INSTRUCTOR:    Margaret Young

INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT:  Farzan Zaheed

OFFICE:   113A East Hall

OFFICE HOURS:    MW 4-4:30, and by appointment

CONTACT NUMBERS:    503-725-4143; e-mail youngm@pdx.edu

TEXTS:    Learn to Listen; Listen to Learn, Second Edition by Roni Lebauer, Longman 2000; and instructor's packet

ATTENDANCE:  Click on this link to see VERY important information.

GRADES

1. Please refer to ATTENDANCE.
2. Late homework is not accepted.
3. Since most of your final grade is based on classwork, it is essential that you attend every day. If you are absent on a day that a classwork grade is given, you will receive a zero.
4. In order to pass the class, you must have a passing average (70%) in BOTH listening and speaking components of the course. A failing average in either part, or failing the final exam in either part, means that you will need to repeat the course. Half of your course grade is for listening, and half for speaking. Please refer to numerical equivalents of grades.
5. In order to pass to Level 5, you should have an approximate section score of at least 48 on the TOEFL.

By the end of the term, you should be able to do the following:

1.  Score at least 48 (converted score) on the listening section of the TOEFL;
2. Be able to take effective notes on a 20-40 minute lecture of general interest;
3. Demonstrate your ability to speak English in front of a group by giving a 10-minute speech;
4. Have increased your ability to communicate in group discussions, and your awareness of functional roles;
5. Have improved your accuracy in pronunciation to the point at which you are intelligible almost all of the time;
6. Have learned more about the cultural differences between the U.S. and your own culture.

LISTENING (40%)

• Note-taking on live and videotaped in-class lectures
• Videos and films on American culture and current issues in the U.S.
• Quizzes on the content of lecture notes and videos

• Participation in group discussions, within our class and with Sp 215
• Reports and self-evaluations on group discussions
• Speeches
• General class participation

• Final discussion (10%)
• Final lecture quiz (10%)

In the Learning Center (219 East Hall), try Issues in English software.  Try warming up with Level 3, and then choose Level 4 for the most difficult listening exercise--a rather long lecture.

On-line practice:

http://grove.ufl.edu/~ktrickel/activity.html
    Easier--choose Race Relations in the U.S. (audio only)
    Moderately difficult for Level 4--choose The Death Penalty (audio only); this is out of date, but good practice
    Quite difficult (Level 5)--choose Alien Abductions (video); Waste and Recycling, and Human Cloning (audio only)

http://www.esl-lab.com/guide.htm
    This site has a lot of (mainly) conversations.  Warm up with one rated M, and then go on to those rated D (difficult)

Last updated 1/9/02 by Margaret Young