Course Syllabus. ENGLISH Level 3: Formation générale commune Département de langues. Fall 2004

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1 Languages Department Cégep du Vieux-Montréal Course Syllabus ENGLISH Level 3: Weighting Formation générale commune Département de langues Fall 2004 Course Objective: 0008 To communicate with ease in English on social, cultural, and literary themes. Instructor: Deborah Payne Office: Tel: , extension Office Hours: Mondays: 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays/Thursdays/Fridays: 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. Prerequisite: on TCALS Placement Test 1. Course description The course is for students at a low-advanced level in English. It is the first of two required English courses. It focuses on reinforcing the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing using themes of general interest. As well, it aims to bring students to a higher level of proficiency in the productive skills of speaking and writing. 2. General course objective To communicate with ease in English on social, cultural, and literary themes.

2 3. Target competencies and specific course objectives Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following in each skill: 3.1. Listening: Understand the meaning of an authentic (produced for first-language listeners and viewers) oral message on a social, cultural, or literary theme Identify the structure of the oral text Identify the gist and main ideas after one listening Recognize coherency devices in an oral message Develop auditory discrimination Acquire vocabulary appropriate to course level Reading: Determine the meaning of an authentic (written for first-language readers) text on a social, cultural or literary theme Identify the gist and main ideas of the text Identify the supporting ideas and structure of the text Recognize different genres, styles, and registers of texts Identify the various viewpoints and biases within the text Acquire vocabulary appropriate to course level. 3.3 Speaking: Speak about a social, cultural or literary theme Identify and apply key elements for a clear and coherent oral presentation of about five minutes. The content of the presentation should be based on one or more texts Use vocabulary appropriate to subject matter and course level Use appropriate and correct grammar Develop and use appropriate register of language Writing: Write a text about a social, cultural or literary question Apply the appropriate form and structure to a text of about 400 words. The text should have three main ideas linked logically and coherently Apply grammar and spelling rules Choose the appropriate verb tenses Use a variety of sentence structures Use vocabulary appropriate to subject matter and course level. Note: Although the objectives separate the four skills, activities during the course will usually combine and integrate these skills. 4. Methodology The teacher will present the course material and language concepts through presentations and lessons with examples. The student will be asked to apply these concepts to their English communication. Different types of activities will be used, for example, structured discussions, interviews, role-plays or debates, oral presentations, language exercises, error correction activities, writing workshops, lab work (e.g., listening or viewing activities). There will be individual, pair, and group activities. 2

3 During the semester, student learning will be evaluated formatively through homework assignments, tests, and in-class work. Students will have ample opportunity to practice each skill before each major evaluation. Summative evaluation is based on specific assignments throughout the semester (course work) and counts for 80% of the final grade. (see also section 6) 5. Weekly calendar Attached at end of this course syllabus. See pages 6 and Evaluation: formative and summative 6.1 Formative Evaluation During the course, students will be able to evaluate their progress regularly. For each concept studied, there are in-class activities which permit students to assess their comprehension of the material taught. Immediate correction and feedback allow students to ask for clarification, and/or to take the necessary steps to address any problems which may become apparent. As well, there will be homework assignments that will also permit students to practice and assess their skill and comprehension of the material taught. Students should always feel free to ask for clarification or extra help during or outside of class. 6.2 Summative Evaluation Coursework 80% Integrated Reading, Speaking, and Writing 40% (Discussion group format) Group leader 10% (1 activity X 10%) Discussion participant 30% (5 activities X 6%, as indicated below) Reading and Speaking 5 X 3% Reading and Writing 5 X 3% Listening 10% (2 activities X 5% each) Grammar and Vocabulary 15% (3 activities X 5% each) Writing 15% 2 activities (Activity 1-5% Activity 2-10%) Final Exam 20% Integrated Final Exam 20% Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking 3

4 6.3 Description and criteria of the final evaluation The final evaluation will determine if students have attained the target competencies of the course (see section 3 of this course outline). It consists of a final exam with four components: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The final exam will be held in class during the last two weeks of the semester. Students will receive individual grades (not a group mark) for the final exam. The exam counts for 20% of the final grade. The evaluation criteria for this final evaluation are as follows: 25% Content and Organization 30% Language Use (grammar/vocabulary) 20% Oral Skills (fluency/pronunciation) OR Writing Mechanics (spelling, capitals, etc.) 25% Communicative Ability (ability to interact with others in an oral discussion / ability to incorporate information from a text (reading or listening) into an oral or written message) There is a double threshold (double seuil) in this course. In order to pass the course, students must: 1. pass the entire course with 60% 2. complete and pass the final evaluation with 60%, that is, a minimum of 12/20 A student who fails this double requirement will receive a maximum grade of 55%. For Department Rules and Regulations, see section 10 of this course outline. 7. What is expected of the student Students are expected to attend class, actively participate in class, and speak English during class. They also need to keep up to date with the work and assignments. College-level ESL classes involve three hours of in-class work followed by three hours of out-of-class work per week (hence the weighting). Being absent for an exam or an in-class assignment will result in a grade of zero for that particular activity unless an agreement is reached with the instructor in advance. Absences for medical reasons must be substantiated with official documentation. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what happened in that class and to be prepared for the next class. This includes completing any homework which was assigned. You can obtain this information by checking the weekly homework assignments which will be posted outside the teacher s office. You could also exchange phone numbers or s with two other people in the class to get this information. 4

5 8. Required materials To bring to class each week: Course Notes for Cours CODE Available at the CVM Bookstore on the 3 rd floor of the cegep. An English-French dictionary (can be a paperback) 9. Mediagraphy Strongly recommended as an at-home reference: A good quality unilingual English dictionary 10. Department Rules and Regulations 10.1 Course attendance Although absences from English classes do not automatically result in a failure of the course, it is extremely important that students attend classes regularly. Because the learning of a second language is progressive in nature, absences will severely limit the student s ability to succeed If students are absent from class, it is their responsibility to find out what happened in that class, and to be prepared for the following class, including the completion of any homework which may have been assigned Homework 10.3 Exams All students are responsible for handing in homework to the professor on time. Assignments which are handed in past the due date will be penalized For those students who are absent for a class, assignments completed in that class can be made up only at the discretion of the professor Students must keep all corrected work until the final date for the revision of marks has passed If, due to exceptional circumstances, a student is unable to be present at a scheduled exam, the professor may authorize an alternate exam. In this instance the student s reason for absence must be submitted in writing and agreed upon by the professor before the day of the exam, and the student must write an equivalent exam at a date determined by the professor No exam or assignment will be accepted after the course results have been submitted to the college, normally at the end of the evaluation week Plagiarism and fraud Plagiarism and fraud, either during an exam or on a homework assignment, will result in an automatic zero. Furthermore, the pre-determined percentage for that exam or assignment will be strictly respected. 5

6 Weekly Schedule This schedule is tentative and subject to change to better suit the needs of the class. You will be given prior notification if there are changes. Week 1 August 24, 26, 27 Introductions Intro to course, teacher, classmates Diagnostic activities 2 August 31, September 2, 3 Love and Sex Speaking: effective discussion questions and participation techniques Listening: video Brain Sex note-taking and summary writing Grammar: verb tense review / question formation 3 September 7, 9, 10 Love and Sex Reading/Speaking: oral summaries/giving and supporting opinions (pp 11-18) Writing: writing summaries / formalizing language (pp 57 59) Discussion Group Format (p 54) 4 September 14, 16, 17 Cross-cultural Encounters Discussion 1 (6%) * - Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 1 8) Grammar: verb tense review continued / Gallicisms (pp 75-77) 5 September 21, 23, 24 Cross-cultural Encounters Speaking: racism and cross-cultural misunderstanding (pp 9 10) Listening 1 (5%): Video A Place Called Dixon Grammar: Past Tenses / Present Perfect 6 September 28, 30, October 1 Male-female communication Discussion 2 (6%) * - Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 19 24) Vocabulary/Grammar: review grammar / gallicisms to date Listening: Video Herdsmen of the Sun 7 October 5, 7, 8 Lies Discussion 3 (6%) * - Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 25-28) Grammar/Vocabulary Quiz 1 (5%) Writing: using appropriate register (pp 70-71) 8 October 19, 21, 22 Risk Discussion 4 (6%) * - Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 29 36) Vocabulary List I: techniques for learning more vocabulary and remembering it Writing: style and structure of college essay writing / using connectors Listening: Video about rescuing out-of-bounders 6

7 9 October 26, 28, 29 Risk and Lying: The Risk of Lying? Grammar/Vocabulary Quiz 2 (5%) Writing: persuasive essays (develop a thesis and supporting arguments / prepare an outline) Listening 2 (5%): Video Résumé Lies 10 November 2, 4, 5 Dreams Writing 1 (5%): in-class persuasive essay Discussion 5 (6%) * Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 37-46) 11 November 9, 11, 12 Dreams Writing: go over trouble spots in essay writing / introduce Writing 2 assignment (DUE Week 13) 12 November 16, 18, 19 Time Discussion 6 (6%) * Reading/Speaking/Writing (pp 47-53) Vocabulary List 2: Distribute compiled list 13 November 23, 25, 26 Review and Preparation for Final Exam Writing 2 (10%): Persuasive Essay DUE Grammar/Vocabulary Quiz 3 (5%) Preparation for Final Exam: presentation of theme, format, readings 14 November 30, December 2, 3 Final Exam Part I Reading and Listening Components: content and ideas to be incorporated into Writing (see Week 15) Speaking Component: Group 1 15 December 7, 9, 10 Final Exam Part II: Integrated Total of 20% Integrated Writing Component: persuasive essay based on content and ideas in readings and listening in Weeks 13 and 14 Speaking Component: Group 2 * Discussions 1-6 count for 6% each when you are a group participant. When you are the group leader, it counts for 10%. See page 54 of your course notes for detailed instructions about the Discussion Groups. Also consult the evaluation grids on pages to give you a better idea of how this works. 7