Pre-Intermediate 2 Syllabus, Summer B 2016 CLP

Community Language Program Summer B 2016

Teachers College, Columbia University
Instructor: Danning LIU, Yunni SUN
E-mail: dl3010@tc.columbia.edu, ys2865@tc.columbia.edu.
Level: Pre-Intermediate 2
Classes: Monday to Friday
Class time: 9:30 12:00
Classroom:
Week1

Mon
Macy 262

Tue
Macy 262

Wed
Macy 262

Thu
Macy 130

Week2
Week3
Week4

Macy 262
Macy 262
Macy 262

Macy 262
Macy 262
Macy 262

Macy 262
Macy 262
Macy 262

Macy 347 A
Macy 347 A
Macy 347 A

Week5

Macy 262

Macy 262

Macy 262

Macy 347 A

Fri
Thorndike
422
Macy 347 A
Macy 347 A
Thorndike
227
No class

Course description:
The course is designed to help Pre-Intermediate English language learners develop English listening,
speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension skills that are required for everyday life. Using a themebased teaching approach, students will learn grammar, pronunciation as well as relevant vocabulary to meet
daily needs. Each class will be centered on a theme in order to centralize learning and functions associated
with each particular topic.
About the CLP
The Community Language Program (CLP) is a unique and integral part of the TESOL and Applied
Linguistics Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University. It provides English as a second language
and foreign language instruction to adult learners of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. In addition, the
CLP serves as an on- site language education lab in which TESOL and Applied Linguistics faculty and
students enrolled in the programs teach the courses and use the CLP as a setting for empirical inquiry. Here
at Teachers College we believe that observation and classroom research are the best way to learn about how
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Pre-Intermediate 2 Syllabus, Summer B 2016 CLP

we teach and gain insights into how teaching might take place. Thus, we encourage observation and
classroom research and want people to use it as a tool for learning. Ongoing assessment and program
evaluation allow us to make the CLP a better program
Important Dates:
Week 1
Week 5

Monday, July 11
Friday, July 15
Wednesday, August 10
Thursday, August 11

First day of class

Last day for transfers and refunds
Final Exam
Last day of class

Course Textbook and Workbook:

1)
Life, Course Book 3. (2015). Cengage Learning.
2)
Life, Workbook 3. (2015). Cengage Learning.
We will cover units 5-8.
Courses Objectives:
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

use simple structures and vocabulary to communicate about food, money, travel, and
appearance.
use language functions to order a meal, make simple requests, ask about travel experiences, and
talk about photos.
write simple instructions, a description of someones life, a travel blog, and texts/online
messages.

Course Requirements:
Unit Tests 1, 2, 3 (each 15%): 45%
Final Test: 30%
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Homework: 15%
Attendance Policy:
If a student misses 5 or more classes, or is late for 10 classes, s/he cannot pass the course. S/he will,
however, be eligible for a letter of attendance.
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Pre-Intermediate 2 Syllabus, Summer B 2016 CLP

Grading:
A+/-

Excellent

A+ 97 100%

A 94 96%

A- 90 93%

B+/-

Good

B+ 87 89%

B 84 86%

B- 80 83%

C+/-

Satisfactory (pass)

C+ 77 79%

C 73 76%

C- 70 72%

Fail/Repeat

Poor (no pass)

Below 69%

Schedule Subject to Change

Unit 5: The environment
Test Date: July 18
Grammar and Vocabulary
count and noncount nouns
quantifiers
definite article (the) or no
article
materials
household items
wordbuilding: hyphenated
words
facts and figures
word focus: take

Pronunciation, Speaking, and Listening

calling about an order
sounding friendly
a radio call-in show about
recycling
opinions on recycling
presenting a report
an interview with an
environmentalist

Reading and Writing

articles about e-trash, the
Greendex, the Plastiki (a boat
made of plastic bottles), and
an online order
a report of a survey
text type: emails
writing skill: formal language

Unit 6: Stages in life

Test Date: July 25
Grammar and Vocabulary
verb patterns with to +
infinitive
future forms: going to, will,
and present continuous

Pronunciation, Speaking, and Listening Reading and Writing

inviting, accepting, and declining articles about how a couple
changed their life, how Mardi
emphasizing words
Gras is celebrated around the
three people talking about their
world, and a Masai rite of
plans and intentions
passage
a news item about Mardis Gras

text
type: a description
life-changing decisions

writing
skill: descriptive
your favorite festival
adjectives
describing annual events

Pre-Intermediate 2 Syllabus, Summer B 2016 CLP

Unit 7: Work

Test

Date: August 2
Grammar and Vocabulary
prepositions of place and
movement
jobs
wordbuilding: suffixes
office equipment
for or since
job satisfaction
word focus: make or do
job listings

Pronunciation, Speaking, and Listening

a job interview
irregular past participles
a documentary about working as
photographer
an interview with an engineer
giving directions
describing past experiences
your opinion of a job

Reading and Writing

workplace messages with
instructions
articles about the cost of new
jobs to an area and modernday cowboys
text type: a resume
writing skill: action verbs for
resumes

Pronunciation, Speaking, and Listening

asking how something works
intonation in conditional
sentences
linking
a science program about a new
invention
problems that inventions solved
inventing a new robot
planning an expedition
using nature to improve designs

Reading and Writing

an explorers blog
an article about biomimetics
text type: a paragraph
writing skills: connecting
words; topic and supporting
sentences

Unit 8: Technology
Test Date: August 10
Grammar and Vocabulary
defining relative clauses
zero and first conditional
wordbuilding: verb prefixes
expedition equipment
word focus: have
technology verbs

Have a great semester!