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First Foreign Language III, English

Code: 101179 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500894 Tourism OB 3

Contact

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

Teachers

Jeremy Hickey
Eric Ortega Fernández

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


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 the course.
  • 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 the course.

 


Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of the course is to enable 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 in this last year of obligatory English studies, if they are studying the tourism degree, and a C1 if they are studying Tourism in English.

The student will acquire a range of linguistic knowledge and develop sufficient oral and written communication skills, so that by the end of the course they will be able to:

  • Understand the gist of public conferences, debates and chats and extract information.
  • Maintain conversations, in formal and informal registers, understanding the main ideas of their interlocutors.
  • Participate in discussions or dialogues on topics of general interest using the strategies typical of this type of communicative interaction floor-holding devices, giving examples, etc.).
  • Relate first or second hand  facts, events and experiences.
  • Write letters or electronic messages in different linguistic registers.
  • Read different texts and explain their contents clearly.
  • Write different types of texts about facts, places, events and current affairs.

Specific objectives

  • Develop a degree of precision (in grammar, pronunciation, lexis etc.) and fluency (speed in productive skills, ability to express ideas and develop a discourse) in both written and oral expression.
  • Develop strategies and abilities to understand authentic written and oral texts.
  • Develop strategies to continue learning autonomously outside the classroom.
  • Develop the ability to function effectively and confidently in professional and everyday situations.

 


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 the course.

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 the course.

 

1. CONTENTS FOR THE DEGREE IN TOURISM

In the process of learning a language, all skills and abilities are continually evolving and interrelating in an organic way. However, for the purposes of this programme, linguistic content is divided into linguistic functions, grammar content and lexical content.

Linguistic functions

  • Express satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and other emotions.
  • Complain and respond to complaints politely.
  • Narrate past and present events.
  • Speculate and talk about the future.
  • Express opinions on matters of general interest.
  • Debate, persuade and convince others.
  • Accept the opinion of others.
  • Talk about present and past hypothesis.
  • Talk about wishes and regrets.
  • Organise and develop a monologue.

Grammatical contents

The student must be able  to identify and use the following grammatical points in a way appropriate to communicative contexts.

  • Conditionals.
  • Structures with 'wish'.
  • Alternatives to 'if' in conditional sentences.
  • Past modals.
  • Relative clauses.
  • Adjectives followed by prepositions.
  • Suffixes and prefixes.
  • Prepositions.
  • 'so', 'such' ... that'
  • Quantifiers.
  • Gerunds and infinitives.
Lexical contents

The lexical content of the course is frames in the following contexts:

  • Money and finance.
  • Crime and punishment.
  • Health and lifestyle.
  • Moral dilemmas.
  • Though, knowledge and effort.
  • Expressions with  'take' and 'come'.
  • Describing feelings.

Writing

Students will use the language points mentioned above to develop writing skills in the following contexts:

  • Letters and emails: job applications, requests for information, complaints and apologies.
  • Discursive essays.
  • Reports.
  • Articles.

 

2. CONTENTS FOR THE TOURISM DEGREE IN ENGLISH

General thematic areas

  • The Arts and Entertainment.
  • Travel and Traditions.
  • Modern times.
  • Crime and Punishment.
  • Planet Earth and Beyond.

General language functions

  • Emphasizing.
  • Formulating hypotheses.
  • Comparing and contrasting.
  • Presenting and defending an argument.
  • Using discourse markers.
  • Summarizing.
  • Expressing opinion.
  • Clarifying.
  • Paraphrasing.
  • Interpreting.
  • Expressing preferences.
  • Express various feelings.
  • Hedging and using vague language.
  • Making small talk.
  • Being polite and courteous.
  • Expressing doubts.
  • Advising.

Specific linguistic contents

Grammar                   

  • Comparatives Advanced ('nowhere near as', 'slightly', etc.).
  • Ellipses and substitutions.
  • Participle phrases.
  • The future in the past ('was about to' / 'was due to', etc.).
  • Complex future forms ('is bound to', etc.).
  • Prepositional phrases.
  • 'Whatever', 'whoever', etc.
  • Order of adjectives.
  • Empty subjects 'it' and 'there'.
  • Discourse markers.
  • Question tags.
  • Inversions after negative words and phrases.
  • 'Each' and 'every', 'either' and 'neither'.
  • Phrasal verbs.
  • Complex infinitives and gerunds.
  • Participle clauses.
  • Phrases with 'time'.
  • 'Need not have'.
  • Uses of the auxiliary.
  • Patterns of verbs in speech.
  • Adverbial clauses and conjunctions.

Lexis

  • Phrasal verbs.
  • 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.
  • Uses of 'look', 'sound' and 'feel'.
  • Uses of 'just', 'way', 'well'.
  • Idiomatic expressions.
  • Fixed expressions.

Lexical sets

  • Arts and Entertainment.
  • Travel and Traditions revisited.
  • Modern Times.
  • Crime and Punishment.
  • Planet Earth and Beyond.
 

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classes 56.5 2.26 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Non class-based 56 2.24 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 7 0.28 1, 3
Type: Autonomous      
Activities 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Theory 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Language of instruction

Tourism in Spanish/Catalan: English

Tourism in English: English

 

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.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

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

Continuous Assessment

For continuous assessment, a minimum attendance of 80% in classes is required.

 

Structure of Continuous Assessment

Writing Activities: Between 3 and 5 compositions are done. The teacher may request revisions of these compositions (the correction of the original composition by the student) if desired.

Final Project: A project will be done that can assess the four language skills. The project will be carried out in class and also as independent work by the students.

Oral Activities: Throughout the course, at least one oral activity is performed, and at most two. This activity can be individual or in a group, in person or recorded. The oral activities, depending on the level and the number of students per class, can be monologues, dialogues, presentations, etc.

Partial Tests: Mid-course and using the days provided by the centre for exams, two partial tests are conducted: a written expression test (one or two tasks) and an oral expression test. These tests should be in a format similar to the final exam tests.

Attitude and Participation: The effort, attitude, and participation of the students are evaluated.

 

Continuous Assessment Exam

This test, in addition to being part of continuous assessment, is a level test that grants the right to obtain a Level Certificate issued by the UAB Language Service and recognized by the Government of Catalonia. Students who are doing the Tourism degree must accredit a B2 level. However, students who are doing the Tourism degree in English must accredit a C1 level.

This test assesses the four skills (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, and oral expression) and follows the specifications established by the UAB Language Service. It should be noted that, as it is a language proficiency exam to determine the student's competency level, it does not necessarily have a direct relation to the content worked on during the course. Through the test, the student must demonstrate that they have reached the required level to pass the course.

If the test is passed at the required level, the result represents 40% of the continuous assessment grade.

The final continuous assessment exam is taken on the same day and time as the final exam, along with students who have not done continuous assessment.

Exam Description and Passing Criteria

 

Single Assessment

If a student has not attended continuous assessment, they have the right to take the final exam that assesses the four skills (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, and oral expression) and follows the general exam specifications established by the Language Service. To access the single assessment, a request must be made to academic management at the beginning of the semester (September). The application periods are established according to the UAB administrative calendar. It will not be possible to request Single Assessment outside these periods or informally to the teacher.

The single assessment test consists of a language proficiency exam, through which the student must demonstrate that they have reached the required level for the course. Students who are doing the Tourism degree must accredit a B2 level. However, students who are doing the Tourism degree in English must accredit a C1 level.

The final grade on SIGMA will be the final grade of the language proficiency exam, meaning 100% of the course grade comes from this level exam. This exam grants the right to obtain a Level Certificate issued by the UAB Language Service and recognized by the Government of Catalonia.

Exam Description and Passing Criteria

 

Re-evaluation

Students who have not passed continuous assessment or the single assessment will have the right to re-evaluation as long as they score above 3.5 on the final grade. The test will consist of a level exam in which the four skills (reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, and oral expression) are assessed following the specifications established by the Language Service.

Passing the final exam in the re-evaluation session grants the right to obtain a Level Certificate issued by the UAB Language Service and recognized by the Government of Catalonia.

The final grade in SIGMA will be the final grade of the language proficiency exam, weighted out of 10.

 

Finally, the grade for the subject will be NOT EVALUABLE when the student attends less than half of the assessment activities and/or does not attend the final exam.


Bibliography

Course book

  • 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.

https://bemycareercoach.com/soft-skills/list-soft-skills.html (communication skills)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsxU43Xg9Io (The Hotel Inspector)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRo2rdJBMHY (careers in tourism)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q46nRbDO9dM (job interviews)

https://www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/matthew-taylor-blog/2017/05/what-makes-good-work (good work)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uVv_2d-9FA   (gender issues)

Dictionary

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com  (amb pronunciació)

Grammar books

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 and vocabulary exercises

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/

http://www.autoenglish.org/

https://www.englishclub.com/

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

http://www.eltbase.com/

Listening

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://writeandimprove.com/

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

Exam preparation

http://www.examenglish.com/

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

 


Software

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Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 English annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 English annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 3 English annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 4 English annual morning-mixed