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2014/2015  BA-BHAAV1427U  Oral Communication Skills in English

English Title
Oral Communication Skills in English

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Course period Autumn, Spring, Fourth Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 30
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Alex Klinge - MSC
Secretary - Tine Silfvander- ts.iadh@cbs.dk
Main academic disciplines
  • Communication
  • Language and Intercultural Studies
Last updated on 11-04-2014
Learning objectives
The course’s development of personal competences:
Interpersonal and intercultural skills. Ability to assess others’ work in a diplomatic manner.
Objectives:
The learning objectives to achieve within Oral Communication Skills in English are:
  • To give a clear, well-structured presentation of a complex subject, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples.
  • To handle questions well, responding spontaneously and almost effortlessly.
  • To be able to get involved in discussions, identifying accurately arguments supporting and opposing points of view.
  • To express ideas and opinions with precision, present and respond to complex lines of argument convincingly.
  • To communicate spontaneously, often showing remarkable fluency and ease of expression in even longer complex stretches of speech.
  • To produce clear, smoothly-flowing, well-structured speech, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
  • To develop a good command of a broad lexical repertoire allowing gaps to be readily overcome with circumlocutions; little obvious searching for expressions or avoidance strategies. To develop a good command of idiomatic expressions and collocations.
  • To maintain good grammatical control; occasional "slips" or non-systematic errors and minor flaws in sentence structure may still occur, but they are rare and can often be corrected in retrospect.
  • To develop pronunciation which is clearly intelligible even if a foreign accent is sometimes evident and occasional mispronunciations occur.
Course prerequisites
The course is only open to all students whose first language is not English. The students may be grouped into classes based on their proficiency in English.
This course starts at the B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference and works toward achievement at the C1 level. Students who take this class cannot also take Effective Speaking in Business English
Examination
Oral exam:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral Exam
Individual or group exam Individual
Power point presentations are allowed.
8-minute oral presentation of a pre-prepared topic, followed by 2 minute discussion. In all 15 minutes per student.
Duration 15 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Autumn Term and Spring Term
Aids allowed to bring to the exam Limited aids, see the list below:
Written notes, power point presentations
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Same conditions and format as set exam.
Course content and structure

The primary aim of this course is to improve the students’ ability to speak and understand spoken English in general and develop skills in the following areas in particular:

  • Structuring and delivering formal presentations
  • Taking part in discussions

These activities will also include some training in reading and writing presentations in English. This is to facilitate the students’ absorption of academic and professional knowledge based on varied texts to further their participation in class discussions and their ability to make presentations of their projects.

The course is based on reading, presenting and discussing topical texts e.g. from newspapers, journals etc. The texts concern economic, political, social and business subjects. Students’ knowledge of subjects, which form part and parcel of their business studies, together with their background knowledge, will be drawn on. Students will be introduced to various formats of oral presentations. In connection with the presentations and discussions there will be guidance and training in structuring and presenting material. Presentations will be given by students both individually and in groups and they will focus on social and business issues.
Teaching methods
Teaching comprises lectures on effective rhetoric and communication in a business and social setting. Exercises are given to differentiate between formal and informal language, a consideration which is important for different business contexts. Each students is encouraged to speak out in class discussions and text analysis.
Further Information
Changes in course schedule may occur.
Wednesday 9.50-12.25, week 36-41, 43-48.
Expected literature

Course Source Literature:
Human Communication in Society, J. K. Alberts, T. Nakayama, J. Martin (Allyn and  Bacon, 2010) 
The Business of Writing and Speaking. L.M Robbins (McGraw Hill, 1996)
Doing Effective Presentations in an Intercultural Setting, J. Bennet et al  (Vienna, 1998)
The Power of Speech, J. Gabrielsen, T.Juul, Christensen, (Hans Reitzels Forlag,2010)
Lesikar’s Basic Business Communication, P. Lesikar, J.D & M.E Flatley
(McGraw Hill, 1990)     
Argumentation and Critical Decision Making, R D.Rieke, M O.Sillars, T R.Peterson, (Pearson, 2005)                                  
Presenting in English, Mark Powell (Thomson Heinle, 2002)
Last updated on 11-04-2014