Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

Students may take the course from the second semester of their second year in the degree program. To attend the course, you need to have an intermediate level of English proficiency.

REQUIREMENTS TO ACCESS THE LINGUA INGLESE EXAM: To take this exam, students must have passed the written English Lettorato test, intermediate level (Lettorato B). Once you have passed the Lettorato B test, your mark will be valid for three years.

Carefully read the online pages and FAQ document on English lettorato courses and tests: from www.didattica-cps.unito.it , go to the top bar and select Studiare>Lettorati di lingua>Inglese.

Students with an English language certification that:

a) is recognized as valid by the CPS Department,
b) corresponds to a B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and
c) was obtained no more than three years prior to the month when they choose to take the Lingua Inglese (English Language) exam,

may get in touch with the teacher by email, attaching a copy of the certification. The teacher will review the document and confirm to the student(s) whether the certificate is acceptable or not. If it is accepted, the student(s) will be allowed direct access to the course and its related exam (no Lettorato test required).

Educational goals

The main goal of the course is to strengthen students’ language proficiency skills and provide them with a set of basic tools from English linguistics that will allow them to access resources produced in English within the fields and disciplines characterising their degree course. Students will be able to access and elaborate such information through critical and personal thinking. More specifically, by interacting with texts and contents in the fields of linguistics, communication and sociology, but also related to technological innovation, students will develop critical skills in their consideration of impact and role of new technologies in society.

The aim of the course is to support students in reaching the following goals:

• An intermediate level of English, corresponding to a B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
• The ability to read scientific texts written in English;

• The ability to take notes;
• The ability to analyse and grasp the main concepts of a text in English – particularly, of texts about topics concerning their own disciplinary fields;
• The ability to reformulate a text/present a scientific argument in a logical and consistent way.

Developing these skills will be useful to make valuable contributions in professional interactions, especially in disciplinary contexts related to their degree course.

Expected learning outcomes

At the end of the course and individual study, it is expected that students will be able to demonstrate that they have achieved the following learning outcomes:

• Knowledge and understanding:
  • Recalling and understanding the basic concepts and tools related to English linguistics addressed within the course, applied to discourse analysis, while also recognizing their terminology.
  • Understanding, by identifying and remembering their main concepts, a range of English-language texts, including scientific ones, in the fields of linguistics and sociology, recognizing their terminology.

• Applying knowledge and understanding:
  • Analysing short texts or excerpts of texts by identifying their main linguistic-communicative functions, as they emerge from the linguistic choices and strategies observable in the texts, according to the basic linguistics tools presented during the course.
  • Using reading comprehension skills and linguistics to develop reflections on the role of technology and technological innovation in society.

• Communication skills:
  • Explaining in English the linguistics-related concepts introduced in the course, and using them to describe short texts or excerpts from a linguistic-communicative point of view.
  • Defining and explaining in English the main concepts studied in the course using appropriate terminology.
  • Explaining, rephrasing or summarising texts in English – both texts seen in class and presented to the student for the first time – related to the topics addressed during the course.
  • Being able to have a fluent and articulate conversation in English concerning the topics covered during the course.

• Making judgements:
  • Using the basic concepts related to English linguistics introduced during the course to critically evaluate the texts analysed (e.g. by identifying any problematic/contradictory/manipulatory aspects).

Module 1: Introduction to the analysis of language.

Module 2: case study: advertising discourse

Module 3: Innovation, technology, society and our future: how can we think of the recent technological innovations and our current global situation

Module 4: General language proficiency and office language (focus on the language of meetings).

All lectures will be in English except for the first one, which will be dedicated to a general description of the course and initial assessment of the class group.

Please note: even though not mandatory, given the subjects and contents covered we strongly advise you to attend the lessons.

The course consists in 36 hours of frontal lectures.

The final mark for the English language course combines that of the written Lettorato B test and an oral exam which covers the contents of the course. The Lettorato B mark accounts for 50% of the final mark. The exam is graded out of thirty.

Both attending and non-attending students will be assessed with an oral exam, consisting in an interview in English where the expected learning outcomes – knowledge and understanding, ability to apply knowledge, communication skills and critical re-elaboration of the course contents – along with language proficiency, will be tested. Questions in the interview concern the concepts and tools studied and/or a discussion of a short text excerpt relevant to the course contents. In particular, the following criteria will be considered:

• Accuracy and completeness of the contents
• Clarity and correctness in the use of English
• Proficiency in the use of specialised vocabulary
• Critical-analytical, summarising and re-phrasing skills.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) are advised to visit https://www.unito.it/servizi/lo-studio/studenti-e-studentesse-con-disturbi-specifici-di-apprendimento-dsa/supporto.

Support activities

Support materials

Support materials are provided; they include the slides shown in class and external links to resources available in freely accessible websites. These will be made available and described in further detail during the course

Supplementary classes

The ICT course offers a limited number of hours (to be established according to the number of interested people, based on an online survey circulated before the end of the course) BESIDES the standard 36-hour course, with optional attendance. These hours will be dedicated to students' preparation for the English language (Lingua Inglese) exam. During this time, students will have the opportunity to work in small groups or individually with a qualified instructor to improve their preparation and improve their language proficiency and communication skills.

It is recommended that students take this opportunity to strengthen their abilities and proficiency through practical activities which will be useful for their future careers as well as to prepare for the exam.

Further information will be provided during the course.

Tutoring for students with SLDs

Please note that an additional service of personalized tutoring has been activated for certified students with specific learning disorders (SLD). The person in charge is Prof. Elana Ochse. Follow this link and select "Tutoraggio Inglese per studentesse/studenti DSA" for further information.

Students who need support can email the teacher virgina.zorzi@unito.it.

Recommended readings and references, as well as specific material, will be provided by the teacher in the Moodle course page (link in the “Vai a Moodle” button at the bottom of the page). It is recommended that you check that page regularly.

Office hours: in person or online (Webex), by appointment only. To book an appointment, please email the teacher.

Teachers do not reply to emails that are not signed, or inquire about information that can be easily retrieved through the official sources of our department. We would also like to remind you that emails are not a replacement for meetings during office hours.

It is recommended that students enrol for the course in this Campusnet page (“registrati a questo insegnamento” link at the bottom of the page) as well as in the corresponding Moodle course (“Vai a Moodle” link at the bottom of the page).