Course Syllabus (ALS1)

Course name: Advanced Listening and Speaking One

Course code: ALS1

Course description:

The Advanced Listening and Speaking course is an important complement to students’ language proficiency
development as it aims at helping students enhance their listening and speaking skills/sub-skills. Students will
be able to build up their vocabulary, familiarize themselves with current topics of world interest, fine-tune
their pronunciation and grammar competence, develop their critical thinking skills, and develop their
speaking strategies and presentation techniques. Other key goals comprise developing students’ ability to
formulate pertinent questions and provide supported responses in oral paragraph form.

The skills are to be developed within an interactive, student-centered, and critical-thinking oriented teaching
framework.

For further information about the course approach, please refer to the document called: “ALS - Advanced
Listening and Speaking (Teacher's guidelines)” available in Chamilo.

Core material:

Advanced Listening and Speaking One (ALS1) is the first of three courses that use the book PATHWAYS 4 –
Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking as a core book, written by Paul MacIntyre and published by National
Geographic Learning – CENGAGE Learning.

The PATHWAYS 4 – Listening & Speaking book (ICPNA edition) is divided into three (3) Student Book splits,
and is accompanied by a Teacher’s Guide. The book has 10 chapters and a section called “Independent Student
Handbook” for further reference. The course themes are strongly supported by National Geographic (NATGEO).

Advanced Listening and Speaking One (ALS1) course covers units 1 to 3. The course themes appear below:

 Unit 1 – Urban challenges

 Unit 2 – Protecting our planet
 Unit 3 – Beauty and appearance

The structure of a sample unit is as follows:

Lesson A

(1) Think and Discuss (main purpose: contextualization and lead-in)

This opening page includes a few questions to be used as a Lead-in: they help introduce the topic of
the unit, generate interest about it, and motivate students to want to know more about it.

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 (2) Exploring the Theme (main purpose: additional information for context and critical thinking)
This sections provides a visual introduction to the topic of the unit and introduces additional information
to contextualize it. The suggested questions encourage students to analyze the images, maps, charts,
etc. and to go further into the topic. it can be used as a warm-up / lead in. Students are also encouraged
to think critically.

(3) Building Vocabulary & Using Vocabulary (main purpose: vocabulary build-up)
This section helps familiarize students with key academic and high-frequency vocabulary. The
vocabulary is introduced in context, and there are opportunities for practice, and use.

(4) Developing Listening Skills (main purpose: listening strategies development)

This section follows a before, during and after listening approach where students will find opportunities
to develop their listening skills and sub-skills (main ideas, details, making inferences, etc.)

(5) Exploring Spoken English (main purpose: guided and semi-guided practice)
In this section, students examine and practice specific grammar structures and functions in order to
improve their listening and speaking skills.

(6) Speaking (main purpose: more independent speaking practice)

This section provides opportunities for using the language orally in a variety of activity types, fostering
pair and group work.

Lesson A and B

(1) Viewing: Video (main purpose: practice listening and speaking strategies, plus critical thinking)
In this activity, different listening and speaking skills are reinforced by using a video from National
Geographic. It serves as a bridge between Lesson A and B.

Lesson B

(1) Building Vocabulary & Using Vocabulary (main purpose: vocabulary build-up)
Same as in Lesson A.

(2) Exploring Spoken English (main purpose: guided and semi-guided practice)
Same as in Lesson A.

(3) Engage (main purpose: independent study and further development of strategies)
This section provides more complex project-like tasks for students to collaborate in groups by interacting
in academic situations.

In addition to the unit content, the student book includes an “Independent Student Handbook” at the back
of the book, featuring the following sections:

 Improving your listening skills

 Improving your Note-Taking skills
 Building your Vocabulary
 Improving your Speaking Skills
 Other resources

Students should be encouraged to refer to the information shown in the handbook for reference and self-
study.

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Supplementary Learning Material & Resources

For the students:

 MyELT platform: Just like the World Link and World Pass series, Pathways 4 makes use of the MyELT
e-workbook platform. This tool offers online additional practice exercises including: Listening,
Vocabulary, Grammar, Speaking, Pronunciation, and Video activities. In order to log in, students will
follow the same steps as in the World Link courses (single sign-on). The access will be through Virtual
ICPNA (Chamilo). Students only need their regular ICPNA username and password.

 The Evaluation System Guide: This document provides students with clear and detailed information
on how they will be evaluated in the course and what is expected from them. Please, make sure you
go over it in class, in case students have any queries regarding the expectations of the course.

 Student Self-assessment Form: This form is meant to help students follow-up on their achievement;
and be aware of the language items or strategies they need to review and reinforce. It is available in
the Chamilo platform. Please, encourage students to download the file from Chamilo at the beginning
of the cycle and to use it regularly to follow up on their own progress.

 Tutorials: The PPT tutorial files can be found in Chamilo. They address the following topics:

o ALS - Advanced Listening and Speaking (Students’ guidelines)

o How students will be assessed during the course (Evaluation System Guide)
o How students can access course resources (MyELT for Pathways)

 Useful Support Websites: There are several links to additional videos, exercises and additional
information related to topics and strategies presented in the textbook. Many links can be used in class,
assigned as homework for review, or for students to access on their own.

For the teachers:

 The Class Progress Assessment Form: The purpose of this document is to monitor students’
progress during the course. It is available in the Chamilo platform.

 Tutorials: The PPT tutorial files (for students and teacher) can be found in Chamilo. They address the
following topics:

o Course features and approach: ALS-Advanced Listening and Speaking (Teacher's guidelines)
o Listening Quiz Guidelines
o Evaluation system guide
o How students can access course resources

 Useful Support Websites: Links to additional videos, exercises and additional information related to
topics and strategies presented in the textbook (organized by unit). Please feel free to use them to
enhance your class as well.

Course Advance:

Please refer to the respective Suggested Teaching Schedule form available in Chamilo. Make sure you read
the additional notes provided.

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Learning Outcomes for Advanced Listening and Speaking One (ALS1)

The learning outcomes of the Listening and Speaking course focus on the development of listening sub-skills
and speaking strategies. In terms of Listening skills, students have to: identify main ideas and details, and
make inferences. In terms of Speaking, students have to be able to communicate in a meaningful way.

In ALS1, these outcomes include listening and speaking outcomes as described later in this document. The
learning outcomes inventory has been uploaded in the E-classlist for due grading.

Evaluation Criteria & Standardized Exams:

The two major areas you will be focusing on for evaluation are Listening and Speaking. As an accredited
institution, students need to be provided with all necessary details.

 In-class continuous assessment:

The in-class continuous assessment consists of five (5) mandatory learning outcomes: 3 speaking and 2
listening outcomes.

 Speaking outcomes: There are three (3) speaking learning outcomes to be assessed along the
course. You may want to use the relevant activities in the book or similar activities of your own that
require the type of language students are expected to produce for the level. You may choose to assess
one speaking outcome for each unit (3 units).
Students are expected to be evaluated only after they have done previous practice of the skill
considering the following criteria:

SCORE CRITERIA
The student can communicate effectively and fluently most of the time, using
appropriate vocabulary and language functions given a specific speaking task.
2 Elaboration should be as expected for the advanced level (supporting ideas / oral
paragraph when possible).
The student can sometimes communicate effectively using some appropriate
1 language functions to comply with a given speaking task. Student elaboration is
not at the advanced level.

The student can rarely communicate effectively or does not use the right language
0 functions or vocabulary expected for the level within a given speaking task.

For example:

TASK: Work in pairs and discuss what to do about pollution in Lima (agree or disagree).

Sample 1:
A: I think people should be fined for littering the street.
B: I think so too. It’s time to make people more aware of the littering problem. The law should
be enforced, and people should be fined if necessary.

In this sample, student B uses the right expression to express agreement, and also
supports his/her answer at the expected level.

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 Sample 2:
A: I think people should be fined for littering the street. It’s not correct.
B: Yes, they should pay for garbage on the street.

In this sample, the student complies with the task, but he/she fails to use the target
language (expressions for agreeing or disagreeing), and does not elaborate at an
advanced level, so he/she only gets 1 point.
If the student failed to give an answer related to the topic, or made mistakes that would
impede comprehension, he would get 0 (no points).

 Listening outcomes (Quizzes): There are two (2) listening outcomes to be assessed in ALS1 by
means of quizzes. The listening outcomes could be selected from any unit in the course. The audios
for the quizzes could be selected from the second listening of each unit or the video section.
The quizzes should use the multiple choice format, and include 4 questions with 3 alternatives each.

Quiz # 1 (corresponding to the first half of the course) is to be administered by day 7, and quiz # 2
(corresponding to the remaining half) must be administered by day 15.

Quiz 1 Sample:

UNIT 3: LESSON B: AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION (Audio from textbook)

LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION AND CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER:

1. The speakers are talking about ____________.
a) an unsual fashion show
b) a technology fair
c) a photo exhibition

The grade will be awarded according to the following chart:

4 correct answers = 2 points

3 correct answers = 1 point
2 correct answers = 1 point
1 correct answer = 0 points

Additional details and samples are available in the document called: “ALS - Advanced Listening and
Speaking Listening Quiz Guidelines” that can be found in Chamilo.

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 ALP: Autonomous Learning Project

For the autonomous learning projects, students are expected to use the presentation tasks in the Engage
section (choose one). Please make the arrangements with due time for students to prepare their
presentations in groups or pairs. Visual aids and other resources can be used.

Presentations may be enriched with information from library and web searches, surveys, or personal
experiences. Please make the arrangements and allocate the due time so you will not have any
inconveniences.

Suggested Topics:

 Unit 1 – Urban challenges

(City problems, transportation, contamination, recreational areas, garbage disposal, etc.)
 Unit 2 – Protecting our planet
(Endangered species, ecological issues, deforestation, recycling, city sprawl, etc.)
 Unit 3 – Beauty and appearance
(Conceptualizing beauty, effects of beauty, advantages and disadvantages, beauty enhancement,
beauty tricks, beauty importance in certain aspects of life and occupations, beauty business and
industry, beauty through time).

The score scale goes from 0 to 3 based on the following:

SCORE CRITERIA
- Appropriate use of most of the vocabulary and expressions needed for the task.
- Effective and creative presentation, carefully prepared and logically structured
3 - Thorough delivery.
- Outstanding use of visual aids when necessary.
- Appropriate use of some vocabulary and expressions needed to comply with task.
- Adequate presentation, clear and logically structured.
2 - Adequate delivery. Message mostly understandable.
- Adequate use of visual aids.
- Appropriate use of only few expressions and vocabulary necessary for the task.
Affects comprehensibility.
1 - Poor performance, unclear and disorganized.
- Poor delivery, difficult to follow.
- Inadequate use of visual aids and resources.
- Absence of the required expressions or vocabulary for the task. Affects
comprehensibility.
0 - Poor delivery, difficult to follow.
- No visual aids or other resources.
- No presentation or submission of work.

 Standardized Written Exam

Formal written evaluation is done through the official standardized final written exam from the office. The
exam focuses on testing listening comprehension, question formulation, sustained speech
(elaboration and supporting ideas), language functions in communication, grammar points, and
vocabulary word forms.

The test item format is essentially multiple-choice, yet the sections for question formulation and elaboration
are open-ended.

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 The scale for this exam goes from 0 to 4 points and students’ grades will depend on how many points they
obtain in the exam. The conversion will be done as follows:

100 – 90 = 4
89 – 80 = 3
79 – 70 = 2
69 – 60 = 1
59 or under = 0

 Oral Exam

Oral exams will seek to elicit both the use of the vocabulary, language functions and speaking strategies
covered in the course and the production of oral paragraphs (longer streams of sustained speech) within
a communicative situation.

The scale for these exams goes from 0 to 3 points and students’ grades will depend on their task
performance. Please follow the instructions indicated in the exams from the office, and consider the
following criteria:

GRADE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

The student can communicate effectively and fluently most of the time, supporting
his/her points/opinions, giving examples, asking clarification questions and responding
to or refuting an argument when necessary. Appropriate vocabulary and language
3 functions are used, according to the given task.
Elaboration should be as expected for the advanced level (supporting ideas / oral
paragraph when possible).
The student can sometimes communicate effectively using some appropriate
language functions to comply with a given speaking task (supporting ideas, giving
2 example, asking questions, responding to an argument). Student elaboration is not at
the advanced level.
The student can rarely communicate effectively or does not use the right language
1 functions or vocabulary expected for the level within a given speaking task.

The student is absent or does not communicate effectively at all.

0 The student is off topic/task.

Useful support Websites

You will find a list of useful links to support your lesson in Chamilo (Links). Feel free to use them as you deem
appropriate.

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