English Department. English Curriculum: МАЭ

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1 English Department English Curriculum: МАЭ Course designers: O. Aksakalova, I. Kuznetsova, J. Pinnilla, T. Skopintseva, G. Skurlatova, A. Tsetkova The English Department curriculum strives to go beyond teaching of English. It purports that the content of the courses, the atmosphere of the class discussion, and studentteacher cooperation will reinforce students intellectual and professional development, enhance their leadership skills and help them grow as global citizens. With the commitment to communicative and learner centered approaches to teaching, this program fosters the enhancement of major English language skills. Furthermore, it seeks to appeal to each individual s intellectual capacity and curiosity by enabling access to diverse educational resources, and by incorporating a variety of teaching strategies. Rationale and goals The current curriculum aims to develop MAE graduates professionally relevant English language proficiency that will enable them to work successfully in the global multicultural business and academic environments. To achieve this goal the program focuses on the development of four major language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. During the course the students will also learn to think critically, to develop an argument with precision and clarity, and to produce written and oral texts in a variety of rhetorical modes. The current curriculum will enable this learning activity by integrating materials from multiple disciplines. NES students exposure to the English language through various discourses will enhance their communicative and cultural competences and will prepare them for work in multicultural settings.

2 Teaching and Learning Methodology The English program s teaching method pursues the communicative, task based, and learner centered approaches to teaching where the teacher acts as a facilitator in classroom discussions. The discussion topics are viewed in the cross cultural and global contexts and are meant to facilitate students critical thinking skills, as well as the development of their cultural competence. The materials, chosen by instructors (texts, speeches, podcasts, films, video clips, news reports, etc), must be authentic, challenging and thought provoking. They should also present rhetorically rich examples that students could emulate. The language instruction adheres to interactive and collaborative learning, integrating role playing, partner dialogues, and group activities in the classroom. The language material (grammar, vocabulary, etc) is selected in accordance with communicative objectives and the CEFR criteria for specific proficiency levels. In addition to language classes, students are encouraged to attend workshops and tutorials organized by instructors and the Writing and Communication Center. They can also gain assistance at individual tutorials. Curriculum structure English courses are mandatory for NES students. In the 1 st year, students are provided with courses of 150 contact academic hours throughout modules 1 4, September to April. Students attend English classes twice a week, and each session lasts 3 academic hours. The English proficiency threshold is based on the students entrance test scores and has the following spreading: TOEFL ibt: , or higher; IELTS: , or higher, CAE: A, B, C; CPE: C; BEC Higher: A, B, C. According to their entrance test scores the students are divided into two streams: stream 1, comprising students of C1 or advanced proficiency level stream 2, combining students of B2 or upper intermediate and B1 or intermediate levels of English proficiency. This way students are divided into 10 groups from higher to lower, where groups 1 4 mostly comprise advanced students (С1) and groups 5 10 comprise upperintermediate and intermediate (B1 and B2) students. Students of Stream 1 (C1) are offered two courses: Academic and Business Writing and English for International Communication.

3 Students of Stream 2 (B2, B1) are offered a course English for Written and Oral Communication. B2 and B1 students are also required to take an intensive English immersion course in the summer to help them become accommodated to the school s academic environment and comply with the highly challenging learning goals of MA curriculum in economics. All of these courses purport the main learning goals prescribed by the MA English Curriculum: enhancing writing and speaking skills. 1. Regular attendance during the academic year (no less than 80 % of classes) is crucial to the successful completion of the course. Students must attend classes with the assigned group. Migrating from one group to another is unacceptable. 2. Students academic performance is continually evaluated by instructors within the course syllabus throughout the year. 3. Each course has its individual grading policy. The instructor may modify or alter the syllabus to make up for lost classes, health or other reasons, or when s/he believes it necessary to attain course objectives. 4. Plagiarism is unacceptable.

4 Course description New Economic School Advanced Level Courses (C1) for groups 1 4 Academic and Business Writing This 75 hour course is designed for learners of English as a second language at the advanced level who need to use writing skills in diverse academic and professional contexts. It focuses on the key models of writing based on authentic language materials (e.g., summaries, reports, research papers, essays, resumes, cover letters etc.), with special emphasis placed on argumentative writing techniques. The course offers a variety of group, pair and individual in class activities and home assignments to help students with each stage of the writing process as well as to assist them in developing a habit of regular and productive writing. Course objectives Upon completion of the course, students will improve their writing skills and strategies, resulting in the ability to produce clear, well structured texts on a wide range of subjects with a necessary degree of language accuracy and in a style appropriate to the specific task. The course will enable them to enhance their general and academic language proficiency crucial to effective communication both for learning and work purposes. Attendance Students will have five absences which will not count against their end ofcourse grade; Six to eleven missed classes will affect the end of course grade by 20%; Twelve or more missed classes will result in a course failure; Late papers will receive a failing grade The grading breakdown Attendance and participation 20% Graded in class and homework 40% The midterm essay 20% The final essay 20% Recommended literature Langan, John. College Writing Skills With Readings. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.Swales, John and Feak, Christine. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills. Michigan: Michigan? University Press, Additional Language Materials (ALM): a selection of authentic printed and recorded texts; language exercises to address specific linguistic needs of individual learners. Additional Language Materials will be available as handouts for in class activities or as an electronic copy for home assignments.

5 English for International Communication Course description The course consists of 75 classes of three academic hours per week. It is designed for advanced English speakers who have an operational command of the language. In each class, the students will read, translate, and discuss un adapted texts which are relevant to business, economics, and international relations, and then prepare presentations that will defend their position on these texts as part of discussion and debate. Goals The main goal of the course is to develop and hone students oral fluency in English through discussion, debate, and presentations. As part of this process, students will increase their vocabulary levels and improve their pronunciation. By the end of the course, each student should posses the necessary speaking skills to succeed in a multinational business and academic environment. Attendance Attendance: Each student must attend a minimum of 80% of classes. Any student who arrives more than fifteen minutes late will be considered absent. The use of mobile phones is prohibited during class. The grading breakdown Classroom participation and homework 30% Two eight minute oral presentations session 30% A final twelve minute presentation 40% Recommended literature Powell, Mark. Dynamic Presentations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking. New York: McGraw Hill, Selected articles from The Economist, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes, and other contemporary publications.

6 Intermediate and Upper Intermediate Level Course (B1 and B2) for groups 5 10 Course description English for Written and Oral Communication This 150 hour (4 module) English course aims to strengthen students English language skills, such as academic reading and writing, advanced listening, and public speaking. It will utilize authentic, culturally enhancing, and thought provoking materials on a variety of topics, including identity, cross cultural communication, business ethics and economics, education, modernization and others. The course will emphasize interactive teaching and learning practices that facilitate the development of both communicative competence and critical thinking skills. Class activities and homework assignments will entail intensive vocabulary and grammar work. Course objectives Students will practice reading texts and thinking about those texts critically. Additionally, students will learn to organize and write thesis driven essays in a variety of rhetorical modes, as well as to develop and structure oral presentations. They will learn to understand authentic speech in different genres and styles. At the end of the course, students should have improved their command of written and spoken English, as prescribed by CEFR for B1 and B2 levels, and to have significantly enhanced their communicative and cultural competence. Attendance Regular attendance is crucial to doing well in this course. More than ten unexcused absences per the whole course will lower the final grade by 20 per cent. Excessive tardiness will also affect students final grades. Home assignments Home assignments, submitted after the deadline, will receive a failing grade. Late work is accepted only under extenuating circumstances, if the instructor is informed about them before the due date, and only during the current module. Grading The course grade: The final grade for the course will equal the average grade of all module grades plus the result of the final exam. The final exam will take place at the end of the 4 th module.

7 The grading breakdown for each module comprises: Class attendance and participation 20% Homework (written and oral) 40% Intermediate quizzes 15% Midterm tests 25% Make ups Make ups are allowed for midterm tests (tests at the end of each module) during the first two weeks of the next module only in the following circumstances: - If a student could not take the test for extenuating reasons - if a student has got a 2 for the test Required materials A Collection of Readings for Intermediate and Upper Intermediate Students of English, NES, MAE program Lucas, Stephen E. The Art of Public Speaking, New York: McGraw Hill, 2012.Powell, Mark. Dynamic Presentations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Recommended literature Azar, Betty S. et al, Understanding and Using English Grammar. Regents: Prentice Hall, Billingham, Jo. Giving Presentations, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Comfort, Jeremy. Effective Presentations, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Powell Mark. Presenting in English, Hampshire: Heinle Cengale Learing, Thurman, Susan, ed. Expanding Horizons: Short Readings and Images from Unusual Topics. London: Longman, 2007.