Schedule | Assignments | Tronclass
BEN11505 English Conversation 1
W 8:10-10:00, Rm R0310
Class Objectives,
The purpose of this class is to help students improve the English spoken fluency become more comfortable speaking English in a variety of situations. Students will listen carefully to others, share ideas and 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 this 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.
The Practice and Feature of Class
- Class Organization: The class is organized around various discussion topics. There is no textbook.
- Handouts. Weekly handouts are available on Tronclass. Students are responsible to download these handouts and bring them to class each week.
- Weekly Homework. Research on your own and prepare to discuss the topic of the next class.
- Speaking. You are expected to converse in English during the full 100 minutes of class each week. You should actively engage classmates and not need to be told to use English.
- Writing. Each week, you must write briefly (around 200 words) about the topic of discussion for the forthcoming class. This paper must be neatly typed or handwritten with a proper heading and title and is due at the beginning of class. You must use your own words (NOT COPIED). You can make a second copy if you think you will need to look at it during the class.
- Presentations
- before the midterm: Weekly Topic. (groups of 4-5 students) (5 minutes)
- Focus on a specific idea within the topic for your week.
- Prepare a handout with 1) 10 useful words, 2) a brief outline, & 3) 3-5 discussion questions.
- Present your topic via a conversation, PPT presentation, a short play, or other means.
- Do not read! You can have some notes with key words, but you cannot read while talking.
- after the midterm: Something surprising about your country (individual) (1 minutes)
- Talk for one minutes about your country.
- Talk about something surprising or interesting that you discovered about your country that is not covered in any of the other weeks (such as safety in your country, other news, money/economy, weather, festivals, manners, taboos, religion, etc.)
- Do not read! You can have some notes with key words, but you cannot read while talking.
- Exams
- The midterm is a conversation between 2-3 students about a question related to a class topic.
- The midterm focuses on your ability to explain and defend your ideas.
- The final exam will be an individual interview held in my office (10-12 minutes).
- The final is about explaining and giving details about a foreign country.
Grading
| Missing more than two classes will lower semester grade by 10 points. Missing four or more classes is grounds for a failing grade. Arriving late 3 times = 1 absence Missing NO classes will raise semester grade by 3 points. |
- 25% Homework, Preparation, Participation
- 25% 2 Presentations
- 25% Midterm
- 25% Final Interview