HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
1 (6)
English Grammar for Journalists
Course code: ENG1KJ001
Extent: 3 ECTS credits (80 h)
Timing: 2nd semester
Course level: Basic studies
Course type: Compulsory
Curriculum: JOURA10
Prerequisites
Upper secondary school level English
Learning objectives
The student
 Masters the basic structures of English grammar.
 Master the principles of translating English texts into Finnish and vice
versa.
 Becomes familiar with the English-speaking press.
 Expands his or her vocabulary related to society.
Content
Basic characteristics of English grammar, particularly the usage, structures
and vocabulary needed in the journalist’s profession.
Translation technique, particularly text interpretation from English to
Finnish.
Business connections
Authentic texts related to the journalist’s profession
Teaching and learning methods
Online learning (Moodle)
 Independent study
 Grammar exercises (individual work)
 Newspaper introduction (group work)
 Sharing feedback about the newspaper introductions (individual work)
 Course evaluation (individual work)
Class
 Introductory meeting (voluntary)
 Mid-course meeting (voluntary)
 Exam (in class on paper)
Percentage of online learning
 100% except for the exam and the voluntary introductory and midcourse meetings
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
Course materials
2 (6)
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Online grammar instructions
Online grammar exercises
Newspapers
Freely choose a grammar textbook or corresponding online learning
material that suits your own learning style.
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The course grade is based on the exam (Checkpoint of Your Mastery
of English Grammar)
The grammar exercises must be completed successfully before the
exam (at least 80% of the total score for each quiz).
The newspaper introduction and feedback sharing must be
completed successfully.
Course evaluation must be given at the end of the course (the
course grade is not given before this).
The introductory face-to-face meeting and the mid-course face-to-face
meeting are voluntary.
Assessment criteria
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Feedback
Student feedback has been gathered systematically through the e-platform
and feedback discussions. Improvements have been made to clarify the
learning process for the students through excellent course description
documentation and online supervision.
Instructor
Matti Helelä (Pasila)
matti.helela(at)haaga-helia.fi
Telephone: +358 40 488 7073
Post box: 27, Pasila
Office 7014 (7th floor north, Pasila)
Counselling hour: Tuesday 12:00–12:45
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
3 (6)
Course schedule
Please observe the course schedule shown in the following table and
complete each unit of the grammar exercises within the given week.
Table 1. Course schedule
Week 4
Thursday
27 January
2011
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Thursday
Week 9
Week 10
10 March
2011
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Thursday
Tue
Tue
Week 18
Week 19
12 May
2011
Go to the course in Moodle (this is
absolutely necessary by the deadline, in
order for you to stay on the course)
17:40–19:00 Course and Moodle introduction
(Classroom Introduction of participants
1207)
Orientation to the grammar
exercises
Check your newspaper introduction
group in Moodle and agree about the
work process among your group
members.
Grammar Exercises 1: Vocabulary
Grammar Exercises 2: Articles
Grammar Exercises 3: Nouns. Singular
and Plural.
Grammar Exercises 4: Verbs
Grammar Exercises 5: Translations
17:40–19:00 Bring printouts of your translations to
(Classroom class
1207)
Checking the translations
Answering the students’ questions
Discussing the tough parts
Grammar Exercises 6: Relatives
Grammar Exercises 7: Word Order
Grammar Exercises 8: Shortened
Sentences
Post your newspaper introduction in
Moodle.
Give your feedback about newspaper
introductions in Moodle to each group.
Grammar Exercises 9: Prepositions
Grammar Exercises 10: Reported
Speech
Study for the exam
17:40–19:00
(Classroom
1207)
17:40–21:00
Exam = Checkpoint of Your
Mastery of English Grammar
Course Evaluation in Moodle
Re-exam 1 (Pasila auditorium)
1 March
2011
3 May 2011 17:40–21:00 Re-exam 2 (Pasila auditorium)
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
4 (6)
Self-assessment of English language skills (completed in the introductory class meeting)
At the beginning of the course in class, assess your English language skills
using the Europass Language Passport:
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Study the information about creating a Europass Language Passport
(part of the Europass Language Portfolio described at
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu) at
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/hornav/Downloads/
LangPassport/ELPTemplate/navigate.action.
Assess your skills using the self-assessment grid on page 2 of the
document at
http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/img/dynamic/c1347/type.FileConten
t.file/ELPTemplate_en_GB.doc
Learning assignments
The learning assignments include ten units of Grammar exercises online
(quizzes), Newspaper introductions (group work) and Sharing feedback
about the newspaper introductions (individual work), as shown in the
following illustration.
Learning
assignments
Grammar exercises
online (quizzes)
(Repeat if needed
until you have at least
80% of the maximum
points for each quiz)
Newspaper
introduction
(Group work)
Figure 1. Learning assignments
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc
Sharing feedback
about the
newspaper
introductions
(Individual response
to each group)
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
5 (6)
Grammar exercises online (quizzes)
 Study English grammar online and/or in the textbook.
 You will understand the grammar exercises and learn more deeply.
 Complete all grammar exercises in Moodle, the eLearning platform,
according to the schedule.
 Retake each grammar exercise as many times as needed to gain the
required minimum score 80 per cent. Moodle gives you the
following feedback: Excellent work (90–100% correct), Good work (80–
89% correct), Please retake the quiz (0 – 79% correct).
 All grammar must be completed before the exam (otherwise you are
not permitted to take the exam).
Newspaper introduction
Each group (including 2–4 students) familiarises themselves with a British
newspaper and shares their newspaper introduction and feedback
with the other groups in Moodle according to the course schedule. The
newspapers and groups are as follows:
(1) National dailies
 Populars:
 The
 The
 The
 Qualities
 The
 The
 The
 The
(2) National Sundays
 Populars
 The
 Qualities
 The
Daily Mirror (Group 1)
Daily Express (Group 2)
Daily Mail (Group 3)
Financial Times (Group 4)
Guardian (Group 5)
Independent (Group 6)
Times (Group 7)
Sunday Mirror (Group 8)
Observer (Group 9)
Group Formation
 Moodle will form the groups automatically.
 Update your email address in WinhaWille  WinhaWille updates
your contact information in Moodle.
 Click Newspaper Introductions  Groups (internal
communication) to share information and documents within your
group.
 Be proactive and make yourself accessible to the other group
members according to the course schedule.
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme in Journalism, Pasila
Implementation plan
Matti Helelä
22 January 2011
6 (6)
Documentation
 Prepare an introduction of the British newspaper and post it in
Moodle according to the course schedule:
(1) A description of the newspaper (5 –10 PowerPoint slides or
one page in Word or pdf). Select the focus based on what
about the newspaper would be most useful and interesting for
the journalist students to know. Use in-text references
(Word/pdf) or footnotes (PowerPoint) to indicate your sources
but do not copy paste anything directly. Instead, use your own
style to introduce the newspaper.
(2) A link to an online article of your choice (as a sample of how
the newspaper writes).
(3) Concept map based on the chosen article (showing the key
concepts used in the article and their relations).
(4) If possible, include all the above-mentioned documents in the
same file or in the same message or, if not possible, in the
same discussion topic (= in the message chain, using the
reply function). Use the name of the newspaper and your
group letter in the subject field.
(5) Include your group number and the names of the authors in
all your documents.
 To write the concept map, study the relevant sources about concept
maps such as:
(1) Wikipedia 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map
(2) Counselling Services – University of Victoria 2003.
http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learning/critical-thinking/conceptmapping.html
(3) Mind Tools 2010.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm
 To write your concept map with computer software, you might like to
use IHMC CmapTools available at
http://cmap.ihmc.us/download
Sharing feedback about the newspaper introductions
 Each student individually must give pluses and minuses to each
group about their newspaper introduction in Moodle according to the
course schedule.
 On the Discussion Forum in Moodle (Complete Newspaper
Introductions, give your feedback by replying to each message
that includes newspaper introduction documents.
Exam and re-exams (Checkpoint of Your Mastery of English Grammar)
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See the schedule for the time and place of the exam and re-exams.
Students who have completed all the grammar exercises are
entitled to participate in the exam.
The exam is similar to the grammar exercises and about the same
topics.
http://myy.haaga-helia.fi/~helma/englishgrammar/eg-implementation.doc