▪ consolidating English structures; 

▪ improving the students’ ability to understand and interpret literary texts and appreciate their literary value; 

▪ enabling students to both communicate spontaneously and at ease with other fluent/proficient speakers of the language; 

▪ allowing students to develop clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects in most fields of interest as well as explain a viewpoint on a non-topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options;

▪ developing students’ writing and argumentative skills. These aims will be achieved by means of specific written and oral activities, which will serve as the basis for continuous assessment. 

These activities will include: 

▪ Reading: Short stories, newspaper & magazine articles will be selected for in-class discussions and activities. A novel will also be read independently and discussed in class; 

▪ Academic Writing: Descriptive texts & literary essays; 

▪ Speaking: Expressing and defending viewpoints on previously selected topics in formal debates; 

▪ Listening: Talks, documentaries and short videos on relevant topics will be screened and discussed. 

2. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING SYSTEM 

Assessment will be continuous, and will consist of the following:

▪ Written Exercise:         20% 

▪ Written Test:                30% 

▪ Oxford-Style Debate:  30% 

▪ Attendance & Participation (incl. mini-debate): 20% 

2.1. Date for the Writing Exercise:  Nov. 12 

2.2. Dates for the mini-debates:  Oct. 28 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 19 | Dec.

2.2.3. Dates for the Oxford-Style Debates:  Nov. 26 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 17 

NB: ▪ Each group will be assigned one of the dates to do their Oxford-Style Debate; 

▪ If you do not come to class on the day you are meant to do your in-house written assessment or participate in the group debate, you will get 0. 

2.4. Date for the Written Test:  Dec. 10 

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY 

▪ The course book is available in print (see Red photocopy shop) and online (see ULisboa’s e-learning website). 

▪ Compulsory reading: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 

Dictionaries: students are expected to have at least one of the following dictionaries: 

▪ Cambridge International Dictionary of English 

▪ Collins Cobuild Dictionary of English Language 

▪ Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture 

▪ Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English ▪ The New Penguin English Dictionary

ZOOM LINK (Online tutorials on Tuesdays)

TP6 (11.00am-12.00pm)

https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/85190043761?pwd=UUd5Wk94aG9zZHVsUkVSWjJlWDdpUT09
Password: 519021

Meeting ID: 851 9004 3761 

 
Watch & Write: Short film "The Eye of the Storm" (Dir. Christopher Alender, 2011)

▪ consolidating English structures; 

▪ improving the students’ ability to understand and interpret literary texts and appreciate their literary value; 

▪ enabling students to both communicate spontaneously and at ease with other fluent/proficient speakers of the language; 

▪ allowing students to develop clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects in most fields of interest as well as explain a viewpoint on a non-topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options;

▪ developing students’ writing and argumentative skills. These aims will be achieved by means of specific written and oral activities, which will serve as the basis for continuous assessment. 

These activities will include: 

▪ Reading: Short stories, newspaper & magazine articles will be selected for in-class discussions and activities. A novel will also be read independently and discussed in class; 

▪ Academic Writing: Descriptive texts & literary essays; 

▪ Speaking: Expressing and defending viewpoints on previously selected topics in formal debates; 

▪ Listening: Talks, documentaries and short videos on relevant topics will be screened and discussed. 

2. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING SYSTEM 

Assessment will be continuous, and will consist of the following:

▪ Written Exercise:         20% 

▪ Written Test:                30% 

▪ Oxford-Style Debate:  30% 

▪ Attendance & Participation (incl. mini-debate): 20% 

2.1. Date for the Writing Exercise:  Nov. 12 

2.2. Dates for the mini-debates:  Oct. 28 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 19 | Dec.

2.2.3. Dates for the Oxford-Style Debates:  Nov. 26 | Dec. 9 | Dec. 16 | Dec. 17 

NB: 

▪ Each group will be assigned one of the dates to do their Oxford-Style Debate; 

▪ If you do not come to class on the day you are meant to do your in-house written assessment or participate in the group debate, you will get 0. 

2.4. Date for the Written Test:  Dec. 10 

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY 

▪ The course book is available in print (see Red photocopy shop) and online (see ULisboa’s e-learning website). 

▪ Compulsory reading: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 

Dictionaries: students are expected to have at least one of the following dictionaries: 

▪ Cambridge International Dictionary of English 

▪ Collins Cobuild Dictionary of English Language 

▪ Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture 

▪ Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English 

▪ The New Penguin English Dictionary

ZOOM LINKS (Online tutorials on Tuesdays)

TP5 (10:00-11.00am)

https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/83157301503?pwd=aFFxQi9BeFhyc0VxV0ZsRkF4dU8ydz09
Password: 499062

Meeting ID: 831 5730 1503 

 
Watch & Write: Short film "The Eye of the Storm" (Dir. Christopher Alender, 2011)

Assessment of a well-written and a poorly-written argumentative essay.