BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
Students will develop an awareness of the main features of Standard English and its use, with particular emphasis on spoken communication, through the study of the pragmatic, functional, and contrastive dimensions of the language (the disciplinary objective of the official course). In line with the Degree Programme's learning objectives, students will also develop the ability to understand and interpret messages in relation to their communicative context and, subsequently, strengthen their communicative, expressive, and argumentative skills in English at CEFR B1 level. These competences encompass the four core language skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - which are further developed through the language support activities offered by the University's Language Centre (Centro Linguistico d'Ateneo, CLA: https://cla.unibg.it/it).
Course Prerequisites
As indicated in the Course Prospectus, students wishing to take this course must have taken the Placemnt test (https://lt-llsm.unibg.it/it/iscriversi/placement-test) and have an A2 level of language competence. Students whose language level is below A2 can participate in remedial activities offered during the academic year (visit the Centro Linguistico d'Ateneo webpage: https://cla.unibg.it/it).
Teaching Methods
Classes will consist of lectures, in which students are expected to take an active role by discussing the content presented and suggesting ways to engage with it.
Students also have access to applied language activities (AAL) at B1 level, as well as tutoring support (further information on these activities is available on the Centro Linguistico d'Ateneo webpage: https://cla.unibg.it/it).
Assessment Methods
Written test + oral exam
The written test and the oral exam may be taken only at the end of the course. In order to take the oral exam, students will have to pass the written test.
The written test is computerized and assesses instrumental skills (those practiced through the AAL / language activities). For information on the contents of the language activities (AAL), as well as the assessment procedures and the schedule of the related examinations, please refer to the CLA website (https://cla.unibg.it/it).
Passing the written examination qualifies students to take the oral examination, provided that they register for the examination session through the University's Sportello Internet system within the prescribed deadlines.
The oral exam consists in two interrelated parts:
- testing of the students’ linguistic and communicative skills (i.e. via the translation of short sentences, Italian-English)
- discussion (in English) of the contents of the course (see reference texts in Leganto): questions are designed to assess the student’s understanding of course contents (notions, principles, models, strategies and their use in practical contexts).
The grading will be based on 1) linguistic accuracy and correctness, 2) clarity and coherence, and 3) command of course content (in terms of precision and completeness).
Assessment Grid (out of 30):
- Excellent (30 e lode): Thorough and autonomous command of the content; all aspects of the programme are fully understood and applied with precision. No errors.
- Very Good (30–27): Solid and well-articulated understanding of the material; content is correctly applied, with only minor and occasional inaccuracies that do not compromise overall performance.
- Good (26–24): Generally competent understanding and application of the course content, though with some inaccuracies or imprecise use of terminology. Errors are not serious or systematic.
- Sufficient (23–18): Basic grasp of the core course content, with evident weaknesses and limited depth of understanding. Errors are present and noticeable, even when they do not fully compromise communication or comprehension.
- Insufficient (<18): Inadequate understanding or preparation; serious gaps in comprehension and application of key concepts. Frequent or repeated errors prevent a successful outcome.
Contents
Following a general introduction to the formal, functional, and pragmatic aspects of the English language, the course aims to illustrate the implicit conditions (constraints and expectations) that shape various communicative contexts (situational, cultural, and interpersonal), as well as the main discourse strategies used to enhance clarity of information, communicative effectiveness, and persuasion in interaction with interlocutors, particularly in applied and operative settings.
Online Resources
More information
The course is structured around the following volume:
Michele Sala 2026/2027. Introduction to English across Contexts: A Practical Guide to Language as Code, Social Tool, and Medium of Meaning. London: Routledge
PART I:
- Chapter 2.2.2. (Regularities in oral settings: structural preferences and prosody), only sections 2.2.2.1. (Preferred structure), 2.2.2.2. (Exchanges)
PART II:
- Chapters 1 to 7
PART III:
- Chapter 2 (Systemic dimension: language that shapes reality), only sections 2.1. (Naming level: categorization and linguistic relativism), 2.2. (Inference level: templates for reality representation), 2.4. (Processes of reality construal: Critical Discourse Analysis)
- Chapter 4.2.1. (Evidentiality) and section 4.2.1.1. (Explicit and implicit evidentiality)
- Chapter 4.3 (Management of contestation) and all related subsections
- Chapter 4.4 (Reasonableness), only section 4.4.1 (Argumentation)
The bibliographical details of the volume (which is essential for exam preparation for both attending and non-attending students) are available in this syllabus under “Online Resources – Leganto”
Relevant information about practice sessions (AAL) - i.e. syllabus, course books, etc. - may be found on the Centro Linguistico d'Ateneo webpage: https://cla.unibg.it/it -> Attività di apprendimento linguistico.
Students with a B1 certificate should present it to the Segreteria Studenti in order to get the exemption from parts of the exam, as indicated on the Centro Linguistico d'Ateneo webpage (further information can be found in the relevant section, here https://cla.unibg.it/it). Before the exam, it is the student’s responsibility to verify the validity or expiration of their certification and its recognition, according to the guidelines published on the Centro Linguistico d’Ateneo website.