Interactive English for students in Chemistry

lang1864  2026-2027  Louvain-la-Neuve

Interactive English for students in Chemistry
2.00 credits
30.0 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Dumont Amandine; Kefer Adrien (coordinator);
Language
English
Prerequisites
Students must have completed the intermediate level course (LANG1862) or a course of a similar level, corresponding to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe).
Main themes
Students will be asked to take part in various activities allowing them to develop their communicative skills (mainly oral skills) in the following situations:
  • Job interview (including a CV and a cover letter)
  • presenting a specific topic linked to the students’ field of study (chemistry),
  • participating in a meeting,
  • using electronic mail,
  • telephoning.
Time will also be spent on reflecting on the students' socio-professional path, by asking the following questions among others : who am I ? What can I do ? What do I want ?
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Individual and interactive oral expression (main objective) : 
  • Give a clear presentation (after preparation) on a subject related to their field of study, describe a graph, and answer questions from the audience
  • Attend a job interview
  • In a professional meeting, explain their point of view clearly enough to be understood without difficulty, linking arguments and explanations logically, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options and linking their comments to those of their interlocutors
  • Take part in a professional telephone conversation
Level B2+ of the ‘CEFR’
 
Written expression : Students must be able to write a CV and a cover letter, and to write an email.
Level B2 of the CEFR
 
Listening comprehension (as part of interactive activities) : 
  • Follow and understand the main points of a lecture or presentation, provided that the subject is familiar or related to the field of study.
  • Follow and understand the main points of discussions and debates on topics related to the field of study.
  • Understand most of what is said in a standard language conversation.
Level B2 of the ‘CEFR’
 
Code : Sufficient command of language functions, grammatical structures (simple and complex), vocabulary (general and specific), pronunciation and intonation to enable easy and spontaneous communication.
The use of code is viewed from a communicative perspective without neglecting correctness.
 
Content
The course focuses on interactive communication skills, both written and oral. The activities offered will aim to consolidate and develop speaking and writing skills specific to the professional environment, while perfecting the linguistic code.
The course focuses on the following communication goals:
  • Socialising & networking (breaking the ice, keeping the conversation going, leaving a conversation)
  • Giving a presentation on a scientific topic
  • Describing graphs (as part of a writing or of a speaking activity)
  • Writing professional emails and communicating by phone
  • Chairing and participating in a meeting (arguing, explaining, expressing agreement/disagreement, managing a discussion, …)
  • Attending a job interview (which includes writing a CV and a cover letter)
Teaching methods
The course is above all an interactive course and involves active student participation. The following tools will be made available to students:
  • communication techniques
  • language functions
  • general and specialised vocabulary
  • grammar reviews
Some useful resources (written documents, videos, website links) will also be made available.
Evaluation methods
Continuous evaluation (40 % of the final grade) :
  • In-class participation 
  • Warm up discussion
  • Presentation
Two oral exams (60 % of the final grade) :
  1. Participating in a meeting (group exam) 
  2. Job interview, CV and cover letter (individual exam)
Any absence has to be justified with a medical certificate or another form of justification to be communicated to the teacher.
Online resources
https://moodle.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=664
Teaching materials
  • Syllabus LANG1864 Course notes
Faculty or entity
> ILV


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Bachelor in Chemistry
CHIM1BA
3