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2020/2021

First Foreign Language II, English

Code: 101182 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500894 Tourism OB 2 A
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Eric Ortega Fernández
Email:
Eric.Ortega@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)
Some groups entirely in English:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Jane Anderson
Eric Ortega Fernández

Prerequisites

There are no specific requirements. However,

  • the students on the Tourism Degree will have to accredit a B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) by the end of their studies.
  • the students on the Tourism Degree in English will have to accredit a C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) by the end of their studies.

 

Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of the second course is to continue enabling students to consolidate and widen their range of knowledge, including English pertinent to the tourism sector and of a more general nature so that they can accredit a B2 level at the end of their studies if they are studying the Tourism degree, and a C1 if they are studying Tourism in English.

During this second course students should further develop the capacity to:

  • Follow the discourse of conferences, debates and more informal interactions.
  • Maintain conversations in formal and informal register, correctly interpreting the interjections of other speakers.
  • Participate in debates and discussions on issues of general interest or specifically related to tourism using the standard language for either type of communication (using correct vocabulary, giving examples, etc.).
  • Relate facts or events experienced personally or reported by others.
  • Convey feelings, express needs or give instructions without difficulty.
  • Write emails in formal (requests for information, etc.) and informal contexts (emails to acquaintances, etc.).
  • Produce texts about actions, trips and events – chronologically arranged with clear, concise descriptions of the most relevant aspects.
  • Create a promotional brochure for a tourism destination.

Skills

  • Develop an appropriate degree of accuracy (grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary usage, register, etc.) and fluency (production speed, ability to express ideas and develop speech).
  • Develop strategies and skills to understand authentic written texts and oral presentations.
  • Develop strategies to continue to learn independently outside the classroom.
  • Develop the ability to function efficiently and with an appropriate degree of linguistic precision both in the field of tourism and in everyday situations.
  • Be able to correctly use referencematerial necessary forautonomous language learning: dictionaries, grammars, online applications etc.

Competences

  • Communicate orally and in writing in three foreign languages within the tourism field and others related to it.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Implement business communication techniques used by tourism organisations: internal, external and corporate.
  • Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  2. Identify vocabulary and grammar resources for use in the tourism sector, in three foreign languages.
  3. Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  4. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  5. Use the idiomatic expressions typical of the tourism sector in three foreign languages, at upper intermediate level.
  6. Use tourism resources available on internet, in three foreign languages.
  7. Vary the discourse patterns used to fit different functions, contexts, media, activities and situations in the workplace.
  8. Work in a team.

Content

1. DEGREE IN TOURISM: The students who are studying the Degree in Tourism will have to accredit a B2 level by the end of their studies.

2. TOURISM DEGREE IN ENGLISH: The students who are studying the Tourism Degree in English will have to accredit a C1 level by the end of their studies.

 

1. CONTENTS FOR THE DEGREE IN TOURISM

Linguistic functions

  • Give and respond to instructions.
  • Present plans and projects.
  • Turn taking.
  • Verifying understanding.
  • Making clear statements.
  • Express facts and ideas.
  • Do professional transactions in hotels, etc.
  • Organize and plan a guided tour.
  • Manage telephone conversations.
  • Describe tourist locations, etc.
  • Debate on tourism issues.
  • Structure a monologue.

 Grammar

  • Gerunds and infinitives.
  • Future forms.
  • Advanced forms of the comparative.
  • Causative have and get.
  • Should have done/should have been doing.
  • Passives.
  • Reported speech.
  • Relative clauses.
  • Prepositions.
  • Phrasal verbs.
  • Articles and quantifiers.
  • Conjuntions.

Lexical content

  • The environment and the natural world.
  • Visual arts and cultural heritage.
  • Entertainment and leisure.
  • Cities.
  • Houses and accomodation.

Writing

  • Formal emails.
  • Critical reviews.
  • Discursive texts.

 

2. CONTENTS FOR THE TOURISM DEGREE IN ENGLISH

General thematic areas

  • Personal development.
  • Dealing with people.
  • Health andthe body.
  • Effective communication and image.
  • Education.
  • Fashion and culture.
  • Issues and ethics in tourism.

Language functions

  • Comparing and expressing preferences.
  • Explaining and justifying choices.
  • Suggesting.
  • Presenting and defending an argument.
  • Marking discourse.
  • Hedging and using vague language.
  • Making small talk.
  • Being polite and courteous.
  • Giving instructions.
  • Advising.
  • Describing strong feelings.
  • Persuading.

Grammar

  • Advanced forms of the comparative ('nowhere near as', 'slightly', etc.).
  • Particles.
  • Use and non-use ofthe passive, passives with 'get'.
  • Causatives ('have something done', 'get somebody to do', etc.).
  • Abstract nouns and relative clauses.
  • Discourse markers.
  • Complex modals, passive modals.
  • Prepositions and prepositional phrases.
  • Phrasal verbs.
  • Participle clauses.
  • Connecting words condition ('unless', 'in case', 'providing', 'imagine', 'supposing').
  • Conditionals.

Lexis

  • Phrasal verbs.
  • Idiomatic expressions (the body).
  • Descriptive adjectives.
  • Prepositional clauses ('on account of', etc.).
  • Adjectival compounds ('breath-taking', etc.).
  • Noun compounds from phrasal verbs ('breakthrough', etc.).
  • Connectors.
  • Fixed binomials ('hustle' and 'bustle', etc.).
  • Prefixes and suffixes.
  • Adverbs and comment adverbials.

Lexical areas

  • Education.
  • Health and sport.
  • Well-being.
  • Leisure and cultural activities.
  • Human behaviour.
  • Motivations.
  • Tourism and customer care.
  • Issues in tourism.

 

Methodology

The teaching methodology prioritises the students’ learning process over theoretical presentations by the teacher. Input is provided from both graded and authentic materials and the students are encouraged to engage with the material through guided practice in all four skills, with freer interactive and communicative activities to advance oral communication skills.

The teacher will use one or more of the following methodologies depending on which he or she considers to be most suitable for the material and the students in each session.

  • Presentation and practice of grammar and vocabulary.
  • Discovery learning and noticing techniques.
  • Task-based learning in pairs and groups. 
  • Problem-solving exercises in pairs and groups. 
  • Role plays. 
  • Text or listening based debates (e.g. TED talks). 
  • Revision games with kahoot and other applications.
  • Modelling from sample texts for writing.
  • Strategies to promote self-correction and autonomy in writing.
  • Live learning projects.

 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classes 56.5 2.26 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 8, 6
Non class-based 56 2.24 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 8, 6
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 8 0.32 1, 3
Type: Autonomous      
Activities 10 0.4 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6
Theory 9 0.36 5, 1, 7, 2, 3, 8, 6

Assessment

Continuous Assessment 

80% attendance is required in order to be eligible for the Continuous Assessment.

Continuous Assessment activities

Continuous assessment activities include:

  • Essays. The student will be required to produce between 3 – 5 written texts over the course of their studies (rewritings of writings may also be used).
  • Portfolio/Dossier. The portfolio will contain between 8 and 12 activities, which should exhibit the four language skills. These activities can be done at home or in class. The following are examples of activities that can be included in the portfolio:

o Reading Record.

o Mini tests.

o Self-assessment forms.

o Research projects.

o Various self-produced documents.

The students will be able to take advantage of the mid-term tests to produce activities that will form part of their portfolio, such as mini tests or listening or reading comprehension.

  • Oral Activities. Throughout the course, the student will produce a minimum of one oral activity (or a maximum of two), either individually or in a group and in the form of monologues, presentations, videos etc.
  • Mid-Term Testing. Half way through the course, the students will have two mid-term tests; a writing test (one or two tasks) and a speaking test (one task). These will be similar in format to the final exam.
  • Attitude and participation. Effort, attitude and participation will also be evaluated.

Final continuous assessment exam: writing and speaking are assessed. 

The exam is on the same day as the final exam.

  • The continuous assessment activities represent: 60% of the final mark.
  • The final exam represents 40% of the final mark.

6 is the pass mark.

Final exam

Students who opt not to do the continuous assessment have the right to do a final exam of the two productive skills – speaking and writing.

A mark of 50% in each skill, and an overall global mark of 60%, is required to pass the course.

Resit

Only those students who fail the final exam with a result between 3, 5 and 4.9 (out of 10) are eligible to resit the exam.

The student must repeat the parts of the exam in which a mark below 60% was obtained.

Other aspects

No level certification.

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attitude and participation 10% 0 0 5, 7, 2, 6
Dossier 14% 5 0.2 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 8, 6
Final exam 40% 2.5 0.1 5, 7, 2
Mid-term test 12% 1 0.04 5, 7, 2, 6
Writing and Speaking activities 24% 2 0.08 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 8, 6

Bibliography

Coursebook

  • Course book for students who are doing the Tourism degree. Empower B2 (CUP).
  • Course book for students who are doing the Tourism Degree in English. Cutting Edge Advanced New Edition (Pearson).

English for Tourism

English for International Tourism Upper Intermediate (Pearson) Peter Strutt.

Highly Recommended (Oxford) Trish Scott and Alison Pohl.

Dictionary

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com  (with pronunciation)

Grammar explanations

Practical English Usage Online (highly recommended)

https://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/grammar_vocabulary/practical_english_usage_4th_edition/9780194202510?cc=global&selLanguage=en    

My Grammar Lab Intermediate and Advanced

https://www.pearsonelt.com/tools/digital/my-grammar-lab.html

Grammar

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/

http://www.autoenglish.org/

https://www.englishclub.com/

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/

http://www.eltbase.com/

Vocabulary

https://elt.oup.com/student/oefc/tourism2/?cc=global&selLanguage=en&mode=hub

https://elt.oup.com/student/oefc/tourism3/?cc=global&selLanguage=en&mode=hub

http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/t-glossary.html

http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_hotelindustry.html

http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_traveltourism.html

Listening and reading

http://www.elllo.org/

https://es.englishcentral.com/videos

https://www.ted.com/

https://es.lyricstraining.com/

http://howjsay.com/

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

British English:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bbclearningenglish

https://www.facebook.com/bbclearningenglish.multimedia/

https://www.voicetube.com/channel/bbc/5

http://bbcworldservice.radio.net/

American English:

http://www.npr.org/

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/

Australian English:

http://www.australiaplus.com/international/learn-english-video-courses/

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/learn-english

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/chinese/learn-english/series/%E6%BE%B3%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%A9%E4%BA%9A%E5%B9%BF%E6%92%AD%E8%8B%B1%E8%AF%AD%E8%AE%B2%E5%BA%A7

Writing

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/sitemap/

Exam preparation

http://www.examenglish.com/

http://wuster.uab.es/ctestpractice/

Tourism themes

https://www.ted.com/talks/aziz_abu_sarah_for_more_tolerance_we_need_more_tourism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLRanIhp2jg

http://www.ecotourism.org/

http://www.crctourism.com.au/Page/Home.aspx

http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/eco-tour.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

https://victoriastraveladventures.com/tag/niche-tourism/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_5eKX1vvOg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdsVzspgTl4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CbcZbVvJ6s

http://culturalheritagetourism.org/

http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_hotelindustry.html

http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_traveltourism.html

http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_politeness.html

http://www.englishformyjob.com/english-for-flight-attendants2.html