VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS EDUCATION
School of English II
----------------------------
2012 – 2013
COURSE GUIDE
COURSE GUIDE
Program: Double majors (721)
Prerequisites Written and Oral Communication III
Course code: ENG2025
Course status: Core
Semester: 4
Class hour: Mon – Fri
2
GENERAL COURSE POLICY
(Applied for all the language skills courses offered by the School of English 2, Faculty of ELT Education, ULIS, VNU, Hanoi. Specific policies for each course are to be viewed in the individual course guidelines )
1. Students are required to fully and actively participate in the lessons, prepare and finish home assignment and continuous assessment tasks as required in the course guide and by the teachers.
2. Students are supposed to have course books, cassettes, CDs and supplementary materials for all of the subjects in Written and Oral communication 3 (semester 1) and 4 (semester 2) courses within the first week of each semester. Teachers reserve the right to cancel the lessons in case (i) more than 50% of the students in class do not have the right course books in week 1 and (ii) more than 10% of the students in class do not have them from week 2 onwards. These cancelled lessons would not be made up.
3. Students and teachers are to attend the class on time. Any students who is 15 minutes late is considered to be absent from the lesson.
4. Any students who is absent from 20% of all the lessons (which is equal to 2 lessons) of any subjects would not be allowed to take the final exams. This rule is applied to both the cases of absence with permission and absence without permission.
5. Any students who lack any of the component grades of the skill subjects (including the grades of progress tests, midterm tests and other assignments in the syllabus) would get mark zero and would not be allowed to take the final exam.
6. Any students who fail to submit the assignments on the required dates have to ask for extension from the teachers in charge and their scores would be deducted by 5% per extended day.
7. When doing the written tests (applied to all of the tests during the school year: final tests, midterm tests, mini-tests, etc.), students are required to follow these rules:
a. The papers or parts of the papers would not be marked if: i. The papers are written with pencils or in more than one color or with more than
one kind of pens. ii. The students’ names are written under any circumstances (for example:
signatures in a letter; self-introduction, etc.) iii. Students do not follow the instructions (For example: writing Yes/No instead of
True/False, writing the full answers instead of A, B, C, composing an essay instead of a paragraph)
iv. The answers are not written clearly; the answers are ambiguous; the answers are written in both capital letters and normal letters ( For example: students write A for one item and C for another item in the same exercise; the answers are not clearly C or O; T or F)
b. Any students who discuss or copy the answers of others during the exams would have their marks deducted by 10% for the first time warning and 50% for the second time. They would be marked zero for the third time. Any students who bring printed materials, audio and visual devices, laptops or cell phones (in online mode) into the examination room would be rejected and get mark zero for the paper.
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c. Any students who do not respect the exam time limit would have his mark deducted by 10% of the total mark.
8. Students are required to follow the oral test procedure: Before the exam:
Students are informed about the time and places of the exam on the notice board. Students gather at the right time and in the right place as informed. Students gather in the waiting room until informed about the examining pairs
(Students need to be sure of who are their partners before leaving the gathering place)
When called, students need to move to the secretary desk to randomly pick the exam tables (One of the two examinees is required to pick)
Students check the places of their exam tables on the exam maps stuck on the walls. When the bell rings, students need to move to their exam tables.
During the exam: Students show their student cards or identity cards to the examiners. Students sign in the examinee name list. Each pair of examinees has 10 minutes to prepare for and do their oral tests. Students are not allowed to write or draw on the exam papers.
After the exam: Students promptly leave the exam rooms for another pair. Students keep silent in the exam area. Students submit the test questions together with their test papers The marks are to be announced by the Department Officer –in-charge within weeks
after the exam.
* The secretary board and the teachers in charge have the right to refuse the students who do not follow one of the rules above and these students would get mark zero.
Teachers and second year students need to strictly follow the rules above in order to ensure the fairness to all students and the discipline in teaching and learning in the third and fourth semesters.
Prepared by
Dương Thu Mai
Head
School of English II
Approved by
Trần Hoài Phương
Dean
Faculty of ELT Education
4
COURSE INSTRUCTORS’ DETAILS
Emailing is lecturers’ preferable mode of communication. Contacting via mobile or
land-based lines or text message or YMS is at lecturers’ courtesy.
No Full name Email
1 Hoàng Anh [email protected]
2 e Thi h ng nh [email protected]
3 Phan Ngọc Quỳnh nh [email protected]
4 Nguyễn Thị Bích Diệp B [email protected]
5 Vũ Bảo Châu [email protected]
6 Nguyễn Thị Chi [email protected]
7 Vũ Thị Kim Chi [email protected]
8 Trần Vân Dung [email protected]
9 Nguyễn Thị Dung [email protected]
10 Nguyễn Chí Đức [email protected]
11 Nguyễn Ho{ng Giang [email protected]
12 Trần Ho{i Giang (abroad) [email protected]
13 Hoàng Thị Thanh Huyền [email protected]
14 hạm Thị Thu Huyền (abroad) [email protected]
15 Nguyễn Thị Thanh H ng [email protected]
16 Vũ Thị Việt H ng [email protected]
17 Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc [email protected]
18 Đỗ Thị Minh Ngọc [email protected]
19 Nguyễn Diệu inh [email protected]
20 D ng Thu Mai
Head
01669686968
21 Ngô Xuân Minh (abroad) [email protected]
22 Mai Nh Quỳnh [email protected]
23 D ng Thị Thanh Tâm [email protected]
24 Đ{o Thị an Trang [email protected]
25 Nguyễn Thanh Thủy
Student Support
0986411996
26 Thái Hà Lam Thủy (Deputy Head) [email protected]
27 Đ{o Thu Trang
28 Đặng Thu Trang
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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS EDUCATION
School of English II
----------------------------
ORAL COMMUNICATION IV
Program: Double majors (721)
Prerequisites Oral Communication III
Course code: ENG2025
Course status: Core
Semester: 4
Class hour: Mon – Fri
6
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course consists of two components: Listening IV and Speaking IV.
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR THE LISTENING IV
1.1. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Based on the international criteria in students’ ability to listen in English, first-year students’ listening criteria and second-year program requirements, the objectives for teaching listening to second-year students in the second semester will be equivalent to level 3 (independent users) of ALTE (Assessment in Language Teaching in Europe), and B2 level of CFF (Common European Framework of Reference), and BEC Vantage respectively.
Upon the completion of the course, students are expected to: In terms of linguistic objectives:
acquire a sufficient range of vocabulary for a variety of matters normally encountered in the real world of international business
acquire a high degree of grammatical control and knowledge of discourse structures to understand the standard spoken language, to comfortably follow the extended speech, and to understand the key points of the business speech
identify a variety of phonetic and phonological aspects of the spoken language (i.e. reduced pronunciation, linking sounds, assimilation, elision, etc.) for the avoidance of confusion while listening
In terms of sociolinguistic and pragmatic objectives: identify different language styles and registers evaluate the appropriateness of the formality level of the language use in particular
circumstances draw conclusions about communicative functions, using contextual clues, prior
knowledge, and knowledge of familiar cultures In terms of strategic objectives:
apply appropriately, flexibly, and effectively a wide range of listening skills to deal with
the listening tasks: o take notes effectively while listening o use the notes to retrieve information about the recording as well as to do exercises o predict the listening content based on the stems in questions o predict the listening content and organization based on the introduction o outline the notes effectively
evaluate different reference sources, and use them selectively and effectively for the purpose of listening extensively
demonstrate the ability to co-operate with peers and to self-study effectively
1.2. COURSE MATERIALS
Prescribed Material Use
1. Do Thi Minh Ngoc (2013). Business Listening Practice File – Semester 4
Main course book (In-class listening)
2. Do Thi Minh Ngoc (2012). Business Listening – Supplementary Materials
Individual Self-practice (Home listening)
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1.3. COURSE SYLLABUS & TEACHING METHOD
The course is designed with learner-centeredness being the key teaching approach. This
means that students and teachers share responsibility for diagnosing students’ difficulties and
solving them. This approach also views learning to listen as a largely autonomous activity in which
students should be able to identify and address their weaknesses as listeners. In other words,
students, with the support of the teacher, are expected to be active and critically reflective in their
study.
Due to the complex and subtle nature of listening comprehension in a second/foreign
language, it is not typical for students to be subjected to a systematic sequence of exercises aimed
at helping them to master one isolated skill at a time. Instead, the course is intended to equip
students with a repertoire of listening skills. That is why most of the listening activities will
involve a combination of skills. Hopefully, students will make the best use of this opportunity to
practice different skills from lesson to lesson through their engagement in scaffolding and
content-based activities.
Finally, the course aims at promoting student autonomy as well as students’ interaction in
pair work and group work. These activities are designed with a view to engaging students in
collaborating and negotiating processes, which present opportunities for real world contact and real
world use of language.
1.4. COURSE POLICY
Students are expected to:
Actively participate in the class activities;
Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other peers;
Complete all the listening homework before the class contacts;
Complete all the assignments by the due date;
Complete the final test (exact date and time to be advised later).
Learning Activities
a. In-class activities
Activities in each lesson can include (but not restricted to) the following:
In-class Listening activities: every class contact
Home listening checking: every class contact if time permits
Exam Focus: in week 4, 7, and 12
b. Home activities
Students are required to:
Complete the exercises in the Home Listening Package
Work in groups to complete the Listening Portolio by the due date
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1.5. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING F
OR
M
WEIGHTING TASKS PURPOSES
Pa
rtic
ipa
tio
n
0%
Each student is allowed to be
absent from TWO class meetings
without having to ask for
permission.
Those who miss more than 2 class
meetings will not be allowed to
take the final test.
To give students enough freedom, still
make sure that they will not be away
from class too often.
Lis
ten
ing
Po
rtfo
lio
10% See Appendices 2 & 3
to provide students with opportunities
to search for, critically analyze, and
select their own listening materials in
suitability with their level and interests
to provide students with opportunities
to broaden their vocabulary of
different common topics.
to encourage students’ sharing and
collaborative learning
to familiarize students with different
language styles and registers.
To familiarize students with taking
notes and use their notes to
summarize the key ideas
Mid
-te
rm T
est
10%
Students take one mid-term test
in week 9 which will account for
10 % of the total assessment.
The tasks and themes of the test
are course – content oriented.
Allowed time is about 30
minutes.
To help students know the current
magnitude of their listening skills.
To reflect students’ self-practicing
process in the first seven weeks.
To help teachers assess students’
performance.
To help teachers find out strengths
and weaknesses of students in
different listening skills so that
solutions can be timely applied.
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Fin
al
Te
st
30%
Students do a 40-minute test
See Appendix 1 for the Final Test
Format
To assess students’ overall listening
proficiency.
To train students to listen under time
constraint and pressure
To provide students with
opportunities to self-reflect their
listening competence after the
semester.
To help teachers check how the skills
are mastered.
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APPENDIX 1: LISTENING FINAL TEST FORMAT
PART INPUT No. of Qs TASK TYPES FOCUSED SKILLS PURPOSES
1 Business short
conversations
MCQs
Listening for details
Listening for clues and
making inferences
To assess students’ ability to to understand
clues in standard spoken language in business
context.
To test students’ understanding of
vocabulary used in business situations.
To test students’ linguistic knowledge
2
Short monologues
about a business-
related topic
5 Multiple
matching
Listening for gist
Making inferences
Identifying topic, context,
and function
To test students’ global listening skills:
- To assess students’ ability to understand
the main ideas
- To assess students’ ability to make
inferences about the topic, context, and
speech function, etc. from clues
3
One extended
monologue
about a business-
related topic
10
Gap filling
Short answer
MCQs
Following the main points
Retrieving specific
information
Taking notes
To assess students’ ability to follow an
extended speech, and to remember long or
complex pieces of information
To assess students’ understanding of the
main ideas of the extended speech
4 Home listening
redesigned task 5
True/ False
Summary
completion
Following the main points
Retrieving specific
information
To give students more motivation to practice
listening at home.
To develop their autonomy in improving their
listening competence in English.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
WE
EK
THEME CONTENT AND ACTIVITIES SKILLS FOCUSED HOMEWORK
1
Face to Face
Getting to know each other
Introduction on the listening course and the syllabus
Instruction on the assignment (Listening Portfolio)
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 1
In-class listening
Dialogue: Making a self-introduction at a meeting
Lecture: Addressing people in business situations
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 1
Listening for details
Listening for stressed
words
Listening for main ideas
2 On the phone
In-class listening
Dialogue: Telephone language
Lecture: The fine art of talking to strangers on the
phone
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 2
Listening for factual
information
Listening for main ideas Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 2
3 The Internet
In-class listening
Short monologues: The Internet uses
Lecture: Using email effectively
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 3
Identifying specific
sound
Listening for gist
Making inferences
Taking notes
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 3
4 Exam Focus 1
In-class listening
Introduction on Part 1 of the Listening Test
Practice : Part 1 – five short dialogues
Optional: Supplementary listening – Exam Focus 1
Listening for details
Listening for context clues
and making inferences
Listening for intonation
clues
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Exam Focus 1
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5 Daily Business
Dealings
In-class listening
Conversation: Welcoming visitors
Lecture: Business appointments: Being on time
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 4
Portfolio Part 1 Hand-in
Listening for specific
information
Listening for main ideas
Listening for transition
Taking notes
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 4
6 Leadership
In-class listening
Conversation: Getting things done
Talk: Managing people
Lecture: Entrepreneur
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 5
Listening for details
Listening for main ideas
Making inferences
Taking notes
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 5
7 Exam Focus 2
In-class listening
Introduction on Part 2 of the Listening Test
Practice : Part 2 – five short monologues
Optional: Supplementary listening – Exam Focus 2
Return of Portfolio Part 1
Supplementary Materials Checking
Revision for the Midterm Test and Further Practice
Listening for gist
Making inferences
Identifying topic, context,
and function
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Exam Focus 2
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MIDTERM BREAK FOR REVISION
9
MIDTERM TEST
10 Surviving in
Business
In-class listening
Conversation: Establishing a business
relationship
Talk: Barbie versus Bratz – How to compete with a
global brand
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 6
Sequencing the topics
Listening for details
Listening for main ideas Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 6
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11 Recruitment and
Employment
In-class listening
Interview Questions: The Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Lecture: Changes in the U.S. job market
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 7
Portfolio Part 2 Hand-in
Listening for factual
information
Listening for details
Listening for main ideas
Taking notes on causes
and effects
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 7
12 Exam Focus 3
In-class listening
Introduction on Part 3 of the Listening Test
Practice : Part 3 – an extended speech
Optional: Supplementary listening – Exam Focus 3
Following the main points
Retrieving specific
information
Taking notes
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Exam Focus 3
13 Working together
In-class listening
Short monologues: Business Ethical Issues
Talk: The Music Industry
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 8 Return of Portfolio Part 2
Listening for specific information
Listening for main ideas Interpreting the speakers’
statements Making inferences
Listening Supplementary Materials – Unit 8
14 Ethics
In-class listening
Discussion: Psychological tests
Conversation: Merging companies
Presentation: Teamwork
Optional: Supplementary listening – Unit 9
Hand in the complete Listening Portfolio
Listening for main ideas Listening for specific
information Listening for gist Making inferences
Listening Supplementary
Materials – Unit 9
15 BREAK FOR END-OF-TERM EXAMINATION PREPARATION
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APPENDIX 2: LISTENING PORTFOLIO
I. OBJECTIVES: This activity aims at:
giving students a further opportunity to practice listening skills and to enrich their
vocabulary and background knowledge related to business issues.
encouraging students’ sharing and collaborative learning.
promoting learners’ autonomy and responsibility for their own learning process by providing
them with opportunities to search for, critically analyze, and then select their own listening
materials in accordance with their level and interests.
II. INSTRUCTIONS
The whole class is divided into PAIRS or GROUPS of THREE. The groups/pairs cast lots to
decide which two topics in the course schedule each is assigned (1 topic in the first 5 Units and
1 in the last 5)
It is compulsory for those groups/ pairs to contact each other to avoid choosing the same
recordings for the same topic that they share.
Each pair/group needs to:
Search for and select two listening recordings for each topic, all of which are no more
than 2 minutes long. The listening content must be relevant to the assigned topics, and
it is desirable for the recordings to be up-to-date.
It is compulsory that the recordings are in the form of both monologue (lectures,
presentation, etc.) and dialogue (interview, discussion, etc.). Besides, they have to be
retrieved from authentic, reliable sources without the provision of the transcript.
Document the source of the recordings in as much detail as possible.
Transcribe the listening files as fully as precisely as possible.
Summarize the key ideas in 50 words.
Submit to the teacher the portfolio (including: the 2 audio files – optional if the sources
are well-documented, transcripts, summary, and the reflection in week 5 (the 1st topic)
and week 11 (the remaining topic)
Depending on the teacher’s random selection, half of the pairs will be chosen to get
feedback.
The teacher will give in-class feedback on the portfolios two weeks after the submission
date and return them to the pairs/groups for further revision.
Revise the portfolio in accordance with the teacher’s feedback.
In week 14, all pairs/ groups submit the revised portfolios.
III. ASSESSMENT
Each pair/group will be evaluated based on:
Clarity of the listening files
The diversity of the listening genres
The authenticity, reliability and the newness of the sources
The completion and precision of the transcript
Pair cooperation
Quality of the reflection
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IV. REFLECTION
Accompanied with the listening portfolios are the individual reflections of all students. Each
should not be more than 250 words. The purpose of the reflection is to assess your listening skills
and your collaboration. Therefore, the reflection should cover the following points:
How have your pair/group collaborated in selecting the audio files and completing other
portfolio tasks?
What skills of listening have you applied in making the portfolio?
What are your difficulties and how have you solved them?
What knowledge and skills can you acquire from doing the portfolio?
Notes: It is possible for you to mention your contribution to the completion of the portfolio with
regard to other aspects if you find them applicable to you.
The reflection should be:
Clear and concise
Reliable
Detailed
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APPENDIX 3: LISTENING PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT FORM
Group performance (8/10 points)
Pair/ Group: ……………………………………………………………………………....................................................................
Topic: ………………………………………………….. Submission date: ……………………………………………
Criteria Detailed comments Sc
ale
Suggested
score
1 2 3 4
Listening
file(s)
Relevance to the topic
Appropriateness (in terms of length and
difficulty)
Variety of speeches (monologues and
dialogues)
Newness
_____/ 0.5
_____/ 0.5
_____/ 0.5
_____/ 0.5
Listening
sources
Authenticity
Good reference (Are the sources well-
documented)
_____/ 0.5
_____/ 0.5
Portfolio
tasks
Completion (Is everything transcribed?)
Range of vocabulary
Inferences and clues
Note taking skills:
o Accuracy of main ideas and key supporting
details
o Relationship between the ideas and details
o Organization of the notes
_____/ 1.0
_____/ 1.0
_____/ 0.5
_____/ 1.0
_____/ 1.0
_____/ 0.5
Total Group Score:
____/ 8.0
Notes: Level 1: do not meet the criteria Level 2: attempt to meet the criteria (know, but not successful for some reasons) Level 3: apply the B2 competence level on the criteria Level 4: demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding when performing the criteria
(corresponding to synthesize/ analyze/ evaluate in Bloom’s taxonomy)
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Individual performance (2/10 points)
Students are scored on the following criteria based on the reflection:
No. Criteria Score
1 Collaboration with other members _____/ 0.5
2 Application of listening skills _____/ 0.5
3 Solving difficulties _____/ 0.2
4 Acquired knowledge and skills _____/ 0.2
5 Reliability of the information _____/ 0.2
6 Clear and concise expression _____/ 0.2
7 Sufficient content _____/ 0.2
Final Score:
Student Description Score
1
2
3
Please write in details what you think the students can do to be given each level in the two tables above: ………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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2. COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR THE SPEAKING IV
2.1. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Based on the international criteria in students’ ability to speak English, first-year students’
speaking criteria and second-year program requirements, the objectives for teaching speaking to
second-year students in the second semester will be equivalent to Level 3 (independent users) of
ALTE (Assessment in Language Teaching in Europe), and B2 level of CEF (Common European
Framework), and BEC (Business English Certificate) Vantage respectively.
In terms of speaking contents, by the end of the course, students will be able to
describe and express their ideas, opinions, and points of view systematically.
have good expressions, structures in their certain business topics; therefore, they can
improve their ability to express and support their points of view as well as give suitable
examples.
pick out items of factual information as well as to distinguish between main and subsidiary
points and between the general topic of a text and specific detail.
follow or give a talk or keep up a conversation on a fairly wide range of business topics.
take and pass on most messages that are likely to require attention in everyday business
situations.
give a clear presentation on a business-related topic, and answer predictable or factual
questions.
take an effective part in simple business negotiations
In terms of language, by the end of the course, students will be able to
handle the main structures of the language with confidence
demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary in business fields
use appropriate communicative strategies in a variety of business situations
deal with the unexpected and rely less on fixed patterns of language and short utterances
develop their awareness of register and the conventions of politeness and degrees of
formality as expressed through language especially in cross-cultural communication
2.2. COURSE STRUCTURE
This course is designed to maximize learners’ autonomy and group work. Thus students are
expected to be active in self-studying, peer and group discussing. Students are supposed to
have worked through the target vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation of each lesson
before class time. The teacher in charge of each class will keep a record of students’
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homework (self-studying the textbook) and assign them bonus scores based on this
record and his/her observation of their participation in class activities.
2.3. COURSE SCHEDULE
Week Unit Content & Activities
1 Introduction
Get to know each other Introduction to the course Instruction on delivering a news report
2 + 3 Employment
Role-play 1 Vocabulary: Recruitment process Reading-based discussion: retaining good staff Listening-based discussion: headhunting Skills: Managing meetings Case study: Slim Gyms Sound work 1 Business news report
4+5 Trade
Role play 2 Vocabulary: Free Trade Reading-based discussion: fair trade Listening-based discussion: negotiating techniques Skills: Negotiating Case study: Ashbury guitars Sound work 2 Business news report
6+7 Quality
Role play 3 Vocabulary : Quality control and customer service Reading-based discussion: old-fashioned quality Listening-based discussion: quality management Skills: Telephone complaints Case study: Brookefield Airport Sound work 3 Business news report
8 Midterm break
9 Midterm revision: Exam practice
Business news report
10 + 11 Ethics
Role play 4 Vocabulary : honesty and dishonesty Discussion: A question of ethics Reading-based discussion: responsible businesses Listening-based discussion: the co-operative bank Skills: problem solving Case study: profit or principle? Sound work 4 Business news report
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2.4. COURSE MATERIAL
Cotton,D., Falvey,D. & Kent,S. (2005). Market Leader Intermediate New Edition-
Student’s Book. Longman.
Teacher’s handouts
2.5. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
Form Weightin
g Task Purpose
Participation
Bonus points (up to 2p) to word game & business brief
Students should be very active, creative, and talkative in speaking English, contributing ideas, and practicing speaking activities in class.
To motivate and assess students’ contribution to class activities and home self-study
Role play 10%
See Appendix 2 & 3 To motivate and assess students’ acquisition of business language
Business news report
10%
See Appendix 4 & 5 To motivate and assess students’ grasp of business knowledge
12+ 13 Leadership
Role play 5 Vocabulary : adjectives of character Listening-based discussion: leadership qualities Reading-based discussion: founder of Ikea Skills: decision-making Case study: Orbit Records Sound work 5 Business news report
14 End-term revision: Exam practice
Business news report 15 End-term break
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2.6. COURSE POLICY
Students are expected to:
Actively prepare for the class (read all materials related to the in-class contents, look up for
new vocabulary before class)
Actively participate in the class activities and self-study at home
Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other peers
Complete all the assignments by the due date
Complete the final test (exact date and time to be advised later)
Learning Activities
1. In-class activities
Students have 3 periods of speaking skills a week, equal to 150 minutes per week. In-class
activities are those which focus on speaking skills. Teachers play the roles of instructors, monitors,
and facilitators to help students acquire the required knowledge and skills in each lesson.
Activities in each lesson can include (but not restricted to) the following:
- Role play (See appendix 2&3)
- News report (See appendix 4&5)
- Market Leader-based speaking activities
- Exam practice
2. Home activities
Students are required to work in groups to:
Work through the textbook to obtain the target language input
Complete the teacher’s assignments
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APPENDIX 4: ROLE PLAY
I. OBJECTIVES: This activity aims at helping students
- improve their business language
- sharpen their professional speaking skills
II. INSTRUCTIONS
- In group of 4 or 5, prepare and role play one situation stated in the course book to practice
the target expressions and vocabulary of each module. (There should be FIVE groups in a
class.)
- There are in total FIVE role play sessions conducted at the end of each module.
- Each session should last between 15 to 20 minutes (Depending on the situation of each
lesson and with the teacher’s consent, an excess of up to 5 minutes can be allowed) .
Before the session, each group needs to:
- Read through the assigned module (both the course book and practice file), analyze the
situation and select related key language items.
- Design a role-play plan (including a summary of the case study, assigned roles of group
members, expected results). Consult the teacher for required plan of each specific module.
- Submit the teacher the plan at least 7 days before delivering the session in class. Make
adjustments based on the teacher’s feedback.
- Rehearse in group so that you can make it between 10 and 15 minutes in class. Your group
would be marked down in the excess of time limit.
- Get the visual aids and other necessary equipment ready for the delivery.
During the session,
The group needs to:
- Role play according to the timeline.
- Answer the audience’s questions (if there is any)
The other students :
- Be attentive
- Ask the group any question regarding the play at the end of the session.
- Give feedback to the role-play group’s performance according to the assessment form.
After the session, each group needs to:
- Receive feedback from your peers and the teacher, and write a report/ reflection.
III. ASSESSMENT
The role-play group will be evaluated based on:
- Manner of delivery
23 | P a g e
- Use of language
- Group cooperation
Bonus points (up to 2 points) will be awarded to the whole group for their creativity as well as to
each individual for his/her contribution throughout the course. The teacher’s assessment will be
the final; peer evaluation is for reference only.
24 | P a g e
APPENDIX 5: BUSINESS NEWS REPORT
I. Objectives: This activity aims at helping students
- improve their business knowledge by forming the habit of updating news
- practise presentation skills
- get accustomed to thinking critically about various business issues
- build up vocabulary related various business topics through news
II. Requirements:
1. News:
- The reported news must be related to business issues and be updated (no more than one month old)
- The reported news must be significant enough.
- The news must be taken from at least 3 reliable sources, two of which must be in English. The
sources’ full UR must be cited.
- The news in written/ printed form that could be available for the teacher to check is preferred.
2. Reporting task:
- At the beginning of the semester, the list of news reporters for each week should be agreed on by the
teacher and the students.
- The reporting task is 10 minutes long in total and comprised of two smaller tasks as follows:
Pre
sen
tin
g t
he
ne
ws
3-4
minutes
When the technology is available, the news report MUST be presented with
Power Point. If not, handouts and other visual aids are compulsory.
By the end of this short presentation, the audience must be able to grasp an
overview and important details (facts, figures, opinions of related people)
of the presented event.
Also, the presenter is expected to make clear to the audience his/ her
opinion about the impacts of the reported event, his/ her predictions
about upcoming events related.
These ideas are strongly encouraged to be made objective and justified with
evidences through critical analysis of related sources.
Note 1: A too detailed/ lengthy report could be impossible within 3-4
minutes. The presenter is expected to be selective about the information
included in the report and be serious about time management.
Note 2: New vocabulary that may prevent the audience from
understanding the news must be introduced before the report.
25 | P a g e
An
swe
rin
g q
ue
stio
ns
fro
m t
he
au
die
nce
6-7
minutes
The presenter is expected to answer 1-2 questions related to the reported
news from the audience.
The presenter is free to choose which questions to answer so that his/ her
understanding of the news could be best demonstrated.
The presenter’s answers are NOT encouraged to repeat the information
that has already been reported. New information/ opinion related to the
news revealed through the Q& session would be a BIG ‘plus’.
TOTAL 10 minutes
3. Assessment:
- The news report task makes up 10% of the total assessment of the Speaking skills.
- Assessment criteria: (See the assessment form in the next page)
26 | P a g e
APPENDIX 6: BUSINESS NEWS REPORT ASSESSMENT FORM
Co
nte
nt
of
the
ne
ws
rep
ort
News
Updated?
Newsworthy?
Reliable? (at least 3 reliable sources)
/1 pt
Report
Brief and clear?
Well organized?
Original and critical?
personal opinions
predictions and explanation for the predictions
Convincing?
Logical argument
Facts and figures
/1 pt
Q&A
Good selection of questions to answer
New information in the Q&A /0.5 pt
Lin
gu
isti
c co
mp
ete
nce
Pronunciation Accurate?
/1.5 pt
Grammar Accurate?
Varied? / 1 pt
Vocabulary Appropriate?
Varied? / 1.5 pt
Fluency ● Speed of speaking and responding? /1 pts
Manner
Eye contact? Interaction with the audience?
Gesture?
Posture?
Facial expression?
Visual aids Illustrative?
Attractive?
Time Within time limit?
General comments:
Total
27 | P a g e
APPENDIX 7: END-TERM SPEAKING EXAMINATION
FOR SECOND-YEAR DOUBLE MAJORS STUDEN
PART 1: Interview (1 minute for each candidate)
Questions for Candidate A
What are you studying at the moment?
What made you decide to study (name of subject)?
What do you find interesting about it?
What do you find challenging about it?
(Candidate A is given Section 2’s task card)
Questions for Candidate B
What job would you like to do in the future?
Why do you choose it?
What qualifications are required for the job?
How useful will your studies be to your career?
(Candidate B is given Section 2’s task card)
PART 2: Mini-presentation (2 minutes for each candidate)
In this part of the test, you are asked to give a short talk on a business topic. You have 1 minute for
preparing your ideas and 1 minute for delivering your presentation.
PART 3: Discussion (4 minutes for both candidates)
You have 60 seconds to look at this prompt card and then about 3 minutes to discuss the topic with your
partner.
CODE 1 – for practice and pilot only
A. WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ...?
managing a brand
- choose a unique, memorable brand name
- promote brand awareness
B. WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ...?
launching a product
- be financially prepared
- choose the right time
Your company, the owner of the famous coffee brand Caferoma, has recently
experienced a loss of market share. To address the problem, the company has decided
to bring out a new instant coffee product.
You have been assigned to establish the brand of this product.
Discuss the situation together and decide:
What kind of brand image the product should take
What group of customers the product should target
28 | P a g e
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS EDUCATION
School of English II
----------------------------
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IV
Program: Double majors (721)
Prerequisites Written Communication IV
Course code: ENG2025
Course status: Core
Semester: 4
Class hour: Mon – Fri
29 | P a g e
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course consists of two components: Reading IV and Writing IV.
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR THE READING IV
1.1. COURSE OBJECTIVES
On the completion of the course, second year students are expected to meet partially B2
level by the Common European Framework for Reference Levels of Languages. In addition,
students should have gained adequate knowledge related to certain business issues and situations
at intermediate level. Specifically, students will be able to:
In terms of linguistic objectives:
gain a sufficient range of vocabulary for a variety of matters normally encountered in
business such as employment, trade, quality control and customer service, business ethics,
leadership and innovation.
acquire and apply the language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of
general and specialized topics to understand the real world of international business
through a great amount of authentic materials.
tackle with confidence several reading comprehension types, especially those in the BEC
Vantage Reading Test.
In terms of sociolinguistic and pragmatic objectives:
reflect the content and language use of an article with appropriate highlighting of significant
points and relevant supporting detail.
communicate and interact spontaneously with appropriate level of formality to the
circumstances.
In terms of strategic objectives:
demonstrate fairly good use of reading skills such as skimming and scanning, understanding
examples and key details while reading texts that consist mainly of high frequency every day
or professional language related to the business world.
give a clear, systematically instruction and explanation fluently and accurately of specialized
knowledge, with highlighting of significant points, and relevant supporting details.
identify the structure of reading texts.
1.2. COURSE MATERIALS
No Prescribed Material Use Abbreviation
1 Cotton, D., Falvey, D., Kent, S. (2005). Market
Leader Intermediate Course Book. Harlow:
Pearson Longman.
Main course book
(In-class studying) ML
2 Cotton, D., Falvey, D., Kent, S. (2005). Market
Leader Intermediate Practice File. Harlow:
Pearson Longman.
Individual self-practice
(Home studying) PF
3 Reading Supplementary Materials compile by
English Division 2 for in-house use
Main course book
(In-class studying & home
studying)
SM
1.3. COURSE SYLLABUS AND TEACHING METHOD
30 | P a g e
Materials and tasks are of business-based contents. Students have the opportunities to
explore business issues, discuss business topics, and study content-based and thematic materials.
In addition, activities which promote student interaction in pair work, small group work,
and whole class activities present opportunities for real world contact and real world use of
language. Finally, strategies for critical thinking are taught explicitly. Students learn tools that
promote critical thinking skills.
31 | P a g e
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week Theme In-class activities Homework
1
Getting to know the teacher
Introduction to the course
Instruction on 2 assignments (Warm-up activity and Reading Portfolio)
General instruction on writing REFLECTION (in Reading Portfolio)
Market leader (ML) Unit 8 - Vocabulary: The
recruitment process (p.69)
Practice file (PF) - Unit 8 (p.32-35)
Group 1 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 2
2 Unit 8
Employment
Warm-up group 1: ML Unit 8 - Vocabulary: The recruitment process
(p.69)
ML Reading: Retaining good staff (p.70)
Teacher’s handouts
Supplementary material (SM) Unit 8 – Vocabulary: Skills
and qualification(p.1) / Pay and benefits (p.3)
Group 2 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 3
3
BEC test
taking skill
Parts 1 and 2
Warm-up group 2: SM Unit 8 – Vocabulary: Skills and
qualification(p.1) & Pay and benefits (p.3)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 8 – Text bank + Practice test
ML Unit 9 – Vocabulary: Free trade(p.77)
PF - Unit 9 (p.36-39)
Group 3 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 4
4 Unit 9
Trade
Warm-up group 3: ML Unit 9 – Vocabulary: Free trade(p.77)
ML Reading: Fair trade (p.78)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 9 – Vocabulary: Trading (p.11)
Group 4 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 5
5
BEC test
taking skill
Parts 3 and 4
Warm-up group 4: SM Unit 9 – Vocabulary: Trading (p.11)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 9 – Text bank + Practice test
ML Unit 10 – Vocabulary: Quality control and customer
service (p.85)
PF - Unit 10 (p.40-43)
Group 5 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 6
6 Unit 10
Quality
Warm-up group 5: ML Unit 10 – Vocabulary: Quality control and
customer service (p.85)
ML Reading: Old-fashioned quality (p.86)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 10 – Vocabulary: Dealing with customers (p.19)
Group 6 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 7
7
BEC test
taking skill
Parts 1 and 2
Warm-up group 6: SM Unit 10 – Vocabulary: Dealing with customers
(p.19)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 10 – Text bank + Practice test
ML Unit 11 – Vocabulary: Honesty and dishonest (p.93)
PF - Unit 11 (p.44-47)
32 | P a g e
Group 7 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 9
8 MID-TERM BREAK FOR REVISION
9 MID-TERM TEST
10 Unit 11
Ethics
Warm-up group 7: ML Unit 11 – Vocabulary: Honesty and dishonest
(p.93)
ML Reading: Responsible business (p.94)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 11 – Vocabulary: Ethics (p.28)
Group 8 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 11
11
BEC test
taking skill
Parts 3 and 4
Warm-up group 8: SM Unit 11 – Vocabulary: Ethics (p.28)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 11 – Text bank + Practice test
ML Unit 12 – Vocabulary: Adjectives of character (p.101)
PF - Unit 12 (p.48-51)
Group 9 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 12
12 Unit 12
Leadership
Warm-up group 9: ML Unit 12 – Vocabulary: Adjectives of character
(p.101)
ML Reading: The founder of Ikea (p.102)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 12 – Vocabulary: Leadership and manager styles
(p.35)
Group 10 and Group 11 prepare for their warm-up
activities in week 13
13 Unit 13
Innovation
Warm-up group 10: SM Unit 12 – Vocabulary: Leadership and
manager styles (p.35)
Warm-up group 11: ML Unit 13 – Vocabulary: Describing innovations
(p.109)
ML Reading: Innovation at Procter and Gamble (p.110)
Teacher’s handouts
SM Unit 12 – Text bank + Practice test
ML Unit 13 – Vocabulary: Describing innovations (p.109)
PF - Unit 13 (p.52-55)
Group 12 prepares for their warm-up activity in week 14
14 Revision
Warm-up group 12: SM Unit 13 – Vocabulary: Innovation and
invention (p.43)
Teacher’s handouts
Submission of Reading Portfolio
SM Unit 13 – Vocabulary: Innovation and invention (p.43)
15 BREAK FOR END-OF-TERM EXAMINATION PREPARATION
33 | P a g e
1.4. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
Form Weighting Task Purpose
Wa
rm-u
p A
ctiv
ity
5%
Students are expected to work in pairs
or groups of 3 to design a warm-up
activity in each lesson.
See appendix 6 for the guidelines on
warm-up activity
to encourage students
rapidly memorize and gain
thorough understanding of
the related terms
to motivate students
actively prepare and
participate in the lesson
Re
ad
ing
Po
rtfo
lio
5%
Students are expected to choose 3
articles of six topics covered in the
semester and complete the reading
portfolio.
See appendix 7 for the guidelines on
reading portfolio
See appendix 8 for the format of each
reading text in the reading portfolio
See appendix 9 for the marking
scheme of reading reflection as the
most important part in the reading
portfolio
To encourage students to
read extensively and
critically
To give students
opportunities to choose
their own reading
materials, reflect on what
and how they have read
and share their thoughts
and opinions concerning
the content of the
materials
Mid
term
te
st
10%
Students will do a mid-term test in Week 9.
The time allowed for the test is approximately 45 - 50 minutes.
Themes and tasks are course-oriented
The test will be designed by the reading team and administered by the teacher-in-charge.
To test students’ ability to deal with texts of different length, themes and level of difficulty.
To train students to read under time constraint and pressure
To assess students’ application of reading strategies learnt in the course up to then (skimming, scanning, matching and understanding text structure)
To assess students’ level of lexical accuracy and grammar control
34 | P a g e
Fin
al
test
30%
Students take a final written test.
The time allowed for the test is approximately 55 minutes.
To test students’ ability to deal with texts of different length, themes and level of difficulty.
To train students to read under time constraint and pressure
To assess students’ application of reading strategies learnt in the course up to then (skimming, scanning, matching and understanding text structure)
To assess students’ level of
lexical accuracy and
grammar control
1.5. COURSE POLICY
Students are expected to:
actively prepare for the lesson: find information on the topics from various
sources: online, newspapers, magazines, etc.
actively participate in the class activities and self-study at home
work cooperatively and collaboratively with other class members
complete all the assignments by the due date
35 | P a g e
APPENDIX 8: GUIDELINES ON WARM-UP ACTIVITY
Objectives
Students will:
- have chance to facilitate and review the assigned vocabulary related to the
theme for their classmates
- be able to rapidly memorize and gain thorough understanding of the
related terms through activity conducted by their classmates
- be motivated to actively participate in the lesson
Type of work Pairs or groups of 3
What to do?
Before each lesson, the facilitating group is required to:
prepare and gain thorough understanding of the assigned vocabulary
design warm- up activities to review the terms for class members in 10-15
minutes
submit the plan for activities and handout(s) (if any) to the teacher at least
3 days before conducting in class
Within 10-15 minutes in class, the assigned group is required to:
- conduct the planned activities
- give further explanation/ discussion on the confusing/ difficult terms if
necessary
- give satisfactory responses to any questions raised by class members and
teacher
Marking
criteria
Warm-up activity (5%)
preparation:
number of revised words: 2 points
visual aids, handout: 2 points
in-class performance:
cooperation among group members:
- interaction among group members: 1 point
- equal work division: 1 point
length (10-15 minutes): 1 point
use of language:
- fluency: 1 point
- accuracy: 1 point
- instruction of the activity (clear and effective or not): 1 point
36 | P a g e
APPENDIX 9: GUIDELINE ON READING PORTFOLIO
Objectives
Students will:
● be able to enrich their background knowledge of business
● practice reading extensively and critically
● broaden their vocabulary of business fields
Number of
reading
passages
3
Deadline of
submission All-class submission of Reading Portfolio : Week 14
Type of work Individual
What to do?
Find 3 reading texts with the topics taken from Market Leader-
Intermediate
NOTE: The reading texts should be taken from RELIABLE SOURCES
and should be AUTHENTIC.
Students MUST:
list all useful phrases or vocabulary they can learn from each of the
3 reading texts
identify and outline the main ideas and supporting details of each
of the 3 reading texts
choose ONE of the 3 reading texts to write a reflection on its
content and language use based on the following questions:
- What is the article about?
- What is the author’s purpose(s) when he/she writes the
article/ For whom it is written?
- What is the general style and noteworthy linguistic features of
the article?
- What arguments does the author use to support his/ her
opinions? Are these arguments fair? Or are the ideas presented
in the article persuasive? Which ideas do you agree/ disagree
with? Why?
- What can you learn from the text (in terms of knowledge,
language, and written communication skills)?
Requirements
Length of the reading article: 500-800 words
Level of difficulty: Intermediate – Upper-intermediate
Length of the reflection: 350-500 words
Submission
● Submission to the teacher must include:
Table of content (Week, Theme, Title of the reading passage, page
number)
Copy of Reading Text(s)
Source(s) of Reading Text(s) (name of author, year of publication,
etc.)
Reflection
37 | P a g e
Marking
criteria
Reading Portfolio (5%)
● Portfolio format: 1.5 points
● Selection of the article (Reliable source? Related to the theme?
Appropriate length? Level of difficulty?): 2 points
● List of useful vocabulary (including words, transcription, meaning in
context, examples): 1.5 points
● Outline of the article (All main ideas and supporting details are clearly
organized in the outline): 2 points
● Reflection: 3 points (See appendix 9 for the marking scheme of
reflection)
38 | P a g e
APPENDIX 10: FORMAT FOR EACH READING TEXT
IN THE READING PORTFOLIO
Student’s name: …………………………………………………………. Class: …………………………………...
Reading portfolio number: ………… Theme: ………………………………...
TITLE OF THE READING TEXT
I. Original Text
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
II. Information of the text
Source [Direct source/ link to access the material]
Word count …………. Words
Name of the author ……………………………………………………………….
Year of publication ……………………………………………………………….
etc. ……………………………………………………………….
III. Useful vocabulary and structures (topic-related language)
1. [Word]/transcription/[all meanings, the meaning in context is bold][example(s)]
2. [Word]/transcription/[all meanings, the meaning in context is bold][example(s)]
IV. Organization of the text
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
V. Reflection (for the CHOSEN text only)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
39 | P a g e
APPENDIX 11: READING REFLECTION MARKING SCHEME
Student’s name: …………………………………………………………. Class: …………………………………...
Other comments (if any):
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
No Assessment Criteria Grade
Allotment
1 Identify the main idea of the article ………/0.6p
2 Evaluate of the global features (the source, the purposes, the target
audience, and the organization pattern) of the text ………/0.6p
3 Provide comments on the general style and important linguistic
features of the text ………/0.6p
4 Evaluate and justify the fairness or/and the persuasiveness of the
presented arguments ………/0.6p
5
Present and illustrate the knowledge and skills gained from the
text (in terms of knowledge, language and written communication
skills)
………/0.6p
TOTAL ………/3pts
40 | P a g e
2. COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR THE WRITING IV
2.1. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Basing on the international criteria in students’ ability to write, first-year students’ writing
criteria and second-year program requirements, the objectives for teaching writing to second-year
double-majored students will be equivalent to level C1 of CEFR (Common European Framework of
Reference) of language proficiency.
In terms of linguistic competence, when finishing the second year, double-majored
students are able to:
use standard language structures and a large range of vocabulary in writing standard
academic essays
apply appropriate styles and characteristics of the written language as well as various
levels of formality to match the writing situation
utilize a range of linguistic devices to create good essays
review grammar, vocabulary and style accuracy when writing essays
In terms of strategic competence, students are expected to:
continue to master new writing learning strategies together with general study skills
be active in self-studying, peer and group cooperating
participate almost autonomously in self-teaching, self-evaluating as well as peer teaching
In terms of essay writing skills, students should be able to:
understand the difference between a paragraph and an essay
brainstorm ideas and plan an outline for an essay
get accustomed to the format of different types of essays
structure essays of different types
use many resources for writing
The following writing strategies will be embedded in lessons:
Cognitive strategies
Repeating: rewriting until satisfied
Recognizing and using formulas and patterns
Taking notes
Using available resources for writing
Compensation strategies:
Selecting the topic
Adjusting or approximating the written message
Using a circumlocution or a synonym
Metacognitive strategies:
Overviewing and linking with already known materials
Planning for a language task
Seeking practice opportunities
41 | P a g e
Organizing
Setting goals and objectives
Identifying the purposes of a language task
Self-monitoring
Self-evaluating
Affective strategies:
Taking risks wisely
Using a checklist
Discussing your feelings with someone else
Social strategies:
Asking for correction
Cooperating with peers
Cooperating with proficient users of the language
Becoming aware of others’ thoughts and feelings
2.2. COURSE MATERIALS
Core Textbook: Essay writing
Additional handouts from teachers
2.3. COURSE SYLLABUS & TEACHING METHOD
From the objectives listed above, in the second semester, second-year students will learn a
writing course which covers general knowledge as well as key features of the targeted types of
essays. The process approach to teaching writing is embedded in activity organisation, course book
design and course assessment. Moreover, students’ autonomy is promoted through all the class and
home activities.
The teaching and learning tasks will be scheduled as follows
Week Mode Lesson contents Objectives in focus
We
ek
1
In class Unit 1: Structure of an essay
o Understand the format of an essay
o Plan an outline
o Write an effective introduction and conclusion
o Distinguish between main ideas and
supporting ones
o Write a well-organized body
At home Complete the practice of Unit 1
We
ek
2
In class
Unit 2: Process Essay
- understand the procedure to write a process
essay
- understand the format of a process essay
- write a suitable outline for a process essay
- write a logical process essay
- review structural signals to develop a process
42 | P a g e
essay
At home Complete the practice of Unit 2
We
ek
3 In class
Unit 2: Process Essay (continued) Write the first draft of the chosen topic
- ditto - sharpen the skills of writing under time pressure
At home Revise the first draft and write the second draft
We
ek
4
In class Unit 3: Classification Essay
- understand the procedure to write a
classification essay
- be aware of a classification essay’s format
- plan a suitable outline for a classification essay
- write a logical classification essay
- review structural signals to develop a
classification essay
At home Complete the practice of Unit 3
We
ek
5
In class
Unit 3: Classification (continued) Write the first draft of the chosen topic
- ditto - sharpen the skills of writing under time
pressure
At home Revise the first draft and write the second draft
We
ek
6
In class
Unit 4: Comparison and contrast
- understand the procedure to write a comparison and contrast essay - get to know the format of a comparison and
contrast essay
- plan a suitable outline for a comparison and
contrast essay
- write a coherent comparison and contrast essay
- review structural signals to develop a
comparison and contrast essay
At home Complete the practice of Unit 4
W
ee
k 7
In class
Unit 4: Comparison and contrast (continued) Write the first draft of the chosen topic
- ditto - sharpen the skills of writing under time
pressure
43 | P a g e
At home
Revise the first draft and write the second draft
We
ek
8
MID TERM BREAK FOR REVISION (Students and teachers do not go to class)
We
ek
9 MID TERM EXAMINATION
(Students and teachers do not go to class because there is no writing mid-term
examination)
We
ek
10
In class
Unit 5: Cause and effect
- understand the procedure to write a cause and effect essay - get to know the format of a cause and effect
essay
- plan a suitable outline for a cause and effect
essay
- write a coherent cause and effect essay
- review structural signals to develop a cause and
effect essay
At home Complete the practice of Unit 5
We
ek
11
In class
Unit 5: Cause and effect (continued) Write the first draft of the chosen topic
- ditto - sharpen the skills of writing under time
pressure
At home Revise the first draft and write the second draft
We
ek
12
In class Unit 6: Argumentative Essay
- understand the procedure to write an argumentative essay - get to know the format of an argumentative
essay
- plan a suitable outline for an argumentative
essay
- write a coherent argumentative essay
- review structural signals to develop an
argumentative essay
At home Complete the practice of Unit 6
44 | P a g e
We
ek
13
In class
Unit 6: Argumentative Essay
(continued) Write the first draft of the chosen topic
- ditto - sharpen the skills of writing under time
pressure
At home Revise the first draft and write the second drafts
We
ek
1
4 In class Revision
At home Self-revise and complete the
writing portfolio
We
ek
15
FINAL EXAM PREPARATION (Submission of Writing Portfolio (Students
and teachers do not go to class )
45 | P a g e
2.4. ASSESSMENT AND GRADING
With a view to teaching in the credit-based approach, writing assessment for the second-
year students is continued to be carried out regularly in a process with two forms: writing portfolio
and writing progress tests. As the students have had their first-hand experience of making a writing
portfolio in the first semester, the writing portfolio for the second semester will require more of
their dedication to make it a really individualized product.
2.5. COURSE POLICY
2.5.1. Students are expected to:
Actively prepare for the class (read and reflect on what they have acquired from each class
meeting and type of writing)
Actively participate in the class activities
Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other peers
Complete all the assignments by the due date
Complete the final test (exact date and time to be advised later)
2.5.2. Late Assignment Policy:
Late assignments will receive a failing grade, unless students have arranged with their lecturer
prior to the regular due date to turn in the assignment late.
2.5.3. A note on Plagiarism
a. What is Plagiarism?
The University has defined plagiarism as:
FO
RM
WEIGHTING TASKS PURPOSES
WR
ITIN
G P
OR
TF
OL
IO
20%
- Students collect their writing
tasks, including the first draft,
second draft and the final version
and reflect on what they have
learned and how their writing
skills have improved over the
semester. (See Appendix 1 for
Guidelines of Writing Portfolio)
- To assess student’s
progress in their writing
skills over the term in the
criteria specified in
Appendix 2 & 3
FIN
AL
TE
ST
30%
- Students do a 45-60 minute test
(See Appendix 6 for the test format)
- To assess students’ ability
to write under time and
exam pressure
- To assess students’ overall
writing achievement as
described in the course
objectives
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"Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas,
interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and
unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and
ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works
may be found in print and/or electronic media."
b. How can you avoid plagiarism?
To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you
quote from someone's actual spoken or written words
use another person's ideas, opinions, or theories in an assignment or essay
make use of pieces of information, such as statistics, graphs, drawings, that are not
common knowledge
paraphrase another person's spoken or written words
c. How can you avoid unintentional plagiarism?
Use quotation marks around everything that comes directly from a text or article
Try to summarise ideas and arguments in your own words - don't just rearrange a few
words here and there
Check that you have correctly paraphrased and acknowledged the original ideas
Check your summary against the original text
If found plagiarized for the first time, students will receive a ZERO for that assignment; for
the second time, students will FAIL the course.
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APPENDIX 12: GUIDELINES ON WRITING PORTFOLIO
I. What is a writing portfolio?
“A purposeful collection of student writing that exhibits the students’ efforts, progress and
achievements in one or more areas. The collection must include student participation in
selecting contents, the criteria for selection, the criteria for judging merit and evidence of
student self-reflection.” (Paulson, Paulson, Meyer 1991)
In this way a portfolio is a living, growing collection of a student’s work - each entry is
carefully selected by the student for a specific reason which s/he will explain. The overall purpose
of the portfolio is to enable the student to demonstrate to others learning and progress. The
greatest value of portfolios is that, in building them, students become active participants in the
learning process and its assessment.
portfolio is not a portfolio without reflection, which is “the dialogic process by which we
develop and achieve specific goals for learning, strategies for reaching these goals and means of
determining whether or not we have met those goals or other goals” (Yancey, 1996, p.118)
II. What should be included in a writing portfolio?
1. Cover letter (1-2 pages):
The cover letter is written after choosing the portfolio components but placed right at the
beginning. This letter explains in brief what you learn in the semester and your progress, introduce
the portfolio contents and the reasons why they are there. For example, the students have to
answer these questions for each of the entries:
What did you learn from it?
What did you do well?
Why did you choose this item?
What do you want to improve in the item?
How do you feel about your performance?*
What are the improvements you yourself have found from one writing to another, please
provide evidence?*
And these questions for the whole portfolio:
What part of the portfolio do you like best?
What was difficult for you?
Would you like to change any item in your portfolio? Why?*
How is the portfolio better than the usual tests?
Do you think the portfolio score is fair?
Do you have any suggestions to improve portfolio next year?
The questions with * are those many first semester portfolios fail to answer. Make sure you pay
more attention in the second semester in order to prove your self-understanding and self-
evaluation ability.
For the assessment of the cover letter, refer to Appendix 4.
2. Table of contents
3. 3 entries
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Each entry should contain the first draft written in the class, a peer evaluation checklist and
the second draft of the writing. Students might be asked to write the third draft if necessary.
The entries are arranged in the order of time with the best one after the table of contents.
The writing assignments and the assessment should be done in the form the teacher provided.
4. Portfolio assessment form
III. How is your portfolio assessed?
1. Writing assignment assessment
The first draft of in-class writings must be signed by the teacher. Peer check and rewriting
are homework and late submission is disadvantageous. Students are expected to use pencils and
the correction symbols in Appendix 5 to check their peers’ work.
Writing assignment benchmark: Scoring of students’ writing assignments will base on the
rubric in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3. The second drafts are considered the products to be
assessed. The whole entry score is the average of the three assignments’ scores.
The scoring of essay writing assignments should base on whether the students
demonstrate these indicators:
a. Plan the writing (Make an outline 1, Write drafts 2)
b. Producing the essays (Use multiple resources for writing 3, Arrange ideas in a logic order 4,
Use transitional devices to improve coherence 5, Control sentence structures 6, Write an
effective introduction7, Support the introduction with suitable ideas 8, Supplement the
supporting ideas with details/examples 9, Write an effective conclusion at the end of the
essay 10)
c. Revise the essays (Identify problems in first drafts and take actions in second drafts 11)
2. Portfolio assessment
Portfolio score = 3 entries’ average score (70%) + Cover letter score (30%)
Note: Teachers reserve the right to mark down any portfolios that show sign of cheating and
plagiarism and fail to organize their portfolio as guided
The scoring of cover letter should base on whether the students demonstrate these capabilities:
a. Reflect on portfolio structure (Reflect on goals of portfolios 1, Justify for the selection
of entries 2)
b. Reflect on writing process strategies (Reflect on writing strategies) 3, Reflect on
revising strategies 4, Present problem solving skills 5, Reflect on the use of resources in
writing 6, Reflect on peer collaboration (social strategies) 7,
c. Reflect on growth and development as a writer (Assess personal growth 8, Identify
strengths 9, Describe weaknesses (content and rhetorical ones) and how you manage to
solve them) 10
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APPENDIX 13: WRITING BAND DESCRIPTORS
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APPENDIX 14: WRITING ASSESSMENT RUBRICS
ÉSSAY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT
1..Planning for essays
1.2. Write outlines
1.1.2.0. Do not write outlines
1.1.2.1. Brainstorm words or phrases
1.1.2.2. Include lists of main ideas in an order
1.1.2.3. Develop supporting details for the supporting ideas
1.1.2.4. Create parallel and equivalent supporting ideas and details
1.3. Write first drafts
1.1.3.0. Do not complete first drafts or do not follow the format of an essay
1.1.3.1. Write first drafts, following the right format of an essay
1.1.3.2. Consider basic features of essays (coherence and development)
2. Producing coherent, well-developed, meaningful essays
2.1. Write an introduction
0. Write an introduction with an unclear thesis statement
1. Write an introduction with a clear thesis statement
2. Write an attention-getting introduction with a specified thesis statement
2.2. Support the thesis statement
0. Do not support the thesis statement
1. Provide relevant but overlapping supporting ideas
2. Offer relevant and distinct supporting ideas
3. Arrange the supporting ideas clearly with transitional signals
2.3. Supplement the supporting ideas with exemplifications
0. Provide no statements to supplement the supporting ideas
1. Explain or illustrate for supporting ideas
2. Explain and illustrate for supporting ideas with various types of exemplifications
2.4. Write a conclusion
0. Do not write a conclusion or create a sense of closure
1. Signal a stop or repeat the thesis statement in the conclusion
2. Paraphrase the thesis statement in the conclusion
3. Paraphrase the thesis statement in the conclusion and leave impressions (give personal’s predictions
or recommendations, etc)
2.5. Arrange ideas in a logic order
0. Attempt to organise ideas in an order, but a rearrangement of ideas is necessary
1. Organise ideas in a suitable logical order for the goals of the essays
2. Control primary and secondary logical orders
2.6. Control cohesive devices
0. Do not use cohesive devices
1. Use grammatical cohesion (reference, articles, comparatives, pronouns) and word repetition
2. Use vocabulary devices beyond repetition (such as collocations, synonyms, etc.) to improve
cohesion
2.7. Control sentence structures
0. Use simple sentences
1. Use complex (subordination) or compound sentences with a limited number of patterns
2. Use complex and compound sentences flexibly
2.8.Control word usage
0. Use familiar words with many mistakes in spelling, word form and word choice
1. Use familiar words with a few mistakes in spelling, word form and word choice
2. Apply unfamiliar words with mistakes in spelling, word form and word choice
3. Apply unfamiliar words with a good control of the spelling, choice and forms of words
2.9. Control mechanics (surface feature mistakes)
0. Patterns of mistakes are visible
1. Control capitalization, spelling, and punctuations, but errors in grammar can still obscure meanings
2. Control mechanics to improve meanings, mistakes in grammar do not obscure meanings
3. Revise from drafts
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3.1. Identify problems in first drafts and take actions in second drafts
0. Edit mechanics mistakes
1. Edit mechanics and vocabulary mistakes
2. Improve when necessary or maintain control over mechanics, vocabulary and higher order/global
features (organisation, ideas, ideas expressions, etc.) in the essays
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APPENDIX 15: REFLECTION ASSESSMENT FORM 1. Reflect on portfolio structure
1.1.Reflect on goals of each entries in the portfolios in the individual learning plan
1.1.0. Do not describe goals
1.1.1. Describe goals for the portfolios basing on course objectives
1.1.2. Describe goals for the portfolios against both course objectives and individual learning goals
1.2. Justify for the selection of essays
1.2.0. Do not explain for the selection of included essays
1.2.1. Explain for the selection of essays against the features of a good essay
1.2.2. Explain for the selection of essays against both knowledge of essay writing and personal
learning goals
2. Reflect on writing strategies
2.1. Reflect on writing-process strategies(planning, monitoring, revising)
2.1.0. Do not mention the writing process strategies or reflect without evidence
2.1.1. List the strategies taken to monitor the writing process
2.1.2. Describe the process strategies
2.1.3. Evaluate and defend the used strategies
2.2. Reflect on your language production strategies (how to create the language features of paragraphs)
2.2.0. Do not describe writing production strategies or reflect without evidence
2.2.1. Describe the writing production strategies
2.2.2. Explain for the production strategies used to write essays
2.2.3. Analyse the production strategies in terms of importance and effectiveness
2.2.4. Evaluate the production strategies in terms of importance and effectiveness
2.3. Reflect on problem solving skills (a problem is temporary; a weakness not)
2.3.0. Do not state problems or state without evidence
2.3.1. State the content or language problems you meet in writing different types of essays
2.3.2. Understand the interaction between content and language problems in the writing process
2.3.4. State the solutions for the problems
2.3.5. Evaluate the problem solving strategies
2.4. Reflect on the use of resources in writing
2.4.0. Do not describe resources or describe without evidence
2.4.1. List the resources used in writing the essays
2.4.2. Describe what you acquire from the resources to write the essays
2.4.3. Select the materials for writing after comparing different sources
2.5. Reflect on peer collaboration (social strategies)
2.5.0. Do not describe collaboration activities or describe without evidence
2.5.1. List peer collaboration activities
2.5.2. Understand/describe the advantages and disadvantages of peer collaboration
2.5.3. Make conclusions on effective peer collaboration strategies
3. Assessing the writing products and process
3.1. Assess personal growth in written language production
3.1.0. Do not describe growth or describe growth without evidence
3.1.1. Describe the differences in essays across time
3.1.2. Explain for the differences/improvements
3.1.3. Identify rules for future writing work for language production
3.2. Identify strengths
3.2.0. Do not describe strengths or describe without evidence
3.2.1. State strengths (generalising the good points)
3.2.2. Describe strengths
3.2.3. Explain the influence of those strengths on the products
3.3. Identify weaknesses (content and language ones) and how you manage to solve them
3.3.0. Do not generalise problems into weaknesses or state the weaknesses without evidence
3.3.1. Generalise problems into weaknesses and provide full evidence
3.3.2. Describe actions toward improving the weaknesses
3.3.3. Assess the efficiency of the attempted actions and plan for future actions
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APPENDIX 18: WRITING CORRECTION SYMBOLS
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APPENDIX 19: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TEST FORMAT
WRITING TEST FORMAT
If portfolio provides a panorama of the students’ writing ability, the progress tests helps to judge their ability of writing under pressure and teach them the exam strategies. Portfolios are process-oriented and longitudinal while the final tests (after week 15) are product-oriented and cross sectional
Time Allowed: 45-55 minutes
Format:
TASK TYPES PURPOSE
PART 1 Multiple Choice Questions True – False Cloze quiz
- To check students’ understanding of writing skills and knowledge - To check student’s usage of language devices as described in the course objectives
PART 2 Sentence Transformation Sentence Building
- To assess students’ language usage (language structures and expressions) as stated in the course objectives
PART 3 Composition (250-300 words)
- To evaluate students’ essay writing skills as stated in the course objectives