Study Guide

Objective

- Student will be able to use the professional terms and communicate in English.
- The student will communicate fluently and effectively in English in her/his studies and in the professional discourse of her/his own field.
- The student will communicate naturally in multicultural contexts, considering the special demands of different communication situations and the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the participants.
- The student will be able acquire, process, and convey information necessary in her/his own field both orally and in writing, using different sources.
- The student will form a realistic view of her/his linguistic and communicative competence and a positive attitude to developing this competence as a part of her/his professional expertise.
- The student’s oral and written communication skills correspond to the skill level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Content

The contents of the course focus on the following themes with field-specific emphasis:

- Key interactive communication situations: individual and group communication
- Key concepts and terminology
- Textual conventions and documents
- Acquisition, processing, application and conveyance of information
- Self-assessing one’s language and communication skills and developing learning strategies

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student has a lot of absences from the teaching sessions. Activity during the teaching sessions and learning assignments is unsatisfactory. The student should improve her/his group working abilities. The student does not work independently and there is a lot of need for teacher’s further guidance. The student has not given a requisite amount of attention for the subject and the result of the course is unbalanced. The student needs to improve her/his skills and knowledge in many areas.

In communication situations related to their field the student will:

• Trust her/his communication skills to manage professional communication events using inquiries and relatively short speech acts.
• Understand the communication partner enough to be able to act and verbalize in accordance with the task in question.
• Express her/his thoughts simply, mainly coherently, and relatively understandably, even if there may be deficiencies in professional terminology and structural inaccuracies, which may interfere with full understanding.
• Draw up simple, formatted texts independently and extensive texts using linguistic aids.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Student has taken part to all of the teaching sessions and learning assignments and the activity for the course is good. Student acts flexibly as a group member. The student works independently but there is still need for teacher’s further guidance. Student has given a requisite amount of attention for the subject and the result of the course is balanced. Student has achieved a good level at her/his skills and knowledge.

In communication situations related to their field the student will:

• Trust her/his communication skills to manage in the professional context in line with the objectives set for the task.
• Exchange ideas as equal partners with independent language users.
• Take the initiative in professional discourse and can, to some degree, take into account participants’ cultural and language backgrounds and the demands of the context.
• Express her/him self promptly in a clear and detailed manner.
• Use professional terminology to the point.
• Pronounce English clearly with matching stress and intonation.
• Produce texts for different purposes, where linguistic inaccuracy does not interfere with understanding.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The course objectives have been achieved in a competent manner. Student has taken actively and constructively part to the teaching and learning assignments. Student’s function enhances group activities. The student works independently enough. Student is able to master the whole of subject both theory and practice. Student has achieved an excellent level at her/his skills and knowledge.

In communication situations related to their field the student will:

• Trust her/his communications skills to allow her/him to take initiative in communication events following the discourse practice of the field.
• Interact clearly and fluently as equal partners with a proficient speaker.
• Take initiative also in demanding professional communications where participants’ cultural and language backgrounds need to be taken into account.
• Express her/him self effectively and accurately.
• Use professional terminology to the point.
• Pronounce English clearly, with stress and rhythm matching the total message.
• Have the ability to produce several genres, which are clear, well structured, and effective.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The student has a lot of absences from the teaching sessions. Activity during the teaching sessions and learning assignments is unsatisfactory. The student should improve her/his group working abilities. The student does not work independently and there is a lot of need for teacher’s further guidance. The student has not given a requisite amount of attention for the subject and the result of the course is unbalanced. The student needs to improve her/his skills and knowledge in many areas.

In communication situations related to their field the student will:

• Trust her/his communication skills to manage professional communication events using inquiries and relatively short speech acts.
• Understand the communication partner enough to be able to act and verbalize in accordance with the task in question.
• Express her/his thoughts simply, mainly coherently, and relatively understandably, even if there may be deficiencies in professional terminology and structural inaccuracies, which may interfere with full understanding.
• Draw up simple, formatted texts independently and extensive texts using linguistic aids.

Prerequisites

The acquisition of professional English language and communication competence requires the starting level B2 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Further information

The course is implemented as a project-based learning. The starting point is learning through practical work. Student her-/himself has a role as an investigative learner.