Untitled document
Based on assessed student level, upon completion of the course,
students will be able to:
I. Literacy Level
A. Read and write the letters of the alphabet and recognize basic
conventions of writing.
B. Express personal information orally and in filling out basic
forms related to school, work and health.
C. Communicate with personal pronouns and basic present tense forms
to express simple needs and describe daily routines.
D. Demonstrate comprehension of simple words, phrases and questions
drawn from familiar material and used in contexts of classroom,
workplace and community.
E. Identify learning goals and adopt basic practices associated
with the academic classroom.
II. Beginning Level
A. Beginning Low
1. Express data related to personal identification information
about self and others.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of simple vocabulary and commands
used in the context of classroom, workplace and social
settings.
3. Begin to describe features and locations of people and objects
4. Use pronouns and present tense verb forms to tell about
daily routines, respond to simple questions, and communicate
wants and needs in classroom, workplace, community and
social situations.
5. Recognize and start to use basic conventions of writing
and punctuation.
6. Identify learning goals and adopt basic practices associated
with the academic classroom.
7. Find and make use of information appearing on forms related
to school, work and various other administrative areas.
B. Beginning High
1. Express data related to personal identification information
about self and others, orally and in writing.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of vocabulary and commands used
in the context of classroom, workplace and social situations.
3. Describe features and locations of people and objects.
4. Use appropriate pronouns and verb forms (present and past)
to discuss wants and needs in the classroom, workplace,
community and social situations.
5. Use basic conventions of writing and punctuation.
6. Discuss learning goals and basic practices associated with
the academic classroom.
7. Find and make use of information appearing on forms related
to school, work and various other administrative areas.
III. Intermediate Level
A. Intermediate Low
1. Communicate effectively (with minimal grammatical errors that
interfere with meaning) in a variety of social, academic,
community and work-related situations.
2. Begin to describe personal abilities on the job, at home and
at school.
3. Identify strategies for finding a job or improving one's
position at work.
4. Begin to identify main ideas and supporting details from
a reading.
5. Begin to write a paragraph using correct form, incorporating
a main idea and several related ideas.
B. Intermediate High
1. Describe personal experience, past and present, with
minimal grammatical and pronunciation problems.
2. Relate past and present experience to personal, vocational
and academic goals/aspirations, and identify steps for
achieving long-term goals and future possibilities.
3. Identify issues and problems in the community and workplace;
develop appropriate strategies for problem-solving using
available community resources.
4. Identify main ideas and supporting details in a variety of
narrative and expository reading materials.
5. Demonstrate comprehension of and complete standard forms used
in academic, employment and government settings.
6. Write an organized paragraph (topic sentence, related details
and a conclusion) on a specified topic.
Untitled document
I Instructional Approach
A. Multi-level:
Grammar and vocabulary are introduced, reviewed and practiced
within the context of the themes, at levels which allow each
student to access and build upon his or her prior knowledge.
B. Assessment and Lesson Planning:
Based on formal and informal assessments of the students' levels
and needs, instructors will plan and implement lessons, drawing
from level-appropriate objectives and materials. Examples of
assessment include standardized tests, class needs surveys, and
observation of student performance in class. Instructors are
encouraged to select materials and plan activities that are at the
same time accessible to beginners and expandable to meet the
needs of more advanced students.
C. Modes of Instruction:
Varied modes of instruction are used during class in order to
accommodate the needs of a truly multi-level group of students.
These modes include teacher instruction, directed pair and small
group work, problem-solving in cooperative groups, individual
study and writing, individual and group projects, and conversation
practice.
D. Grouping:
Grouping of students alternates between whole-group (multi-level),
small group (multi-level or separate-level), pairs (multi-level or
separate-level), and individuals. Grouping changes frequently,
based on the type of unit or lesson being taught, the availability
of instructional assistants and computers, and the make-up of the
class on any given day.
II Themes
A. Personal Identification
1. Literacy level
a. Language functions
i. asking and answering basic personal questions
ii. recognizing capital and lower-case letters
b. Language structures related to personal identification
such as personal pronouns, present tense verbs, and question
formation
c. Literacy skills and strategies
i. saying, reading and writing the alphabet
ii. recognizing capital and lower-case letters
d. Vocabulary
i. personal description
ii. activities and hobbies
2. Beginning level
a. Language functions
i. asking and answering questions about self and others
ii. describing self and others
iii. comparing personal identification information
b. Language structures related to personal identification such as
yes/no and wh- question formation, short answers, present
tense verbs, and past tense of "be" and "have"
c. Skills and strategies
i. introduction to dictionary use
ii. filling out forms
iii. introduction to basic reading and controlled writing
about self
d. Vocabulary
i. personal data and description
ii. physical and emotional feelings
3. Intermediate Level
a. Language functions
i. describing one's present life situation and connecting
it to the past and future
ii. expressing future goals and aspirations and steps for
achieving them
b. Language structures related to self such as introduction
to present perfect, verbs of intent, and modal auxiliaries
(politeness, ability, and possibility)
c. Skills and strategies
i. using appropriate capitalization and punctuation
ii. pre-reading and pre-writing strategies
iii. writing a short paragraph with main idea and related
details
iv. brainstorming and grouping information
v. making comparisons
d. Vocabulary
i. descriptive language related to current and past personal
experiences
ii. synonyms and antonyms describing personal characteristics
B. School
1. Literacy Level
a. Language functions
i. learning basic classroom commands and instructions
ii. asking for help
b. Language structures related to school such as adverbs of
frequency, singluar and plural nouns, and simple questions
c. Literacy skills and strategies
i. saying, reading, and writing numbers, phone numbers, and
significant dates
ii. saying, reading, and writing learning goals (themes, such
as "work," "shopping," and "doctor")
d. Vocabulary
i. classroom objects and action verbs
ii. numbers and dates
iii. names of lesson themes related to daily life
2. Beginning Level
a. Language functions
i. setting and discussing learning goals
ii. learning and responding to classroom instructions
iii. asking for help
iv. observing classroom etiquette: using greetings and
polite expressions
b. Language structures realted to school such as adverbs of
frequency, "like" + infinitive, and commands (Beginning High
students will also use question formation with "do," short
answers for yes/no questions, and present continuous)
c. Skills and strategies
i. alphabetizing and using a dictionary
ii. developing study skills
iii. reading short narratives
iv. developing basic prewriting skills
v. writing short, controlled sentences and paragraphs,
including use of basic punctuation rules (complexity
depends on student level)
d. Vocabulary
i. politeness and greeting words
ii. classroom objects, subjects of study, and verbs related
to classroom projects and activities
3. Intermediate Level
a. Language functions
i. describing past and present school experiences and
methods of learning English
ii. asking for and clarifying information within the
classroom and in the wider school setting
iii. identifying personal academic strengths and weaknesses
iv. defining academic goals and steps to achieve them, and
telling about past decisions
b. Language structures related to school such as past continuous,
present and past ability, and information questions
(Intermediate High students will also use verb + infinitive;
verb + gerund; verb tense shifts; serial order of events;
modal auxiliaries to express permission, probability, and
necessity; indirect speech; and more complex question forms)
c. Skills and strategies
i. effective study skills including organizing materials,
time management, and establishing priorities
ii. using language strategies for group work such as
expressing an opinion and questioning (Intermediate High
students will also practice skills for interrupting and
expressing disagreement)
iii. scanning narratives, non-fiction passages, catalogues,
and Internet sites for specific information
iv. pooling and comparing information
v. reading, writing, and speaking about strategies for
learning English (Intermediate High students will also
write paragraphs about academic and vocational aspirations)
vi. using educational resources including the library and
computer labs when available (with increasing independence
at the Intermediate High level)
d. Vocabulary
i. words for learning styles, methods, and abilities
ii. terms to describe basic elements of "computer literacy"
iii. academic terms such as "draft," "revise," and "edit"
iv. Intermediate High students will also use terms used to
describe aspects of academic curriculum, policies, and
procedures, e.g. "plagiarism" and "matriculation"
C. Family and Culture
1. Literacy Level
a. Language functions
i. identifying family members
ii. telling about one's family
b. Language structures related to the family such as present
tense verb "be" and subject and possessive pronouns
c. Literacy skills and strategies
i. saying, reading and writing addresses and telephone
numbers
ii. speaking, reading and writing about country of origin
d. Vocabulary
i. family members and ages
ii. geographical locations
iii. addresses and telephone numbers
2. Beginning Level
a. Language Functions
i. describing and comparing family members
ii. asking and telling about family and activities
b. Language structures related to family such as simple present
and past verbs, possessives, prepositions of time and place,
adjectives, and modals "can" and "could"
c. Skills and strategies
i. beginning to compare and contrast families
ii. creating, reading and interpreting a simple chart
iii. reading and retelling a story
iv. writing simple descriptive sentences and controlled
paragraphs
v. listening and reporting
d. Vocabulary
i. extended family relationships
ii. nouns and adjectives related to physical description of
people and homes
3. Intermediate Level
a. Language functions
i. describing interpersonal relationships within family
structure
ii. comparing and contrasting cultural differences between
country of origin and USA
iii. explaining personal process of acculturation and/or
assimilation, and talking about future possibilities
b. Language structures related to family and culture such as
past with "used to," past perfect, time clauses, "must/have
to," "if" with future possibility, and compound sentences with
"and" and "but"
c. Skills and strategies
i. giving opinions and solving problems during group process
ii. reading and analyzing graphs and charts (Intermediate High
students will also use charts and diagrams to compare and
contrast information from readings and/or group
discussions)
iii. connecting one's own experience witha a text in
discussion and guided writing (Intermediate High students
will also write paragraphs to interpret a reading
passage)
iv. pre-writing techniques, e.g. word maps and outlining
v. skimming and scanning narratives and non-fiction
passages for specific information
d. Vocabulary
i. language to describe family and relationships
ii. terms to describe traditions, customs, beliefs, and hopes
iii. verbs to describe family and household responsibilities
D. Work
1. Literacy Level
a. Language functions
i. telling time
ii. describing daily routine
iii. asking and answering questions about schedules
iv. describing job skills and abilities
b. Language structures related to work such as simple present
action verbs, modals "can" and "should," and "at" with time
(Beginning High students will also use "used to" + verb,
past questions about work experience and present progressive)
c. Skills and strategies
i. learning work schedules and written materials related to
daily work activities
ii. classifying job-related skills and activities
iii. skimming and scanning work-related reading
iv. using simple punctuation at sentence level
d. Vocabulary
i. professions
ii. tools
iii. work skills (and qualities for Beginning High students)
iv. abbreviations: want ads (complexity depends on
student level)
2. Beginning Level
a. Language functions
i. telling about daily routine and times
ii. asking and answering work-related questions and asking for
clarification
iii. getting and giving information over the phone
iv. making requests and suggestions
b. Language structures realted to work such as simple present
action verbs, modals "can" and "should" and "at" with time
(Beginning High students will also use "used to" + verb, past
questions about work experience, and present progressive)
c. Skills and strategies
i. learning work schedules and written materials related to
daily work activities
ii. classifying job-related skills and activities
iii. skimming and scanning work-related reading
iv. using simple punctuation at sentence level
d. Vocabulary
i. professions
ii. tools
iii. work skills (and qualities for Beginning High students)
iv. abbreviations: want ads (complexity depends on
student level)
3. Intermediate Level
a. Language functions
i. identifying/examining one's own and others' present/past
job experiences, including duties, skills, training, pay
and benefits
ii. describing and practicing ways to get a job, e.g. search,
networking, applying, interviewing
iii. practicing special communicative skills needed on the
job, related to evaluation and "speaking up"
iv. explaining workers' rights, responsibilities and resources
b. Language structures related to work such as present perfect,
present perfect continuous, gerunds, infinitives, and direct
speech (Intermediate High students will also use adverbs of
intensity, spoken vs. written language, formal vs. informal
language, writing forms and conventions)
c. Skills and strategies
i. using context for pre-reading and for guessing meaning
of new vocabulary
ii. analyzing reading passages and connecting ideas to
personal experience
iii. using appropriate format, punctuation and capitalization
to write work-related paragraphs, business letters and
resumes (complexity depends on student level)
iv. using politeness conventions and clarification strategies
to engage in group work
v. using the Internet to search for jobs and research
career options (Intermediate High students will also
research workers' rights and responsibilities)
d. Vocabulary
i. job-seeking terms
ii. terms related to effective daily communication in work
situations, including training, supervision and evaluation
iii. terms related to worker rights, benefits, worker
protection, taxes and dues
iv. words to formally and informally describe job experiences
and qualifications
E. Community
1. Literacy Level
a. Language functions
i. saying and asking about prices
ii. identifying food
iii. identifying clothing
iv. expressing likes and dislikes
v. asking for repetition
vi. talking about health needs
b. Language structures related to community such as question
formation and simple present
c. Literacy skills and strategies
i. saying, reading and writing about coins, bills and prices
ii. reading about and comparing prices in advertisements
d. Vocabulary
i. food items
ii. clothing
iii. body parts
iv. ailments
v. money
vi. safety signs
Additional themes may include: housing/household items and
activities, ordering in a restaurant, transportation, police.
2. Beginning Level
a. Language functions
i. talking about locations and describing local environments
ii. following directions
iii. saying prices and asking about prices
iv. talking about medical and health-related issues
v. making and accepting invitations
vi. asking for repetition, and asking for help (Beginning
High students will also use past tense of common
auxiliaries, such as "couldn't" and "didn't"
c. Skills and strategies
i. reading maps and signs
ii. reading labels
iii. consulting resources such as telephone books, school
schedules, and the Internet
iv. asking for and giving directions
v. formats for social notes
d. Vocabulary
i. food items
ii. clothing items
iii. body parts relevant to medical needs
iv. parties, holidays and celebrations
v. stores, commercial services and community resources
Additional themes may include: housing/household items and
activities, ordering in a restaurant, transportation, police.
3. Intermediate Level
a. Language functions
i. describing living situations and neighbors
ii. describing community problems, suggesting solutions,
and identifying services and resources
iii. accessing and communicating with various constituencies,
e.g. neighbors, officials, emergency personnel, store
personnel and service representatives
iv. describing emergency situations and procedures
b. Language structures related to community such as comparative
adjectives, phrases of purpose with "to" and "for" and
phrases of quantity and proportion, e.g. "many," "most,"
(Intermediate High students will also use tense shifts
within a sentence or paragraph; modals of obligation,
permission and probability; sentence construction including
dependent clauses and parallel structures; editing, e.g.
correcting run-on sentences)
c. Skills and strategies
i. comparing specific conditions
ii. questioning, clarifying information, negotiating, and
using non-verbal cues to facilitate understanding in
oral communication
iii. applying reading strategies and responding to narratives
and non-fiction about community and civic-related events
iv. guessing meaning of new vocabulary from context
v. analyzing and interpreting familiar concepts, such as
cultural stereotypes, and new concepts from readings and
discussions
vi. beginning to write well-developed paragraphs (or series of
related paragraphs) about community-related concerns and
problem-solving strategies
d. Vocabulary
i. terms to describe place of residence in context of
larger community
ii. terms to describe place of residence in context of
larger community
iii. terms related to basic institutions, companies, services
and utilities
iv. terms for processes and activities involving community
interaction, such as expressing community concerns and
problem-solving strategies
Additional themes may include: housing/household items and
activities, ordering in a restaurant, transportation, police
Untitled document
Assignments will be appropriate for the skill level of each student.
Assignments may include:
I. In-class assignments may include:
A. Literacy Level
1. Speaking
a. participate in simple oral activities focusing on a specific
topic and/or grammar feature, demonstrating comprehension
and production
b. survey classmates and participate in simple role-plays
relating to familiar material
2. Listening
a. listen for detail and respond through actions to simple,
classroom-related directions
b. manipulated pictures or graphics in response to
oral directions
c. participate in listening activities related to
the alphabet
3. Reading
a. read simple sentences related to daily life within the
contexts of family, work, school and community
b. read for detail on basic forms
c. read and categorize vocabulary words within the themes
covered in class
4. Writing
a. fill out basic forms using upper and lower case letters
of the alphabet
b. participate in information-gathering on a specific topic
c. write simple sentences related to familiar topics
B. Beginning Level
1. Speaking
a. oral descriptions from pictures of people and objects
b. role-plays related to themes
c. presentations of individual and group projects and
interviews related to personal identification information
2. Listening
a. listening for vocabulary items from recorded conversations,
interviews, and songs (Beginning High students will also
listen to and retell short narratives)
b. listening for detail in following classroom-related
directions
c. taking dictation related to course themes (complexity
depends on student level)
3. Reading
a. reading sentences and paragraphs about daily life within
the contexts of family, work, school and community
b. reading for detail using forms, schedules and brochures
c. taking simple objective tests related to course themes
and topics
d. introduction to reading for main idea and related details
(for Beginning High students)
4. Writing
a. composing short sentences including personal information
(Beginning High students will also compose short,
controlled paragraphs with a wider variety of sentence
structures)
b. responding in writing to visual prompts of people and objects
c. editing written work for punctuation
d. creating portfolios of representative writings
C. Intermediate Level
1. Speaking
a. role-plays and oral presentations
b. posing and responding to questions, including interviews
and surveys
c. pair-work and small group discussion
d. describing, explaining, and analyzing language structures,
vocabulary, and topics or issues (complexity depends on
student level)
2. Listening
a. responding to taped materials
b. listening and retelling from narratives and non-fiction
passages
c. rehearsing to call community resources and reporting
information learned (Intermediate High students will also
respond to various accents and levels of formality)
d. responding to both formal and informal language use within
the classroom setting
3. Reading
a. skimming various types of material for general meaning
b. scanning various types of material for specific details
c. analysis and interpretation to identify main idea and
details (complexity depends on student level)
d. introduction to reading various types of writing styles
such as expository passages and poetry
e. interpreting charts, tables, graphs, inserts and footnotes
f. introduction to components of published materials such as
tables of contents, indices and copyrights
g. taking multiple-choice and objective exams
4. Writing
a. composing an increasing variety of sentence structures and
paragraphs with main idea and supporting details
(Intermediate High students will also begin to
compose essays)
b. editing for punctuation
c. free writing in journals
d. dictations (as models of correct grammar, format
and punctuation)
e. composing various types and styles of written material
including letters, notes and e-mail
f. completing standardized/formal documents
g. compiling portfolios of representative writings and/or
contributing to a compliation of class work such as a
class newsletter or thematically based, student-made book
II. Homework assignments may include:
A. Literacy Level
1. Speaking
a. request basic information related to family, work, school
and social situations
b. request spelling of names and new words
2. Listening
a. listen and respond to common uses of English in
daily situations
b. listen to songs and short TV segments in English
3. Reading
a. read signs, labels and other examples of short
environmental print
b. start to read mail (bills and advertisements)
4. Writing
a. fill out very simple forms connected to family, work
and community situations
b. complete short written exercises related to in-class
assignments
B. Beginning Level
1. Speaking
a. requesting information and leaving phone messages related
to family, work, school and other community resources
b. interviewing a family member or friend in English
c. preparing brief oral presentations with a group
2. Listening
a. listening to radio and TV programs in English
b. calling community information lines to listen to
recorded information
3. Reading
a. reading of English language newspapers and learners'
stories (complexity depends on student level)
b. reading signs, labels and other examples of environmental
print
c. reading of beginning-level non-fiction (for Beginning
High students)
4. Writing
a. filling out forms connected to work, school and
community situations
b. filling in cloze activities
c. completing written exercises on grammar, vocabulary and
writing mechanics related to in-class assignments
d. writing controlled paragraphs (for Beginning High students)
C. Intermediate Level
1. Speaking
a. requesting information and leaving phone messages related
to family, work, school and other community resources
b. interviewing/surveying people in the community
c. preparing group presentations on course-related themes
d. requesting/obtaining information outside the classroom
to solve a problem (for Intermediate High students)
2. Listening
a. listening to radio, TV, music and live entertainment in
English
b. listening to recorded information and responding to
telephone menu prompts
c. obtaining accurate information on specific topics from
sources in the community
3. Reading
a. skimming and scanning passages for main ideas and details
b. reading and responding to a wide variety of written
materials in English such as newspapers, magazines,
Internet, advertisements, labels and other environmental
print (complexity depends on student level)
4. Writing
a. written assignments as follow-up to in-class instruction,
including textbook exercises and worksheets
b. writing paragraphs in response to readings
c. journal entries
d. practical and/or creative writing assignments such as
recipes, directions, absence notes and poetry
