Freshman English Conversation
BEN10103
Texts
- Talking for Real: Book 2, by David Wright
Class Objectives
The purpose of this class is to help students become comfortable speaking in English and gain fluency. Students should be able to listen, share information, and converse in an English only environment. Students should become comfortable expressing and supporting personal ideas related to class topics.
- Improve fluency in English conversation (thinking in English, pronunciation, intonation)
- Increase conversational skills & ability (confidence, vocabulary, strategies).
After completing thing course, students should be able to
- Hold lengthy conversations using only English.
- Be able and willing to ask questions in English for clarification and further information.
- Feel comfortable when speaking English before a small audience.
- Express information, opinions, and ideas, about various topics with adequate support and be able to answer follow-up questions.
Practice and Features of this Class
- The class is organized around the textbook, Talking for Real, Book 2.
- Students are expected to prepare for each class by previewing the book and doing any assigned reading
- Speaking. You are expected to converse in English during each 50 min. of class time. You should actively engage classmates and not need to be told to use English.
- Writing. Four times during the semester, a short writing assignment is due that is related to the topics we have been discussing. This paper is due at the beginning of class. It should be printed out neatly, and properly formatted on A4 size paper.
- Teach the class.
- Prepare a handout for the class: one page. Include something to read and some questions related to your topic but not the same as the book. It can overlap, but it shouldn’t be the same.
- Your handout should be given to students in class the week before your group’s turn.
- In class, you should do the following.
- Provide questions related to the reading and allow classmates to discuss.
- Present some of your own ideas related to the reading or topic of the reading.
- Introduce and have classmates play a game that relates to your topic and involves speaking English.
- Exams
- The midterm will be done in groups of 2 or 3 students. Choose your own partner(s).
- The final exam will be an individual interview held in my office.
- For both midterm and final, you only need to come during your turn.
Grading
| 25% |
Participation (punctuality and using English) |
| 25% |
Writing (4 short papers) |
| 10% |
Group (Teach the class) |
| 25% |
Midterm (Partner conversation) |
| 25% |
Final (Individual Interview) |
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- Missing more than two classes will lower semester grade by 10 points.
- Missing four or more classes will probably lead to a failing grade.
- Perfect attendance will raise your grade by 3 points.
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