Livello linguistico A2-B1 del CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference)

La frequenza al corso non è obbligatoria ma vivamente consigliata.

Particolarmente importante è lo svolgimento delle attività di esercitazione contenute nei libri di testo indicati per la preparazione all'esame e l'integrazione di queste con il materiale proposto dal docente e postato di volta in volta sulla piattaforma e-learning.

Lo studente dovrà esercitarsi a definire e spiegare oralmente in inglese i termini specifici del settore della logistica e saper descrivere/discutere contesti e situazioni riferiti a questo campo specialistico. Per la parte scritta l’esame consiste nella stesura di una mail di risposta ad un testo proposto. Pertanto si raccomanda di esercitarsi anche nella produzione scritta seguendo le indicazioni che verranno fornite durante il corso. 

Revisione grammaticale e sviluppo della competenza terminologica con riferimento specifico al linguaggio del settore economico-commerciale e della logistica. In particolare:

• The logistician: describing job profiles in the logistics sector: describing jobs and responsibilities. Reading: China’s booming export business.
• Logistics services: definition of logistics; definition of supply chain; introducing and describing a company’s logistics services to the customer; value added services and online logistics services (pick and pack, literature fulfilment, returns processing, credit processing, kitting,customs clearance, packaging, packing and crating); outsourcing; logistics providers; recent trends in third party logistics. Acronyms in logistics. Reading: A new tracking device for postal services.
• Inventory management and procurement: key terms, continuous replenishment and other inventory management systems and techniques; retailer/wholesaler; optimizing processes and saving costs; the job of corporate procurement manager. Reading: Strategic sourcing in procurement.
• Modes of transport: transport and handling equipment; comparing transport modes for shipment. Intermodal/multimodal transport and other types of freight traffic; types of containers, describing containers features. Types of cargo (perishable, non -perishable, heavyweight overwidth cargo). Reading: Freight transport Logistics in Europe: the key to sustainable mobility.
• Planning and arranging transport: transport documents, describing containers (measurements and weight), reading numbers. Metric/non metric systems of measurement.Reading: Advice on successful shipment.
• Shipping goods: criteria for choosing the right freight forwarder; providing loading instructions; urgent shipment and delivery; packing and marking; giving shipping instructions. Incoterms. Reading: Chaos at Heathrow’s Teminal
• Warehouse and storage: warehouse equipment, warehouse areas, describing processes (for ex. A goods receiving process in a warehouse), warehouse equipments, new warehouse management systems. Reading: Warehousing today.
• Documentation and finance: documents used in foreign trade; payment methods and their risks either for buyer or seller; handling payment. Reading: Handling financial risks in international trade.

Preparazione alla scrittura di testi relativi alla corrispondenza commerciale (email e risposta ad email proposte) .  

Per questa parte si fa specifico riferimento alle unità del libro di testo Email English, indicato nella bibliografia (in particolare le unità 1, 3, 4,8, 9, 18,19, 20, 21, 24,25,32) e al materiale fornito durante il corso.

Business Correspondence:

• Business communication
• Opening and closing an email (header, salutations, footer)
• Organizing an mail into paragraphs;
• Email netiquette.
• Applying for a job
• Enquiries and replies
• Giving quotations on prices, discounts (cash, trade, quantity discount); delivery terms.
• Orders
• Purchase: order acceptance/acknowledgement
• Cancelling an order
• Modifying an order
• Contacting a carrier: asking for a shipping quotation, advising the customer and offering alternatives. Filling in a quotation form.
• Advice of dispatch/sending a delivery note
• informing about problems during shipment (delivery delays)
• Requesting and arranging payment;
• Aknowledging payment.
• Complaints and apologies.
• Dealing with errors and mistakes in trade documents, statements and invoices

Obbligatori per l’esame:

• GRUSSENDORF, M., (2009), English for Logistics, Oxford University Press.
• EMMERSON, P. Essential Business Grammar Builder, Macmillan (grammatica di base della lingua inglese calata nei contesti specifici del settore)
• EMMERSON, P. E mail English, Macmillan
• Materiale fornito dal docente

Consigliati come supporto:

• MURPHY, R., PALLINI, L. (2005), Essential Grammar in Use. Grammatica di base della lingua inglese. Terza Edizione, Cambridge University Press.
• Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Altre indicazioni: Oltre ai libri di testo indicati nel programma si consiglia di scaricare dalla piattaforma e-learning il materiale didattico integrativo fornito durante il corso.