OVERVIEW

The English B1 course is aimed at revising grammar and lexical structures at B1 one level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)* which students acquire at Secondary School.

The English B1 course is an online one and can be accessed at the following URL https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it/

*The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in a foreign language.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course provides the language skills defined by the Council of Europe in the B1 proficiency level

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Please see the CEFR level description below.

B1 - Threshold or Intermediate 

• Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
• Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
• Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
• Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans

For further information on the various levels from A1 and A2 to B1, as well as higher ones, such as B2, C1 and C2, please check the British Council website either in Italian or in English.

PREREQUISITES

All students who attended the school system in Italy learnt English as a compulsory subject for 8 years, i.e. at middle school for 3 years and at high-school for 5 more years. Therefore, all students graduating from Italian secondary schools are expected to reach the B2 level before enrolling at university. 

TEACHING METHODS

The online English B1 course is a self-directed learning course and is available at the following link https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it/. 

The online English B1 course offers self-learning material, aimed at catching up with English B1 grammar and syntax structures and training to sit the PC-based English B1 test. It's a trainer course meant to offer you enough revision to be able to sit the English B1 test.

As a self-learning activity, the online English B1 course is meant to be carried out with maximum freedom to fit in with each student's own needs, learning pace, timetable, and other classes. However, it is strongly recommended that the online English B1 course is attended consistently, that is, devoting at least 20/30 minutes to it each day when students start working on it. Consistency will allow students to progress more efficiently in their revision and get ready to sit the PC-based English B1 test.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The online English B1 course is available at https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it/ and it is made of four modules. The first three are exercises, activities and grammar focuses aimed at revising B1 level skills and abilities that learners should have already learnt at school. Module 4 is split in three sections and each is a mock test or exam practice that allows students to practice exam exercises and activities. 

The online English B1 course offers self-learning material, aimed at catching up with English B1 grammar and syntax structures and training to sit the PC-based English B1 test. It's a trainer course meant to offer you enough revision to be able to sit the English B1 test.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The online English B1 course is a self-directed learning course and is available at the following link  https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it/. 

Please find below, some further suggestions and useful free online resources.

• It is strongly recommended that students work on expanding their vocabulary and grammar in context, that is, they learn words and grammar structures inside a text. Here is a piece of advice: read as much as you can, for example paper and/or online newspapers, magazines, books. Also, listen to what you read as you read it (enable English subtitles whenever available), this will offer you practice with the listening skills.
   
• As grammar reference, use 'English Grammar in Use' by Raymond Murphy (get the intermediate version)
   
• English B1 vocabulary and grammar can also be practised on Learning English choose the "Intermediate English" level
   
• English B1 vocabulary and grammar can also be practised on BBC - Learning English choose the "Intermediate English" level
   
• When looking for a dictionary try and use an English to English one. There is a very good online resource called  OneLook  that offers many different types of dictionaries. The one I suggest you use is the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, which always comes with phonemic script and audio.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA SANTINI (President)

CRISTIANO BROCCIAS

ELISABETTA ZURRU

MARCO BAGLI (President Substitute)

SIMONE TORSANI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The English B1 course is an online one and can be accessed at the following URL https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it

Freshers or newly enrolled students who fail the English B1Assessment Test are automatically redirected to the online English B1 course. Further information at the following link Aulaweb "English Language - 27975".

All other students find the online English B1 course at the same link https://clire.aulaweb.unige.it and can start it in October 2021. Further information at the following link Aulaweb "English Language - 27975"

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The English B1 exam is a Pc-based test scheduled as other exam in the summer, autumn and winter exam session on https://cla.aulaweb.unige.it/.

The official test is made up of 18 questions which include 6 different types of exercise. The pass mark is 60% correct answers. Find below a description of the six types of exercise.

• Question 1: Use of English/Reading comprehension - (a gapped texts with ten 4-option questions) - 10 marks.
  This is a text in which some sentences need completing. Each gap has a drop-down menu with four options of which you need to choose the correct one. The grammar structures which are tested are the ones in the B1 syllabus and include tenses; progressive and participle aspect; vocabulary; prepositions; adverbs; adjectives; relative pronouns; active and passive voice; modal verbs; type 0, one and two conditionals; direct and indirect speech; verbs followed by the –to infinitive and/or the –ing form; prepositional and phrasal verbs, etc.
   
• From question 2 to question 6: signs (multiple-choice) - 5 marks
  These five questions are all of the same type: you have to read a sign, a short message, a road sign, etc. and then you answer 1 question by choosing the correct option out of three.
   
• From question 7 to questions 11: transformations (add up to 3 words) - 5 marks
  These five questions are all of the same type: you are given one sentence and are asked to rephrase by completing a second sentence and trying to retain as much of the meaning of the first sentence as possible using no more than 3 words.
   
• From question 12 to question 16: sentence completion (multiple choice) - 5 points
  These five questions are all of the same type: you are given a sentence with a missing word, which you need to choose from a drop-down menu with three options.
   
• Question 17: reading comprehension (true/falseor multiple choice) - 5 marks
  You are asked to read a whole text, even more than once, with the aim of answering the five true/false or multiple choice questions at the end.
   
• Question18: 1 listening comprehension activity (multiple choice) - 1 mark
  You are required to listen to a recording  and answer one or more three-option question/s at the end.

You can attempt the quiz only once and you have 22 minutes to complete the quiz from the moment you click on "Attempt quiz now". Once you have started the test, you can check your remaining time in the top-right corner of the screen below the question numbers.

Once you have selected your answer, you can move on to the next question by clicking on the "Next Page" button, after which you will no longer be able to change your answer. The questions are presented in a sequential order and you CANNOT go back to the previous question.

Once you have clicked on the "Next Page" button be patient and wait for the system to upload the next question. Do not click more than once on the same button or you might skip and/or miss one or more questions. Zero points are allocated for giving an incorrect answer or for not answering a question. To finish your test click on the "Finish Attempt" button and then on the "Submit all and Finish" button within the time limit.

If you do not finish your attempt within the allocated time limit, you will no longer be able to continue but your attempt will be saved automatically. You will still have to click on the "Submit all and Finish" button to submit your attempt.

After you have finished the test, please end the session by logging out (top-right corner).

BE AWARE that leaving a question unanswered  means you will not gain any point (see above). DON’T use the back/forward navigation button on your browser as this may delete your answers.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The English B1 PC-based exam tests B1 language skills and abilities.

The exercises are similar in typologies to those offered for practice in Module 4 of the online course.

The pass mark is 60% correct answers.

There may be an oral exam after the test if required by the lecturer. If necessary, students will be informed via email.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Find detailed information on the English B1 course and exam sessions on Aulaweb (Moodle).

For the academic year 2021-2022, here's the link ENGLISH LANGUAGE - 27975.

For the academic year 2020-2021 here's the link ENGLISH LANGUAGE - 27975.