ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Intended Learning Outcomes according to the Dublin Descriptors:

1. Knowledge and understanding: recognise the fundamental morphosyntactic structures of English as applied to scientific and academic discourse; understand the key concepts related to English as a Global Language and the conventions of Academic English; decode the content of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations; interpret technical data, graphs and tables taken from scientific papers and case studies in the agricultural and wine sectors.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding: produce job application documents in English, including CVs, cover letters and professional emails; use data analysis strategies (working with data) to describe phenomena related to agricultural and wine production and sustainability; apply linguistic knowledge to navigate and critically understand authentic materials.

3. Making judgements: select and critically evaluate information sources in English; analyse and understand the linguistic features of a source in order to develop independent reflection on how the English language functions.

4. Communication skills: communicate effectively in written and spoken English with accuracy and appropriate register; present oneself confidently in academic and professional contexts; present and comment in English on the thematic content of the course.

5. Learning skills: use lexicographical resources, sources and authentic texts independently; reflect on one’s own language production and identify areas for improvement; pursue further study of English for Specific Purposes in the fields of Oenology and Viticulture in subsequent years.

The course is structured into lectures and exercises.

 If teaching is delivered in a blended or distance learning format, the necessary changes may be made to the above in order to comply with the programme set out in the Syllabus.

Information for students with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. 

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs. You can also contact the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or SLDs) reference teachers in our Department.

The course is divided into two modules:

Module 1: Linguistic Foundations

This module focuses on consolidating the grammatical and syntactic competences necessary for communication, including an initial approach to scientific discourse.

The aim is to provide students with the tools to master the structures of the English language (from the verb system to the construction of complex sentences), laying the groundwork for the comprehension of academic texts and sector-specific articles.

Module 2: Professional Communication & Global Perspectives

This module explores the practical and global dimension of the language.

Language learning is integrated with specific thematic content through the analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

Students will also develop professional communication skills, with particular attention to writing professional emails, CVs, and to describing and interpreting data (data reporting), in order to provide the foundations for a conscious and effective use of sector-specific vocabulary.

Further information and publication of teaching materials on Studium and on MTeams (channel code: ozvp0ju).

For Module 1

• Recommended grammar book:

Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, 5th edition. Cambridge University Press, 2019.

For Module 2

• Material provided by the teacher and published on Studium and MTeams.

The exam will consist of an oral interview aimed at assessing the knowledge acquired in both modules.

The oral examination will begin with a personal presentation by the candidate in English, taking into account grammatical accuracy, pronunciation and fluency. This will be followed by questions on the fundamentals of grammar (1–2 topics/translations). Candidates will then be asked to read a short passage related to one of the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda, followed by an explanation and commentary in English. Finally, 1–2 questions in English will be asked, each drawn from the topics outlined in the syllabus of Module 2.

The course may also include a written test to assess the acquisition of grammatical knowledge (multiple-choice questions, cloze tests, short translations).

Assessment criteria:

Pass with distinction: The student demonstrates a complete and confident mastery of the content, uses accurate and appropriate language, and applies knowledge independently and critically.

Pass: The student shows adequate knowledge of the content, an overall correct level of linguistic competence, and applies the acquired knowledge appropriately.

Fail: The student displays significant gaps in content knowledge and/or required competences, failing to meet the minimum learning outcomes.

Below there is a list of possible topics on which to reflect and discuss in the exam.

Of course, what is listed below is intended as a model and not as an exhaustive list of the questions.

Introduce yourself, use of articles, plural nouns, prepositions: types and usage; various verb tenses and contexts of use, adjectives; modals, conditional, passive voice, reported speech; aspects of academic writing; writing a professional email or a CV; describing data; English as a global language; Agenda 2030; UN; sustainable development and the 17 goals; case studies in the wine sector.