Study Guide

Objective

You adopt communication and social interaction skills to cope with various situations. You are aware of how cultural differences affect communication and are able to work with people with different cultural backgrounds. You recognize your own learning style and are able to use learning strategies efficiently. You learn to use language programs, dictionaries and other sources in English studies. You are able to work in verbal communication situations at work and tell about your education and profession. You learn to communicate appropriately using the right style, write emails and other working life messages. You create a CV and familiarise yourselves with recruiting. You are able to read texts of your own field using dictionaries and other reference aids.

Content

Learning strategies, reading techniques, language aids, information retrieval, written communication and formality (emails, CV, and formal application), verbal communication (telling about yourself, education and profession, small talk and social contacts, pitches and job interviews, phone situations, expressing opinions), marketing language, storytelling, intercultural communication, professional vocabulary. A prepared talk integrated with a photography course.

Location and time

Tikkarinne campus

Materials

Handouts from the teacher, Moodle learning environment, Internet materials. MOT dictionary
(Optional material: Cambridge English for the Media (Cambridge University Press, 2008)

Teaching methods

The objectives: You adopt communication and social interaction skills to cope with various situations in the working life. You are able to work in verbal communication situations in a media profession and tell about your education and profession in a job interview. You learn to communicate appropriately using the right style, present your work, write emails and other working life messages, and persuade others. You will familiarise yourself with writing reviews and essays. You create a CV and familiarise yourself with recruiting and interviewing. You are able to read texts of your own field using dictionaries and other reference aids. You are aware of how cultural differences affect communication and are able to work with people with different cultural backgrounds. You recognize your own learning style and are able to use learning and communication strategies efficiently. You learn to use language programs, dictionaries and other sources in English studies.

The methods: Spoken and written assignments as well as active participation and interactive communication in English on the lessons.
Participation on the contact lessons and on the Moodlerooms course platform.
Language learning strategies, reading techniques and discussion strategies, information retrieval and language aids, basics of written business communication and communication styles (email, CV, application), verbal communication (talking about yourself, education, and profession at a job interview, conducting small talk, telephoning, expressing opinions, networking), pitching and marketing, intercultural communication, some professional media writing: reviews or professional essays. A prepared presentation integrated with a graphic design course.

Exam schedules

Missing assignments are submitted during the course. Resit of a possible course exam will be held at a time and place informed by the teacher.

Completion alternatives

Accreditation of Prior Learning: to be agreed with the teacher, in case the skills level is sufficient.

Student workload

Lectures and possible exam(s) 22 hours; assignments and independent work 14 hours; readings and preparing for the lectures 12 hours

Further information

Possible integration with Graphic Design or some other media course.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

0-5,
based on written and spoken performance in media assignments, activity in class and online, and a possible exam or word tests.
Assessment in the skills level B2 of English, in writing and speaking, adapted to the professional English courses of a university of applied sciences
(Skills levels according to Common European Frame of Reference, CEFR)
Grades overview:
5: The student can use skilful, fluent and precise expressions on variable subjects and he/she can communicate effectively in different kinds of professional situations, even complex ones. The student has understood the task extremely well. The student also succeeds in persuading others in English. The text/speech is very clear, logical and versatile. The message is very coherent and the ideas are linked together fluently. The student can deliver the message in a natural and idiomatic way and the message is stylistically appropriate. The use of English is fluent and the structures are very versatile. In addition, the vocabulary is extensive. The use of non-verbal communication is natural and appropriate. Moreover, it supports the verbal language very well. The spoken communication is very interactive and natural. The student's speech, intonation and pronunciation are fluent, clear and precise. The tempo is natural and appropriate.
3-4: Discussing the subject is for the most part versatile, and the text/speech meets the requirements of the task in versatile professional situations in speaking and writing. The text/speech is clear, logical, or fairly logical. The message is coherent for the most part, but there can be some minor lapses in it. The student has understood the appropriate style and is able to use it for the most part. There may still be some stylistic errors, but they are minor or not consistent. The language is fluent, clear, and mostly correct. The majority of the structures the student uses are correct and he/she can use professional terminology to deliver the message. The basic grammar is correct. The more demanding and advanced structures and idiomatic expressions still cause some problems. The student has understood the instructions of the task. Speaking is clear, fluent and skilful for the most part, and the speaker succeeds well in the communication. The speech is also cohesive, logical, and easy to follow. The speaker engages the audience, in both verbal and non-verbal language. There may still be some hesitation, pauses and errors in pronunciation, but they are not consistent and they do not obstruct the message.
1-2:
Discussing a subject in different professional situations is rather limited and simple. The text or speech meets only some of the requirements of the task, and there is a lot to improve in the logical structure and fluency of the text/speech. The student has partially understood the task, but there are some aspects still missing. The student uses satisfactory language: it includes simple or basic structures, There are still mistakes in the basic grammar structures too. Some or several parts of the message can be misunderstood. The text is not very coherent or logical. The language includes a lot of simple expressions, which may also contain some errors. Speaking about professional topics is satisfactory, simple, slow, insecure, even poor. Interaction in speaking is minimal, or partly lacking. The main message is still delivered. There is a lot of hesitation, the pauses may be long, and the pronunciation may interfere with the delivery. The student may still understand the importance of small talk, and how to be polite in English.
0: The student fails to do the given task. / The student fails to understand the task instructions entirely or misunderstands a major part of the task. / The message does not get through to the audience, it is very difficult to follow, and/or there are severe problems in delivering the message. / There are severe problems in delivery and using the language to communicate in the situation or understanding the messages of others. / The student has not understood the situation and his role in it. In a speech, the student fails to speak, and consistently uses written language by reading a text out loud. / The student has copied a large part of his message from someone else’s text or speech. The student has not done his part of a teamwork assignment.
NB: Course activity and exams are also a part of the assessment criteria.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

0: The student fails to do the given task. / The student fails to understand the task instructions entirely or misunderstands a major part of the task. / The message does not get through to the audience, it is very difficult to follow, and/or there are severe problems in delivering the message. / There are severe problems in delivery and using the language to communicate in the situation or understanding the messages of others. / The student has not understood the situation and his role in it. In a speech, the student fails to speak, and consistently uses written language by reading a text out loud. / The student has copied a large part of his message from someone else’s text or speech. The student has not done his part of a teamwork assignment.
NB: Course activity and exams are also a part of the assessment criteria.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

1-2:
Discussing a subject in different professional situations is rather limited and simple. The text or speech meets only some of the requirements of the task, and there is a lot to improve in the logical structure and fluency of the text/speech. The student has partially understood the task, but there are some aspects still missing. The student uses satisfactory language: it includes simple or basic structures, There are still mistakes in the basic grammar structures too. Some or several parts of the message can be misunderstood. The text is not very coherent or logical. The language includes a lot of simple expressions, which may also contain some errors. Speaking about professional topics is satisfactory, simple, slow, insecure, even poor. Interaction in speaking is minimal, or partly lacking. The main message is still delivered. There is a lot of hesitation, the pauses may be long, and the pronunciation may interfere with the delivery. The student may still understand the importance of small talk, and how to be polite in English.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

3-4: Discussing the subject is for the most part versatile, and the text/speech meets the requirements of the task in versatile professional situations in speaking and writing. The text/speech is clear, logical, or fairly logical. The message is coherent for the most part, but there can be some minor lapses in it. The student has understood the appropriate style and is able to use it for the most part. There may still be some stylistic errors, but they are minor or not consistent. The language is fluent, clear, and mostly correct. The majority of the structures the student uses are correct and he/she can use professional terminology to deliver the message. The basic grammar is correct. The more demanding and advanced structures and idiomatic expressions still cause some problems. The student has understood the instructions of the task. Speaking is clear, fluent and skilful for the most part, and the speaker succeeds well in the communication. The speech is also cohesive, logical, and easy to follow. The speaker engages the audience, in both verbal and non-verbal language. There may still be some hesitation, pauses and errors in pronunciation, but they are not consistent and they do not obstruct the message.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

5: The student can use skillful, fluent and precise expressions on variable subjects and he/she can communicate effectively in different kinds of professional situations, even complex ones. The student has understood the task extremely well. The student also succeeds in persuading others in English. The text/speech is very clear, logical and versatile. The message is very coherent and the ideas are linked together fluently. The student can deliver the message in a natural and idiomatic way and the message is stylistically appropriate. The use of English is fluent and the structures are very versatile. In addition, the vocabulary is extensive. The use of non-verbal communication is natural and appropriate. Moreover, it supports the verbal language very well. The spoken communication is very interactive and natural. The student's speech, intonation and pronunciation are fluent, clear and precise. The tempo is natural and appropriate.