Credits: 6 ECTS
Language(s) of instruction: English
Main Lecturer: Nieves Alberola Crespo
Class Schedule: See the LLEU guide

2. INTRODUCTION

This course (i.e. “Oral Expression in English”, EA0912) focuses on the nature of English
speaking from a practical perspective. The main goal is to achieve level B2 of the Common
European Framework as far as listening and speaking practice is concerned. This level is
equivalent to the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE).

Additionally, this EA0912 course is linked to the subject “Written English: Production of
complex texts” (EA0919) which focuses on the nature of English writing from a practical
perspective. Taken together, the two second-year courses (i.e. EA0912 and EA0919) aim at
developing students’ communicative competence through the four language skills.

3. RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

This course (i.e. Oral Expression in English, EA0912) is the follow-up of the subject
“Pronunciation and oral comprehension in English” (EA0910) studied during the first
academic year of the degree. Therefore, it is highly recommended to have already passed
this first-year subject.
 4. COMPETENCES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Generic and specific competences Learning outcomes

1. Generic Competences: By the end of the course, students will be

-Knowledge of a second language
-Capacity for analysis and synthesis
-Ability to work autonomously
-Possession of interpersonal skills
-Ability to work in a team
expected to:
- Select appropriate strategies to construct
meaning before, during and after listening to
people in a variety of everyday and study
situations for a variety of purposes.

-Capacity to solve problems

2. Subject Specific Competences:
-Capacity for oral communication in English
(listening comprehension and oral
expression/interaction)
-Capacity to comprehend oral discourse in
English (presentations, conferences, etc) as
well as TV programmes and films.
- Participate constructively in everyday
conversations making appropriate language
choices depending on situation, audience
and purpose.
- Communicate orally information and ideas
effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of technological and information
resources.

5. CONTENTS

Course descriptors
The development of oral comprehension and production in the English language.
1. Features of oral English. Turn-taking and sequence organization
2. Variety of oral genres
3. Oral strategies
4. Oral production fluency
5. Techniques for making oral descriptions and presentations
6. Development of communicative competence in English language through listening
and speaking.
 6. UNITS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. EVERYDAY SITUATIONS
2.1 Dwellings. Holidays
2.2 Work. Forms of entertainment
2.3 Eating out. Free-time activities and hobbies
2.4 Fashion. Lifestyles
2.5 Pollution. Wildlife. Disasters
2.6 Advertising. Spending money
2.7 Healthy living. Technology. Newspapers/Magazines

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

7.1 Basic bibliography

Evans, V., Milton, J. and Dooley, J. (2013) FCE. Listening & Speaking Skills 1. Berkshire:
Express Publishing.
Evans, V. (2014) FCE. Use of English 2. Berkshire: Express Publishing.
McCarthy, M. and F. O’Dell (2014) English Vocabulary in Use. Upper-Intermediate (3 rd
edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

7.2 Complementary bibliography

Cornbleet, S. and R. Carter (2001) The Language of Speech and Writing. London:
Routledge.

Evans, V., Milton, J. and Dooley, J. (2008) FCE. Listening & Speaking Skills 2. Berkshire:
Express Publishing.
Evans, V. (2008) FCE. Use of English 2. Berkshire: Express Publishing.

Hashemi, L. and Thomas, B. (2008) Grammar for First Certificate with answers. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

7.3 Websites
-Recommended general English language websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.isabelperez.com/tesllinks.htm#exercises
7.4 Other resources
Additional materials will be made available through the Virtual Classroom

8. TEACHING METHODOLOGY

Class sessions will be mainly practical, including lectures, individual, pair and group work.
Special emphasis will be paid to students’ active participation in all activities and discussions
carried out during the course. Therefore, class attendance is highly recommended.
Tutorials (by appointment via email) will also be encouraged to follow students’ learning
process during the course. Additionally, an autonomous perspective to language learning
will be promoted by asking learners to do extra activities on their own.

9. ACTIVITY PLANNING

Activities Class hours Non-class hours

Theory sessions
Practical sessions (problems) 55
Practical sessions (laboratory)
Seminars 2
Workshops
Small group tutorials
Assessment 3
Individual work 70
Preparation for the exam 20
.................
TOTAL HOURS (no. of credits x 25) 60 90
 10. LEARNING ASSESSMENT

10.1 Assessment type Percentage of final grade

i) Academic work 10%

ii) Written exam 40%
iii) Oral exam (listening) 25%
iv) Oral presentations (speaking) 25%

10.2 Assessment Criteria:

i) Academic work

Students are requested to submit an individual portfolio consisting of: i) selected units of the
books English Vocabulary in Use. Upper-Intermediate, and FCE. Use of English 1 (see
bibliography for full details), as well as ii) other activities done in class.
This portfolio will be presented individually to the teacher in her office (the exact date will be
provided by the teacher during regular class time). Late presentations will not be accepted.
ii) Written exam

Students are expected to sit a final written exam at the end of the semester. The exam will
be based on both theoretical and practical aspects of the topics dealt with in class. See on
the LLEU the official exam date.

iii) Oral exam (Listening)

Students are expected to sit a final listening comprehension exam based on course
contents. See on the LLEU the official exam date.

iv) Oral presentation (Speaking)

Students will be asked to give an individual oral presentation (the exact date will be provided
by the teacher during regular class time).

* NOTE: In order to PASS the subject, students must obtain 5 out of 10 in the final written
exam, in the listening test and in the speaking test. Students will be regarded as No
Presented if they have not taken the written exam. The marks will be kept during the same
academic year.
 11. FURTHER INFORMATION

RECOMMENDED BEHAVIOUR RULES

- Students should be punctual.

- Students should not enter or leave the classroom once the session has started (without
having previously told the lecturer).
- Students should not eat or drink (except for water) during class.
- No mobile phones are allowed in the classroom (they should not be on the table or in
sight).