ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician, English
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Center Faculty of Business Administration and Management
Call: First Semester
Teaching: Sin Docencia (En Extinción)
Enrolment: No Matriculable (Sólo Planes en Extinción) | 1st year (Yes)
This course has been designed for students with no previous experience in the business world and with a pre-intermediate level of English, which corresponds to the A2 level on the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFL).
The main objective of the course is to improve students’ communicative competence so that they can interact in everyday work situations. At the end of this course students should reach level B1 (Common European Framework Reference).
To reach this general objective, students will have to develop their Business English language skills and work on reading, writing, listening and speaking. This will allow them to improve their fluency, and to gain confidence when using English in work situations as a means of communication, both written and spoken.
The specific objectives of this course are the following:
• To introduce students to basic concepts of business
• To stimulate students’ interest in the subject
• To develop students’ reading, listening, writing and speaking skills
• To focus on language functions and structures particularly useful in business life
• To increase the students’ knowledge of specific vocabulary and business idioms
• To give students practice in writing business communication documents
• To give students’practice in listening to and extracting information from taped material containing natural speech in businesssituations
The course is divided into four modules. The first one is a kind of introductory unit which presents students with specific linguistic issues that are essential to follow a Business English course. The other three modules have the same structure with the following five parts each: Business in Theory, Business in Practice, Business Language, Business News and Move to the Net.
Here is an outline of the contents of each module:
INTRODUCTORY MODULE:
Greetings and introductions
Dealing with numbers
Symbols and abbreviations
Spelling and punctuation
MODULE 1: The World of Business
Business in Theory: Production; commerce and trade
Business in Practice: Business communication
Business Language: Vocabulary and functions; grammar
Business News: Crowdsourcing
Move to the Net: Web conferencing
MODULE 2: Business Organisations
Business in Theory: Types of economic systems; Private sector; Public sector
Business in Practice: Job applications; Curriculum vitae; Getting a job
Business Language: Vocabulary and functions; grammar
Business News: Entrepreneurial spirit
Move to the Net: Online profiles
MODULE 3: Marketing and Advertising
Business in Theory: Marketing; Advertising
Business in Practice: Studying the market; Unsolicited offers; Analysing adverts
Business Language: Vocabulary and functions; grammar
Business News: The power of advertising
Move to the Net: Social awareness advertising
I. COMPULSORY
I.1 COURSE BOOK
SMITH, A. (2013); Best Commercial Practice. ELI
II. RECOMENDED
II.1 GRAMMAR AND PRACTICE
ALEXANDER, L.G. (1990); Longman English Grammar Practice. Longman
CUDER DOMÍNGUEZ, P. y R. LÓPEZ (2005); Gramática Oxford para estudiantes de inglés: Bachillerato. Oxford U.P.
DUCKWORTH, M. (2003); Business Grammar and Practice. Oxford U.P.
EASTWOOD, J. (1999); Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford U.P.
HEWINGS, M. (2005); Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge U.P.
MURPHY, R. 2002. English Grammar in Use. Intermediate. 1985. C.U.P.
MURPHY, R. 2004. English Grammar in Use. Supplementary Exercises. C.U.P.
SWAN, M & C. WALTER (1997); How English Works. Oxford U.P.
II.2 DICTIONARIES
____________ Cambridge International Dictionary of English. Cambridge U.P.
____________ Diccionario Oxford Inglés Español, Español-Inglés. Oxford U.P.
____________ Oxford Dictionary of Business English. Oxford U.P.
____________ Longman Business English Dictionary. Longman.
____________ Diccionario Oxford Business Español-Inglés Inglés-Español. Oxford.
LOZANO IRUESTE, J.M.; Diccionario Bilingüe de Economía y Empresa. Pirámide
II.3 VOCABULARY
ASPINALL, T. & G. BETHELL (2003); Test your Business Vocabulary in Use: Intermediate. Cambridge U.P.
FLOWER, J. (1990); Build your Business Vocabulary. Language Teaching Publications
HORNER, H. & P. STRUTT (1996); Words at Work. Cambridge U.P.
LEWIS, M. (Ed.) (1987); Idioms at Work. Language Teaching Publications
MASCULL, B. (1996); Key Words in Business. HarperCollins Publishers
MASCULL, B. (2002); Business Vocabulary in Use: Intermediate. Cambridge U.P.
II.4 BUSINESS ENGLISH
ASHLEY, A. (1984); A Handbook of Commercial Correspondence. Oxford U.P.
BRUCE, K. (1992); Telephoning Longman
ELLIS, M. & N. O'DRISCOLL (1987); Socializing Longman
FARRAL, C. & M. LINDSLEY (2008); Professional English in Use: Marketing. Cambridge U.P.
KERRIDGE, D. (1988); Presenting Facts and Figures Longman
HILL, J. (1981); Business English Homework L.T.P.
KING, F.W. & D.A. CREE (1978); English Business Letters. Longman
NATEROP, B.J. & R. REVELL (1997); Telephoning in English Cambridge U. P.
O'DRISCOLL, N. & A. PILBEAM (1987); Meetings and Discussions Longman
PRODROMOU, L & LUCIA BELLINI (2012); Flash on English for Commerce. ELI
STRUTT, P. (1995); Longman Business English Usage. Longman
II.5 PRONUNCIATION
HANCOCK, MARK (2003); English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge
III. ONLINE RESOURCES
http//www.elionline.com
III.1 DICTIONARIES
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/
http://www.ldoceonline.com/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://thesaurus.reference.com/
http://www.wordreference.com/
III.2 GRAMMAR
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/index.cfm
http://www.englishpage.com/grammar/
III.3 PRACTICE
http://www.english-test.net/
http://esl.about.com/od/intermediateenglish/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/
CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CG5, CG6, CG7, CG9, CT1, CT2, CT4, CT5, CT10, CT14 , E6
BASIC AND GENERAL COMPETENCIES
Students who take this module must…
CB1 – Be able to demonstrate that their knowledge and skills are in development, building on and improving the basic skills learnt at high school, and that they are up-to-date with the latest information related to their field of study
CB2 – Be able to professionally apply knowledge gained at the university to their degrees and vocations, including the ability to defend arguments and solve problems
CB3 – Be able to gather and interpret significant data (relevant to their degree programmes) they can reflect on and draw valid and justified conclusions
CB4 – Be able to pass on and communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences
CB5 – Develop their learning skills and be able to independently apply these skills in order to carry out subsequent studies independently
CG5 – Be able to communicate information and express themselves fluently, making use of reasoning, criticism, arguments, problems and solutions in both business and commercial contexts. Students must be able to do this in speech, in written work and also through the use of the latest technologies used to present information
CG6 – Be able to demonstrate the development of their learning skills necessary to continue their education and their professional lives with a high degree of autonomy. In this way, students should be able to undertake specialised studies in the future in various fields related to professional work and personal development
CG7 – Be able to make use of their ICT skills along with the English language in professional activities
CG9 – Be able to approach professional activities with respect for the promotion of people’s fundamental rights, for an ethical, global and multicultural vision, for instilling democratic values, for equal opportunities and respect for the plurality of ideas, people and situations
TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCIES
CT1 – Analytical and summarising skills
CT2 – Organisation and planning
CT4 – Oral and written expression
CT5 – Knowledge of a foreign language
CT10 – Independent learning
CT14 – Development of interpersonal relationships in professional contexts
SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
E6 – Students must be able to use the English language in order to handle different types of situations typical in their field of study
The purpose of this course is to allow students to be able to communicate effectively in English both in social and professional situations from a business perspective, and in preparation for when they start their professional career. Students will have to increase their linguistic ability, build up their confidence, and improve their fluency in order to be able to speak English in a business environment.
These situations cover five core subjects:
- Socializing
- Telephoning
- Dealing with business correspondence
- Exchanging information
- Giving presentations
To get on well in these situations it is necessary to master different skills and learn to perform different functions in English:
• Introducing yourself
• Greeting and introducing people in formal and informal situations
• Offering to help, making requests and asking permission
• Making and receiving phone calls
• Exchanging phone messages
• Exchanging information over the phone
• Spelling names and saying abbreviations
• Breaking bad news over the phone
• Writing business letters with a correct structure and layout
• Replying to correspondence
• Writing e-mails
• Writing a short report
• Breaking bad news in an e-mail, fax or letter
• Exchanging information about a schedule
• Exchanging information about specifications and numbers
• Discussing an organizational chart
• Explaining how to do things
• Describing processes and procedures
The course has a practical and functional approach. The objective from the very beginning is that the students use the type of language that they are going to need during their professional career. Students will have to interact among themselves and take risks in using the language to communicate. Different activities have been developed to help students to communicate effectively in a business environment by exposing them to a specific type of language that is used in this field. The final objective is for students to achieve an effective knowledge of the English language.
Each unit is complemented by a series of theoretical explanations, language activities and homework. Extra material will be given in order to complete classwork.
Practical activities include homework revision and checking, practice of grammatical structures and communicative skills, simulation of real situations in which will be necessary to use spoken and written English. Students will take active part in these activities that will be done in pairs or small groups.
The acquisition of the aforementioned skills will be assessed in multiple ways. For example, both a students’ performance in class and on an exam correspond to the assessment of CT4.
The following skills will be assessed based on a student’s performance in class: CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CG5, CG7, CG9, CT1, CT2, CT4, CT5, CT14 and E6.
The following skills will be assessed based on the homework and coursework produced by a student: CB1, CB2, CB3, CB5, CG6, CG7, CG9, CT1, CT2, CT4, CT5 and CT10.
The following skills will be assessed based on a student’s examination performance: CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CG5, CG6, CG9, CT1, CT4, CT5, CT10, CT14 and E6.
I. ORDYNARY EXAM (January)
I.1.- Students who regularly attend classes.
Assessment will be continuous and based on the student performance throughout the year. Homework completion, active participation in class alongside with written and oral tasks done during the year will be taken into account.
The final mark will be calculated as follows:
a) Continuous assessment (60%)
• Active participation in class 10%
• Assigned tasks for homework and preparation of practical activities 20%
• Written tests 10%
• Oral skills/exam* 20%
b) Final exams (40%)
• Final written exam 40%
• Oral exam* 20% (only in those cases detailed below).
*Depending on the students’ performance in the oral activities, they could have to take an oral exam to demonstrate their oral skills. The date for this oral exam will be announced in class.
You need to get a minimum of 5 out of 10 in both the final exam and in the oral skills/exam to pass the subject.
The final exam will be held on the official date set by the Faculty.
I.2.- Students who have special permission not to attend classes
These students will take a final written exam which represents 80% of the final grade. The remaining 20% corresponds to the oral exam. A minimum of 5 out of 10 in both the final and the oral exam is required to pass the subject.
I.3.- Students who redo the course.
The assessment system for these students will be the same as for students in I.1 above.
II. EXTRAORDINARY 2nd SITTING (July)
The same system applies for the July resit. The continuous assessment grade will be retained as well as any section passed on the first sit in June (written or oral exam).
Inglés para la Comunicación Comercial I is a compulsory subject taught during the first semester of the Grado en Gestión de Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas and is worth 6 ECTS.
The workload for students is 150 hours. 50 correspond to classwork and the remaining 100 are devoted to personal and autonomous work. Broadly speaking we could say that the average time of dedication to this subject is approximately 10 hours per week including class sessions.
Regular attendance to class is essential, as well as the completion of the assigned tasks for homework. Students’ active participation in class is an integral part of both their personal development, and that of the course itself. Missing classes, not completing the tasks or lack of participation in the practical activities will have a negative impact on students’ final grade.
Practical exercises, both those done in class and as homework are intended to consolidate the points explained in class.
Students are strongly recommended to make use of external resources, such as movies, songs, the Internet, magazines, to increase their degree of exposure to the English language, not restricting themselves to the input provided during class sessions.
It is also recommended that they should try to work on a daily basis, rather than trying to do everything in just one or two sessions per week.
Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez
- Department
- English and German Philology
- Area
- English Philology
- antonio.alvarez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
| 01.11.2021 09:00-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Seminar 1 |
| 06.21.2021 16:00-19:00 | Grupo de examen | Seminar 1 |