Globalization has had a considerable impact on all aspects of modern society including education and the knowledge of the English language, which is now essential for mobility in working environments and academic circles. The present process of internationalizing knowledge invites our degree course to come up to educational standards that will allow the spread of knowledge in an international context. The knowledge of scientific terminology in English and a greater familiarity with the written and spoken forms of the language are encouraged in several Italian universities which offer courses in English. The offer of an optional exam in English on the degree course in Psychology Sciences and Techniques aims both at helping students to overcome any reluctance they have with regard to English and at improving their skills in understanding a written scientific text in English and in using scientific English orally.
The Course aims at meeting Urbino University's increasing need to internationalize courses and is the first of its kind at Urbino. It is offered as an optional course to 3rd year students enrolled on the degree course of Psychology Sciences and Techniques.
The Course uses the CLIL approach (Content and Language Integrated Learning). This approach has two objectives - English is used to teach and learn both language and content. CLIL is based on valid methodological principles established by foreign language teaching research.
By using this approach, which is adopted commonly in other European countries, the Course will allow Italian students to learn the contents of a specific subject and at the same time improve their knowledge of English. The Council of Europe's 2004-6 Action Plan for the Implementation of Language Learning and Multilingual Education proposes CLIL as one of the preferential strategies to promote community languages. CLIL allows students to gain greater confidence in their communication abilities and to acquire competences valid for work placements.
English language teachers in the Education Faculty will take an active part on the course. The same teachers teach English in the 1st year and run the Laboratory in English in the 2nd year of the degree course in Psychology Sciences and Techniques. This guarantees that the language skills required to pass the Course examination are those taught previously on the same degree course. It is advisable for students who choose this Course to have already passed the 1st year examination in English and completed the 2nd year Laboratory in English.

The Course takes up themes on groups which were dealt with during the 2nd year Social Psychology Course, developing some theoretical and research aspects and analysing their application in real life and in daily social behaviour. The themes that will be dealt with on the Course include group structure and formation and the roles that individuals play within them in different areas, social cooperation and conflict, group work, leadership and decision-making processes within groups.

Modalità didattiche

Teaching methods: teacher-guided and interactive lectures in English with clarification if necessary in Italian, group discussion, analysis of research and real-life applications.
Language support will be offered to students attending lessons by the English language teachers who will work in close collaboration with the Course lecturer.
Students are strongly advised to attend lectures in order to acquire both the scientific and the language contents.

Testi di studio

Pennington D. C. The social psychology of behaviour in small groups, Psychology Press, 2002 (except Chapter 3)

Modalità di
accertamento

The examination will be held in English.
There will be both a written multiple-choice assessment and an oral assessment on an agreed topic.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

The entire course will be taught in English.