ULS Language Stage 4 (upper intermediate)

Module Title		ULS Language Stage 4 (upper intermediate)
Semester of Delivery		1
Mandatory/Elective/Option		Depends on degree
Level		1,2,3 & M
Credit Points		10 credits
Assessment Mode Weighting		Coursework 100%
Prerequisites		Stage 3 pass or A level grade E or above or equivalent
Co-requisites		Depends on degree
Class Contact Hours		Average weekly 2 hours
		Semester 30 hours
Directed Learning		Average weekly 4 hours
		Semester 70 hours
Module Leader		Christine Lyne
School		Sheffield Business School
Module Banding		B
Approval Status		Validated

Rationale	This module is designed to further develop the students' language skills acquired at stage 3 or at A level, so that they will be able to deal with some unpredictable exchanges typically to be found during a study/work placement abroad. They will be able to resolve most difficulties in everyday transactions and will be competent in a varied range of language tasks, both factual and expressive, in a variety of contexts.

Summary of Aims	to further develop students' receptive and productive skills, thus enabling them to communicate with a substantial degree of fluency and accuracy in the foreign language To equip students with the communicative proficiency and cultural awareness to undertake a study or work placement abroad. To encourage students to exploit a variety of media and sources in order to practise and extend their language skills To support and foster independent language learning

Anticipated Learning Outcomes	On completion of this module, students will be able to:
	extract information, ideas and opinions from a variety of media, e.g. newspaper articles, video recordings, satellite TV and radio broadcasts. orally communicate information and opinions in a variety of identified routine work and social situations e.g. interviews concerning work placement, presentations. produce extended texts in the foreign language on general or work related topics using an appropriate linguistic register e.g. business letter. accurately apply the grammatical points and range of structures appropriate for this stage of study. identify strengths and weaknesses in their language learning skills and draw up an action plan to address the needs they have identified. reflect on and evaluate their progress and adopt appropriate strategies to improve their competence in the foreign language. select and exploit appropriate resources in order to enhance their language learning, e.g. producing English summaries or translations of texts in the foreign language. apply communication skills to oral tasks requiring group/pair work activities and to oral presentations.

Assessment and Feedback Strategy
The assessment and feedback strategy is designed to help students meet the learning outcomes for this module. The evaluation of students' progress is based entirely on continuous assessment. Students complete a number of assignments set by the tutor at regular intervals throughout the course. These assignments are a mixture of time-constrained exercises and tasks completed outside the classroom. In addition students complete a portfolio of work containing a specified minimum number of tasks selected by the student. The portfolio counts for 25% of the overall mark for the assessment of this module and assignments set by the tutor, 75%. All assignments count towards the final mark at the end of the course.
The following skills will be assessed:
oral:	students participate in a role-play relating to a work/study placement, e.g. mock placement interview. (Outcomes 2, 4 & 8) students deliver a guided presentation on a topic they have researched for their portfolio. (Outcomes 2,4 & 8)

written:	students produce written texts in a variety of formats, e.g. formal letters, film critiques, in which they present both factual information and opinions. (Outcomes 3 & 4)
independent learning:	students' ability to independently select and exploit a variety of resources in the target language, e.g. summaries and translations of authentic texts, and to plan and manage their own learning will be assessed by the production of a portfolio of work. The portfolio is based on a needs analysis and learner action plan and contains a minimum number of language tasks together with a self-evaluation. (Outcomes 1, 4,5,6 & 7)
The exact timing and nature of the assignments will be communicated to students at the beginning of the module. Assessment will be consistent with standard university regulations. Feedback will be given to students after each assignment using a standard "Feedback Sheet". The feedback will inform students of their progress to date, indicate areas of strength and weakness and include advice on how to improve their performance. Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate their own performance.

Assessment Criteria	Oral assignments will be assessed as follows:
Pronunciation		(outcome 2) 20%
Accuracy		(outcome 4) 20%
Fluency		(outcomes 2 & 8) 20%
Independence		(outcomes 2 & 8) 20%
Content		(outcome 2) 20%

	Written assignments will be assessed as follows:
Content		(outcome 3) 40%
Use of language		(outcome 4) 30%
Accuracy		(outcome 4) 30%

	Presentations will be assessed as follows:
Linguistic elements		(outcomes 2 & 4) 40%
Presentation skills		(outcome 8) 20%
Content		(outcome 2) 40%

	Portfolios will be assessed as follows:
Content		(outcomes 1,4 & 7) 50%
Independence		(outcome 7) 20%
Planning and reflection		(outcomes 5 & 6) 20%
Organisation/presentation		10%

Detailed assessment criteria for each of the above tasks can be found in the attached document "Intermediate Descriptors".

Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods
	The teaching and learning strategy is designed to support students to enable them to achieve the learning outcomes for this module. Students are taught in groups of up to 22 students and attend one seminar per week. As language development only occurs when learners practise the language through regular participation in communicative activities, seminars focus primarily on providing opportunities for learners to practise such activities and use the foreign language in realistic contexts. These activities, e.g. role-plays, discussions, listening comprehension tasks based on audio and video recordings, grammar exercises, summarizing information and ideas, are designed to practise and reinforce vocabulary and structures presented by the tutor and to develop the students' confidence in using the foreign language. In addition, students will be required to work independently using the resources available in the open-access language learning facilities to complete a portfolio of language tasks. By completing a portfolio, students will develop life-long language learning skills, such as the ability to identify learning needs, develop appropriate learning strategies and reflect on learning and performance. In order to enhance their oral skills, students will be encouraged to participate in the Tandem Learning Scheme, whereby they are paired with a native speaker of the language they are studying, and also to work with the foreign language assistants in the open-access centre.
Indicative Content

Functions and topics:	Education system and University life Products and processes C.V. and letter writing Presenting facts Writing a precise account Translating texts of a general nature Language learning strategies Grammar structures (see Appendix 1 for an example of the range of structures covered)
Indicative Reading List	Tutor to recommend course book
		In addition students will require:
	a) a bi-lingual dictionary b) a suitable grammar reference book

APPENDIX 1: GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURES German Stage 4 Revision / Expansion - nouns: cases - pronouns - adjective endings, comparative and superlative - verbs: active and passive voice; conditional; tenses - adverbs - sentence structure in main and subordinate clauses New Points Verbs - pluperfect - conditional I, II and III - subjunctive II - use of subjunctive I, II and indicative - idiomatic combinations of verbs and prepositions plus the relevant case Pronouns - relative pronouns (all cases, singular and plural) - use of "man" Prepositions - prepositions plus genitive (eg trotz des schlechten Wetters) - "seit" plus present tense Adjectives - adjective endings Modal Particles - denn, doch, ja, etc Miscellaneous - impersonal expressions with "es", eg es gelingt mir

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