A90041 Lingua inglese / BEC

At the end of the course students will be able to pass the International Cambridge Business English Certificate ( BEC) examinations at Vantage (B2) or Higher (C1) level and be able:

1. to read texts from different professional business areas at an intermediate/advanced (B2/C1) level;
2. to acquire listening skills in order to take down notes and report information correctly and completely;
3. to write reports, letters, all forms of business correspondence;
4. to express ideas and opinions orally in a professional context using reasonably accurate and coherent language.

At Vantage level, the exam ensures that candidates can:

• write business letters, reports, or proposals in the right register and convey information clearly.
• give detailed information within a familiar area of work.
• take part in discussions and express his/her point of view clearly and persuasively
• deal with difficult or unpredictable requests within his/her own job area.
• understand correspondence of a professional nature.
• understand reports, business articles or instructions.

At Higher level, the exam ensures that candidates can:

• write any type of letter or correspondence necessary in the course of his/her work.
• handle any kind of situation in which professional services are required from colleagues or external contacts
• take reasonable notes during meetings.
• understand almost all business articles.
• argue his/her case effectively in meetings and discussions.
• has all the language needed to talk about most aspects of his/her work.

The contents of the course aim to improve students’ language ability through the study and practice of:

• More complex grammatical structures
• The study of vocabulary, especially for professional and business purposes
• Developing the ability to read articles and reports accurately and within a given time.
• Writing reports and business letters
• Taking part in class discussions and simulated meetings
• Giving oral presentations

Sample course content:

Module 1.a: Reading  : consolidating business vocabulary; understanding vocabulary in context (collocations; word partnerships); coherence and cohesion; proof-reading skills

Module 1.b: Reading : practice with exam tasks: matching/ sentence cloze/word cloze/multiple choice reading comprehension/error correction

Module 2a : Writing :  format of business correspondence: letter/email/report/proposal; appropriate style in business writing ( register and tone); writing concisely; conveying correct information (answering the question)

Module 2b : Writing : practice with exam tasks: writing a short email/report (150 words) in response to input; writing a longer report/proposal/letter following guidelines set

Module 3a: Listening : listening for specific information; listening to identify meaning; listening to identify speaker’s purpose

Module 3b : Listening : practice with exam tasks; listening to complete information/matching exponents/ multiple-choice listening comprehension

Module 4a: Speaking: presentation skills; taking part in simulated meetings

The course is divided into short modules running throughout the year that specialise on various aspects of the examination (see ‘sample course content’ above).

Students entering at B1 level are required to follow a 50-hour continuous annual course before starting the modules.

Success at an end-of-course mock examination will give students access to enrolment in BEC exams at LIUC.