INDEX

1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE STUDENTS 3. COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE 3.1. Pragmatic competence 3.2. Sociolinguistic competence 3.3. Linguistic competence 3.4. Strategic competence 4. GENERAL OBJECTIVES 5. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 5.1. PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE 5.1.1. Oral and Written Interaction 5.1.2. Listening Comprehension 5.1.3. Oral Expression 5.1.4. Reading Comprehension 5.1.5. Written Expression 5.2. SOCIOCULTURAL AND SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE 5.3. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE 5.4. STRATEGIC COMPETENCE 6. CONTENTS 6.1. COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES 6.2. FUNCTIONS 6.3. COHERENCE AND COHESION OF DISCOURSE 6.4. TOPICS 6.5. LINGUISTIC RESOURCES 6.5.1. GRAMMAR 6.5.2. DISCOURSE 6.5.3. PHONOLOGY AND SPELLING 7. METHODOLOGY 7. 1. Methodological Criteria 7. 2. Methodological Strategies 8. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION 8.1. Introduction 8.2. General Assessment Criteria: 8.3. Types of Assessment / Evaluation 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 12 14 15 15 18 21 22 22 23 24 24 24 26
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8.3.1. Placement Test 8.3.2. Diagnostic Assessment 8.3.3. Continuous Assessment 8.3.4. End-of-Course Assessment 8.3.5. Format of the final test 8.3.6. Procedure for the administration of the final tests 8.3.7. Assessment Criteria for the Final Test
9. MEASURES FOR MISSED ACTIVITIES, RETAKING TESTS, AND REVISION

26 26 26 27 28 29 29 30

10. MATERIALS AND TEACHING RESOURCES USED IN THE CLASSROOM 31

11. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 12. MEASURES FOR ATTENTION TO SPECIAL NEEDS AND DIVERSITY

32 32 34 34 34

13. UNIT PLANS 13.1. Introduction 13.2. Duration UNIT PLAN 1 UNIT PLAN 2 UNIT PLAN 3 UNIT PLAN 4 UNIT PLAN 5 UNIT PLAN 6 UNIT PLAN 7 UNIT PLAN 8 UNIT PLAN 9 UNIT PLAN 10 UNIT PLAN 11 UNIT PLAN 12 UNIT PLAN 13 UNIT PLAN 14 UNIT PLAN 15 14. BIBLIOGRAPHY 14.1. Textbooks 14.2. Recommended reference books 14.2.1. Grammars 14.2.2. Dictionaries Food and Eating Habits Family and Friends Money World Traveller I Have to Make a Phone Call You Can Do It Education Home Sweet Home Different Styles Professional Life Shopping Films and Songs Public Figures We Admire Are You Lucky? An Interesting Story

35 36 38 40 41 43 44 46 47 49 51 52 54 55 57 59 59 59 59 59

1. INTRODUCTION This syllabus has been created taking into account the following general regulations for foreign language teaching and assessment / evaluation: The Order EDU 17/2007 (December 10th ), which regulates the organization of the Official Schools of Languages in Andaluca; the Decree 15/2012 (February 7th), which approved the regulations regarding educational institutions in this Autonomous Community; the Order EDU/2645/2011 (September 23rd ), regarding assessment / evaluation and certification in the Official Schools of Languages in Andaluca; and, finally, the Decree 59/2007 (June 7th), which modified the curriculum for the intermediate level. 2. THE STUDENTS In the Official Schools of Languages in Andaluca there is broad range of students from a variety of backgrounds with regard to age, occupation, and reasons for having chosen English as a language of study. There are secondary school students, university students, and professional people, among them teachers from other sectors of education, as well as working people in general and retired people. Clearly, many of them see English as a useful language that they need to understand and express themselves in an increasingly globalized world, which is one of the reasons behind the tremendous social demand for English. Considering that students in the Official School of Languages are a very diverse group with people with different tastes, opinions, ages, professions, interests, etc., it is difficult to specify one type of student in order to plan teaching activities. Therefore, teaching activities must be planned and carried out with these

diverse groups in mind by offering them a variety of contents and communicative activities while working towards group cohesion through the interaction offered by the communicative method. In addition, when possible, individual and collective interests will be taken into consideration in order to adapt the course to the needs that the students may have for English in real life, while keeping in mind the general and specific objectives of the course and the European Framework. One thing that this diverse group of students should have in common is their level of English when beginning the course. These students have gained access to the course either by taking a placement test or by having completed the preceding levels of English courses. In some cases, there are also students who begin the first year of the intermediate level after having completed distance-learning systems or the final year of secondary school. At the beginning of the course, the teacher will take measures to detect any areas of difference or difficulty and carry out revision activities to assure the all the students can participate in the communicative and interactive activities and achieve the course objectives. 3. COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE The primary objective of language teaching in the Official School of Languages is to develop communicative competence. The students should use the language to communicate. Therefore, they must assimilate knowledge and develop a series of strategies that allow them to perform efficiently. This requires reproducing in the classroom, as much as possible, the communication processes that are carried out in real life. In order to contextualize these processes, classes will be conducted in English, requiring the students to

gradually use English more and more. Communicative competence is composed of the following components: 3.1. Pragmatic competence is the ability to adapt the communicative activities for interaction, comprehension and expression to practical communicative situations, and the ability to transmit the desired communicative intentions and functions (functional competence) through speaking and writing which is structured, cohesive and coherent (discourse competence). 3.2. Sociolinguistic competence is how well a person speaks and is understood in various social contexts. This depends on factors such as the status of those speaking to each other, the purpose of the interaction, and the expectations of the interaction. The main question is: how socially acceptable is the persons use of English in different settings? 3.3. Linguistic competence is how well a person has learned the features and rules of the language. This includes vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence formation. These will be studied and practiced in class, not as an end in themselves, but rather as tools to assist in interaction and communication in English. 3.4. Strategic competence is how well a person uses both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication to compensate for a lack of knowledge in the other three competencies. The main question is: can a person find ways to communicate when he or she is lacking some knowledge of English? 4. GENERAL OBJECTIVES The point of reference for the first year of the intermediate level is the first sublevel (B1.1.) of the Threshold Level of the Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages. After successfully completing this course, a student will be able to:

Use the language as an instrument of communication and personal expression about familiar topics, both in the classroom and in everyday situations. Understand, interact and express himself or herself appropriately in these situations, both orally and in writing, with a certain amount of fluency and a basic but broad linguistic repertoire. Increase his or her knowledge of the sociocultural aspects related to everyd ay situations and those related to his or her own professional or academic context, using the proper manners, correct register and appropriate forms of address in these situations. Assimilate the necessary and appropriate linguistic resources for the pla nned communicative activities by doing both functional and structural exercises. Reinforce and add variety to the use of strategies that accelerate communication and learning. Utilize tools for assessing and improving language use and learning itself. 5. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 5.1. PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE 5.1.1. Oral and Written Interaction Understand enough in order to participate, without previous preparation, in conversations dealing with everyday topics. Understand and write notes and letters to familiar conversation partners, transmitting and highlighting information, describing experiences, feelings and events in some detail, coherently, and with basic organization and cohesion.

5.1.2. Listening Comprehension Identify the communicative intentions and the main ideas of comments, discussions, detailed directions and narrations given clearly, at a reasonable speed of delivery, and in standard language in both formal and informal registers. Extract essential information from announcements, news broadcasts, and other simple recorded material dealing with general topics and pronounced relatively slowly and clearly. 5.1.3. Oral Expression Carry out simple but coherent presentations, descriptions, and narrations about a variety of familiar topics, organized in a linear fashion, with a simple but broad linguistic repertoire and exhibiting cohesion and flexibility. Participate fluently in everyday exchanges, although pauses, hesitations and interruptions may be noticeable in other types of exchanges. 5.1.4. Reading Comprehension Understand simple and contextualized texts dealing with general topics or those related to the students area of speciality; identify the communicative intentions, the important ideas and the most significant details and recognize the formal or informal registers of standard language. 5.1.5. Written Expression Write simple and appropriate texts about familiar topics, respecting the conventions of written language, connecting elements in coherent sequences,

with basic but effective organization, cohesion and satisfactory control of simple linguistic resources.

5.2. SOCIOCULTURAL AND SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE Expand ones sociocultural knowledge to include a varied range of everyday and professional aspects, and adapt ones behaviour and reactions to different situations. Use the language and social forms typical of the exchanges and texts that the student normally deals with, as well as the forms of address and common expressions of courtesy, in a standard register (formal and informal). Understand the behaviour and values which are different to ones own which underlie everyday sociocultural phenomena, and recognize language that may be offensive or taboo in the other culture. 5.3. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE Acquire a basic but broad linguistic repertoire for dealing with most common situations and put discourse together with flexibility, although perhaps still exhibiting some difficulties in formulation. Utilize this repertoire fairly correctly for the expression of predictable functions and topics in common situations. Use new structures or participate in less common situations, although the interlanguage still exhibits errors typical of this level. 5.4. STRATEGIC COMPETENCE Strengthen motivation for learning the language and cooperate in the communicative interaction of the group. Become aware of the most helpful strategies and apply them intentionally.

 Utilize ones own knowledge and experience and assess the resources available for completing a task. Take advantage of new resources and opportunities to use the foreign language, in new situations and with different types of texts. Practice the language, contextualize messages, avoid and resolve difficulties, monitor comprehension, ask for help and repair gaps in understanding. Faced with difficulties or shortcomings, risk using the language with alreadyfamiliar strategies. Recognize errors as an unavoidable part of the learning process and try new ways of overcoming them. Evaluate learning processes and achievements with the help of the teacher. Identify difficulties and ways to overcome them. Assess the successes and the methods used and plan future learning processes in accordance with the results. 6. CONTENTS 6.1. COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES These are comprehension and expression activities that the student must put into practice in order to carry out the communicative functions planned for the first year of the intermediate level. 6.2. FUNCTIONS Argumentation Explaining with examples Knowledge, Judgments, Opinions Expressing opinions Emphasizing an idea Making deductions

Monitoring Communication Reformulating ideas Asking for clarification

Wishes, State of Health, Feelings and Sensations Showing and expressing interest and surprise Expressing preferences Expressing feelings and emotions Talking about hopes and plans for the future Making and accepting apologies and excuses Dialogue Expressing agreement and disagreement Negotiating priorities Responding to a conversation partner Negotiating a change of plans General Information Generalizing Instructions, requests, suggestions Expressing obligation Asking for and granting permission Giving instructions Formulating offers and requests Formulating a complaint Giving advice and making suggestions Responding to a suggestion

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Formulating invitations Making plans and arrangements to meet with someone Asking for help Narration Demonstrating personal knowledge Narrating past experiences Narrating the experiences told by someone else Sequencing the events in a narration Organization of discourse Greeting someone, interacting, and saying goodbye on the telephone Changing the subject of conversation Social uses of language Formulating a polite request Social Uses of Language Encouraging conversation partners to participate in a conversation Getting someones attention Expressing consent Speaking about yourself Initiating and maintaining a conversation Giving examples Showing thanks Demonstrating empathy Responding to someone who is narrating an experience Description Describing people

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Describing stereotypes

6.3. COHERENCE AND COHESION OF DISCOURSE With regard to the communicative activities, functions and types of texts indicated in the previous sections, I will now describe the level of progress that can be attained in the course Intermediate Level 1 in terms of both receptive and productive skills, and considering the main elements of discourse and functional competencies. Effective Communication Take the situation and the context into consideration when producing a message. Recognize the communicative intentions and significant ideas of a text or exchange. Select messages and texts that respond to the need for information and always keep in mind the purpose of what is being listened to or read. Fulfill the communicative purposes and transmit simple information in some detail, highlighting what is considered to be most important. Recognize the formal or informal register within standard language, as well as the degree of familiarity between the conversation partners (forms of address, expressions, gestures and attitudes). Use a standard register of formality and informality according to the communicative situation. React and cooperate in common situations of interaction, according to the customs of the target culture. Take shared information into account in order to offer appropriate information.

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 Use the appropriate strategies for comprehension and effective transmission of messages and texts. Ask for and offer clarification and repetition when there are breakdowns in communication. Coherence and Organization Respect coherence and the unity of ideas with the communicative purpose, so that everything is related and there are no mix-ups or unnecessary repetitions. Recognize and adjust to the common organization of exchanges in the target language and culture (greetings, starting a conversation, turn-taking, pauses and ending a conversation). Recognize and adjust to the characteristics and fo rmat of the texts or discourse which must be understood or produced. Utilize the graphic layout of the text in order to understand or express its organization, and to recognize and highlight sections, lists and underlined areas. Organize ideas coherently (temporally, spatially or logically). Structure production in accordance with the type de text. Offer sufficient and relevant information to fulfill a communicative purpose. Observe differences and similarities to discourse in ones own language o r other foreign languages. Cohesion Recognize and use the appropriate resources to address someone and to take ones turn speaking, to maintain and end conversations, as well as to react and cooperate in everyday exchanges.

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 Recognize and use common discourse markers and intonation in order to mark the different elements in discourse. Contextualize the message with the appropriate temporal and spatial expressions. Recognize and utilize the most common connectors and punctuation of discourse in paragraphs. Refer back to text elements, avoiding unintended repetitions, using ellipses and simple substitution resources with a clear referent or by way of lexical resources. Pay attention to temporal coherence (present past future) in the whole text. Practice for fluent comprehension of texts, using the appropriate strategies. Manage everyday exchanges with a fluid rhythm; whereas pauses, hesitations, and interruptions may still be noticeable in more difficult exchanges. 6.4. TOPICS Meeting people, social relations and ways of interacting Working with the foreign language in class Food Family and Friends Money Travel (real or imagined) Free time and leisure Telephone and communications Technology Physical appearance Education

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Lodging Everyday activities Professional life Shopping Goods and services Cinema and the media Parties Politics and citizen participation 6.5. LINGUISTIC RESOURCES 6.5.1. GRAMMAR Sentences Types of simple sentences that indicate the speakers attitude: - Declarative (affirmative and negative; emphatic sentences) - Interrogative. - Imperative (affirmative and negative sentences) - Exclamatory: what and how (What a beautiful day! How pleasant!) - Desiderative: I wish (I wish you the best.) - Dubitative (Im not sure.) - Impersonal: - The passive voice with simple tenses (The flight was delayed.) - Word order and alterations in each type of sentence: - Position of the negation. - Omission of elements. - Relative subordination: - Specific: who, which and that (The woman who called is my sister.)

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- Omission of the relative object pronoun (Shes the actress you saw at the party.) - With where and when (Thats the place where pasta was invented.) - Indirect speech (also called reported speech): - Conditional Subordination: - Real conditionals (If you want to catch the plane, hurry up!) - Hypothetical (If I were you, Id go by train.) Determiners - The definite and indefinite article - Absence of the article in generalizations - Use and omission of definite article with last and next Adjectives - Adjectives that have comparative forms (difficult, hungry) and absolutes (starving) - Comparative and superlative adjectives. Revision and extension - Irregular Forms: better / the best, worse / the worst, more / the most - Structures for expressing comparison: the same as, similar to, different from - Adjective modifiers: adverbs (extremely funny) - Most common adjectives followed by a preposition (afraid of spiders, fond of chocolate, good at Maths) Other forms of noun modification: Noun + noun (train ticket, family reunion) Constructions introduced by a preposition (a book about nature) Relative clauses

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Pronouns - Personal pronouns: revision and extension of forms, functions, position, use/omission and agreement with the referent (Jim and Sue left early. They had to take the bus.) - Order personal object pronouns (I gave it to him / I gave him a present) - Reflexive Pronouns - each other - a little, a few, enough, much, many - Relative pronouns: who, which and that. Revision and extension - Special use of the interrogative pronoun what (I dont know what to do.) Verb Phrases - Nucleus (verb) and complements in accordance with the type of verb Verbs: - Revision of the verb tenses from the beginner level - Present simple and continuous - Present perfect with for and since - Forms for expressing the past - Past simple and continuous - Past perfect - The form used to + infinitive - The form be going to - Future simple (will) - Conditional with would, could and should

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- Subjunctive were in conditional sentences - Modal verbs - can, could, may, must, should in combination with the bare infinitive Characteristics and use: - The form have to for expressing obligation or the absence obligation - The passive voice of the verb tenses studied in this level The infinitive after: - Adjectives (I was pleased to see him.) - Other verbs (We decided to walk. I want you to drive. He made them leave. ) The gerund: - Functioning as a noun (Swimming is good for you.) - After a preposition (Im interested in buying a new house.) - After other verbs (I enjoy playing football. I like teaching.) - Semi-copulative verbs: seem, feel, look, sound (It sounds interesting!) 6.5.2. DISCOURSE Discourse Markers Conjunctions and conjunctive phrases - Revision of commonly-used coordinating and subordinating conjunctions: and, but, because, so, when, if, after, before - Other coordinating conjunctions: as well as, both and, or, no(t)but - Temporal expressions: before / after + -ing (Ill get something to drink before going to the party.); while; until / till; since (Its quiet here since John left.) - Expression of purpose: contrast between to + infinitive (I have to find my glasses to read this article.) and for + -ing (Do you wear glasses for reading?) - Expression of consequence: so [that]

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Prepositions Revision of the most frequent prepositions and prepositional phrases. - Prepositions after frequently-used verbs (agree with, ask for, belong to) - Prepositions after frequently-used adjectives (afraid of spiders, good at Maths) Cohesion Oral and written discourse: markers for starting ones turn (In my opinion, ) and beginning an explanation (Basically, ); showing doubt (maybe ; perhaps ); showing agreement (sure; no doubt; of course); showing disagreement (Sorry, but I dont agree.); partially contradicting someone (I understand / I can see your point, but ); clarifying ones own expression and reformulating (I mean; in other words) maintaining the subject (the textual reference) using simple resources: ellipsis: (I love football but she doesnt.) use of the definite article with nouns that have already been mentioned use of demonstratives, personal pronouns or expressions with anaphoric value (these things; them; and so; that way; the problem) lexical procedures: frequent synonyms, hypernyms (machine>computer), nominalization (excite > excitement) grammatical procedures: pronouns, adverbs, the most frequent coordinating and subordinating discourse connectors Markers for: adding information (and too; and as well; also; in addition [to]; whats more; not only but also) enumerating (First [of all]; Firstly, Secondly; Finally) giving examples (for example; such as; that is; in other words)

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Specifically in oral discourse, markers for: supporting a speaker (Really?; Thats interesting; And then?) reacting and interacting (Youre joking!; Its terrible!; Thats incredible!) getting the speaker involved (Dont you think?; Guess what!) demonstrating involvement (I see; I know) use of the most frequent intonation patterns for cohesion in oral discourse use and graphic layout of paragraphs for cohesion in written discourse oral and written discourse: markers for presenting conclusions ( In conclusion, ) Vocabulary Expressions and frequent vocabulary in different formal and informal communication situations for the functions that are being practiced: - forms of courtesy for making requests, giving orders, asking questions, etc. - use of please and thank you. - Lexicalized chunks (sorry for the delay; last but not least; see what I mean? ) Word formation: formation of words by derivation, the most frequent affixes - Negative Prefixes (dis-, disagree; in- informal, im-, impossible, ir-, irresponsible; un- unknown) - Suffixes for forming nouns (-hood, childhood; -ship, friendship; -ance, elegance; -ence, patience; -cy, frequency; -ness, happiness; -ty / -ity, similarity; -al, arrival; -ation, creation; -ment, excitement; -ing, feeling) - Suffixes for forming adjectives (-able, reasonable; -ible, responsible; -ing, amusing; -al, national; -ful, wonderful; -ish, selfish; -ive, productive; - less, painless; -ous, nervous) - Formation of words by compounding (sleeping bag, landlady, greenhouse)

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- Nominalization: (the rich, the writing of the book) - Frequently used acronyms and abbreviations (ASAP, BC / AD, BBC) Semantic fields of the topics being practiced (families of words, etc.) - False friends and frequent lexical interference (with the mother tongue or other foreign languages): (actually, pretend, argument) - Words that are British, American, etc. (underground - subway, lift - elevator) 6.5.3. PHONOLOGY AND SPELLING - Recognition and production of the vocalic and consonant phonemes. Practice with the phonemes such as: /s/, /z/, //, //, /t/, which cause the most difficulties - Practice with the elements that typically cause the most difficulties: - The r at the end of a word - The sound // in unstressed syllables and in unstressed forms of articles, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and auxiliary and modal verbs Correspondence between phonemes and letters/phonetic symbols.

Recognition of the graphic representation in the dictionary - Words similar in form that often cause difficulties (quite - quiet, receipt - recipe) - Rhythm: recognition and production of stressed and unstressed syllables - Sentence stress - Intonation required for the communicative functions being practiced in various types of sentences. Intonation in question tags - Careful spelling of vocabulary that is frequently used at the intermediate level - Spelling changes due to the addition of suffixes: - Doubling of final consonants (hotter, stopped) - The letters -e and -y at the end of words (making, trying, studied) 7. METHODOLOGY

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7. 1. Methodological Criteria 1. The main criterion is to emphasize the concept of effective communication over grammatical accuracy. The focus will be on developing the students communicative competence, emphasizing interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a language. The course will not be subordinated to covering the linguistic contents which have been established. Instead, these will be approached as a framework for encouraging linguistic communication. The practical use of the language will be the most important way to learn. 2. The four language skills will be integrated to develop the students communicative competence. These skills are: reading and listening

comprehension, written and especially oral expression, as well as interaction and mediation. 3. The functional, thematic, linguistic and sociocultural contents will be considered to be tools for carrying out the communicative activities. 4. The course activities will be adapted to the real communicative needs of diverse students. Situations will be studied in which the students will be likely to use English in real life, the roles they will play and the topics involved. 5. Authenticity will be sought in tasks and situations, in the meaning that they could have for the students in real life. In this way, with gradually increasing difficulty, the students will come into contact with situations that simulate the real world. 6. The responsibility and autonomy of the student will be valued in the construction of his or her own learning, attempting to develop strategic competence, which is what activates all the knowledge and resources that we use to communicate.

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7. 2. Methodological Strategies 1. English will be used as the usual medium for communication in class, both by the teacher and by the students. 2. In the communicative language activities, there will be a progression starting from listening comprehension and moving towards oral expression, and from reading comprehension to written expression. 3. The teacher will present language rules, but there will also be inductive teaching, a student-centred teaching technique in which the students discover language rules through extensive use of the language and exposure to many examples, such as the communication situations practiced in class and the texts used in them. 4. The class textbook will not be the only resource, but rather, it will be complemented with different kinds of materials related to the language goals. 5. The teacher will correct student errors judiciously and at the appropriate time, sometimes immediately and sometimes at a later point in time. 6. The teachers role will be that of the presenter who sets things in motion and facilitates the communicative activities, providing guidance and orientation to the students in the learning process while keeping in mind the objectives at hand. 7. The student will play an active role in this process and in the dynamics of the group, as well as take initiatives and develop techniques and habits for selfstudy. 8. The students will know the objectives of each class activity. The rules and instructions for carrying them out will be clear to assure everyones participation.

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9. There will be some activities outside the classroom; some of these activities may involve student participation in special language tasks, others will be homework. 10. The classroom activities will require different types of participation, sometimes individual, other times in pairs, in groups, or with all the students together. Interaction tasks and mediation between teacher and students will be encouraged. 11. The student will receive a steady diet of a variety of activities in order to practice all four language skills and interact and communicate in a variety of ways. 8. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION 8.1. Introduction The regulations regarding assessment / evaluation and certification in the Official School of Languages in Andaluca (EDU/1061/2006, June 23rd) require the following: The assessment will reflect the general and specific objectives as well as the contents of the curriculum, and, consequently, will be focused on discovering the degree of linguistic knowledge the student has, and his or her ability to communicate. The Official School of Languages, therefore, assesses the degree to which its students have attained the objectives expressly stated in the course syllabus. 8.2. General Assessment Criteria: 1. To consider the assessment process to be a component of the teaching and learning process.

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2. To integrate the assessment process into the course as an additional classroom activity, transmitting to the student the instructive value of assessment and encouraging feedback. 3. To guarantee the assessment of language in context and not in an isolated fashion, so that the student can demonstrate his or her linguistic competence. 4. To evaluate the student objectively according to the principle of consensus with the other Department members: defining, clarifying and unifying the assessment criteria. Strategies and procedures for assessing the students learning process: 1. To increase the students awareness so that he or she recognizes what is being assessed, the learning objectives, and the intended degree of achievement. 2. To check, by way of revision at the beginning of each course, that the student has assimilated and achieved the contents and objectives covered in previous courses, in this way encouraging self-assessment and co-assessment. 3. To plan student activities, which will be revised in class with the aim of encouraging feedback and error analysis. 4. To periodically collect of data from the students about the tasks carried out. 5. To observe the students work in the classroom, his or her attitude, participation, task completion and evolution of learning through the

communication activities. 6. To observe the students ability to interact in the group or pair-work activities. 7. To give specific tests in the classroom in order to measure the degree of assimilation of the contents which have been covered in the course and the degree of achievement of the corresponding objectives.

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8. To create tests with content and presentation which reflect the class activities. 9. To inform the student or, if applicable, his or her legal representatives, about his or her progress in the different language skills at the mid-point of the course.

8.3. Types of Assessment / Evaluation 8.3.1. Placement Test This will be carried out before the course to place new students into the levels determined by the Administration. The tests corresponding to this assessment will be composed of a contextualized vocabulary and grammar test and an oral comprehension test. The Department will be in charge of correcting it according to an objective scale. 8.3.2. Diagnostic Assessment This will be carried out at the beginning of the course to determine what existing knowledge, skills, attitudes, interests, and/or needs the student has, the range of individual differences, and what program plans and/or modifications are required to meet the needs of individuals or groups of students. This assessment will be carried out by the teacher according to criteria established by the department, and will be of a purely orientative and informative nature. The European Language Portfolio will also be encouraged and taken into account when learning about a students previous knowledge and experience.

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8.3.3. Continuous Assessment This will be carried out over the length of the entire course, in order to provide individualized attention depending on the possibilities allowed by each group. Each teacher will carry out as many tests as he or she considers appropriate in the different skill areas with a view to the progress of the group, because this type of assessment is of a purely orientational and informative nature. At least once before the end-of-course assessment (approximately at the midpoint of the course) the students will be informed about their learning progress in writing (understanding as progress the acquisition of new knowledge and the achievement of the objectives related to the contents covered). In the case of students who are minors of age, the teacher will provide them with this information by way of a report, so that they can deliver it to their legal representatives. In the tests given, the four skills will be assessed: reading and listening comprehension; written and oral expression. A percentage value of 25% will be assigned to each part. It must be emphasized that the students regular class attendance is compulsory; they must attend a minimum of 60% of classes. If a student misses more than 40% of classes with unexcused absences, the student will lose the right to reserve a place in English for the next course. Regarding acceptable excuses for absence, the School considers reasons such as: health problems; work reasons (work shifts); practical activities in postgraduate specializations (scholarships or contracts in companies or institutions); Erasmus programs; and internships in companies for students in vocational-technical school. Any remaining reasons for absence are considered

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to be covered by the 40% for which no excuse is required. The teacher will monitor student attendance on a daily basis and submit a monthly report to the Director of Studies. 8.3.4. End-of-Course Assessment This will be carried out on two occasions at the end of each course. For official students in year-long courses, there is an ordinary examination session in June and an extraordinary one in September. For official students in four-month courses in the first four-month period, there is an examination session in February and an extraordinary one in June. For official students in four-month courses in the second four-month period, there is an examination session in June and one in September. All students in courses not ending in certification can make use of both exam sessions to pass the course; this is the case of the first year of the intermediate level. Passing the final exams is required for advancement to the next course. All the students take the same test, which is prepared by the Department. The test will necessarily include four separate sections: reading and listening comprehension; written and oral expression. A percentage value of 25% is assigned to each part. 8.3.5. Format of the final test In the reading comprehension test, two or more different types of texts are provided along with a series of questions or activities. It is an objective test that is corrected using an answer key. In the listening comprehension test there is at least one listening, with or without the help of an image. After listening to a text, time is given for the

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student to complete the activities given, and the text is listened to a second time. This is an objective test that is corrected using an answer key. In the written expression text, several communication situations are given and the student is asked to write a text related to one of them. The correction is subjective, but all the examiners will follow a common assessment scale. In the oral expression test, the students will have to give a brief presentation on a topic chosen from among several and which he or she has some time to prepare. There is also interaction with another classmate based on a communicative situation which is given and which can also be prepared before being carried out. The correction is subjective, but all the examiners will follow a common assessment scale. 8.3.6. Procedure for the administration of the final tests The reading comprehension, listening comprehension and written expression tests will take place in a single session. The oral expression test will be administered in a separate session. 8.3.7. Assessment Criteria for the Final Test For the reading and listening comprehension tests, the examiners will use a common, objective correction scale. For the written expression test the examiners will use the following assessment criteria: appropriateness: length and appropriateness of the format; task fulfillment; register; relevance of content cohesion: organization; connectors and elements of reference; punctuation correction: degree of correction in spelling; grammar and vocabulary

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richness of vocabulary: variety and precision of the contents; structures and vocabulary. For the oral expression test, the examiners will use the following assessment criteria: appropriateness: length and appropriateness of the format; task fulfillment; register; relevance of content cohesion: organization of ideas; connectors; elements of reference and intonation; fluency correction: in pronunciation of isolated sounds, grammar, syntax and vocabulary richness: variety and precision of the contents, structures and vocabulary. The student will have to pass each one of the parts of the final test in order to obtain the final qualification of satisfactory. 9. MEASURES FOR MISSED ACTIVITIES, RETAKING TESTS, AND REVISION In this section I am going to talk about two different categories: (1) helping students who have missed class sessions or tests to keep up with the progress of the group; (2) helping students to overcome any lack of previous or required knowledge.

On the first day of the course, the teacher will explain that attendance of at least 60% of classes is compulsory, and that it is best to attend class regularly and as much as possible, with perfect attendance being the ideal, but that if a situation comes up in which a student has to miss one or more classes and knows about it beforehand, that student should inform the teacher about this situation. The

30

teacher, in turn, can show the student the pages in the book or other material to be covered during the period of absence, as well as any planned homework assignments. In addition, the teacher could suggest an additional homework assignment from among the class contents to be covered. The students can also obtain information from each other about what is being covered in class in a type of buddy system in which classmates help each other. The teacher will encourage this type of learner independence and initiative on the first day of the course. The ideal is for the student to keep up with the group as much as possible during any absence, so that upon returning to class he or she is not overwhelmed by the accumulation of new information. However, if a student returns after an unforeseen absence, the teacher can assist that student with missed contents before and after class, during office hours, or in a meeting at another time if necessary. It is even possible to repeat some contents or activities in an abbreviated fashion if this could also be of benefit to the rest of the group. If a student misses a continuous-assessment test, another occasion must be found when that student can take the test, for example during office hours. For a student who misses or fails a final test, the rules are determined by School policy. Regarding students who, during the diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the course, exhibit a lack of knowledge or skills in any of the required areas, the teacher must determine what program plans and/or modifications are required to meet the needs of these individuals or groups of students. It is beneficial to reserve at least three class sessions each academic year for revision.

31

10.

MATERIALS

AND

TEACHING

RESOURCES

USED

IN

THE

CLASSROOM The classroom activities will require the use of the course textbook and student workbook. In addition, other materials will be used which are designed to stimulate the students motivation in class, relate the course contents to their lives and interests, and make it possible for the students to acquire the autonomy necessary in order to carry out tasks outside the classroom and to use English in real life. Therefore, the following audiovisual and technological resources will be used: CD and cassette players and video and DVD players in activities that involve radio and television programs, songs, films, documentaries, etc. Moreover, all types of real materials (realia) will be used (news articles, magazines, catalogues, brochures, forms to be filled in, train and bus timetables, city maps, museum guides, etc.) in order to encourage the students communicative development. 11. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Considering that students in the Official School of Languages are a very diverse group with people of different tastes, opinions, ages, professions, interests, etc., proposing extracurricular activities for everyone can be difficult. However, this should not be an obstacle to inviting the students to as many events as can be organized over the length of the course, since these provide a complement to classroom theory and activities. The following is a list of activities that could be organized by the Department of English: the preparation of theatrical performances in English with the students; cooking contests; a cinema cycle in the original English version with subtitles; a

32

reading club; conferences or talks on a specific topic; trip(s) to English-speaking countries; storytellers; musical concerts; organizing correspondence with students in an English-speaking country via e-mail or regular mail in order to use English in real communication; organizing conversation exchanges with students or professionals who are native speakers of English. Depending on what is agreed upon in the different departmental meetings, the teacher will also support and encourage cultural initiatives which originate from the students association. 12. MEASURES FOR ATTENTION TO SPECIAL NEEDS AND DIVERSITY Regarding students with physical, mental, or sensorial limitations who are eligible for enrolment in the Official School of Languages, the teacher should consider any adaptations which may be necessary or appropriate. All resources should be used that the Department has at its disposal, for example: a laptop computer if possible, earphones, etc. In class, these students may need more attention than other students in order to keep up with classroom activities. In some cases it may be necessary to provide special activities for disabled students, or modify some group activities to accommodate them while keeping in mind the benefit of the entire group as well. Office hours provide a good opportunity to assist students with special needs. Appropriate measures should also be taken regarding the time required to complete any activity or test. The student may need a special explanation of some instructions, more time to complete the test, or special materials.

33

If a disabled student is unable to complete any of the parts of the final assessment, a partial certificate will be issued to him or her in which are recorded the competences that have been demonstrated. The teacher must also consider the possibility of there being gifted or very intelligent students in the group and provide them with extra attention or activities if appropriate. With regard to student diversity in general, the English Department is the largest of the Departments, and therefore a series of factors deserve careful attention. A) The mixture of minor-age students with adult students requires effort in order to develop cohesion within the group. Most of these very young students spend 5 or 6 hours a day in their respective educational institutions, and it can be complicated to get them involved in the classroom activities, which require active participation. In order to develop a good working atmosphere, it is necessary for the very young students to interact with the adults, in order to achieve balance in the classroom. B) Students who use distance-learning systems to then gain access to classroom learning are becoming more common. Logically, they require a period of adaptation to new classroom methods, since they are much different today. These students are often disciplined in terms of independent study and need to reinforce their knowledge, put it into practice, and familiarize themselves with classroom teaching. C) Students who have done their A-levels (final year of secondary school) can now gain access to the first year of the intermediate level using their A-level studies. It should be one of the teachers priorities to monitor these students to

34

check their level at the beginning of the course in order to detect any possible shortcomings.

13. UNIT PLANS 13.1. Introduction The following is a summary of the objectives, contents, activities, and assessment / evaluation for fifteen units which contain enough lessons to occupy the students during the time period described and to cover the proposed objectives effectively. The unit plans appear here in abbreviated form so that they can be easily read. The emphasis is on interaction and on using the language, especially orally. Written expression occurs during a variety of activities. In most of the units it also appears optionally as homework, which means that if class time allows, the teacher can incorporate it as a classroom activity in an interactive and communicative way. 13.2. Duration The specific syllabus proposed for this level consists of 15 unit plans. Considering the average length of an academic year (120 hours), each unit plan will require approximately 8 one-hour lessons (or 4 two-hour lessons). However, it is also beneficial to reserve at least three lessons of each academic year for revision and self-assessment. UNIT PLAN 1 Food and Eating Habits

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to participate in a conversation about food and eating habits to be able to give and respond to opinions by agreeing or disagreeing

35

to be able to talk about everyday activities, both present and past

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: revision of present simple and continuous revision of past simple and the present perfect

vocabulary: food and restaurants

pronunciation: introduction to phonetics, the u sound in full and food

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

international food stereotypes and eating habits

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: text of an interview about two womens eating habits - listening comprehension: a woman talking about her daily eating habits - grammar: rules and exercises about present simple and continuous - oral expression: interview questions using the present simple and continuous - vocabulary: food and restaurants - oral expression: in pairs, a questionnaire and an interview of each other - pronunciation: the u sound in full and food - oral expression: a list of topics for agreeing or disagreeing - grammar: present perfect and past simple (1) - oral expression: students talk about themselves in present perfect & past simple

36

- grammar: present perfect and past simple (2) - reading comprehension: going on a date - oral expression: role-play - written expression: (homework) The students write about bars and restaurants in their country, what they like and dislike, what their habits are, etc. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

This is the first unit, so a diagnostic test can be given to check the students overall level and detect any areas of weakness that need work.

b.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
d.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. Family and Friends

UNIT PLAN 2

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about your family and the other people in your life to be able to talk about personality to be able to talk about your hopes and plans for the future

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: future forms: going to, present continuous, will/shall

vocabulary:

37

family, the people in your life, personality

pronunciation: prefixes and suffixes

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

changing family size and structure

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: text about family structure - oral expression: small groups, students discuss family structure in their country - listening comprehension: family members using future forms - oral expression: talk about your future life story - grammar: in pairs, students do exercises about future, and then complete a table - reading comprehension: two sisters talk about when they were growing up - vocabulary: personality - pronunciation: prefixes and suffixes - oral expression: in pairs, students describe 3 family members and friends - listening comprehension: the influence of family on a persons personality - listening comprehension: introductions and meeting people - game: role play: in groups, students take on roles of different family members - written expression: (homework) describing a person homework: revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment.

38

b.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 3

Money

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about money to be able to say different kinds of numbers to be able to talk about other peoples lives and attitudes

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: present perfect continuous

vocabulary: money

pronunciation: numbers strong adjectives

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

peoples attitudes to money and possessions

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: article about a woman who lives without money

39

- oral expression: questionnaire about money to be done in pairs - vocabulary: money - reading comprehension: current attitudes to money - oral expression: saying different kinds of numbers - listening comprehension: news bulletin including different kinds of numbers - listening comprehension: woman who has been experiencing a different culture - grammar: exercises for the present perfect continuous - reading comprehension: article about two people who have changed their lives - oral expression: pronouncing and using strong adjectives - listening comprehension: strong adjectives and the present perfect continuous - oral expression: in pairs, invent dialogues based on a list of strong adjectives - written expression: (homework): Is money necessary for happiness? ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

40

UNIT PLAN 4

World Traveller

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about travel to be able to make comparisons to be able to make requests

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: comparative and superlative of adjectives

vocabulary: transport and travel

pronunciation: stress in compound nouns

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

gossip

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): reading comprehension: an article comparing different ways of travelling listening comprehension: a traveler talking about a journey grammar: exercises with the comparative and superlative of adjectives oral expression: in pairs, compare a list of experiences using adjectives pronunciation: stress in compound nouns oral expression: ask and answer questions about transport in your town

41

vocabulary: transport and travel listening comprehension: the most dangerous things to do when driving a car oral expression: in groups, discuss opinions about driving and transport listening comprehension: requests and permission listening comprehension: gossip oral expression: the group takes turns to invent a travel story together written expression: (homework): write about a nightmare journey revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a. b.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment. The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 5

I Have to Make a Phone Call

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to use a telephone in English to be able to talk about manners and correct social behaviour to be able to express obligation and deduction

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: modal verbs of obligation and deduction

42

vocabulary: telephones

pronunciation: sentence stress

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

culture shock

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - oral expression: in pairs, an interview each other using a phone questionnaire - listening comprehension: people talking about mobile phones - oral expression: how to make a telephone call - oral expression: role-play a telephone conversation - grammar: exercises with modal verbs of obligation - pronunciation: sentence stress - oral expression: in pairs, make sentences using modal verbs of obligation - reading comprehension: article about culture shock - listening comprehension: people from different nationalities talk about courtesy - oral expression: the students discuss courtesy in their country - written expression: (homework): do people in your country have good manners? ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:

43

a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. You Can Do It

UNIT PLAN 6

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to express deduction to be able to describe people physically to be able to talk about deductions, abilities and possibilities

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: modal verbs of deduction, ability and possibility

vocabulary: describing people -ed / -ing adjectives

pronunciation: sentence stress

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

judging by appearances

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS):

44

- reading comprehension: article about peoples appearance - vocabulary: describing people physically - grammar: exercises about modal verbs of deduction - listening comprehension: making deductions based on physical appearance - oral expression: describe a series of pictures and guess a story from them - reading comprehension: different people speak about things they cannot do - grammar: exercises with modal verbs of ability and possibility - pronunciation: sentence stress - oral expression: in pairs, students interview each other about their abilities - vocabulary: -ed / -ing adjectives - listening comprehension: a psychologist talks about learning how to do things - reading comprehension: two people who have overcome difficult circumstances -written expression: (homework): an informal letter revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a. b.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment. The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. Education

UNIT PLAN 7

Duration: approximately 8 hours

45

OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about school and education to be able to express real conditions to be able to talk about choices in life

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: first conditional, if and unless future time clauses + when, until

vocabulary: education

pronunciation: the u sounds in up and you

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

educational system in Great Britain

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: text about making choices in education - vocabulary: education - pronunciation: the u sounds in up and you - oral expression: in pairs, students interview each other about their education - reading comprehension: article comparing schools today with those in past - grammar: first conditional and future time clauses, pair activities and exercises - listening comprehension: TV program about old education methods - oral expression: in groups, students explain their opinions about education

46

- reading comprehension: text about things people do after leaving school - song: Wonderful World (Dont Know Much), by Sam Cooke -written expression: (homework): Describe your school and yourself as a student. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The students participation and interaction in the act ivities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. Home Sweet Home

UNIT PLAN 8

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about unreal conditions to be able to talk about houses to be able to talk about friendship

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: second conditional, usually and used to

vocabulary: houses

pronunciation:

47

the /s/ and /z/ sounds CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

friendship

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: two celebrities discussing hypothetical situations - grammar: second conditional pair activities and exercises - oral expression: in pairs, students complete sentences in second conditional - vocabulary: houses - listening comprehension: four people describe their dream house - listening comprehension: video about renting a flat - oral expression: in pairs, students describe their dream house - oral expression: in pairs, students interview each other about friendship - reading comprehension: first part of text about a website that reunites friends - grammar: usually and used to - listening comprehension: second part of text about website that reunites friends - pronunciation: the /s/ and /z/ sounds - oral expression: students share opinions about list of sentences about friendship - written expression: (homework): describing a house or flat revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment.

48

b.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 9

Different Styles

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about different lifestyles to be able to be able to express quantity to be able to make generalizations about people

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: quantifiers definite and indefinite articles

vocabulary: noun formation verbs and adjectives + prepositions

pronunciation: -ough and -augh

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

differences between men and women

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS):

49

- reading comprehension: article about peoples work-life balance - grammar: quantifiers - pronunciation: -ough and -augh - listening comprehension: ways to slow down in our daily lives - reading comprehension: article about a fast lifestyle versus a slow one - vocabulary: noun-formation - oral expression: students share ideas to improve living conditions in their town - grammar: definite and indefinite articles - reading comprehension: communication differences between men and women - oral expression: differences between men and women - vocabulary: verbs and adjectives + prepositions - oral expression: students generalize about mens and womens attitudes - written expression: (homework): Describe the stereotype of a typical man and a typical woman in your country; then describe your ideal man or woman. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities ca n be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. Professional Life

UNIT PLAN 10

50

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about work and professions to be able to talk about stages in a persons career to be able to do a job interview in English

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: gerunds and infinitives

vocabulary: work and jobs

pronunciation: word stress

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

meetings

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - vocabulary: work - pronunciation: word stress - grammar: gerunds and infinitives - oral expression: in pairs, discuss a list of topics using verb + gerund or infinitive - reading comprehension: a woman who had to pretend to do another job - listening comprehension: continuation of text about the woman who pretended

51

- oral expression: in pairs, students discuss a list of jobs they would like or dislike - vocabulary: stages in a persons career - reading comprehension: workbook - listening comprehension: video about giving opinions in meetings - written expression: in class: complete an application form - oral expression: talk about jobs - oral expression: simulation: students prepare job interviews with each other - reading comprehension: article about the secret to a long and happy life - written expression: (homework): formal letters and a CV revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a. b.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment. The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 11

Shopping

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to paraphrase what others have said to be able to talk about shopping to be able to make a complaint

52

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: reported speech: statements, questions and commands

vocabulary: shopping

pronunciation: the consonants in go, judge, kick, she, chew

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

types of shops

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: a story in a supermarket - grammar: reported speech: statements and questions - vocabulary: shopping (1) - pronunciation: the consonants in go, judge, kick, she, chew - oral expression: in pairs, interview with a shopping questionnaire - reading comprehension: making complaints - grammar: reported speech: commands - listening comprehension: radio program in which people talk about bad service - vocabulary: shopping (2) - oral expression: shopping stories - written expression: (homework): Write a shopping story for a magazine. ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:

53

a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. Films and Songs

UNIT PLAN 12

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about cinema to be able to express actions and events in the passive voice to be able to talk about songs and music

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: the passive (be + past participle)

vocabulary: cinema

pronunciation: sentence stress

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

international film and music

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: an article about cinema

54

- grammar: the passive voice - pronunciation: sentence stress - vocabulary: cinema - oral expression: in pairs, an interview with a cinema questionnaire - listening comprehension: an interview with an interpreter - oral expression: tell the story of a book or film - listening comprehension: actors talk about their experiences - reading comprehension: songs and music - song: Perfect Day - game: Name that Film - written expression: (homework): a film review ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 13

Public Figures We Admire

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

55

to be able to use relative clauses to express essential and nonessential information

to be able to talk about people who you admire to be able to give and react to news

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: relative clauses (defining and non-defining)

vocabulary: character

pronunciation: word stress

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

stereotypes about teenagers and other social groups

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: a biographical text - grammar: relative clauses (defining and non-defining) - listening comprehension: a radio program about heroes - reading comprehension: an article about people considered to be heroes - pronunciation: word stress - oral expression: in groups, students talk about people they admire and why - listening comprehension: giving and reacting to news - reading comprehension: generalizations and a story about teenagers - vocabulary: character - listening comprehension: stereotypes about different social groups

56

- grammar: leaving out relative pronouns; what or which?; whoever; etc. - game: find someone who written expression: revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and

pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:

a. b.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment. The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

UNIT PLAN 14

Are You Lucky?

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to talk about hypothetical situations in the past to be able to talk about luck to be able to make excuses

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: third conditional

vocabulary: making adjectives and adverbs reasons for being late

pronunciation:

57

sentence stress CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

making and accepting excuses

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: the first part of two stories about bad luck - oral expression: in pairs, students guess what happened next - listening comprehension: the endings of the two stories about bad luck - grammar: third conditional - pronunciation: sentence stress - oral expression: in pairs, complete a list of hypothetical sentences in past - oral expression: questionnaire about luck and compare answers in pairs - reading comprehension: an article about luck - vocabulary: making adjectives and adverbs - song: Ironic - listening comprehension: video: apologizing, giving excuses - vocabulary: reasons for being late - oral expression: making and accepting excuses - written expression: (homework): What is luck? Narrate some examples of when you had bad luck. What could you have done differently for things to have turned out better? ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a.

The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

58

b.

The written homework should be corrected and given back to the students as soon as possible, with pertinent corrections and

explanations.
c.

A self-assessment questionnaire can be given. An Interesting Story

UNIT PLAN 15

Duration: approximately 8 hours OBJECTIVES (PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE):

to be able to check things that you think you know and ask polite questions

to be able to talk about television to be able to form compound nouns to refer to things

CONTENTS (LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE): grammar: question tags and indirect questions phrasal verbs

vocabulary: compound nouns television habits

pronunciation: intonation in question tags

CULTURE (SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE):

television habits

ACTIVITIES (PRACTICE IN ALL FOUR COMPETENCIES AND SKILL AREAS): - reading comprehension: text about murder mysteries

59

- listening comprehension: recording of an interview about murder mysteries - grammar: question tags - pronunciation: intonation in question tags - reading comprehension: extract from a novel including indirect questions - grammar: indirect questions, variety of pair activities - vocabulary: compound nouns - oral expression: in pairs, students do a TV survey and interview each other - reading comprehension: texts about television including phrasal verbs - grammar: phrasal verbs - vocabulary: phrasal verbs - oral expression: in pairs, conversation questions with phrasal verbs - reading comprehension: article about a couple who lived without electricity - listening comprehension: people talking about living without electricity - written expression: (homework): Write a magazine article about the advantages and disadvantages of living without TV. revision exercise: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION:
a. b.

The revision exercise is also a form of continuous assessment. The students participation and interaction in the activities can be monitored, and at the end of the unit the teacher can assess their progress.

c. d.

Pronunciation can be monitored for problem areas. A self-assessment questionnaire can be given.

14. BIBLIOGRAPHY 14.1. Textbooks

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New English File Intermediate, Students book and Workbook. Oxford Natural English Intermediate, Students book and Workbook. Oxford 14.2. Recommended reference books: 14.2.1. Grammars Eastwood, J, Oxford Practice Grammar, O.U.P.(New Edition) Murphy, R., English Grammar in Use (Cambridge U.P.) Swan, How English Works, O.U.P. 14.2.2. Dictionaries Oxford Pocket (Oxford U.P.) Oxford Study (Oxford U.P.)

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