SOPHOMORE SYLLABUS

LEVEL 2

Course Name:

Class Name:

Class Location:

Semester/Days/Times:

English

2RC002

W4 B210

Fall 2016

Conversation 4

W/Th 16:00-18:00

( 3)
[Required]
Units/Hours:

Textbook:

2/4

Pathways 2A, Cengage Publishing [978-1-285-45252-4]

Teacher:

Office & Office Hours:

Michael Molstad

WLI 209, MW 9:30-10:30

michaelmolstad@woosong.org

TTh 13:30-15:30

010-2817-9752

ASSESSMENT
Pre-test

0% of final

Provided

Week 1

grade
Attendance

20% of final
grade

Homework &

20% of final

Homework: 10% (Portfolio)

Participation

grade

Participation: 10% (Teacher

discretion)

Midterm Exam

20% of final

Week 8

(Oral)

grade

(either/both lessons; no day off)

(Covering
Units 1-4)
Final Exam

40% of final

30%: Standardized written exam

Week 15

(Written)

grade

drawn from question banks

(final and post-test same day)

(Covering
Units 5-8; a
small number
of Qs may be
drawn from
Units 1-5)

provided (Teacher-created)

Post-test

10%: Combines with above for

final exam score (Provided)

CURVE
A+-A0 = 30%

B+-B0 = 40%

C+-D0 = 30%

F = i) score below 40, ii) did not sit final exam, iii) 33% absence, iv) proven cheating in exam(s)

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

Course Description: This course focuses on speaking, reading, and writing. Students will respond orally to
written texts, engaging critically and constructively to the topics generated by the readings and video.
They will be able to support their opinions both orally and in written format. Students will develop critical
thinking skills by analyzing, synthesizing and developing their individual opinions and ideas around a
topic.
Course objectives:
The general objectives for this course are to:
Develop speaking competence.
Develop critical reading skills.
Develop writing competence.
Develop critical thinking skills.
Expose students to academic vocabulary in context.
By the end of this course you will have:

Generated opinions and ideas from reading a text

Expressed and supported opinions logically and effectively in both oral and
written format

Used target language when discussing unit questions/topics.

Written sentences and/or paragraphs of different genres

Delivered a clear and coherent oral presentation
Written and maintained a writing portfolio.

Teaching Strategies:
Video, audio, group/pair work, role-plays, demonstrations, presentations, debates, portfolio, modeling,
in-class preparation, and others as the instructor sees fit.

REQUIRED FROM STUDENTS

Textbook

All students must BUY the assigned textbook. PHOTOCOPIED

TEXTBOOKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN CLASS. Persistent refusal to
comply with this directive may result in disciplinary action.

Materials

Each student should come to class with all their necessary books as well
as pens and pencils and other required materials.

Cell phone

Cell phone use is permitted for dictionaries but should be limited for
phone calls and messaging unless absolutely urgent. STUDENTS
SHOULD POLITELY ASK TO BE EXCUSED TO TAKE/MAKE A CALL IF
URGENT.

Behavior

Students are expected to behave respectfully toward the teacher, their

classmates, Woosong property, and any Woosong staff. Students should
pay attention, participate willingly, and always do their best. Effort and
good attitude will be rewarded as well as ability.

Attendance

Attendance comprises 20% of each students final score. Attendance is

calculated in half-hour increments. Persistent absence and/or tardiness
will affect a students final score. 33% absence will result in a Fail.

COURSE CALENDAR
Outcomes

Week/Dates*

By the end of the Unit, students will

Week 1 (8/299/4)

Introductions

MATERIAL CHOSEN BY INSTRUCTOR

Pre Test (2nd class)

Week 2 (9/59/11)

Unit 1: Happiness

Generate opinions and

ideas from reading texts and video.

Express and support

opinions regarding happiness.

Use target language when

discussing unit questions and
theme.

Demonstrate
understanding of reading skill:
Identifying the Main Ideas.

Week 3 (9/129/18)
Holiday: 9/149/16

Unit 1: Happiness

Synthesize information to
identify similarities among the reading
texts and video.

Apply writing skill: Writing a

Topic Sentence.


Demonstrate proper usage
of the simple present tense when
writing a paragraph regarding
community members level of
happiness (Unit 1 Writing 1).

Unit 1 Writing 2
Unit 2: Big Ideas

Synthesize information and

produce a critical response paragraph
(Unit 1 Writing 2).

Generate opinions and ideas

from reading texts and video.

Express and support

opinions regarding inventions.

Use target language when

discussing unit questions and theme.

Unit 2: Big Ideas

Demonstrate understanding
of reading skill: Identifying Supporting
Ideas.

Analyze and rank ideas with

justification in regards to the reading
texts and video.

Apply writing skill:

Supporting the Main Idea and Giving
Details.

Unit 2: Big Ideas

Unit 2 Writing 2
Unit 3: Connected Lives

Demonstrate proper usage

of the simple past tense when writing
a paragraph about a useful invention
(Unit 2 Writing 1).

Synthesize information and

produce a critical response paragraph
(Unit 2 Writing 2).

Generate opinions and ideas

from reading texts and video.

Express and support

opinions regarding the Internet.

Use target language when

discussing unit questions and theme.

Week 4 (9/199/25)

Week 5 (9/2610/2)

Week 6 (10/310/9)

Week 7
(10/10-10/16)
[possible Sport Day
interruptions]

Unit 3: Connected Lives

Midterm Assignment

Demonstrate understanding
of reading skill: Skimming for the Gist.

Synthesize information from

the reading texts and video, and make
inferences.

Receive oral midterm

directions and begin composing
dialogues.

Week 8

Midterm Exam

Unit 3: Connected Lives

Unit 3 Writing 2

Apply writing skill: Writing a

Concluding Sentence.

Demonstrate proper usage

of the present perfect tense when
writing an opinion paragraph
regarding social networking (Unit 3
Writing 1).

Synthesize information and

produce a critical response paragraph
(Unit 3 Writing 2).

Unit 4: Deep Trouble

Generate opinions and ideas

from reading texts and video.

Express and support

opinions regarding human impact on
the worlds oceans.

Use target language when

discussing unit questions and theme.

Demonstrate understanding
of reading skill: Interpreting Visual
Information.

Unit 4: Deep Trouble

Unit 4 Writing 2

Synthesize and discuss

textual and visual information with
regards to the reading texts and
video.

Apply writing skill:

Explaining a Chart or Graph.

Demonstrate proper usage

of the simple past tense when writing
an explanatory paragraph to explain a
chart or graph (Unit 4 Writing 1).

Synthesize information and

produce a critical response paragraph
(Unit 4 Writing 2).

Week 9
(10/24-10/30)

Week 10
(10/31-11/6)

Week 11
(11/7-11/13)

(11/14-11/20)

Either/both days BUT DO NOT

CANCEL ANY CLASSES

(10/17-10/23)

Week 12

Unit 5: Memory and Learning

Generate opinions and ideas

from reading texts and video.

Express and support

opinions regarding memory and
learning.

Use target language when

discussing unit questions and theme.

Demonstrate understanding
of reading skill: Identifying Cause and

Effect.

Week 13
(11/21-11/27)

Unit 5: Memory and

Learning
Unit 5 Writing 2

Week 14
(11/28-12/4)

Week 15
(12/5-12/11)

Writing Portfolio
Submission/Presentatio
n
Review

Synthesize information for

discussion from the reading texts and
video.

Apply writing skill: Using an

Outline

Use by + Gerund when

writing a paragraph about how to
improve ones memory (Unit 5 Writing
1).

Synthesize information and

produce a critical response paragraph
(Unit 5 Writing 2).

Evaluate and assemble

Writing Portfolio.

Perform oral presentation of

Portfolio piece.
Final Exams Week