Course Outline
ANO 1005
Course Aims
This seminar course focuses on learning English for academic, professional and social
purposes, and aims:
 to refresh and enhance your communicative competence in spoken and written English;
 to practise and extend your knowledge, use and range of English vocabulary and
grammar in the contexts of academic, professional and social life;
 to build your confidence in speaking English, so that you will be more ready to dialogue
with other speakers of English;
 to equip you to be able to discuss relevant social issues in English;
 to prepare you for the Oral Filter Examination at the end of Semester 2;
 to promote an interest in the life and culture of English-speaking countries.
Methodology
The methodology is grounded on a theme-based approach and relies on the use of audio
and visual media to enhance clarity, stimulate interest and instil motivation in learning.
These media (CD, DVD, YouTube and computer–generated images) provide the opportunity
for projecting the modelling of native-speaker language, grammatical patterns and
vocabulary.
The course will concentrate on spoken language, which, by its nature is flexible and
dynamic, and lends itself to discussion, negotiating, questioning and clarifying. Spoken
language cannot be taught and learned in isolation from the other skills of writing, reading,
listening, so most lessons will integrate all four skills. Training in pronunciation and nonverbal language will also form an integral part of the course. Discussions on news and
current affairs are presented to inform and stimulate discussion on up-to-date topics and to
learn and use English idioms. Songs are an integral part of the methodology and are used to
help build vocabulary, improve pronunciation and promote cultural awareness.
Course Structure
The course comprises 2x 45 minute contact hours per week over 14 weeks.
Course Schedule
The 2 semesters have been scheduled to cover all 11 Oral Filter Examination Topics. The first
semester is organisedas follows:
Week
Topic
1-2
3-4
5-6
7
8-9
10
11-12
13-14
1.Family
2. Education
3. Jobs
4. Travelling and Holidays
5. Entertainment and Social Life
6. Sports
7. Health and Eating
Oral Presentations
Attendance
Please note that in line with college policy on attendance, missing more than three seminars
will result in a failure of the subject, unless there are extenuating circumstances which have
caused absence for more than three seminars.
Semester 1
Topic 1: Family
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Family Roles
Divorce
Youth Problems
Homelessness
Topic2: Education
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
School Types
Language Learning
Education in English-speaking Countries
Rights of Students
Topic3: Jobs
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Working in the European Union
Job Satisfaction
Priorities in Life
Unemployment
Topic4: Travelling and Holidays
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Travelling by Car, Train, Ship, Plane
Accommodation
Crossing Borders, Travelling Abroad
Organising a Holiday
Topic5: Entertainment and Social Life
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
Types of Entertainment
Computers
Media
Mobile Phones
Topic6: Sports
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
Traditional Sports
Olympics
Extreme Sports
Doping
Topic7: Health and Eating
7.1
Diseases
7.2
7.3
7.4
Addictions
Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol
Healthy Diet, Keeping Fit
Assessment
Your assessment will incorporate classroom participation (20%), and an oral presentation
(80%). For the classroom participation component, you will be required to be actively
involved in the class and contribute to discussion and debate. For the oral presentation you
will be required to prepare and deliver a presentation supporting your point of view on your
chosen topic, taken from the topics covered in the course (see above), or the relevant social
issues (see below). Your oral presentation needs to include a PowerPoint presentation,
which should be submitted one week before you are due to give your presentation.
Associated social issues will be covered generally in the course and vocabulary and ideas
pertaining to them will be discussed in class. However, you will need to research the topic
outside class time to prepare your argument. You will be required to speak on your topic for
at least ten minutes, without the aid of the full script. Only short notes in point form will be
permitted during your presentation. You are encouraged to be as creative as possible in your
presentation, so make use of the technology which will be made available (i.e. laptop,
internet access, CD/CVD player).
1. Family
1.1
More women should be in leadership positions in the workforce?
1.2
Marriage is no longer regarded as important.
1.3
The high unemployment rate in Hungary is causing hopelessness among young
people.
1.4
There are more and more homeless people dying on the streets, especially at winter
time.
2. Education
2.1
The subjects being taught in schools are not relevant to the requirements of
employers?
2.2
The decrease in the number of births among Hungarian families is causing a
decrease in the demand for teachers, which means a reduction in teacher training
courses.
2.3
The education system in Hungary needs to be aligned with other EU countries.
2.4
Even though students have basic rights, the power of the teacher is still very
prevalent in the Hungarian education system, and teachers exploit this to their
advantage.
3. Jobs
3.1
There is a growing concern in EU countries regarding the exploitation of workers and
getting them to work illegally.
3.2
Workers in Hungary are working for much less that they should, so that they can
keep their jobs.
3.3
In Hungary there is a marked increase in the incidence of alcoholism and depression,
especially among men, because of unrealised life goals and expectations.
3.4
The high unemployment rate and lack of prospects is breeding a sense of
hopelessness for the future among the young people in Hungary today.
4. Travelling and Holidays
4.1
The amount of ground and air traffic is causing major environment problems.
4.2
Hospitality employees are paid very little and have to work very long hours.
4.3
The main Budapest airport has reduced staff to save money, so there are not
enough customs officials to control and detect the entry of illegal passengers.
5. Entertainment and Social Life
5.1
TV has become the most influential media in our society and has become the most
problematic in regard to the promotion of addiction to pornography.
5.2
Computers have become a necessary part of life, but they have become an addiction
for many who have forgotten what it is like to live in the real world and to have real
personal contact.
5.3
There is a growing opinion that there needs to be more censorship of the mass
media.
5.4
Mobiles in public places, such as in the theatre, the classroom, the restaurant,
are a menace, because they disturb others with their ring tones, and people speak
loudly on their phones so that everyone can hear their conversations.
6. Sports
6.1
Sport is not an integral part of the school curriculum in Hungary. This situation
needs to change if Hungary is to become a healthy nationand if it is produce
world class sports people.
6.2
Hungary’s medal tally of 17 (9th position) in the 2012 games was a big
improvement on that of the 2008 games (10). This perhaps is an indication
that the priority given to sport in schools is on the increase.
6.3
Too many young people are being injured or killed while doing extreme sports,
so there needs to be some sort of tighter regulation of their limits of safety.
6.4
There is a growing concern among the sporting world in Hungary about the
number of young athletes who are taking drugs to enhance their performance.
7. Health and Eating
7.1
It has been proven that people who use solariums have double the risk of
getting skin cancer before the age of 40. As such, solariums should be banned.
7.2/3 The depressed economic and social environments in Hungary have caused a
lack of hope for many Hungarians who resort to addictions to escape reality.
7.4
As a result of the unhealthy lifestyle and eating and cooking habits of the
Hungarians, the Hungarian health system is struggling to cope with the related
costs due to these problems.
Grading Criteria
I am advising you in advance of the exam the criteria on which you will be graded. This is
aimed at helping you in your preparation, to ensure you are aware of the expectations of the
exam and to avoid any misconceptions on how you will be assessed.
Criteria
Descriptors
Fluency and Coherence: Ability to speak smoothly and expressively with logical sequencing of
sentences
10
Grading
Accuracy:
Ability to produce correct sentences using correct grammar and vocabulary
10
Pronunciation:
10
Ability to pronounce words correctly with appropriate stress and intonation
Communication:
Ability to display appropriate body language and facial expressions
Presentation:
Ability to support effectively concepts and ideas through visual media
(*grade scores: 0-16 = 1; 17-21 = 2; 22-27 = 3; 28-33 = 4; 34-40 = 5)
The Use of Visual Media
You are encouraged to use visual media (PowerPoint or Posters) in your oral presentation. Here are
some useful guidelines in preparing visuals:
Make it clear
 Visuals should be concise, simple and relevant.
 Arrange your visuals in a logical sequence in line with your presentation structure.
5
5
Total 40*
 Use one message per slide.
 Limit the amount of text on each slide.
 Check spelling and grammar.
Make it big
 Visuals should be readable from the back of the room.
 Use a large font (at least 24 points).
 Choose a simple font, like Helvetica, Arial or Times.
 Don’t use all capitals.
 Make sure captions on pictures or graphs can be clearly seen from the back of the room.
Make it simple
 Your slides should be simple and clear.
 Avoid busy backgrounds that make text hard to read.
 Use animations sparingly.
 Use clear sound and sharp focus if using video clips.
 Avoid the sound effects that accompany PowerPoint animations.
Be visual
 Ensure there is a clear contrast between text and background colour.
 Use a highlight colour to emphasis key words.
 Don’t use too many colours on one slide.
 Use colours that harmonise rather than clash.
 Choose graphic material to support your presentation.
 Pictures should be clear and in focus.
Remember: Visuals are aids to support and enhance an oral presentation – they are not the focus –
you are.
Course Outline
ANO 1013
Course Objective
The objective of this course is to provide you with an understanding of the culture and
history of the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). The course will cover
various aspects of this English-speaking country. Topics covered will include geography,
history, politics, religion, education, cultural diversity, economy, sport and leisure, the
monarchy, media and language. The course aims to give you an appreciation of British
society, of the role this country played in establishing a strong colonial presence in a number
of regions of the world, and how it has contributed to the modern western and global
civilisation. The course is intended to prepare students for further study in English-speaking
colonial civilisation.
Course Structure
The course comprises one 45-minute lecture and one 45-minute seminar per week over 14
weeks. The outline of topics covered is shown below:
Week
Lecture Topics
Seminar Topics
1-2
3.
4.
5.
The United Kingdom – Overview
Scotland – Overview
Wales – Overview
Northern Ireland – Overview
EU Referendum
De-United Kingdom
Volunteering and Wellbeing
Has Anything Really Changed?
6-7
Monarchy
8.
Muslims
9.
Hungary
10.
11.
12.
Literature
13.
14.
The British Monarchy and Legal System
British Holidays and Celebrations
British Education and Economy
Why UK Should Abolish its
UK Teachers Scared of Offending
Britain Lags behind Lithuania and
British Sport and Recreation
British Media and Politics
British Literature and Religion
Racism is Rife in English Football
The Islamic Future for Britain
Why Students Should Study
British Accents and Dialects
Review
English Too Easy for Hungarians
Oral Presentations
Assessment
Your assessment comprises an oral presentation for the seminar and an oral exam for the
lecture. For your oral presentation, you will choose a topic related to any of the above list of
Seminar Topics. Your presentation should be 10-15 minutes, and you will be required to use
a variety of media to enhance your presentation, in particular, PowerPoint, with the
acknowledgement of your resources on a separate slide and the end of your presentation.
Notes can be used as a guide, but must not be read verbatim. Presentations shorter than 10
minutes will incur a reduction in grade.
The use of a laptop computer, data projector, and video/CD facilities will be made available
for your presentation. For the lecture, you will be required to take an oral exam, based on
the main Lecture Topics listed above.
Assessment Criteria and Grading for Oral Presentations
Criteria
Oral skills
Delivery
Content
Relevance
Cohesion
Creativity
Media
Clarity
Weighting
20
10
20
10
10
10
10
10
Grading
Mark
90 – 100
75 – 89
65 – 74
50 – 64
Below 50
Grade
5
4
3
2
1
Attendance
Please note that in line with college policy on attendance, missing more than three seminars
will result in a failure of the subject, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Reading Resources
There are no set texts, but notes and excerpts from books and articles will be provided.
References to other resources and internet sites will also be provided.
The course notes are accessible on the web site: http://zeus.nyf.hu~granville.pillar