English Language I PDF Print

English Language I

Athanassia Spyropoulou

Required course         1st semester     ECTS: 0

Short description:

The course is addressed to students who do not possess an English language certificate of B2 level (according to the CEFR classification levels), but it is also open to all students who wish to refresh and advance their knowledge of English. The course includes a review of the tense system and the basic syntactic structures of the English language, development of the students’ vocabulary and exposure to relatively simple or simplified oral and written discourse of limited length with an emphasis on themes related to university life and their field of studies. Throughout the course, extensive use is made of the E-learning platform and the Internet. Students are also requested to read at least one simple book of their choice for pleasure.

Aims:

  • To help students recall and organize their often fragmented prior knowledge of English and, building upon it, to help them acquire further knowledge and skills of B1-B2 level.
  • To help students re-approach the English language as a valuable communication tool and a means of access to knowledge and information and to raise their awareness of the need for and the usefulness of English in real life and in their current studies.
  • To equip students with useful tools so that they themselves can seek and access sources of knowledge and means of cultivation of their linguistic competence.
  • To encourage the use of the language at personal level, especially by reading extended discourse (books) for pleasure, but also by listening to/reading discourse accessed through suitably selected internet sites.
  • To enhance the students’ meta-cognitive and self evaluation skills and self-confidence, with a parallel development of the students’ ability to learn independently by using the appropriate resources and tools.
  • By means of appropriately selected texts related to their studies, to help students explore differing cultures and mentalities and become aware of the richness of human experience and knowledge, thus developing their capacity to appreciate diversity and to approach issues from a variety of perspectives.

Anticipated learning outcomes:

Subject specific competencies

By attending the course, the students are expected to improve/develop their

  • ability to understand and use basic grammatical and syntactic structures of the English language
  • intensive reading and listening skills and vocabulary with an emphasis on vocabulary related to their studies and the university context, through appropriately selected semi-authentic or simple authentic texts (intensive reading/listening).
  • General reading skills and language competence through extensive reading (books)

Generic competencies

By attending the course, the students are expected to improve/develop their

  • communication skills
  • information technology skills by using the internet for personal study and language skills development
  • ability το reflect upon and evaluate own performance
  • capacity to learn independently and improve their own learning and performance, including their study and research skills
  • appreciation of diversity and multi-culturality

Structure:

13 three – hour classes

Assessment:

Students are evaluated on the basis of attendance and successful completion of related assignments (30%), and a written examination at the end of the semester (70%). Passing mark: 60%