Course detail

English for Life

FEKT-MEFEAcad. year: 2016/2017

An English course with a focus on the acquirement and practice of advanced skills within practical verbal and written communication. The seminars include not only a wide variety of functional aspects of the English language, but also different forms of interaction, namely active discussion, presentation, interpretation of audiovisual materials, and production or analysis of texts. The topics are outlined in such a manner as to enable the students to use English more effectively in dealing with everyday social and professional situations.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

M. A. Kenneth Froehling

Department

Department of Foreign Languages (UJAZ)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The ability to orientate oneself in the cultural and professional maze of present-day Euroamerican civilization.
The ability to use English in a wide range of everyday situations.
The knowledge of various writing techniques plus the rules of team work and business communication in English.
The ability to understand natural spoken English.
The ability to give an oral English presentation in front of many people.
The ability to ask different oral presenters pertinent questions in English on a variety of presentations.

Prerequisites

The fundamental prerequisite consists in a good command of English as defined by the current XAN4 exam.
Students wishing to take the course exam and obtain their credits are required to attend a minimum of 75% of the tutorials/lectures.

Note: Students who have a bachelor degree in English in Electrical Engineering and Informatics (AJEI-H) must register in MEFE. However, such students will automatically receive their credits and are not required to attend classes or to take any tests or exams that other FEFE/MEFE students must take.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, audiovisual presentations, business and technical conversation and student presentations. Each student is obliged to give an oral presentation in front of their peers during the course.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

40% semester test:

Semester test based on the material discussed in the course of teaching, including grammar (see "osnova").
The maximum points possible on the semester test is 40, the minimum is 24 (60%) in order to pass it.

60% exam:

The exam is both written and oral:

- The written exam is divided into two parts: a written formal letter and a writen answer to a question on cultural studies.

- The oral exam is based on a class presentation in class during the semester.

The maximum points possible on the exam is 60 (30 points on the written part and 30 points on the oral part). The student must receive a minimum of 50% on each part of the exam in order to pass.

Students must attend approximately 75% of the classes each semester (i.e. not miss more than 3 classes), unless they have a legitimate reason for not attending,
in order to receive credits for the course.

Course curriculum

Winter Semester

Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 Grammar I
Week 3 Grammar II
Week 4 Introduction to EuroAmerican Culture
Week 5 Vocabulary Review and Sentence Structures
Week 6 Technical/Cultural (Hoover Dam)
Week 7 Englishes of the World
Week 8 Technical/Cultural (CN Tower and technical texts)
Week 9 Professional English
Week 10 Giving Presentations I
Week 11 Giving Presentations II
Week 12 Semester Review
Week 13 Semester Test

Summer Semester

Week 1 Cultural Studies I (EU)
Week 2 Cultural Studies II (USA)
Week 3 Cultural Studies III (a British Commonwealth country)
Week 4 Communicating across Cultures I
Week 5 Cultural Workshop (student presentations)
Week 6 Letter Writing I
Week 7 Letter Writing II (e.g. CVs, covering letters, etc.)
Week 8 Communicating across Cultures II
Week 9 Cultural Workshop (student presentations)
Week 10 Cultural Workshop (student presentations)
Week 11 Potpourri (e.g. study stays, business English, letter writing, vocabulary, etc.—decided by the individual lecturer)
Week 12 Semester Review
Week 13 Written Exam

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The development of knowledge and skills related to both the general and professional use of English.
The abilility to communicate in areas of interest related to present-day Euroamerican civilization.

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

The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by regulations issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

Language exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. Pavel Reich, Ph.D.
PhDr. Milan Smutný, Ph.D.
Mgr. Agata Walek, Ph.D.
Mgr. Petra Langerová
M. A. Kenneth Froehling

VUT

Faculties

University Institutes

Parts

English for Life

Type of course unit