CJVA104 Academic English

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Šárka Roušavá, B.A. (lecturer)
Mgr. Kateřina Gratrix (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Dana Plíšková (assistant)
Mgr. et Mgr. Petra Trávníková, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Šárka Roušavá, B.A.
Language Centre Faculty of Social Studies Division – Language Centre
Contact Person: Mgr. Šárka Roušavá, B.A.
Supplier department: Language Centre Faculty of Social Studies Division – Language Centre
Timetable of Seminar Groups
CJVA104/01: Mon 8:00–9:40 U36, K. Gratrix
CJVA104/02: Mon 12:00–13:40 U44, Š. Roušavá
CJVA104/03: Mon 14:00–15:40 U44, Š. Roušavá
CJVA104/04: Tue 8:00–9:40 U36, Š. Roušavá
CJVA104/05: Tue 10:00–11:40 U36, Š. Roušavá
CJVA104/06: No timetable has been entered into IS. Š. Roušavá
CJVA104/07: Tue 14:00–15:40 U44, Š. Roušavá
Prerequisites
((FAKULTA(FSS)&&TYP_STUDIA(BMN))||(OBOR(MUSFSS)))&&(( PdF:ADAPT_AJ Adaptive Test Aj || ADAPT_B1 Adaptive Test B1 ))&&(!NOWANY( CJVA102 Academic English with a Focus on Presentations , CJVA101 Academic English with a Focus on Writing , CJVA103 Academic English with a Focus on Intercultural Communication ))
Passing ADAPT_B1 Adaptivní test Aj with the result indicating that you are at the B1 level or higher (https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/fss/jaro2024/ADAPT_B1/index.qwarp).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 105 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 87/105, only registered: 2/105, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/105
Course objectives
Students will have a B2 level (CEFR) of English in academic writing, speaking, reading and listening in fields that pertain to topics related to studies at FSS. They will be able to give short academic presentations, lead discussions and engage in simple debates related to social science themes. They will be capable of summarizing and analysing written and audio texts, as well as contributions from other students in a cohesive, polite and concise manner. They will also have the ability to think critically about issues, and to present coherent responses and critiques, both verbally and in writing.
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the course, which is marked by a pass mark of 61 out of 100 points, the student is able to do the following at a level of at least B2 (CEFR):

1. Give a short presentation based on the criteria presented in the course, and respond appropriately to discussion questions posed afterwards; speak spontaneously and comprehensibly in the context of the class (e.g. discussion, debate, expressing one's own ideas, paraphrasing and summarizing others' ideas, including those that are in person, recordings and texts).

2. Read, understand and work with academic texts;

3. Write a variety of short texts (e.g. academic summary, abstract, position paper and other texts that pertain to the student's field of study);

4. Understand spoken language in the context of discussions, presentations, debates and recordings.
Syllabus
  • week 1 - Seminar 1 - Introduction to Argumentation: controversial topics, organizing ideas, expressing opinions
  • week 2&3 - Seminar 2 - Presentation Skills: structure, topic selection, introduction, purpose statement, conclusion & building confidence, sign-posting, formality, handling questions
  • week 4 & 5 - Seminar 3 - Social Sciences - paraphrasing, summary & abstract writing, academic vs. journalistic style, lead vs. topic sentence or thesis statement, structure & style, register, referencing, quoting
  • week 6 - Seminar 4 - The Information Age: surveys, adverbs of frequency, drafting arguments
  • week 7 - Seminar 5 - World Changing (environment) - summarizing; responding to opinion, pronunciation
  • week 8 - Seminar 6 - Politics & International Relations - verifying/falsifying arguments, cohesion tools, short argumentative text
  • week 9 - Seminar 7 - News & Media - fact vs. opinion, language of (dis)agreement, relative clauses - defining/non-defining clauses
  • week 10 - Seminar 8 - Human Behavior: compiling information for a position paper, comparing & contrasting, hedging, conclusions
  • week 11 - Seminar 9 - Cultural Anthropology: opinion vs. fact, justifying opinions, developing argumentation, modal verbs
  • week 12 - Seminar 10 - Writing a Position Paper: developing and framing ideas, coherent paragraphing, thesis statement
  • Note: The order and content of the seminars may differ slightly from the above.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • THAINE, Craig. Cambridge Academic English: An integrated skills course for EAP: B2: intermediate. Edited by Michael McCarthy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013. ISBN 9780521165198.
  • HEWINGS, Martin. Cambridge academic English : an integrated skills course for EAP : student's book : upper intermediate. Edited by Michael McCarthy. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521165204. info
Teaching methods
Class discussions, debates, presentations, current event reports, homework, reading, writing, mind-mapping, peer-review, language quizzes
Assessment methods
1) Active participation at 70% of the lessons during the semester.

2) Preparation for classes and class work with approximately 5 smaller assignments (35 points – deadlines to be announced throughout the term); for example:

A) weekly written leads on current issues (30-50 words) – to be done at home and presented orally in each class
B) written introduction of a topic idea for a short presentation – 50-100 words
C) 6-8 minute-long practice presentation on an academic topic (delivered in class) [12 points]
D) written abstract (to accompany the presentation; 150-250 words) [8 points]
E) written summary of a class presentation or video (100-200 words) [5 points]
F) written argumentative text (150-250 words) [10 points]

3) Summary of a short lecture (listening): to take place in the last week of the teaching part of the semester, i.e. during CREDIT WEEK [15 points]

4) Position paper: this involves the writing of a 500-700 word long summary and critique of a text based on your reading of a 5-15 page long chapter from an English book/academic article of your choice (your written text is to be submitted during the EXAM PERIOD in advance of your final presentation described in point 5; 25 points)

5) Short academic presentation (6-8 minutes long) of the position paper, followed by a discussion (to take place in the EXAM PERIOD after the submission of the position paper; 25 points)

That makes a total of 100 points for the 4-credit option of the course. The pass mark is 61 out of 100 points.
For the 2-credit option, points 4 and 5 are left out, for a total of 50 points. The pass mark is 30 out of 50 points.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught each semester.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
Note for students of COMBINED/DISTANCE studies:

As much as we would like to TEACH you in this course, our official obligation to those in your study option is ONLY to ASSESS you (i.e. we are not paid for teaching you during the semester). For this reason, you will have access to the regular materials (i.e. for attending students) and will be getting occasional emails throughout the semester with instructions and encouragement. Because of this non-contact nature of the course, we will NOT be meeting on-line until the exam period, when you will have your final presentation on Zoom in small groups with the teacher.

Until then, you will be studying independently with the help of the seminar materials, online syllabus and occasional emails, and communicating with your peers through the DISCUSSION FORUM.

The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2019, Spring 2020, Autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Autumn 2021, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2024, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2024/CJVA104