Learning objectives
This course aims at providing students with the theoretical, methodological and practical skills that will enable them to put the notion of accessibility in practice by applying it to different textual types and genres. Practical training will focus on the manipulation of different texts in English.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
students will consolidate English language competence at C1++ level. They will also develop knowledge of the main features of accessibility and textual manipulation as well as its methodology and practice.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
students will be able to apply knowledge and comprehension skills useful for decoding, analysing and producing different textual types from a multimodal perspective. In particular, students will develop skills needed to make texts accessible to receivers with cognitive and/or sensory disabilities.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
students will be able to self-evaluate their language skills, to study autonomously, to re-elaborate the contents learnt during the course, to discuss critically case studies related to accessibility and to carry out research on the basis of the contents of the course.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
students will be able to communicate and discuss contents, analyses and theories in English at a C1++ level, both in written and oral forms, in a register appropriate to the topic.
LEARNING SKILLS:
thanks to the general scaffolding of the course which focuses on processes related to textual accessibility, through textual manipulation, students will further develop learning skills useful to carry out advanced research in English linguistics, textual accessibility as well as intralinguistic and intersemiotic translation.
Prerequisites
The course requires some knowledge of linguistics and a C1 level of English
Course unit content
The course offers a survey of the different forms of textual manipulation which could help create user-friendly texts primarily for the benefit of receivers with cognitive and/or sensory disabilities. Initially, the course will look at the main notions in the field of accessibility research and practice, focussing on the main strategies that could become useful in rendering all types of texts (both written and spoken, purely verbal and hybrid texts – i.e., texts where verbal language is used together with other kind of languages such as audio or visual aids) more accessible. The theoretical notions illustrated during the course will be consistently applied to practical situations, whereby specific cases and examples will be discussed and analysed. These practical activities will focus on the analysis of various textual types and will aim at making these texts more accessible: from literary and poetic texts to informative texts among others. As the course will clarify, these manipulations can be understood in terms of both adaptations and intralinguistic and intersemiotic translations, whereby the same contents are re-elaborated either by using intralinguistic strategies (substitutions, additions, ellipses etc.) or intersemiotic strategies (using sounds, images, etc.). Indeed, as the course will emphasise, these forms are inevitably closely connected, so that intersemiotic translations heavily rely on intralinguistic strategies too. The inclusive approach of the course to the analysis and manipulation of texts in English will thus give students the necessary perspective and tools to adapt texts and render them accessible at more than one level, in accordance with the different learning styles of the receivers.
The first-year course therefore offers a solid basis on which the second-year course will further elaborate, focussing essentially on audio-visual translation and media accessibility.
Students will also be required to attend practical language lessons held by English language assistants throughout the whole academic year aimed at consolidating students’ language skills to a C1++ level of the Common European Framework of Reference.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Main bibliography:
Hutcheon, Linda: A Theory of Adaptation, Routledge: London, 2012.
Canepari, Michela: Specialized Languages and graphic art, Peter Lang, Oxford et al, 2022.
A detailed bibliography will be given during the course and clearly indicated in the examination programme. Further readings will be indicated and materials will be made available on the Moodle platform.
Non-attending students will be required to study additional articles which will be available on the Moodle platform.
Teaching methods
The course will be based on lectures, during which key concepts and theories will be presented, and interactive classes, during which students are stimulated to apply the concepts previously covered by analysing and discussing critically specific examples and case studies.m Since it is a blended course, the lectures will be recorded and students will be able to access them on the Teams platfotm by following the indications provided on the Elly page of the course, where also all the materials will be available. The course will also include practical classes, devoted to practical applications of the theoretical notions through the adaptation of texts.
Students will be required to attend the practial language classes held by language assistants during both semesters, aimed at consolidating language skills in order to reach a C1++ level.
Further suggestions for individual study will be given during the course with the aim of stimulating an independent approach to study and research.
Assessment methods and criteria
ASSESSMENT METHODS
For attending students, the assessment will be based on:
A) ONLINE ACTIVITIES, which consist of tasks based on the contents of the course to be completed during the lesson period,
B) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST (WRITTEN), which assesses general language skills corresponding to a C1++ level of the Common European Framework of Reference to be taken during the course or at the end of the academic year and which gives access to the oral examination,
C) ORAL EXAMINATION, which focuses on the theoretical concepts of the course.
For non-attending students, the assessment will be based on:
A) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST (WRITTEN), which assesses general language skills corresponding to a C1++ level of the Common European Framework of Reference to be taken at the end of the academic year and which gives access to the oral examination,
B) PROJECT (essay or practical activity based on the contents of the course) to hand in at least three weeks before the oral examination.
C) ORAL EXAMINATION, which focuses on the theoretical concepts of the course.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
For attending students the final mark is the result of the scores obtained as follows:
online practical activities and active participation during classes (20%), written examination (40%), oral examination (40%).
For non-attending students the final mark is the result of the scores obtained as follows: written examination (40%), project (20%), oral examination (40%).
The preliminary written text evaluation will be considered insufficient if the student is found lacking in the language skills tested; an insufficient evaluation (less than 18/30) does not allow access to the oral examination.
A fail is determined by a substantial lack of an understanding of the minimum content of the course, the inability to express oneself adequately orally and/or in writing (expected level of C1++), by a lack of autonomous preparation, the inability to solve problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of complex texts, as well as an inability to make independent judgments and to formulate critical opinions. Moreover, a fail is due to a substantial lack of competence in applying the knowledge acquired.
A pass (18-23/30) is determined by the student’s understanding of the minimum, fundamental contents of the course, ability to express them at a level of English that at least corresponds in part to the C1++ level, an adequate level of autonomous preparation, ability to solve problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of complex texts, as well as an acceptable level of ability in making independent judgments. Moreover, a pass is due to only partial competence in applying the knowledge acquired.
Middle-range scores (24-27/30) are assigned to the student who produces evidence of a more than sufficient level (24-25/30) or good level (26-27/30) in the evaluation indicators listed above. Moreover, middle range scores are due to acceptable to good levels of competence in applying the knowledge acquired.
Higher scores (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are awarded on the basis of a very good to excellent command of the language and theoretical knowledge according to the above criteria of evaluation. Moreover, higher scores are due to very good to excellent levels of competence in applying the knowledge acquired.
Other information
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