B3

3B SYLLABUS, FALL 2014 CEP

Community Language Program

Teachers College, Columbia University
Level: Beginner 3 (B3) Fall 2014
Instructors: Melissa Smith and Aldo Resndiz
E-mail: aur2104@tc.columbia.edu (Aldo)
mrs2264@tc.columbia.edu (Melissa)
Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
Class time: 10 AM 12 PM
Classroom: Grace Dodge Hall (GDH) 537
Class website: www.B3Fall2014.weebly.com

CEP Office Hours:

Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Thursdays:
9:00 AM 9:30 PM
Tuesdays and Fridays:
10:00 AM 4:00 PM
CEP Email: clp@tc.columbia.edu
CEP Phone number: 212-678-3097

Course Description:
The course is designed to help Intermediate English language learners develop English listening,
speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension skills that is required for everyday life. Using a
theme-based 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 CEP
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 we teach and gain insights into how teaching and learning might be most effective. Thus, we
encourage observation and classroom research and want people to use it as a tool for learning.
Important dates:
Week 1
Monday, Sep 22
First day of Classes
Friday, Sep 26
Last day for refunds and transfers
Week 9
Wednesday & Thursday, Nov 26 & 27
Thanksgiving break: No classes
Week 10
Wednesday, Dec 3
Final exam
Thursday, Dec 4
Final grade & attendance report due
Course Textbook and Workbook:
1) Stand Out, Book 2 (2nd edition). (2009). Cengage Learning.
2) Stand Out Grammar Challenge, Book 2 (2nd edition). (2009). Cengage Learning.
Books available at the Columbia University Bookstore at 115th St. and Broadway. We will cover from the
Pre-Unit to Unit 4.
Course Objectives:
At the end of the course students will be able to develop:

Listening and speaking skills through classroom participation, discussions, and oral
presentations
Reading comprehension skills by reading and interpreting texts on and from everyday life
sources
Writing skills
Grammar by focusing and practicing form, meaning, and use
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3B SYLLABUS, FALL 2014 CEP

Course Requirements:
3 Unit tests: 15% each (45% total) * 4 unit test, the lowest score will be dropped
Final test: 30%
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Homework and Reading Project: 15%
Reading Project:
The best way to increase your vocabulary in a new language is to read. This semester you will be
reading a book, graphic novel, or magazine of your choice. At the end of the semester, you will create a
poster or PowerPoint, and tell the class about what you read. This will be part of your speaking grade
for the Final. This semester long reading project will also be a part of your homework grade.
Attendance Policy:
If a student misses 5 or more classes, s/he cannot pass the course. If the student is late for 10 classes,
s/he cannot pass the course.
Tests:
There will be 4 unit tests. Each test will be about 40 minutes long and will cover 1 unit. Please
see the Approximate Schedule for dates. There will be a final test in Week 10.
Grading:
A+/B+/C+/Fail/Repeat
W

Excellent
A+ 97 100%
A 94 96%
A- 90 93%
Good
B+ 87 89%
B 84 86%
B- 80 83%
Satisfactory
C+ 77 79%
C 73 76%
C- 70 72%
(pass)
Poor (no pass)
69% or Below
D 63 66%
D- 60 62%
Withdrawal (With permission from the teacher and the Director, the
student withdrew from the course due to extenuating circumstances)

Program Policies:

Academic Integrity
Students who intentionally submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to the
original source, fabricate data or other information, engage in cheating, or misrepresentation of
academic records may be subject to charges. Sanctions may include dismissal from the college for
violation of the TC principles of academic and professional integrity fundamental to the purpose of
the College.

Students with Disabilities

The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.
Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with
Disabilities (OASID) for information about registering with the office. You can reach OASID by
email at oasid@tc.columbia.edu, stop by 163 Thorndike Hall or call 212-678-3689. Services are
available only to students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation. As your
instructor, I am happy to discuss specific needs with you as well.

Religious Holidays
It is the policy of Teachers College to respect its members observance of their major religious
holidays. Students should notify instructors at the beginning of the semester about their wishes to
observe holidays on days when class sessions are scheduled. Where academic scheduling conflicts
prove unavoidable, no student will be penalized for absence due to religious reasons, and
alternative means will be sought for satisfying the academic requirements involved. If a suitable
arrangement cannot be worked out between the student and the instructor, students and
instructors should consult the Program Director. If an additional appeal is needed, it may be taken
to the Provost.
Have a great semester!
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3B SYLLABUS, FALL 2014 CEP

APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE
Week

Theme

One

Grammar

Vocabulary

Simple Present: Greetings

Be, live, and
have
Feelings
Pre-Unit:
Welcome to Possessive
Our Class adjectives

Two

Yes/No question
intonation
Third-person singular
verb endings; /s/, /z/
Clarification
strategies

Comparative
Clarification phrases Focused listening
and superlative
adjectives
Personal information Making bar graphs
Simple present
and frequency
verbs

Unit Test
Dates

Registration forms

Numbers 1-100
Questions with
can
Classroom
instructions
Unit 1: Life

Pronunciation &
Numeracy/ Academic
Skills
/m/

Family

Unit
1 Test:
Test 1:
Oct 1 or
Thurs.,
Oct. 2
2

Classifying

Personal description Developing study

skills
Yes/No
Schedules and
Questions: Is it? calendars
Evaluating

Three

Negative and
affirmative
simple present
Present
Continuous

Four

Four

Unit 2:
Lets Go
Shopping!

Using because

Weather

Paragraph writing

Clothing items

Plural endings

Sizes, colors,
patterns, and styles
of clothing

Developing study
skills
Evaluating

Prices and receipts

Demonstrative Clothing
adjectives: This, advertisements and
that, these, and flyers
those

Peer-editing

Unit 2 Test:
Wed., Oct 15

Predicting
Reading charts and
graphs
Reviewing

B3
Five

Six

Unit 3:
Food and
Nutrition

Seven

Eight

Unit 4:
Housing

3B SYLLABUS, FALL 2014 CEP

Questions with Menus

can
Foods
How
much/How
Containers and units
many
Supermarket

Plural endings /z/,

/ez/

Questions and
answers with
be

Food groups

Clarifying

Meals

Note taking

Using have

Recipes

Scanning

Imperatives

Cooking verbs

VENN diagrams

Information
questions with
be and do

Housing

Rhythm

Rooms

/ch/, /sh/, /s/

Information
questions with
which

Furniture

Academic reading

Prepositions of
location

Housing and
advertisement
abbreviations

Negotiating

Modals: May
and might

Rhythm
Clarification stress

Unit 3 Test:
Wed., Oct 29

Unit 4 Test:
Wed., Nov. 19

Making pie charts

Rental application
Budgets
Banking

Nine
**Thanksgiving Holiday **NO CLASSES**
Ten

Revision, Review and Final Exam

Wednesday &
Thursday, Nov.
26 & 27
Final Exam:
Wed., Dec. 3