Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

Written Communication 1

• code 10737
• course 1
• term Semester 1
• type FB
• credits 6

Main language of instruction: Catalan

Head instructor

Dr. Esteve VALLS - evalls@uic.es

Office hours

Dr. Esteve Valls: arranged hours. If you have not been able to come to class, you can send an email to the following address: evalls@uic.cat

Deepening the study of a language allows one to develop one's own linguistic and communicative competence. It is, therefore, an essential exercise to more fully satisfy the need to communicate, to enrich interpersonal relationships and to mature personality and intellectual life.

On the other hand, reading literature is an unbeatable opportunity to improve reading fluency, to know the historical and literary context of the authors, to appreciate the value of literary creations and to reflect on the great themes of literature, which are the great questions of human life.

The mastery of the linguistic code –and especially of the new Gramàtica de l'Institut d'Estudis Catalans– and the reflection on four strictly contemporary books will be the two pillars of this subject, which aims to contribute to the enrichment of expressive skills and to the broadening of the stylistic and communicative repertoire of future professionals in the Humanities.

To certify a C1 or equivalent level of Catalan under the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Students unable to certify this level must agree with the teacher the itinerary they will have to follow in order to acquire a sufficient level of Catalan.

• Consolidate the linguistic knowledge of the students to ensure that they will become competent users of the Catalan language in their future professional practice.
• Reinforce the student’s ability to interpret, analyze and produce appropriate formal texts.
• Develop the student’s ability to read literary and non-literary texts.
• Strengthen the positive attitudes of students towards the use of Catalan.

• E26 - Ability to read and write texts in one's own language and other languages, as well as transcribe, summarise and categorise pertinent information.
• G01 - To analyse and interpret social and cultural environments to identify need, opportunities, weaknesses and strenghts..
• G05 - To act responsibly and produce high-quality, rigorous and efficient work that benefits society.
• E21 - To master the different levels and functions of language.
• E25 - Ability to communicate orally in one's own language and other languages using the terminology and resources accepted in the cultural framework of each language
• G02 - To lead, cooordinate and form part of interdisciplinary work teams.

• Improvement of their first languages: Spanish and Catalan.

• Application of the acquired linguistic skills to oral and written expressions.

• Writing of narrative and descriptive texts in their first languages. 

• Correct use of reference works such as specialized dictionaries. 

• Acquisition of vocabulary and key concepts of each subject. 

• Search and selection of information in specific documentary sources.  

• Development of arguments and synthesis in debates and oral statements.

• Ability to summarize diverse and complex information. 

• Ability to analyze and synthesize a range of texts used in different subjects.

• Application/transfer of theoretical and abstract concepts to real situations.

• Practice of learning strategies developed either autonomously or in team.

• Reading and analyzing classic works and essays as a way to enrich his/her knowledge and vital experience.

1. Communication skills

   1.1. Listening, reading, speaking and writing

   1.2. The text-reception process

   1.3. The text-production process

   1.4. Reading and writing purposes

2. The text

   2.1. Definition of text

   2.2. Criteria for classifying texts: genres and types of text

   2.3. Oral text and written text

3. Text properties

   3.1. Adequacy

      3.1.1. Linguistic varieties: dialects, standard and registers

      3.1.2. Modalization

   3.2. Coherence

      3.2.1. Coherence: a cognitive, pragmatic and semantic phenomenon

      3.2.2. Paragraph segmentation and thematic progression

   3.3. Cohesion

      3.3.1. Cohesion resources: lexical relationship, anaphora, definition and connection

      3.3.2. Punctuation

4. Oral discourse

   4.1. Phonetic, morphosyntactic and lexical correction

   4.2. Locution: pronunciation, speed, intensity, intonation and pauses

   4.3. Nonverbal communication: body language

5. Analysis and production of several types of text

   5.1. Phases: planning, textualization and revision

   5.2. Some types of text: narrative, argumentative, descriptive and expository

6. Novelties of the Gramàtica de l’Institut d'Estudis Catalans

The methodology of the course is based on reflective learning, which is a way of allowing students to step back from their learning experience to help them develop critical thinking skills and improve on future performance by analysing their own experience. The teacher’s reviews will always be indicative, never resolutive. Acting on feedback is also a way of encouraging students to reflect on what they have learned and how they will improve.

Several activities will be carried out –although only a few will be evaluated–, such as:

• Presentation in front of the class of the GIEC main novelties.
• Self-correction and peer-correction exercises.
• Exercises to learn how to use paper and online resources (dictionaries, grammars, style books...).
• Preparation of a personal dictionary.
• Analysis and assessment of the adequacy, coherence and cohesion of argumentative, expository and narrative texts.
• Production of argumentative and expository texts.
• Reading and analysis of literary works.
• Preparation of a reading diary and a final comment based on it and the reading experience.
• Recitation and gloss of poems.

Continuous evaluation (50%):

• Three texts based on Amat-Piniella, Terès and Cabrera’s books (30%).
• Test of grammatical knowledge (10%).
• Reading diary and final comment (10%).

Final exam (50%):

• Textual production on the books (25%).
• Spelling, grammar and lexical correction exercises (25%).

Students must pass both parts of the final exam (with a minimum of 5 out of 10) to pass it. In addition, the average between continuous evaluation and the final exam can only be calculated once the final exam is passed. No grades will be saved from one course to another.

Correct use of language in written tests, papers and oral presentations is required. Evaluation of delivered texts will consist of two basic aspects: 

1. Correction. This part is worth 10 points. Each mistake will cost 1 point, until reaching 10 mistakes (0 points). After 10 errors, each mistake will cost 0.5 points, that will be deducted from the textual aspects points.
2. Textual aspects. This part is worth 10 points: adequacy (1 point), coherence (3 points), cohesion (3 points) and stylistic repertoire (3 points).

 Finally, it should be borne in mind that plagiarism is unacceptable and, therefore, any work in which plagiarism is committed will be scored with a zero.

Written language

Amadeo, I. & J. Solé (2004), Curs pràctic de redacció, Barcelona, Columna.

Bordons, G.; Castellà, J.M. & E. Costa (1998), TXT. La lingüística textual aplicada al comentari de textos, Barcelona, Edicions UB.

Cassany, D. (1993), La cuina de l’escriptura, Barcelona, Empúries.

Castellà, J. M. (1992), De la frase al text. Teories de l’ús lingüístic, Barcelona, Empúries.

Castellanos, J. A. (1998), Quadern de normativa, Barcelona, ICE de la UAB.

Comelles. S. (1989), Exercicis autocorrectius d’ampliació de vocabulari, Vic, EUMO.

Cuenca, M. J. (2008), Gramàtica del text, Alzira, Bromera.

Solà, J.; Lloret, M-R.; Mascaró, J. & M. Pérez Saldanya (dirs.) (2002), Gramàtica del català contemporani, Barcelona, Empúries.

Vilagrasa, A. & M. Mas (2012), Gramàtica catalana de la A a la Z, Barcelona, Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat.

Oral language

Bau, M.; Pujol, M. & A. Rius (2007), Curs de pronunciació. Exercicis de correcció fonètica, Barcelona, Publicacions Abadia de Montserrat.

Castellà, J. M. (2002), «La llengua oral formal: un espai intermedi entre oralitat i escriptura», dins Didàctica de la llengua oral formal, Barcelona, Graó, pp. 19-30.

Castellanos, J. A. (1993), Manual de pronunciació, Vic, Eumo, 2d reprint, 1994.

Rubio, J. & F. Puigpelat (2000), Com parlar bé en públic, Barcelona, Pòrtic.