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, while in class actively participate in class discussions and pair/group work. Your final grades are determined by the following course components:

• Participation (including attendance, class discussion, and homework): 20%


• Oral presentations: 20%


• Written assignments: 30%


• Midterm and final exams: 30%

Participation

Your 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.

Oral presentations

You will give an individual oral report and a group presentation during the semester. For the individual report, you will tell a 3-minute personal anecdote. For the group presentation, you and three other students will report on a current event. The presentation should be approximately 20 minutes, followed by a 5-minute discussion. Each group should meet with the instructor two weeks prior to their presentation to discuss their topic and present their outline.

Written assignments

There will be five major written assignments in addition to in-class and take-home writing exercises. In each assignment, you will respond to writing prompts about a cultural issue using the writing skills you learned in class. Your paper should demonstrate that you have thought seriously and critically about the topic and made effective use of the resources provided. You are also encouraged to research the topic and cite your sources. The grading rubric for the written assignments is available on the class website.

Examinations

All materials, including the readings, handouts, and information provided in class will potentially be included on mid-term and final exams. The mid-term exam is a written test, and the final exam contains a written test and a speaking test. The written tests include vocabulary/grammar questions and a reading section. The speaking test requires you to give an oral presentation with your partner. The instructor will evaluate your ability to express your ideas in a short period of time naturally and confidently. The grading rubric for the speaking test is available on the class website. Exams can NOT be made up or rescheduled unless you provide documentation of a true emergency.

Course materials

Voices 6, by Daniel Barber & Marek Kiczkowiak (National Geographic Learning)

Resources

VoiceTube: https://tw.voicetube.com

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

TED talks: https://www.ted.com/talks

LTTC BESTEP: https://bestep.tw/