Study Guide

Objective

You develop your skills in interactive communication and co-operation needed in work in a multicultural media environment. You learn to communicate in both oral and written English in demanding media-related job situations (meetings, presentations, and reports). You will develop competence to express yourself professionally in English. You learn the central vocabulary and idioms of the profession. You understand professional texts (audio-visual, web-based and multi-media communication, audio production, and game production) and scientific articles, and are able to persuade other people in oral and written presentations.

Content

The English of the professional field, media texts, media vocabulary, formal verbal and written reports and summaries, formal documents, presentations, persuasive speech, meetings and negotiations, describing graphs, trends, and processes

Location and time

Tikkarinne campus

Materials

Moodle material provided by the teacher. The students will search for some media publications and background information themselves.

Teaching methods

Media English, reading, interpreting, and analyzing media texts and speech in English, news language, radio English, audiovisual and audio production terminology, web writing, articles, reviews, paraphrasing, academic English, creative and media business writing (project mission statement, press release), meetings and their documents, discussions, spoken presentation and persuasive language (presenting a project or a special field or technique, or pitching a business idea).

Work-related spoken and written interaction and communication in the media field in English.

Contact teaching. Group work, spoken presentations, and written assignments. Possible written exam at the end of the course.

Exam schedules

Final written exam at the end of the course and spoken and written assignments during the course. Possible smaller tests in Moodle.

Completion alternatives

Accreditation of prior learning (AHOT) to be agreed with the teacher

Student workload

Altogether 81 hours of work

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

0-5 Written and spoken skills and learning /performance
Grading scale: 0-5
Assessment skills level: B2 (Common European Frame of Reference, CEFR), in professional English (media)

The performance is assessed in English writing and speaking, and the requirements are adapted to the professional English courses of the university of applied sciences).
Course assessment is based on written and spoken performance in assignments, classroom activity, online activity, and possible exams or smaller tests. Course activity and exams are also a part of the assessment criteria.

Grades overview:
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 cohesive, 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 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 and 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 can 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. Most of the structures the student uses are accurate, 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 for the task. Speaking is clear, fluent, and skillful 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, and on some matters even poor. Interaction in speaking is minimal, or partly lacking. The main message is still delivered. There is a lot of hesitation, the pauses in speech 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: (Fail) 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 or 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.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

0: (Fail) 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 or 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.

Qualifications

Prerequisite course: Social Contacts

Further information

Assessment: 0-5

Assessment skills level in the course assessment: B2 (CEFR)

Competences:
Internationality and multiculturalism, learning to learn, operating in a workplace, creative skills, professional media skills, business skills