Course Program

Course: English 2B

Code: 70002

Proficiency Level:  Pre-Intermediate

Common European Framework of Reference:  Basic User A2

Duration: 15 weeks

Units: Units 6 to 9 will be covered (except files 6C, 7C, 8B)

General Purpose of the English Program

The general purpose of the English program at UNED Language Center is to develop students’ communicative competence, which means the ability to communicate fluently, effectively, and spontaneously in English, according to the situation, purpose and roles of the participants. This is achieved through working on the four integrated skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing with meaningful and real-life like activities. The Program emphasizes productive skills, that is, those abilities that enable students to express themselves effectively when speaking or writing.

By the end of this course students will achieve the following objectives at a level of Basic User A2:

·         Ask and answer questions about different topics by using appropriate grammatical structures and a variety of vocabulary depending on the context.

·         Express possibility about real and unreal situations, and their results by using the first and second conditional.

·         Give advice in different situations by using the modal auxiliary verb should.

·         Talk about frightening experiences by using vocabulary related to fear and accurate verb tenses.

·         Talk about actions and states that started in the past and are still true now by using the present perfect form with for and since.

·         Give biographical information about famous people by using the present perfect and the past simple.

·         Talk about significant inventions of the last century and their creators by using verbs in the right form: active or passive.

·         Ask and answer questions about lifestyles and daily routines by using accurate verb tenses, –ed and –ing adjectives, and compounds with some, any and no.

·         Describe routines by using separable or inseparable phrasal verbs.

·         Express things in common with somebody else by using so, neither + auxiliaries.

·         Narrate true stories by contrasting the past perfect and the simple past and by using adverbs accurately.

·         Report what somebody said when telling a story, anecdote, or a situation by using reported speech.

·         Communicate naturally in different situations by producing accurate sounds in English, word and sentence stress, and correct intonation patterns.

·         Produce informal texts by using appropriate language according to the context of the task.

Grammar, Vocabulary and pronunciation Focus:

U	Context	Vocabulary	Grammar	Pronunciation
6	Talking about: Murphy’s law. Hypothetical situations when facing dangerous animals. Answering survival quizzes. Calling TV and radio programs to ask for advice. Giving advice.	Vocabulary related to animals. Confusing verbs. Expressions with get.	First conditional. Second conditional. Modal should to give advice (affirmative and negative).	Vowel sounds in the unit.  Stress and rhythm.
7	Talking about: Fears and phobias. What famous people are afraid of. The life of famous film directors. Inventions and inventors. Biographies. Describing important life events.	Vocabulary related to fear. Vocabulary used to give biographical information. Verbs frequently used in the passive form.	Present perfect + for and since (affirmative, negative and questions). Present perfect vs past simple (questions with how long…). Present or past passive (Affirmative, negative, and questions)	Vowel and consonant sounds in the unit. Sentence and word stress. -ed ending.
8	Talking about: Daily routines and weekend activities. Similarities and differences between identical twins. Being a “morning” or “evening” person.	Phrasal verbs. Adjectives ending -ed and ing.	Compounds with some, any and no. Word order of phrasal verbs. So, neither + auxiliaries.	Vowel and consonant sounds in the unit. Sentence stress.
9	Narrating true stories and love stories. Reporting somebody’s words when telling stories, anecdotes, and situations.	Adverbs. Reporting verbs: say, tell and ask.	Past Perfect vs simple past (affirmative, negative and questions). Reported speech: Sentences and questions.	Vowel sounds in the unit. Sentence stress. Rhyming verbs.

Methodology:

The course uses an eclectic approach. That means it is supported by several theoretical principles, which combine the ideal methods for learning English as a foreign language. The course’s communicative approach is reflected on the special emphasis that is given to students’ active participation. The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator in the different learning-teaching processes. Regarding the use of language, diverse significant and contextualized activities promote students’ accurate written and oral performance.

Evaluation:

Assessment criteria are based on the communicative methodology. This implies that what really matters is the student’s ability to communicate accurately and effectively, both written and orally. However, speaking carries the most weight. Students’ performance is constantly assessed throughout the course based on their work in class and progress displayed in the four basic areas of language: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. The professor will give the student constant feedback, either orally or in a written form, at different times along the course. Below is the course breakdown:

Evaluation
2 Process Writing Tasks	10 %
1 Progress Test (Listening, reading, and use of language)	10 %
3 Speaking activities	30 %
1 Achievement test (Listening, reading, writing, use of language).	20 %
1 Final Oral	15 %
Class work	15 %
Final grade	100

Texts and supplementary material:

The textbook used in this course is New English File, written by Paul Seligson and published by Oxford University Press. Units 6 to 9 will be covered.  The student’s workbook is used for homework. Also, the teacher will complement the course book with any extra material he or she considers appropriate to satisfy students’ particular needs. Students can also have access to online extra practice at www.oup.com/elt

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• The minimum passing grade is 70%. Criteria for rounding up or rounding down final grades have been stipulated by UNED’s Reglamento de Condición Académica.

• To evaluate students’ performance, professors carry out different assessment activities, which include presentations, role-plays, compositions, games, debates, discussion groups, speeches, dramatizations, oral or written quizzes, and the like. During the first week of classes, each teacher will give students his or her corresponding chronogram, clearly scheduling such activities. Evaluation activities WON´T be made-up in case the student is absent on any of those days.

• Attendance to the course is mandatory. Since this program is acknowledged by the Servicio Civil, the student is allowed to be absent to class a total number of only eight hours (8 hrs.). When the student can’t attend a class, he or she must notify his or her professor in advance or in a period no longer than a week after his / her absence. Students’ absences will be justified only due to sickness or work issues. The student will show his / her professor the necessary documents to complete the justification process (a doctor´s certificate or a signed letter from his / her boss). Once the student exceeds the eight-hour limit allowed for absences, he or she will automatically fail the course.

• If a student couldn’t have the final tests on the scheduled dates, he or she has to inform the professor about this particular situation beforehand. Then, he or she must call the coordination of the Program to set the necessary arrangements, in order to have the tests made-up during the established period. He or she must make a deposit for ¢5.000 (five thousand colones) for every test that needs to be made-up.

• The use of mobile phones is NOT allowed in the class, since it is disturbing for both the professor and other students.

• Spanish is NOT spoken in class by either the teacher or any student. The use of Spanish is allowed only in INTRO or 1A levels, and under very special circumstances.

• If a student drops out for a year or more, he or she will have to repeat the last course he or she passed, so he or she carries on with the program.

• A certificate will be given to those students having successfully concluded 3B (Intermediate Level Certificate) and 5B (Advanced Level Certificate). However, students may ask for a record certification of all levels taken, at any time they consider it necessary.

• Please, do not hesitate to first ask your teacher any question you may have.

Finally, you can contact the Coordination of the Program at 2253-6008