COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: DEVELOPING READING AND WRITING SKILLS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
ENG 109	D	1	2	0	2	4	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	M.A. Ada Cara acara@epoka.edu.al
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Bachelor in Banking and Finance (3 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:
Course Description:	The Development of Reading and Writing Skills in English course is intended for students in the B2 or C levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to build on their prior English skills and foster academic and life-long learning skills in English. The course focuses on providing students with the theoretical or conceptual basis for working in academic English and practical assignments and activities in which to develop their skills. Specific foci include developing strong academic reading strategies and familiarizing students with different types of academic texts, including essays, reports, and scholarly articles. Furthermore, the course familiarizes students with academic vocabulary, phrases, and style in English. The primary focus is on building reading and writing skills, but the development of speaking and listening skills is also an essential component of the course.
Course Objectives:	To enhance English proficiency from low intermediate to high intermediate towards advanced level - To improve speaking. writing, reading and listening skills - To build up confidence in general English and academic English jargon - To make a smooth gradual introduction to academic writing - To comprehend and use sophisticated grammar knowledge accurately - To enrich vocabulary needed for daily, professional and academic usage

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Critiquing the logic and evidence of arguments presented in text.
2	Students will have built up verbal interaction confidence in colorful discussions.
3	Drafting a well refined research paper related to a topic of their interest.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction; Review guideline; Process Writing
2	Writing Strategies and Techniques; Pre-writing
3	Sentence Structure; Paragraph Writing; Unity and Coherence
4	Ethics in Research Paper Writing and Referencing Style
5	Paraphrasing and Argument; Exercises
6	Reading and Comprehension Strategies; The Development of a Paragraph
7	Introduction to Rhetoric; Exercises and Review
8	Midterm Exam
9	Discovery of arguments; Writing Introduction and Conclusion
10	Essay and Report Writing; Exercises
11	Critical thinking in Writing; Exercises
12	Presentation Skills; Debrief Semester
13	Presentation
14	Presentation

Prerequisite(s):	None
Textbook(s):	The Best of Socrates: The Founding Philosophies of Ethics, Virtues & Life. Berg Larry (2014) Dr. John Morley (2017)- The Academic Phrasebank Academic Writing for Graduate Students, 3rd Edition: Essential Skills and Tasks John M. Swales & Christine B. Feak (2012)
Additional Literature:
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Students will be able to distinguish and to successfully write formal essays, persuasive writing, reports, professional emails.
2	Students will have improved their critical and analytical reading skills through exposure to authentic materials such as newspapers, magazines, journals, books, leaflets, brochures.
3	Students will strengthen collaborative skills, socialization and group coherence in fulfilling the projects and presentations.
4	Students will overall improve the four skills and possess a better command of grammar structured as applied for academic context.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Bachelor in Banking and Finance (3 years) Program
1	The students gain the ability to look at the problems of daily life from a broader perspective with an increased awareness of the importance of moral/ethical considerations and professional integrity in the workplace.	5
2	They develop their knowledge and understanding of banking and finance including concepts, theories, and analytical tools that serve both in national and international markets.	5
3	They gain an understanding of the role of financial management in business firms and the essentials of corporate finance and further develop their knowledge in the field.	3
4	They are able to apply valuation models to estimate the price of different financial assets, measure risk and describe the risk-return tradeoff.	5
5	They are provided with the knowledge and understanding of the regulatory framework and functioning of banking system and central banking as well as international banking system.	5
6	They are able to understand and use fundamental economic theories and tools to solve economic problems in banking and financial services industry.	5
7	They have the ability to develop and utilize accounting, financial and economic data as well as other information to solve different business problems by making use of basic mathematical and statistical models.	3
8	They are expected to develop their numerical and IT skills as well as knowledge of databases in order to address the significant development in the delivery and use of financial services known as FinTech.	5
9	They develop their ability to think critically, do research, analyze, interpret, draw independent conclusions, and communicate effectively, both individually and as part of a team.	4
10	They are provided with opportunities to acquire the necessary skills and competencies to develop professionalism in the banking and financial services industry or to move on to further study within the discipline.	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	20
Presentation	1	10
Term Paper	1	20
Final Exam	1	40
Other	1	10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	4	64
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	14	2	28
Mid-terms	1	7	7
Assignments	1	15	15
Final examination	1	11	11
Other			0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

Students will critically discuss texts and ideas in a seminar format and present their research in an ethical way.