Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Read, understand, and respond to level-appropriate text.
2. Write paragraphs of eight to ten simple sentences;.
3. Speak so others can understand using simple sentences in the past, present, and future.
4. Listen actively to follow a series of basic oral directions; understand and participate in level appropriate narratives and conversations in the past, present and future.
5. Arrive in future classes on time with the necessary materials, exhibit appropriate classroom behavior, and complete homework assignments.
6. Use language lab software, the internet, voice-mail, e-mail and word processing to continually develop English language skills.

These activities and methods are required every term:

Short lectures and explanations

Readings appropriate to the level

One-paragraph writing assignments

Dictations

Listening activities and exercises

Short conversation practice

Pronunciation activities and exercises

Pair and group work

Written and oral grammar practice

Exercises and activities using the internet and language learning software

Quizzes and tests

These assessment strategies are required every term::   Short quizzes, including spelling tests Comprehensive tests In-class writing assessments Informal oral assessments Completion of homework

Attendance and class participation

A.  Life Skills Content B.  Reading C.  Writing D.  Speaking and Pronunciation E.  Listening F.  Grammar G.  Vocabulary H.  Study Skills I.  Technology   A.    Life Skills Content   1.     develop an understanding of American educational practices and student rights and responsibilities 2.     gain knowledge of salient aspects of American community life, such as health, housing, transportation, recreation, law enforcement, government, consumer economics, employment, and emergency procedures 3.     discuss selected topics related to American history, citizenship, contemporary culture, and world/American geography 4.     discuss the content of selected high-interest stories and simplified narratives 5.     understand issues relating to discrimination 6.     set realistic goals as a student, worker, and community member   B.   Reading   1.     use reading comprehension strategies, such as prediction and scanning, to read short stories and articles on familiar topics 2.     ask simple questions to guide reading 3.     read for specific purposes 4.     interpret maps, visual aids and simple graphs, tables, and charts 5.     read and answer questions under time constraints 6.     understand and follow written directions 7.     write original complete-sentence answers to reading comprehension questions 8.     compare an idea or theme to that of a previous text or to one’s own life   C.   Writing   1.     write eight- to ten-sentence paragraphs about a single, familiar topic; be able to do this in class in about 20 minutes with 70% grammatical accuracy 2.     write an introductory sentence 3.     write simple statements and questions with S + V, S + V + DO, S + to be + complement 4.     use capital letters, periods, question marks, and commas in specific situations 5.     use margins, paragraph indenting, and double-spacing 6.     write clearly and on the lines 7.     fill out simple forms   D.   Speaking and Pronunciation   1.     express needs and describe events within a familiar context in pairs and small groups 2.     introduce self and/or a classmate 3.     clarify by requesting feedback, paraphrasing or repeating information 4.     read aloud to practice forming English sounds, words, and sentences 5.     use common verbs in the past, present, present continuous and future tenses in affirmative and negative statements and questions 6.     pronounce consonants, vowels, and targeted consonant blends 7.     recognize common sound/letter associations and produce them 8.     pronounce ­-s and -ed endings 9.     identify syllables and understand and apply syllable stress 10.  use correct intonation in questions and statements   E.   Listening   1.     listen for main ideas and relevant details in conversations and short narratives 2.     predict the purpose of the speaker and clarify one’s own purpose in listening 3.     understand the basic conventions of spoken discourse in American culture 4.     use knowledge of context and make predictions based on prior information 5.     check comprehension by using listening strategies, such as clarifying, restating, providing appropriate response 6.     answer comprehension questions 7.     write dictated sentences 8.     understand and follow instructor directions 9.     recognize basic verb tenses (simple present, simple past, present continuous, and future) 10.  understand common contractions and reduced speech 11.  understand ordinal and cardinal numbers   F.   Grammar

          1. Phrases and Clauses

a.use simple sentences, questions, and short answers

b.use compound sentences with conjunctions  and, so, but, or

c.use complex sentences with time clauses and because

           2. Verbs and Related Structures a.     use the verb  to be in the past, present and future b.     use there is/there are c.     use the simple present, simple past, and present continuous tenses d.     use the future with  will and  be going to e.     use common irregular past tense verbs f.      form yes/no and wh- questions with short and long answers g.     form negative sentences h.     apply spelling rules for suffixes -ing, -ed, and -s i.      use modals of ability ( can, could), advice (should), and necessity (must, have to, had to) j.      use infinitives after want, need, and like            3. Other Parts of Speech a.     use plural forms of regular and irregular nouns b.     use count and noncount nouns with expressions of quantity c.     use the possessive form of common and proper nouns d.     use subject and object pronouns as well as possessive adjectives e.     make adjective comparisons with -er, more, less,  and  fewer f.      use adverbs of frequency g.     use common prepositions of place and time h.     use demonstratives (this, that, these, those) i.      be able to identify and name basic parts of speech (noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction) and sentence structure (subject, verb, object)   G.   Vocabulary   1.     develop vocabulary appropriate to topic, e.g. health, transportation, recreation 2.     understand and use classroom vocabulary 3.     understand and use common terms related to technology 4.     spell and pronounce common vocabulary correctly   H.   Study Skills   1.     bring appropriate materials to each class 2.     use accompanying multimedia materials (e.g. audio CD, CD-ROM) for class texts 3.     record and complete homework assignments correctly and on time 4.     arrive in class on time 5.     notify instructor of an absence 6.     exhibit appropriate classroom behavior 7.     know how to ask for help and advocate for oneself 8.     use a variety of learning strategies, e.g. flashcards, online resources 9.     work together effectively and solve problems in small groups and pairs 10.  begin to recognize and avoid cheating and plagiarism   I.   Technology   1.     use word-processing to create short documents 2.     use language lab software to practice English language skills 3.     use the internet to practice English language skills and search for information 4.     use e-mail to send and receive messages 5.     use voice-mail to leave messages