WIN- IEC: Syllabus, Assignment Sheet, Outline

Syllabus:

Hansung University, English Department, I.E.C. II
Instructor: Bianca Brankica Turalija. Winter School ’06-‘07
Email: biancatur@rocketmail.com, 110558@hansung.ac.kr
MSN: biancatur2@hotmail.com
Telephone: 760-4398 // Cell: (011) 1762-1967
Office: Professors’ Building 824
Blog: http://magistragrande.blogspot.com
Textbook and Workbook: World View 3, by Michael Rost. Longman, 2005.

General course description

1. Who should attend this class?

This course is a continuation of the Intermediate English Conversation I. It is designed for students who already possess a considerable passive command of the English language (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) but are in need of improving their conversational skills through a variety of practical partner and/or group activities.

My teaching goal is to strengthen your passive knowledge and encourage you to communicate in English more confidently. However, communication is not only about being able to talk but equally or even more so about being able to listen and understand what is being said to you. Generally, students at your level encounter a lot of problems when it comes to understanding native speakers. Each class incorporates a listening activity that should help you overcome those problems.

The book contains engaging topics that should be interesting and conversation-inducing. There are 28 topics separated in 28 units. However, we will start with the unit 12, since the previous units are covered in IEC I. No need to worry about ‘catching up’ if you haven’t taken IEC I: the units are not thematically connected and they are quite independent of one another. Every once in while you can expect to have additional materials, such as songs, internet reports, magazine articles, segments from movies and/or sitcoms, etc. I believe that you will not be bored in this class. For sure, you are expected to work hard and learn a lot but also have fun: “what’s learned with pleasure is learned full measure” – I strongly believe in this motto!

2. What do you need for this class?

a) World View 3) , textbook and workbook.
b) A blank notebook for taking notes, doing short writing tasks, jotting down new vocabulary, doodling, etc. A notebook is a must! Don’t come to class without it (or the books).





3. How are you graded?

GRADING POLICY
Hansung University follows the ‘bell curve’ grading system. Simply put, you are competing against one another.
Official university policy dictates that each class be graded accordingly:

A= 30% of the class
B= 40% of the class
C,D,F, = 30% of the class

4. In class grading will be as follows:

Attendance: 10 %
Participation: 20%
Mid-Session Exam (Vocabulary, Grammar): 10%
Final Written Exam (Vocabulary, Grammar): 20%
Mid-term Oral Assignment = 20%
Final Oral Assignment: 20%

ATTANDANCE POLICY:

The rule is very simple: your regular and on-time attendance is a must. Two lates count for one absent; five absents will land you the final grade D, regardless of your performance in any other aspect of this course; more than 5 absents will result in an automatic failing grade F. You will be excused for illness or family emergency in which case you need to call me in advance and later supply a written proof (a doctor’s note or a signed letter from a parent or guardian). Bear in mind that attendance and participation go hand-in-hand and combined they count for 30% of your final grade.

5. Courtesy and the Rest

I do not tolerate the use of cell phones during the class. Please, switch them off. If I see you using your phone during the class, I will give you an absent.

Only English is allowed during the class. The rule: K+K= A. Each time you use Korean, you and your partner(s) will get a K. Two K’s will land you an absent.

6. The blog. http://magistragrande.blogspot.com. Check the topics that start with WinIEC.

For your convenience I created a blog that you can visit to check what the homework is, to find a copy of a lost handout, read or print out scripts for listening activities, click on useful ESL links, etc. The blog is interactive. Should you wish, you can leave comments and feedback, share materials or links that your classmates would find useful, ask questions, etc.
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ORAL EXAMS:
The Intermediate English Conversation Course focuses on developing students’ oral communication skills in English. In accordance with the nature of the course, each student’s speaking ability is evaluated through two oral presentations: one at mid-term and one at the end of the semester. Please find the appropriate dates in your Course Outline Sheet.

1. Mid-session Oral Presentation (partner work): Interviewing each other (5+ minutes)
2. Final Oral Presentation (partner or triad work): Playacting a Dialog (5+ minutes)

December 29th, Friday: Oral Presentation: Interview with a Partner

Your first oral exam will be an interview with a partner, in front of me. Each of you will draw 3-5 question strips (depending on the time you take to answer), and have a ‘natural’ conversation based on the strips. No worries: you will be given a list of questions to answer in advance, so you will be able to prepare appropriately. Questions will be easy, concerning everyday life, activities, likes and dislikes. You must be ready to answer each question fluently in 2-3 or more sentences, not just one word, or one sentence. Your partner will also ask you a logical follow up question, depending on your answer. You will not know who your partner is until the day before the exam, when we will have a draw.
Example:

Student A: What is your dream job?
Student B: I want to be a flight attendant. It will allow me to travel and see the world. I also like working with people and providing service. (3 sentences).
Student A: (possible follow-up questions) - a. Which airline would you like to work for? Or: Don’t you think the job is dangerous and tiring?
Student B: a. I’d like to work for Air Canada. b. I do, but I think it’s still o.k. I am not afraid.

Partner Interview Evaluation Rubric



Fluency
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. Good 4
Excellent 5
Total
Sufficient Use of Details in your answer
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. Good 4
Excellent 5

Voice level: loud enough
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. Good 4
Excellent 5

Clarity of Speech (accent, pronunciation)
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. Good 4
Excellent 5

Quality of Language (grammar, , vocabulary)
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. Good 4
Excellent 5

Level of Comfort/naturalness of conversation
V. poor 1
Poor 2
Good 3
V. good 4
Excellent 5

Total (max. 30)


January 10th, Wednesday: Final Oral Group Pres entation: Dialog (5 minutes)

Students will choose a partner or two partners to work with. First, you will write an original script with a free topic. You will hand in the script to me before your presentation is about to take place. Second, you will memorize the script and act it out in front of the whole class. NO READING WILL BE ALLOWED!

The script guidelines:
Which topic to choose? For example, you may choose to create a restaurant scene, a visit to a doctor, talking about travel, marriage/blind dates, recreate a scene from a movie, etc.
VERY IMPORTANT: You must use 10 expressions (words, phrases, idiomatic expressions) as well as 3 grammatical features that you have learned in class. In your script, you must underline or boldface or (both) the expressions and grammar, or you will get a ‘0’ in the “vocabulary” and ‘grammar’ categories in your evaluation rubrics.
Presentation guidelines:
-know your lines and speak naturally. Pay attention to your pronunciation and the clarity of your speech.
-act: be natural and relaxed, not rigid and nervous.
-use costumes and props, music, posters…anything that might impress the teacher – me!

If you need more assistance and guidance while preparing your skit, please visit me in my office or call schedule an appointment.

Content (Quality of the Speech)

Choice of Topic/ Level of Difficulty
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Grammar (3 features min.)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Vocabulary (slang, idioms, 10 minimum)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Creativity/ Originality
1, 2, 3, 4, 5


Delivery (Quality of the Presentation)

Knowing your lines (Fluency)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Pronunciation and Clarity
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Acting
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Creativity (costumes, props, special effects)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Total (max. 40)
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OUTLINE


Date:

Topic
Monday, Dec. 18th
General Introduction to the Course

Tuesday, Dec. 19th
Unit 12. Sports fans. Time + prep. on at or no preposition. Talking about future plans

Wednesday, Dec. 20th
Unit 13. Immigration. Present Perfect.
Song: My Way by F. Sinatra

Thursday, Dec. 21st
Unit 14. Sounds people make. Modals: must/might/can’t be.

Friday, Dec. 22nd
Christmas and other winter holidays around the world

Monday, Dec. 25 th
Christmas Day – Holiday; No class

Tuesday, Dec. 26th
Unit 15. Soap Operas. Will and will not for future.

Wednesday, Dec. 27th
Unit 17. Advertisement. Written and Oral Exam Preparations

Thursday, Dec. 28th
Mid-Session Written Exam, 1,5 hour (Grammar, Vocabulary)

Friday, Dec. 29th
Mid-Session Oral Exam (Interview with a partner)

Monday, Jan. 1st
New Year’s Day; Holiday, No class

Tuesday, Jan. 2nd
Unit 17. Willpower. Phrasal Verbs.

Wednesday, Jan. 3rd
Unit 19. Materials/ possessions. Passive Voice

Thursday, Jan. 4th
Unit 20. Movies. So, too, neither, either
Song: You’ve got a friend, by C. King

Friday, Jan. 5th
Unit 21. Politeness. Modals: Could you/would you

Monday, Jan. 8th
Unit 22. A balanced life. Likes and dislikes

Tuesday, Jan. 9th
Final Written Exam, 1,5 hours (Grammar, Vocabulary)

Wednesday, Jan. 10th
Final Oral Presentations

Please, be aware that the above is a general course outline and that sometimes we will step away from the planned activities, depending on the atmosphere of any given class. Sometimes we’ll need to spend more time on particular grammatical or lexical (vocabulary) items.