First Foreign Language (English): Narrative Uses
Code: 108324Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Translation and Interpreting | FB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Graham Perry
- Email :
- graham.perry@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Gema Rubio Carbonero
- Fiona Megan Kelso
- Geoffrey Vito Belligoi
- Laura Claire Trainor
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
When starting the course students should be able to:
- Understand different types of written texts about general topics in familiar subject areas (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
- Write fairly complex texts about personal and general topics in familiar subject areas (CEFR-FTI B1.2).
- Understand different types of spoken English about general topics in familiar subject areas (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
Express themselves in spoken English on personal and general topics in familiar subject areas using relatively complex constructions (CEFR-FTI B1.2)
Objectives
The aim of this course is to consolidate the students’ First Foreign Language (English) communicative competencies, develop their reading comprehension skills needed for direct translation of different types of non-specialised texts as well the competences needed to begin inverse translation.
At the end of the course students should be able to:
- Understand different types of written texts about general topics which cover a wide range of subject areas, styles and registers (CEFR-FTI B2.3)
- Write different types of text about general topics in familiar subject areas (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
- Understand different types of spoken English about general topics in subject areas, reflecting the most commonly used styles or registers (CEFR-FTI B2.3)
- Express themselves in different types of spoken English on general topics in familiar subject areas (CEFR-FTI B2.1)
Learning outcomes
- CM06 (Integrate the knowledge and skills of the first language to produce written or oral texts that are suitable for the textual genre and the communicative register.) Integrate the knowledge and skills of the first language to produce written or oral texts that are suitable for the textual genre and the communicative register.
- CM07 (Integrate the knowledge and skills of the first language to produce specialiaed written or oral texts using the appropriate register.) Integrate the knowledge and skills of the first language to produce specialiaed written or oral texts using the appropriate register.
- CM08 (Integrate language skills to communicate through inclusive and non-sexist language in the first language.) Integrate language skills to communicate through inclusive and non-sexist language in the first language.
- KM09 (Identify the lexical, morphosyntactic, phonological, rhetorical and linguistic variation characteristics of the first language.) Identify the lexical, morphosyntactic, phonological, rhetorical and linguistic variation characteristics of the first language.
- KM10 (Recognise the characteristics of the different textual genres in the first language.) Recognise the characteristics of the different textual genres in the first language.
- KM11 (Recognise the cultural characteristics of first language societies.) Recognise the cultural characteristics of first language societies.
- SM13 (Apply strategies to understand written or oral texts in the first language.) Apply strategies to understand written or oral texts in the first language.
- SM14 (Analyse the cultural references present in written or oral texts in the first language.) Analyse the cultural references present in written or oral texts in the first language.
Contents
Throughout the four subjects comprising the First Foreign Language for Translation and Interpreting, a wide variety of text types and communicative styles will be explored.
This subject will focus primarily on two text types: Narrative texts, such as extracts from novels and short stories, which will enable students to work on narrative structure, chronological progression and character development; and Descriptive texts, found in genres such as tourist guides or in descriptions of characters, situations and institutions, aimed at characterising spaces, entities and contexts.
In addition to developing comprehension and expression skills—both written and oral—in both text types, the course will address cultural aspects linked both to literature and to the administrative organisation of the country or countries under consideration. These topics will be explored using authentic documents relating to current social and cultural issues.
The subject will also explore the basic concepts of English phonetics and phonology, as well as comparing these with the sounds of Spanish and Catalan, with the aim of improving oral comprehension and production.
Throughout the course, students will be asked to read a contemporary novel, which will help to strengthen reading comprehension as a foundation for developing written and oral production, as well as fostering a critical approach to texts.
Overall, the subject will provide the necessary tools not only to achieve a sound command of the language, but also to develop the critical perspective essential in the field of translation and interpreting, enabling students to adapt meaning and tone according to the type of text.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension activities | 23 | 0.92 | CM07, SM13 |
| Listening comprehension activities | 13 | 0.52 | CM07, SM13 |
| Oral summary and analysis of a text | 10 | 0.4 | CM07, SM13 |
| Written and Oral exercises | 10 | 0.4 | CM07, SM13 |
| Written production and oral production activities | 6 | 0.24 | CM07, SM13 |
| Written exercises | 23 | 0.92 | CM07, SM13 |
| Reading comprehension and listening comprehension activities | 13 | 0.52 | CM07, SM13 |
| Written and summary exercises | 21 | 0.84 | CM07, SM13 |
| Preparation, supervision and revision of oral and written exercises | 7.5 | 0.3 | CM06, CM07, CM08, SM13, SM14 |
English foreign language skills will be broadened and deepened and the specific skills required for translation will be developed:
- Global skills and foreign language communication skills
- Special language skills in English as the working language for translation, with special emphasis on those that are of pragmatic, intercultural and contrasting relevance for translation.
The nature of the subject is theoretical-practical. The basis of textual analysis (language and translation) will be addressed, along with the reception and textual production of texts in English. All knowledge, skills, strategies and activities of the subject will be carried out through work with and on texts (standard models and current examples).
Training activities
- Accomplishment of tasks to develop strategies and methods of reading and textual comprehension.
- Accomplishment of tasks to develop strategies and methods of speech analysis for translation.
- Dealing with frequent linguistic and intercultural problems manifested in current texts, followed by tasks or grammar exercises and/or performative or corresponding detection tasks.
- Systematisation of textual synthesis and the bases of linguistic mediation through periphrasis, reformulation or explanation of textual contents.
- The improvement of textual production in English (production of concrete copies following text models) and the revision of defective texts.
- Carrying out oral and written communicative tasks based on the preparation of specific genres of the university career (e.g. abstract, summary, work script, oral presentation, textual analysis, review, linguistic autobiography) on topics of an (inter-)cultural, linguistic or translation-focused nature in the first foreign language.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Exam: Essay | 10% | 10 | 0.4 | CM07, SM13 |
| Final Exam: Reading Comprehension | 15% | 1 | 0.04 | CM07, SM13 |
| Continuous assessment: Participation and Engagement | 10% | 0 | 0 | CM06, CM07, CM08, KM09, KM10, KM11, SM13, SM14 |
| Final Exam: Summary | 15% | 1 | 0.04 | CM07, SM13 |
| Final Exam: Language Analysis | 10% | 0.5 | 0.02 | CM06, CM07, KM09, SM13 |
| Continuous assessment: Reading comprehension | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | CM07, SM13 |
| Continuous assessment: Summary | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | CM07, SM13 |
| Continuous assessment: Essays | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | CM07, SM13 |
| Continuous assessment: Oral expression and comprehension | 10% | 2 | 0.08 | CM07, SM13 |
Continuous Assessment
Assessment is continuous throughout the subject. Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing various tasks and tests. Task and test deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class. The information on assessment activities and their weighting is a guide. The subject lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.
Review
When publishing final grades prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer.
Missed/failed assessment activities
Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the final grade for the subject and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5. In case of retaking, the maximum grade will be 5 (Pass).
The lecturer will inform students in writing of the retake procedure involved when publishing final grades prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for.
Any student that takes a resit, will have their final grade capped at 5 regardless of individual marks obtained.
Classification as "not assessable"
In the event that the assessment activities a student has performed account for 25% or less of the final grade for the subject, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.
Misconduct in assessment activities
Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of “0” for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the student involved will be given a final grade of “0” for the subject. Assessment activities in which irregularities have occurred (e.g. plagiarism, copying, impersonation) are excluded from retake.
Use of artificial intelligence
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage of the assessment activities. Any work that includes AI-generated content will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will be graded a 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated.
Single assessment
This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.
Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the lecturer responsible for the subject, for the record.
Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website.
On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).
Single assessment activities
The breakdown for single assessment is the following:
- Reading activity (10%)
- Two writing activities of which one on the set book is obligatory (30%)
- Oral exam (10%)
- Text summary (25%)
- Use of English (10%)
Grade revision and retake procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this Study Guide.
Bibliography
Dictionaries
The Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner s Dictionary of English (2006) London: Cengage ELT
The Collins Cobuild English Usage Dictionary (2004) London: Collins
The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English (1997) Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
Merriam Webster 's Collegiate Dictionary (2004) Springfield: Merriam Webster Inc.
Grammar books
Carter, Ronald et al. (2000) Exploring Grammar in Context. Cambridge: CUP
Hewings, M. (2005) Advanced Grammar in Use (with answers and CD-ROM), Cambridge: CUP.
Murphy, R. (2004) English Grammar in Use (with answers and CD-ROM), Cambridge: CUP.
Swan, M. (2005) Practical English Usage, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Practice
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/quiz/quiz1/
Software
No specific software is used in this course.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 2 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 3 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 4 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |