Class time will be devoted to activities that allow you to practice and interact in English. To successfully complete the course, you must prepare the assigned homework prior to class and actively participate in class discussions and pair/group work. Your final grades are determined by the following course components:

• Attendance & participation: 15%


• Quizzes: 20%


• Oral presentations: 25%


• Written assignments: 20%


• Examination: 20%

ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

Attendance & participation

Your attendance and participation grade will be based on your attendance, homework preparation, and the contribution you make to the learning experience of others. Contribution includes your in-class questions to the instructor, insights and comments regarding class content, answers to the instructor’s questions, and reactions to other students’ contributions.

In-class quizzes and exercises

Throughout the semester, pop quizzes and in-class exercises will be given in class covering all topics and materials in the course. Missed quizzes and exercises CANNOT be made up.

Written assignments

Four written assignments based on the course readings will be assigned. The assignments may ask you to respond to key issues in the readings, write summaries, analyze passages or write short compositions comparing/contrasting cultural issues. You are required to complete the assignments at home by due dates so that you can join discussions in class. Late submission will lead to lower grades of your assignment (50% late penalty). You will combine all the writings you have done and submit them in a portfolio by the end of the semester. The grading rubric for these assignments will be available on the class website.

Oral presentations

You will give three types of oral presentations during the semester:

• In-class discussions (5%): In these discussions, you will share opinions, discuss questions brought up by the instructor or your classmates, and/or present your written assignment work.


• Audio recorded pair discussion on an assigned topic (5%)


• Individual oral presentation during final exam weeks (15%): You will give a formal presentation on an extended topic related to the themes/topics discussed in this semester.

The grading rubric for these assignments will be available on the class website.

Mid-term Examination

The exam is based on lecture content and assigned readings. It includes vocabulary, a reading section and short writing tasks. No make-up exam will be given unless you have received the instructor’s permission in advance.

• Textbook: David Beglar and Neil Murray. 2017. Contemporary Topics 3 – 21^st Century Skills for Academic Success. 4^th Edition. Pearson Longman.


• Supplementary readings: (1) Handouts to be distributed in class; (2) Novel: The Report Card, The Giver

• Resources:

VoiceTube: https://tw.voicetube.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com

BBC Learning English: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish

           TED talks: https://www.ted.com/talks