PC & PCA Manual

v 1.0 Sept. 2015

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Index:

Justification 2

Teacher Profile 2

Profile of Upper Intermediate and Advanced Students 3

General Objective 3

Specific Objectives 3

Tips for Course Teachers 3

Video 4

Coursebook Components 4

Course Division and Grading Criteria for PC 4

Course Division and Grading Criteria for PCA 5

Make-Up Exams (see PDU Manual) 5

Gradebook 5

Portfolio Guidelines for PC & PCA 6

Ongoing Oral Assessment Guidelines PC & PCA 8

Ongoing Oral Assessment Checklist

for levels PC & PCA 9

Placement Test 10

PC preparation practice for the TOEIC

(Test of English for International Communication) 10

PCA preparation practice for the TOEFL 11

(Test of English for International Communication) 10

Key for recording grades on the attendance list 11

Intensive Course Daily Planner for PC & PCA 12

Saturday Course Daily Planner for PC & PCA 13

(8 five-hour sessions) 12

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“Good teaching is
one-fourth preparation and
three-fourths theater.”
Gail Godwin

This manual provides all the information teachers need in order to teach efficiently the
four PC and PCA levels. It is very important that teachers follow all procedures carefully
to make all Proulex sites work at the same pace and apply the same criteria. New teachers
need to read this manual, read the introduction in the Teacher’s Book, take the PC/PCA
Briefing Session with their academic coordinator and take the quiz to be eligible to teach
the PC /PCA course.

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Justification
The PC course has been designed to fill the gap between Proulex Diploma Universitario (PDU) and a more solid
command of the English language at an upper intermediate level (B2 according to the CEFR) that learners need
outside the classroom.

The need to have a better bonding between the PDU and PC course, having motivated sutdents through the
interesting thematic and integrated skills approach and challenged by the lexicon, integrated skills, and grammar
presentations, to develop the critical thinking skills needed for success in the 21st century.

More reasons for the implementation of a new course book:

• A coursebook life expires after a period of use.
• The trendy educational currents in the ESL/EFL.
• Psychological factors.
• Opportunities for the teachers to grow academically.
• Fertile soil is provided for creativity and effective teaching.
• A language is dynamic.
• Technological components support the teaching and learning process from in-class instruction to independent
practice.

The PCA course instructs students to communicate effectively and globally at a B2-C1 level within
real life situations.

PC and PCA courses connect smothly and progressively.

Both courses consider that students learn in different ways.

Therefore, the course materials integrate different approaches, motivating students and
encouraging them to learn rapidly.

Teacher Profile
Teachers giving this course should be...
• fluent (Speak and write native, or native-like.)
• creative (Someone who can manage grouping well, who can adapt activities to make them more relevant to the
current group, and who can deal with mixed-ability groups.)
• organized/responsible (This class isn’t a kickback class; it implies organization and preparation. Teachers
also need an awareness of lesson planning, of the importance of lead-ins, of introduction questions, of
brainstorming, of preteaching, of sequencing, of gradation of activities, etc.)
• patient (Not all students will react to all activities in the same way or with the same enthusiasm.)
• well-educated/well-versed (The teacher should be able to speak/write intelligently on a wide range of topics.)
• self-confident (The teacher can’t allow himself/herself to be intimidated by students.)
• conscientious (The teacher needs to be a guide, not a star; class should be very student-centered with 80%
student talking time as a MUST!)

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Profile of Upper Intermediate and Advanced Students
Students at the PC level have reached a plateau in their learning. They have been studying for around 480 hours in which
they have learned the basic grammar structures, and have developed an active vocabulary of approximately 2,500 words.
Still, they need to extend their mental lexicon, work on sociolinguistic aspects of language (style and register), increase
their knowledge of grammar and work on supra-segmental features of pronunciation which will allow them to understand
the emotional overtones of utterances and improve their writing skill. Learners at this level are eager to speak, but often
can’t articulate themselves at the level they so desire. More importantly, they have lost the freshness and excitement that
comes with initiating studies in a language.

The Upper Intermediate level is often referred to as the ‘take-off’ level. Students are ready and willing to rise from the
plateau where they find themselves and reach new heights. The problem is that if they don’t receive adequate guidance
and motivation, they will either fall off and drop out of the course, or become fossilized.

Advanced students need relevant and challenging tasks at a high level.

General Objective
To provide the students with practice in the development of the four linguistic skills as well as in upper intermediate (PC
course) and Advanced (PCA course) grammar structures and lexicon.

Specific Objectives
• To teach learners to use language in chunks, and encourage them to “get personal” with words.
• To draw on learners’ existing knowledge as well as offer them new information.
• To instruct learners to cope with a variety of written formats which will train them in skills they need for reading
specific and general texts.
• To expose learners to a wide range of speaking styles in order to acquire the skills necessary to extract
information from what they hear in a variety of situations.
• To rehearse the spoken language for communication students have learned and test their own ability.
• To teach the processing skills needed to aid the language acquisition process itself.
• To draw learners’ attention to a variety of pronunciation features.
• To encourage learners’ through writing practice to process their knowledge and give them a chance to produce
work that they can take pride in.

Tips for Course Teachers

• Maximize time by using as many items from each activity as needed.
• Employ only the necessary steps from the suggested ones in the Teacher’s Book for each activity.
• Implement collaborative learning principles (groups working on different activities with the same purpose).
• Arrange pairs/groups with regards to their abilities, learning styles, intelligences in order to speed up the
learning process and bring variety into class management.
• Implement discovery techniques.
• Vary the activities and the pace. Students need pauses in which to assimilate ideas and information, as well as
activities that challenge them.
• Develop critical thinking skills.
• Find ways of making learners aware of their progress.
• Give individual help.
• Develop in learners a positive attitude towards errors and error correction.
• Don’t sidetrack nor allow idle chatter. Learners need to take full advantage of class time.
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• Personalize activities or tasks by putting them into learners’ context to awake more interest.
• Recycle language through warm ups, wake ups, cool downs, and wrap ups.
• See Teacher’s Guide page iv for Life Methodology.

Video
Each unit culminates with an engaging National Geographic video which provides opportunity to synthesize related topics
between the unit and the clip. See Teacher’s Guide page v and xi. A unit video session is to be carried out in the class-
room and the rest of the unit videos for homework.

Coursebook Components
• Teacher’s Guide (inter leaved) with Grammar Summary: answer key, photocopiable communicative activities,
tests, etc. (See Teacher’s Guide page iii)
• Workbook
• MyELT platform
• Classroom Presentation Tool (IWB)

Course Division and Grading Criteria for PC

Units covered
Tests Score Administration time limit
PC1 PC2 PC3 PC4

Quiz 1 Unit 1 Unit 4 Unit 7 Unit 10 15 30 minutes

Quiz 2 Unit 2 Unit 5 Unit 8 Unit 11 15 30 minutes

Unit 9 and
Final Exam Unit 3 and Unit 6 and Unit 12
bits of units
(including listening bits of units bits of units and bits of 30 1 hour
7-8
and reading) 1-2 4-5 units 11-12

Writing Assessment Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 11-13 10 30 minutes

Ongoing Oral
Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 11-13 10 Continuous
Assessment
Formal Oral 50 minutes
Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 11-13 10
Assessment (2 minutes per student)

Gradebook Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 11-13 5 Continuous

Portfolio (See Portfolio Guideline page 6) 5 Continuous

Final Score 100 4 hours approximately

80 is the minimum passing grade. The policy for attendance is stated in the Teachers’ Rules and Regulations and applies-
for any course. The criteria for marking the exams and assessments are in the teacher’s answer key in the exam binders.

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Course Division and Grading Criteria for PCA

Units covered
Tests Score Administration time limit
PCA1 PCA2 PCA3 PCA4

Quiz 1 Unit 1 Unit 4 Unit 7 Unit 10 15 30 minutes

Quiz 2 Unit 2 Unit 5 Unit 8 Unit 11 15 30 minutes

Unit 10 and
Unit 3 and Unit 6 and Unit 12
Final Exam (including bits of units
bits of units bits of units and bits of 30 1 hour
listening and reading) 7-8
1-2 4-5 units 10-11

Writing Assessment Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 10-12 10 30 minutes

Ongoing Oral
Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 10-12 10 Continuous
Assessment

Formal Oral 50 minutes

Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 10-12 10
Assessment (2 minutes per student)

Gradebook Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 10-12 5 Continuous

Portfolio Units 1-3 Units 4-6 Units 7-9 Units 10-12 5 Continuous

Final Score 100 4 hours approximately

Make-Up Exams (see PDU Manual)

Gradebook
Online work taken from the Gradebook.

Course Grade Points

96-100 5
91-95 4
86-90 3
81-85 2
76-80 1
-75 0

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Portfolio Guidelines for PC & PCA
Students will create a Portfolio in order to strengthen their writing skills.
1. The Proulex Portfolio will include 2 pieces of writing that will come from the student’s book or the workbook as
the course develops, as determined by the teacher.
2. Each piece of writing will enclose at least 2 drafts: the first draft with teacher’s feedback and the edited draft(s).
3. Teacher will give formative feedback by means of different techniques, e.g. using the correction symbol
chart, underlining, highlighting, writing comments for reflection, and so on (EXCEPT making corrections).
4. Students must be encouraged to type their Portfolio Tasks in WORD using the correct combination of capital
letters and lower-case letters and double spaced to allow space for teachers’ feedback. If students insist in writing
them by hand, teacher must only accept tasks written with clear handwriting, capital letters and lower-case
letters, and black or blue ink.
5. If teachers and students have access to technology and feel comfortable using it, it is recommended to carry out
e-portfolios. The feedback can be done electronically as well, and by this means, a large amount of time can
be saved. For instance, the teacher can select the 2 pieces of writing from the e-workbook and inform students
which one will count for the e-portfolio.
6. Set a word count for each piece of writing per level as follows:

Level Word Count Level Word Count

PC1 110 PCA1 150
PC2 120 PCA2 160
PC3 130 PCA3 170
PC4 140 PCA4 180

7. Students should be encouraged to gain insight by writing a journal entry on the edited draft (one or two
sentences long), in English or Spanish at any level, reflecting on the feedback they had received from their
teacher: what they think of the teacher’s feedback, how they felt about it, what helped them or what confused
them, what they learned from editing the first draft, and so forth.
8. The Proulex Portfolio will be turned in the day of the Writing Assessment. While students do their Writing
Assessment, teacher quickly checks that the portfolios are complete, using the checklist below. The portfolios
must be returned to students as they hand in their Writing Assessment. The e-portfolios do not need to be
tumed in.
9. It is highly recommended that students self-evaluate their portfolio before turning it in with the checklist below.
If they mark at least one NO, they should revise their writings again. If not, the portfolio will be incomplete and
will lead to partial points being taken from the writing assessment. (see points 10-13).

PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST FOR PC & PCA YES NO

A. I checked that the word count is right.
I used the correct language: formal for articles, informal for writing to a
B.
friend, topic sentences, etc.
I read, undestood and followed the instructions to complet the writing
C.
task.
I included in the Portfolio:
1.- The Protfolio checklist.
D.
2- The first draft with my teacher’s suggestions/feedback.
3.- The last draft(s) edited.

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10. Each piece of writing is worth 2 points: 1 point for the first draft and 1 point for the second draft with
improvements.
11. Half points may be docked as well for not demonstrating improvement in the edited draft regarding mechanics,
structure and vocabulary, late submissions, and so on.
12. The checklist properly filled out is worth 1 point.
13. Occasionally academic coordination will ask to see the Proulex Portfolios; therefore students must have them
available at all time.
PORTFOLIO SCORING
Writing 1 2 points
Writing 2 2 points
Checklist 1 point
TOTAL 5 points

Note: Advise students to save their portfolio every course so that later they can look back at the advances they’ve made or fossilized
errors they keep making.

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Ongoing Oral Assessment Guidelines PC & PCA
The Ongoing Oral Assessment Checklist is the teacher’s memory of students’ can-dos in relation to non-linguistic fea-
tures of the speaking skill that are important to communicate successfully. Students must be aware that this assessment is
formative and provides feedback to allow improvement opportunely.

The Ongoing Oral Assessment is worth 10 points and the Formal Oral Assessment (Spidergram) is worth 10 points. The
total of both oral assessments is 20 points.

A. WHAT TO USE
• Ongoing Oral Assessment Form
• Speaking Activities from the course book series

B. WHEN TO USE IT
• Every time an oral activity is implemented.
• Activities carried out in pairs, groups, whole class and individual presentations.
• Throughout the whole course.

C. HOW TO USE IT
• Fill it out whenever class is over or during breaks but not in front of students.
• Assess one group of 2-4 students at a time.
• Monitor all students and focus attention on the group of students being assessed.
• If applicable, wrap up speaking activity by having students being assessed, to perform task. This will allow you to
better assess these students.
• Students are encouraged to see the checklist at any stage of the course.

D. HOW TO FILL IT OUT

• During the beginning of a course, have students fill out the Ongoing Oral Assessment Checklist and the
Spidergram with their information.
• Give students a mini-lecture regarding the content of both forms and how/when they will be used.
• At the end of the class or during breaks, check (U)only the items that each assessed student accomplished.
Leave the unaccomplished items blank. Avoid using numbers and Xs. Use pencil.
• Items must be checked only once. However, if throughout the course a student does not continue trying with
any specific behavior described in the items, the check might be deleted.
• Items not checked may be accomplished at a later time during the course.
• Students not performing any specific behavior systematically should become aware of this, so that they have the
opportunity to change and improve.
• Each item is worth 1 point. The maximum total is 10 points.
• At the end of the course add up the totals and cross out the unaccomplished items. Record the grades on the
attendance list.

Note: The Ongoing Oral Assessment must not affect students who are serious, quiet or shy.
Teachers must be aware that quality in participation must be valued more than quantity and frequency.

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Ongoing Oral Assessment Checklist Ongoing Oral Assessment Checklist
for levels PC & PCA for levels PC & PCA

Name: Name:

Date of course: Date of course:

Level: Level:

Class time: Class time:

Teacher: Teacher:

Score: / 10 Score: / 10

1. … is interested in speaking activities. 1. … is interested in speaking activities.

Attitude

2. … offers opinions and asks questions or Attitude 2. … offers opinions and asks questions or
responds to opinions. responds to opinions.

3. … makes an effort to use English. 3. … makes an effort to use English.

4. … agrees to work in pairs or groups. 4. … agrees to work in pairs or groups.

Cooperatieness

Cooperatieness

5. … takes part in whole class activities 5. … takes part in whole class activities
when necessary. when necessary.
6. … shares information with others when 6. … shares information with others when
necessary. necessary.
Independence

Independence

7. … tries to self-correct where necessary. 7. … tries to self-correct where necessary.

8. … plans or organizes his/her ideas 8. … plans or organizes his/her ideas

appropriately. appropriately.

9. … makes an effort to complete the 9. … makes an effort to complete the

Performance

Performance

task(s). task(s).

10. … gets ideas across / communicates. 10. … gets ideas across / communicates.

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Placement Test
• Places students before PC 1 (requiring them to then take the PDU placement exam to determine exact level), in PC 1
or in PC Advanced 1.
• Evaluates newcomers or students whose grade has expired.
• Includes 40 multiple choice items, a short writing task, plus oral performance.

PC preparation practice for the TOEIC

(Test of English for International Communication)
• It is expected students reach 405-600 points after PC4.
• The complete tests should be administered within the first days of a course.
• The practice tests per skills coud be administered at anytime during the course.

TOEIC Preparation Practice

Level Test Weight Time Practice Test per Skill Time
Listening Comprehension
Pre-Test
Model Test 2
Model Test 1 p. 363-400
Approx. Part 1-Photographs p. 419-424 (Track 5) Approx.
PC1 Answer Key p. 401-402
2.5 hours Part 2-Question-Response p. 424 (Track 6) 17 minutes
Answer Sheet p.. 361-362
Answer Sheet p. 417
Test score conversion p. 403
Answer Key p. 454
Reading Comprehension
Model Test 2
Part 5-Incomplete sentences p. 432-435 Approx.
PC2 ---
Part 6-Text completion p. 436-439 25 minutes
Answer Sheet p. 418
Answer Key p. 455
Reading Comprehension
Model Test 2
Approx.
PC3 --- Part 7-Reading comprehension p. 440-453
45 minutes
Answer Sheet p. 418
Answer Key p. 455
Listening Comprehension
Post-Test
Model Test 2
Model Test 1 p. 363-400
Approx. Part 3-Conversations p. 426-428 (Track 7) Approx.
PC4 Answer Key p. 401-402
2.5 hours Part 4-Talks p. 429-431 (Track 8) 23 minutes
Answer Sheet p.. 361-362
Answer Sheet p. 417
Test score conversion p. 403
Answer Key p. 454

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PCA preparation practice for the TOEFL
(Test of English for International Communication)
• It is expected students reach 500-550 points after PCA4.
• The following chart includes information about the complete tests and practice tests per skill.
• The complete tests should be administered within the first days of a course.
• The practice tests per skills coud be administered at anytime during the course.

TOEFL Preparation Practice

Level Test Weight Time Practice Test per Skill Time
Approx. Approx.
PCA1 Pre-Test Listening Comprehension
2 hours 35 minutes
Approx.
PCA2 --- Structure & Written Expression
25 minutes
Approx.
PCA3 --- Reading Comprehension
55 minutes
Approx. Approx.
PCA4 Post-Test Listening Comprehension
2 hours 35 minutes

Key for recording grades on the attendance list

Code Test
Q1 Quiz 1
Q2 Quiz 2
FE Final Exam
W Writing Assessment
P Portfolio
OO Ongoing Oral Assessment
FO Formal Oral Assessment
GB Gradebook

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Intensive Course Daily Planner for PC & PCA
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Unit 1/4/7/10
1
Unit 1/4/7/10 Unit 1/4/7/10 Unit 1/7/8/10 Unit 1/4/7/10

Check learner needs Preparation practice for

international exams
Explain grading criteria

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

Unit 1/4/7/10 Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 2/5/8/11

Quiz 1
(Unit 1/4/8/11)

Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15

Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 3/6/9/12 Unit 3/6/9/12 Unit 3/6/9/12

Quiz 2
(Unit 2/5/8/11)

Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20

Unit 3/6/9/12 Unit 3/6/9/12 Unit 3/6/9/12 Final exam Oral assessment
(Unit 3/6/9/12)
Writing assessment Handout Grades
(check portfolios)

1
The first number refers to PC1/PCA1, the next one refers to PC2/PCA2, and so on.

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Saturday Course Daily Planner for PC & PCA
(8 five-hour sessions)

Week 1 Week 2
Unit 11/4/7/10
1
Unit 1/4/7/10

Check learner needs Hand out Topic forms

Explain grading criteria

Induction to Trinity ISE I

(presentation in PC1 and review in PC2-PC4)
Week 3 Week 4
Unit 1/4/7/10 Unit 2/5/8/11

Quiz 1 (Unit 1/1/4/7/10)

Unit 2/5/8/111

Week 5 Week 6
Unit 2/5/8/11 Unit 3/6/9/12

Quiz 2 (Unit 2/5/8/11)

Week 7 Week 8
Unit 3/6/9/12 Final exam (Units 3/6/9/12)

Writing assessment Oral assessment

(check portfolios)
Hand out grades

1
The first number refers to PC1/PCA1, the next one refers to PC2/PCA2, and so on.

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