Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ESL D234.
Course Title (CB02)
Low Intermediate English as a Second Language
Course Credit Status
Credit - Not Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2021
Course Description
Development of English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills at the low intermediate level. Emphasis on explicit grammar instruction, writing a group of topic-related sentences, vocabulary building, pronunciation and discussion of multicultural topics.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course provides the foundation skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing at the low intermediate level. It is a basic skills, stand-alone course.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Not transferable

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
10.0
Maximum Credit Units
10.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours10.020.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
120.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
120.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
240.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
240.0

Prerequisite(s)

Qualifying score on the English as a Second Language Placement Test; or ESL D200. (or ESL D400.) with a grade of C or better

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

(Restricted to students whose native language is not English.)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

In-class exploration of Internet sites

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

In-class essays

Homework and extended projects

Instruction based on current second language acquisition research, theory, methodology, and techniques

Assignments

  1. Write a group of topic-related sentences.
    1. Eight to ten drafted writing assignments consisting of 75 to 100 words.
    2. Writing assignments should reinforce targeted grammar.
    3. Write sentences that answer questions from reading and listening passages.
  2. Read low intermediate level texts.
    1. Exercises/activities to identify main ideas and supporting details.
    2. Exercises/activities to guess the meaning of new vocabulary items from context.
    3. Exercises/activities to build students’ high frequency vocabulary.
  3. Practice speaking appropriate American English.
    1. In-class speaking practice in pairs and small groups such as discussions of reading and listening texts, information gap activities, and sharing of personal, cultural and practical/life skill information.
    2. At least two oral classroom presentations on an assigned topic, possibly one group and one individual.
    3. Outside speaking assignments such as surveys, interviews, Cross Cultural Partners, or Listening and Speaking Center workshops.
  4. Practice listening to low intermediate level materials.
    1. Work with interactive language learning software such as Longman English Interactive 2.
    2. Listen to authentic and modified dialogues, conversations, discussions, and speeches from a variety of sources such as movies, television commercials, television shows, movie trailers, news broadcasts, radio broadcasts, and songs.
  5. Grammar, editing, and writing technique exercises and activities.
    1. Focus on sentence-level grammar exercises that build toward writing a group of topic-related sentences.
    2. Peer edit drafts in pairs and groups.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. In-class and take-home writing assignments to evaluate students' ability to write a group of topic related sentences using targeted grammar and vocabulary. Instructors should give feedback on at least one draft of every writing assignment before a final draft is graded. Final drafts should be grammatically at least 70% accurate and should include correct usage of vocabulary.
  2. Quizzes, exercises, and writing assignments to evaluate comprehension of low intermediate reading materials.
  3. Oral presentations, interviews, and discussions to evaluate ability and proficiency in using standard American English.
  4. Quizzes, exercises, and assignments to evaluate comprehension of low intermediate level listening materials.
  5. Quizzes, exercises, and assignments to evaluate proficiency in using low intermediate grammar.
  6. At least one comprehensive midterm and one comprehensive final exam that test grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Both must include in-class writing of a group of topic-related sentences.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Kirn, Elaine and Pamela Hartmann. Interactions 1: Reading (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill, 2013.
Schoenberg, Irene. Focus on Grammar 2 (5th ed.). Pearson Longman, 2017.
Smith, Lorraine and Nancy Nici Mare. Reading for Today 2: Insights (4th ed). National Geographic Learning, 2016.
Tanka, Judith & Paul Most. Interactions I: A Listening/Speaking Skills Book (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill, 2013.
Broukal, Milada. Weaving It Together 2: Connecting Reading and Writing (4th ed.). Cengage Learning, 2016.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Atkinson, Dwight. Alternative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition. Routledge, 2011.
Brown, Doug. Teaching by Principles. Pearson, 2007.
Eckstut, Samuela, Heather Ordover. Focus on Grammar Interactive 2 (software). Pearson Longman, 2005.
Ferris, Dana. Teaching College Writing to Diverse Student Populations. University of Michigan, 2009.
Kumaravadivelu, B. Cultural Globalization and Language Education. Yale University Press, 2008.
Kumaravadivelu, B. Understanding Language Teaching. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2006.
Lemov. Teach Like a Champion. Jossey-Bass, 2010.
Nation, Paul. Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Ortega, Lourdes. Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Hodder Education, 2009.
Rost, Michael. Longman English Interactive 2 (software). Pearson Longman, 2008.
Sousa, David. How the Brain Learns (4th ed.). Corwin Press, 2011.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Produce low intermediate level grammar and sentence structure in speech and writing.
  • Expand vocabulary, both receptive and productive, with emphasis on high-frequency vocabulary items.
  • Read, comprehend, and analyze low intermediate level reading passages.
  • Write a group of topic-related sentences using low intermediate level grammar and vocabulary.
  • Speak comprehensible, appropriate American English in a variety of contexts.
  • Listen to, comprehend, and analyze low intermediate listening passages.
  • Develop cultural competency by analyzing cross-cultural customs and attitudes, especially in contrast with the students' native customs and attitudes.

CSLOs

  • Comprehend, analyze and respond to reading and listening low intermediate materials.

  • Write a group of topic-related sentences using low intermediate grammar and vocabulary.

  • Demonstrate understanding and usage of low intermediate grammar and vocabulary in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Outline

  1. Produce low intermediate level grammar and sentence structure in speech and writing.
    1. Demonstrate proficiency in constructing simple sentences.
    2. Demonstrate proficiency in using simple present, simple past, future, present progressive, past progressive and imperative tenses/aspects.
    3. Demonstrate proficiency in using modals of request, ability, possibility and advice.
    4. Demonstrate proficiency in constructing compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions and, but and so.
    5. Demonstrate proficiency in constructing adverb clauses using subordinating conjunctions after and before.
    6. Demonstrate proficiency in using nouns, quantifiers, articles, adjectives and adverbs.
    7. Demonstrate proficiency in constructing wh- and yes/no questions.
    8. Demonstrate proficiency in using comparative and superlative adjectives.
    9. Demonstrate understanding of gerund and infinitive forms.
  2. Expand vocabulary, both receptive and productive, with emphasis on high-frequency vocabulary items.
    1. Recognize targeted vocabulary items in assigned reading and listening passages.
    2. Use targeted vocabulary items in writing and speaking assignments.
    3. Demonstrate proficiency in pronunciation of targeted vocabulary items with an emphasis on word stress.
    4. Analyze words by discerning parts of speech, roots, affixes and collocations.
    5. Develop dictionary skills such as choosing the correct definition and understanding symbols and codes.
    6. Develop the skill of guessing meaning from context.
  3. Read, comprehend, and analyze low intermediate level reading passages.
    1. Read low intermediate level materials that reflect a variety of cultural, societal, and personal perspectives.
    2. Develop pre-reading strategies such as predicting and activating topic-related knowledge and experiences.
    3. Guess meaning from context.
    4. Identify and distinguish main ideas and supporting details.
    5. Analyze grammatical and paragraph structures to aid in comprehension.
  4. Write a group of topic-related sentences using low intermediate level grammar and vocabulary.
    1. Compose a paragraph of 75 to 100 words. Assignments should be generated from readings, listening assignments, and/or grammar instruction.
    2. Analyze peer writing in pairs and small groups for content, structure, mechanics, spelling, and vocabulary.
    3. Revise to improve content, structure, mechanics, spelling and vocabulary by writing multiple drafts.
  5. Speak comprehensible, appropriate American English in a variety of contexts.
    1. Discuss topics that reflect a variety of cultural, societal, and personal perspectives.
    2. Initiate and sustain discussions/conversations using techniques such as start-up and follow-up questions.
    3. Employ low intermediate level grammar and vocabulary.
    4. Apply functions such as greetings, introductions, small talk, leave-taking, requesting assistance, asking for and giving information, describing events and clarification.
    5. Pronounce words correctly and comprehensibly including vowel sounds and consonants, but with a focus on grammatical endings (-s, -ed), intonation and word stress.
    6. Deliver small group and individual presentations.
  6. Listen to, comprehend, and analyze low intermediate listening passages.
    1. Listen to passages that reflect a variety of cultural, societal, and personal perspectives.
    2. Listen to a various types of passages such as dialogues, conversations, discussions, interviews and lectures.
    3. Identify and discern main ideas and supporting details.
    4. Infer meaning and identify the speaker’s perspective.
    5. Recognize and comprehend targeted vocabulary items.
    6. Answer comprehension questions and engage in post-listening discussions.
  7. Develop cultural competency by analyzing cross-cultural customs and attitudes, especially in contrast with the students' native customs and attitudes.
    1. Read and listen to passages with a variety of perspectives on topics such as family structure/roles, classroom expectations, workplace expectations, interpersonal communication, religion, socio-economic differences, gender, marriage, traditions and celebrations.
    2. Analyze and respond to the above multicultural passages in discussion and writing.
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