REMINDER: first in-house class is on Tuesday, 6th September.

English for the Media C2 (Mastery) 2020/2021 

AIMS

The course follows the general objectives for the Mastery Level (C2) outlined in the Council of Europe document Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF) but has specific objectives connected with the language of the media. By semester completion, the student will have learned some aspects of a style of writing and of a specific language used in the written press. These aspects include the vocabulary and grammar as used by the printed press. 

Classes will involve the reading and analysis of newspapers, comparison and contrast of the stylistic features typical of popular and quality British newspapers, and the studying of examples of English language change and development in newspaper texts. Additionally, students will be encouraged to produce different types of newspaper texts (e.g. editorials, features, opinion columns, and letters to the editor).

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING SYSTEM

In accordance with Regulamento Geral de Avaliação da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, students will be assessed on oral and written work throughout the semester. Weighting will be as follows: 

• Writing test - 40%  - Date: 15th December 2020*
• Oral presentation - 20%: individual press review presented throughout the semester in Zoom classes exclusively; presentation dates will be agreed upon with the teacher at the beginning of the semester
• In-class oral and written assignments & active participation - 35%
• Attendance (Zoom and in-house classes) - 5%. 

*In case the class is split into group A and group B (because of the excessive number of students enrolled), the test shall be held on 15th December (group A) and 17th December (group B).

Since assessment will be conducted on a regular basis, any task that is not submitted when due and/or any form of plagiarism will be given a zero. Any student who fails to do one of the above-mentioned tests/tasks will be given a zero. Worker students may, if they so wish, opt for continuous assessment (in which case they will have to comply with all the assessment criteria set for regular students) OR sit the Época Especial de Avaliação examination. The examination will focus on the contents of the syllabus adopted for the course English for the Media (C2).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

English for the Media Workbook 2020-2021 (compulsory – please bring your workbook to every class) – available from Reprografia Vermelha.

Additional materials will be sent by email and/or posted on the E-Learning platform.

ATTENDANCE 

In accordance with FLUL's Regulations, attendance is compulsory for both Zoom and in-house classes (please remember that your camera must be turned on during  Zoom sessions). For exceptions, please check the Regulamento geral de avaliação da faculdade de letras da universidade de Lisboa (RGA, FLUL) at http://www.letras.ulisboa.pt/pt/sobre-a-flul/legislacao/normas-e-regulamentos/faculdade-de-letras-da-universidade-de-lisboa/181--133/file.

Absence from class does not excuse you from submitting work or actively participating in the following class. If absence is due to illness or other emergency, please submit a doctor’s note or any other appropriate documentation within the following ten working days (see section 4, paragraph 2, RGA, FLUL).

Please be punctual and do not use cell phones in class. Texting, emailing, 'surfing' the web in class, posting on social media is extremely disrupting to other students, and a waste of your time in class. Students who are found disruptive of other students' learning will be asked to leave the room or removed from the Zoom class.

You are welcome to use your own laptop, tablet, etc. for in-class assignments when not otherwise specified.

TEACHER/STUDENT COMMUNICATION

Teacher and students will communicate via institutional email addresses only. You should make sure that you (a) give a correct institutional individual email address; (b) check your institutional email on a regular basis. Please do not send your emails after 8 pm on the day before each class. 

TUTORIALS

A weekly tutorial is available on Mondays between 11:30h-12:30h.

The Zoom link for the one-hour tutorials will be provided to all students by email. 

Please note that tutorials are made by appointment. This means that you must email me beforehand saying on which Monday  you would like to have a tutorial.

Semester plan*

1 October	5 October	6 October	8 October	12 October
THURSDAY  Programme and assessment rules	ZOOM class HOLIDAY	TUESDAY  Front page	THURSDAY  Front page	ZOOM class Front page
13 October	15 October	19 October	20 October	22 October
TUESDAY  Headlines	THURSDAY  Headlines	ZOOM class Headlines	TUESDAY  Journalism issues	THURSDAY  News stories & features
26 October	27 October	29 October	2 November	3 November
ZOOM class News stories & features	TUESDAY  News stories & features	THURSDAY Journalism issues	ZOOM class Journalism issues Oral presentations start	TUESDAY  Editorials
5 November	9 November	10 November	12 November	16 November
THURSDAY  Editorials	ZOOM class Editorials Oral presentations	TUESDAY  Journalism issues	THURSDAY  Journalism issues	ZOOM class Journalism issues Oral presentations
17 November	19 November	23 November	24 November	26 November
TUESDAY  Journalism issues	THURSDAY  Op-ed pieces	ZOOM class Op-ed pieces  Oral presentations	TUESDAY  Op-ed pieces	THURSDAY  Op-ed pieces
30 November	1 December	3 December	7 December	8 December
ZOOM class Oral presentations	TUESDAY  HOLIDAY	THURSDAY  Journalism issues	ZOOM class Oral presentations	TUESDAY  HOLIDAY
10 December	14 December	15 December	17 December
THURSDAY  Letters to the Editor	ZOOM class Letters to the Editor	TUESDAY Writing test	THURSDAY  END OF SEMESTER

*This plan is just indicative of the work we will carry out throughout the semester. Alterations shall be made in accordance with the work done in each class.