English for the Media C2 (Mastery) 

S2 (TP2) - 2021/2022

Lecturer: Isabel Ferro Mealha

Email address: isabelmealha@campus.ul.pt

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% (9th May)
• Oral presentation - 20%: individual press review presented throughout the semester; presentation dates will be agreed upon with the teacher at the beginning of the semester
• Oral and written assignments & active participation - 35%
• Attendance - 5%. 

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 2021-2022 (compulsory – please bring your workbook to every class). Additional materials will be sent by email and/or posted on the E-Learning platform.

ATTENDANCE

There will be two 90-minute in-house classes and a 60-minute online tutorial every week. In accordance with FLUL's Regulations, attendance of in-house classes is compulsory. 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 mobile 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.

60-MINUTE ONLINE TUTORIAL SESSIONS

A weekly one-hour tutorial is held on Wednesdays from 8.00-9-00.

Please note that no roll call will be taken on online tutorials as some students may have timetable overlaps preventing them from attending regularly. However, it is in your best interest to attend them as online tutorial sessions will be mainly used for revision, answering students’ questions and extra practice, etc. 

The Zoom link for the one-hour tutorials will be emailed to all students at the beginning of the semester.

TEACHER/STUDENT COMMUNICATION

Teacher and students will communicate via institutional email addresses only. You should make sure that you check your institutional email on a regular basis so as not to miss out on any important information related to the class.

REQUIREMENTS

Having successfully completed English Strong Proficiency (C1.2) or having been placed in English Mastery (C2) as a result of a placement test done at the beginning of the academic year.