Course detail

First Certificate in English I

FAST-BYA20Acad. year: 2014/2015

The BYA20 course is an UPPER-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL course which aims to improve students’ ability to:
- work with complex texts and generally understand the main points within,
- communicate fluently and spontaneously with native speakers, on a regular basis if necessary, in such a way that neither party has trouble making themselves clear or understanding the other,
- use the English language with a good degree of accuracy when dealing with familiar topics and using common grammatical forms.

Language of instruction

Czech

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Roger Turland, BA.

Department

Institute of Social Sciences (SPV)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The aim of the BYA20 course is to increase upper-intermediate level students’ capabilities in English in all areas: grammar, vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading and writing, and this to level B1++ of the Common European Framework established by the Council of Europe. The BYA20 course follows on from the BYA8 course. Students will extend their language skills in all areas, including vocabulary and grammar knowledge.

Prerequisites

Students need to have passed the BY51 exam in order to be able to enrol for this course. In other words, they are already able to do the following well:
- generally understand information about familiar topics and situations, such as those met at work, in school, in free time etc. providing they are expressed in a clear and straightforward manner,
- use English to communicate successfully in most situations encountered when travelling abroad,
- create a simple connected text with a simple context,
- describe experiences and events, ambitions, hopes and plans, and to briefly explain or justify their ideas and statements.

They also are recommended to have taken the following optional courses: BYA7 and BYA8.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Vocabulary is practiced and knowledge extended in an interactive way, with the emphasis on conversation. Development and practice of communication and listening skills takes place using interactive audio-visual equipment, LMS Moodle and Smartboards.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

In order to receive a credit for the course, students need to attend classes regularly (max. 3 absences per semester), do homework and actively participate in the lessons.

Course curriculum

Not applicable.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of the BYA20 course is to increase upper-intermediate level students’ capabilities in English in all areas: grammar, vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading and writing, and this to the B2 level of the CEF (Common European Framework) established by the Council of Europe. The BYA20 course follows the BYA8 course. For a brief summary of what is involved in the B2 level of English see the Anotace.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Clive Oxenden, Christina Latham-Koenig: New English File Upper-Intermediate. Oxford University Press., 2008. ISBN 978-0-19-451957-1. (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B-P-C-APS Bachelor's

    branch APS , 2 year of study, summer semester, recommended course

  • Programme B-P-C-GK Bachelor's

    branch G , 2 year of study, summer semester, recommended course

  • Programme B-P-C-SI Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2 year of study, summer semester, recommended course

  • Programme B-P-E-SI Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2 year of study, summer semester, recommended course

Type of course unit

 

Exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Roger Turland, BA.

Syllabus

1. File 5A Gerunds and infinitives
2. File 5A Music vocabulary
3. File 5B Phrases with ‘used to’; sleep vocabulary
4. File 5C Reporting verbs
5. File 5C Media vocabulary
6. File 6A Articles; word pairs
7. File 6B Uncountable/plural nouns
8. File 6B City vocabulary
9. File 6C Quantifiers; science vocabulary
10. File 7A Phrases with 'wish', adjectives
11. File 7B Clauses of contrast and purpose; advertising vocabulary
12. File 7C Relative clauses; foreign words in English
13. Revision; test