Skip to main content

English for Social Services (3 cr)

Code: 7S00EL18-3017

General information


Enrolment period

01.12.2021 - 23.01.2022

Timing

07.03.2022 - 24.04.2022

Credits

3 op

Virtual portion

1 op

Mode of delivery

67 % Contact teaching, 33 % Online learning

Unit

TAMK Languages and Communication

Campus

TAMK Main Campus

Teaching languages

  • Finnish

Degree programmes

  • Degree Programme in Social Services

Teachers

  • Kirsi Saarinen

Person in charge

Kirsi Saarinen

Groups

  • 21SO

Objectives (course unit)

Students:
- have cultural awareness and sensitivity so that they can mediate between own and foreign cultures
- master the key terminology of social and health care so that they can make use of professional English literature in their work and professional growth
-can present a social work unit or project and describe the work of a Bachelor of Social Services
- can explain the principles of Finnish social services and income security
- can explain their education
- can write work related texts in neutral and formal style (e.g. e-mail, CV)
- can maintain, develop and assess their own language skills

Content (course unit)

Content
- face- to- face situations and appropriate language and register
the work and clientele of a Bachelor of Social Services
- Finnish social services and income security
Education
visits to social work units and presentations
authentic professional texts and key terminology of social and health care
business letter, cv and e-mail
- business calls

Further information (course unit)

Also open to international exchange students.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

Abandoned
-the student is unable to participate in oral interaction because of problems in producing his / her own speech and / or understanding the speech of other parties
-pronunciation is difficult to understand
-the student masters a very narrow vocabulary that is not sufficient to handle the situation. Repeatedly uses inappropriate words and phrases
- Lack of mastery of infrastructure
- Student fails to properly handle written communication situations
- Does not write comprehensively
- Difficulties in finding information in text that deals with familiar topics Satisfactory (1-2) The student
- can make a simple and comprehensible presentation using ready-made materials and tools
- can explain the Finnish social security system in a concise way
- cope with routine oral and written interactions (eg e-mail, CV, presentation of work unit, self-report)
- provide simple, oral and, if necessary, written instructions to clients
- ask client for information about current and past life, correctly for successful treatment or follow-up
- to some extent aware of the style requirements of different types of texts
- to write in a comprehensible manner
- to understand the main points of normal-paced speech in a familiar context when repeating when needed
- to pronounce comprehensively
- to find the information basic grammar structures

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

The student
- knows how to prepare and give a concise but clear presentation on the topic in his / her field
- the student communicates clearly in key multidisciplinary and multicultural interaction situations (eg oral and written reporting) and is able to give and justify individual guidance in most common guidance situations and previous health or life situation and, if necessary, ask more specific questions and be able to answer the questions asked by the client
- fairly fluent in topics related to his / her field
- responds most appropriately to the messages of his / her interlocutor
- communicates most often in the style required by the situation
- speaks fairly fluently and clearly
- understands people with different accents when familiar
- speaks - be able to express it in other words, if needed
- understand and use the vocabulary of the field fairly accurately
- know how to use various sources and dictionaries
- use structures correctly and correct mistakes in language themselves if they have led to misunderstandings

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student
- is able to prepare and deliver a convincing, structured presentation with the necessary materials
- is able to explain the key issues of the Finnish social security system in a clear and structured way
- communicates proficiently in demanding multidisciplinary and multicultural interaction situations (eg reporting, meetings)
- is able to interview clients in the manner required by the situation and to communicate in challenging and unexpected client situations in a professional manner
- speaks fluently on topics related to his / her profession
- responds quickly and appropriately to messages from his / her interlocutor
- communicates in the style required by the situation - speaks fluently and purposefully with almost no linguistic errors be able to apply what he reads
- explain in other words and imperceptibly replace the shortcomings of the vocabulary
- understand and use skillfully and precisely the vocabulary of the field and the terminology of his specialty
- usually find different sources by using the appropriate terms
- uses versatile grammar structures and manages them almost perfectly

Location and time

On Tuesday 7th March at 10.00-12.00 21SOABCD

Exam schedules

Presentation (separate schedule)
Written exam on 11th April 2022 at 10.00-11.30
Retake in Exam between 18th April 2022 and 8th May 2022

Assessment methods and criteria

The student has to be present on at least 80% of the lessons. The grade is based on oral competence (presentation, discussion tasks) and written competence ( written exam).

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Group and pair work, e-learning.

Learning materials

Saarinen & Saarinen: Way to Welfare . English for Social Services
Electronic materials on the course Moodle area

International connections

Exchange students in classes if/when possible

Further information

Prerequisites
A-level upper secondary school English or equivalent skills, a passed TAMK skill level test, or a passed preparatory course.



Teacher: Kirsi Saarinen
Tel. 040 800 4326
email: kirsi.saarinen@tuni.fi

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- can give a simple and understandable presentation utilising ready material and aids
- can explain the principles of Finnish social welfare system briefly
- manages simple conversations
- usually reacts in some way to what's being said to him/her
- is somewhat conscious of the stylistic requirements of various types of text
- can produce mostly understandable writing
- understands the main points of a normally paced conversation about a familiar topic, when the message is repeated if needed
- can pronounce in a way that is mostly understandable
- can find the information he/she is looking for in texts that discuss familiar topics
- uses the basic professional vocabulary so that the essential message is communicated
- uses basic grammatical structures
- uses the most easily available aids, such as free dictionaries

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- can prepare and give a brief but clear presentation on a professional topic
- can explain the principles of Finnish social welfare system clearly
- manages conversations on professional topics quite fluently
- usually reacts appropriately to what's being said to him/her
- usually communicates using an appropriate style in various situations
- can produce quite fluent and clear writing
- understands speakers who have various accents when the topic is familiar
- can pronounce fairly fluently and clearly
- understands the main points and most details of various texts
- can express things using other words if needed
- understands and uses the professional vocabulary fairly accurately
- uses grammatical structures mostly correctly and self-corrects his/her errors if they have led to misunderstandings
- can utilise different sources and dictionaries

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student
- can prepare and give an engaging, structured presentation with the needed materials
- can explain the principles of Finnish social welfare system clearly and in a structured way
- manages conversations on professional topics fluently
- reacts quickly and appropriately to what's being said to him/her
- communicates using an appropriate style in various situations
- can produce fluent, appropriate writing with only a few errors
- understands speakers who have various accents relatively easily
- can pronounce fluently and clearly
- understands the main points and details of a demanding professional text and can adapt the information
- can express things using other words and bridges the gaps in his/her vocabulary in a discreet way
- understands and skilfully and accurately uses the professional vocabulary and the terminology of his/her own specialisation
- uses complex grammatical structures mostly correctly
- usually finds the terms he/she needs by utilising different sources