Professional English in Social ServicesLaajuus (3 cr)

Objective

The student is able to communicate fluently and efficiently in English in student and working life
assignments in their field in Finland and abroad, and able to use English to develop their own professional skills. The student is able to act naturally in a multicultural environment, taking into account specific characteristics of the communication situations and the other speakers' cultural and linguistic circumstances. The student is able to obtain information required in their professional field from various sources and to process and communicate about it in writing and orally. The student has a realistic perception of their language and communication skills, and takes a positive approach to developing them as part of their professional skills.

Content

The course content focuses on the following field-specific subjects, improving both oral and written communication skills:
- The field's key international and international-at-home interaction situations: individual and group communication
- Key concepts and terms used in texts appearing in the field
- The professional field's text conventions and text types
- Information acquisition, processing, application and dissemination and the reading of scientific information in a foreign language
- Professional organisations, work environments, duties, processes and tools
- Training and career planning in your own professional field
- Self-assessment of language and communication skills, and development of your own learning strategies

Qualifications

European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level B2.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

In the communication situations related to their professional field, the students trust their communication skills so that they can cope with professional situations using a foreign language by posing specific questions and short speech lines of their own. The students understand the communication of the communication partner in such a way that they act appropriately. The students express their thoughts in plain language and mainly in a coherent and comprehensible manner, even though there may be shortcomings in the professional language use and language errors may occur that hinder conveying the message. The students draw up texts in a specific format independently, as well as broader texts with the help of linguistic aids.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

In communication situations related to their professional field, the students trust their communication skills so that they can handle the language situations in the field in accordance with the objectives of the professional task. The students exchange ideas as equal partners with an independent language user, communicate proactively in professional language situations, taking into account the participants' linguistic and cultural backgrounds and the requirements of the situation. The students express themselves without delay in a clear and detailed manner and use the professional vocabulary accurately. The students clearly pronounce English so that the overall message is conveyed and produce or different purposes, the linguistic shortcomings do not interfere with conveying the message.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

In communication situations related to their professional field, the students trust their communication skills so that they will take part and take the initiative in language use situations in the various communication situations in the field, following the conventions. The students exchange ideas clearly and fluently equally with a proficient language user and communicate taking the initiative if necessary also in demanding professional language use situations, taking into account the other participants' linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The students express themselves efficiently and accurately, using demanding professional vocabulary accurately. The students pronounce English clearly with natural stress and rhythm so that the overall message is emphasized, and produce clear, well- structured and compelling texts in various text types.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

In the communication situations related their professional fields, the students trust their communication skills to handle the language situations required in the profession by asking more specific questions and by producing short speech lines so that they understand the communication of the interaction partner in such a way that they can act appropriately expressing their thoughts in a simple and comprehensible manner. Even though there may be shortcomings in the specific professional language use and language errors occur, which can interfere with getting the message across, they can write simple texts with specific formats independently as well as produce wider texts with linguistic aids.