Textbook: Contemporary Topics 2: High Intermediate Listening and Note-Taking Skills by Ellen Kisslinger

Materials: One normal bias cassette tape (15 minutes or longer)

Class Objectives: The main goal of this class is to improve your speaking and listening skills for academic study and everyday conversation.  We will focus on listening practice, communication skills, pronunciation practice, learning strategies, and cross-cultural communication.

In the speaking part of this class you will:

• Prepare and present  individual presentations and several group and pair presentations
• Practice interviewing skills by interviewing your classmates and others outside of the classroom
• Speak in impromptu situations on familiar topics
• Develop the skills necessary to participate in small group discussions such as
• Asking and answering questions
• Requesting clarification
• Stating opinions
• Talking about past events
• Increase your awareness of personal pronunciation problems and diminish these through practice and exercises
• Demonstrate mastery of level 3 grammar in spoken English

• Develop a system of note taking to use primarily when listening to academic lectures
• Use telephone menus to retrieve information
• Practice a variety of listening skills including
• Guessing meaning from context
• Recognizing lexical phrases and cohesive devices
• Recognizing reduced forms and stress and intonation patterns in American English

1. Homework and in-class activities  33%
2. Quizzes and presentations  34%
3. Final Exam  33%

Expectations and Workload:  I expect you to come to class ready and willing to participate in class discussions and listening activities.  You will have homework due every class period and you will have some in-class assignments that count as a homework.  You are responsible for any information you miss if you are absent. Some homework assignments cannot be made up.  Other late assignments will receive only partial credit.

Attendance: Attendance is an important part of your grade in listening/speaking class. If you must miss a class, please call or e-mail me before the class. Also remember that you are responsible for any information you miss if you are absent. If you miss a quiz, test, or your presentation you cannot make it up, so please make sure to be in class on those days.

Participation: Active participation in all class activities is required. If you participate actively, you will learn more in this class. Please try your best!

Other:  Occasionally, I may assign pronunciation exercises in the ESL Learning Center.  If you need extra practice with pronunciation take advantage of the resources available in the Learning Center on your own time.  Hours for the spring term are:

                    Learning Center Hours - Spring 2003
                    Monday, Wednesday 12:00 - 6:00
                    Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 - 6:00
                    Friday 12:00 - 2:00 (2:00 - 5:00 tutoring only; computers not supported)