Syllabus Spring 2017

Community English Program-Advanced Conversation AM 2

Instructor: Alice Lee CEP office hours:

E-mail: wl2527@tc.columbia.edu
Class time: Tuesday & Friday
Tue 11:20 am 12:50 PM
Fri 11:30am 1:00 PM
Monday: 8:30am 7:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am 5:00pm
Wednesday: 8:30am 7:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am 7:00pm
Friday: 8:00am 5:00pm
CEP Email: clp@tc.columbia.edu

CEP Phone number: (212) 678-3097

Teachers College, Columbia University

About the CEP
The Community Language Program (CLP) is a unique and integral part of
the TESOL and Applied Linguistics Programs at Teachers College, Columbia
University. It provides English as a second language and foreign language
instruction to adult learners of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. In
addition, the CLP serves as an on- site language education lab in which
TESOL and Applied Linguistics faculty and students enrolled in the programs
teach the courses and use the CLP as a setting for empirical inquiry. Here at
Teachers College we believe that observation and classroom research are
the best way to learn about how we teach and gain insights into how
teaching and learning might be most effective. Thus, we encourage
observation and classroom research and want people to use it as a tool for
learning. Ongoing assessment and program evaluation allow us to make the
CLP a better program.

Course description
A conversational course at CEP will provide students opportunities to
practice English speaking through presentations, interactive tasks, role-
plays, on-class and extra-curriculum discussions, and more living-in-NYC
settings. It aims for strengthening students accuracy and complexity of
speaking, as well as equipping students with sufficient conversational
strategies as to empower their speaking skills.

Important dates:
Week 1 Tuesday First day of classes
Friday Last day for transfers
Week 2 Wednesday Last day for refunds
Week 5 Tuesday, Friday Midterm presentations
 Monday-Friday Thanksgiving break: No classes.
Week 10 Tuesday Final project due
Friday Last day of classes

APPROXIMATE
SCHEDULE

Week Theme Student learning Conversational Grammatical Dates

objectives Strategies Structures
Week 1 Turn-taking and Reported speech
Introduction to the course adjacency pairs Present perfect and
Feb 7
Initiate and close first- Opening and closing past tense form
ZB 418 Introduction time conversations conversations Linking phrases- HW#1
to the course appropriately in different Repair cause/effect,
Feb 10
TR 54 contexts Short presentations purpose
Maintain conversations on personal strengths
Week 2 with small talk on and experiences
appropriate topics
Feb 14 Network in different
ZB 418 Social
settings
encounters
Feb 17 Ask for and give
TR 54 clarification
Listen for and express
important personal
details
Week 3 Discuss the effects of Initiating and Expressing
Social Media social media on closing purpose
Feb 21 HW#2
interpersonal conversations in f2f Passive
ZB 418
relationships and and online Conditionals
Feb 24 communication encounters Gerund and
TR 54 Use and understand Introducing offers infinitive
Week 4 net-speak and different Accepting and Lexical phrases for
levels of formality in rejecting offers hedging and
Feb 28 f2f and online social appropriately mitigation
ZB 418 encounters Using tone to
Make, accept, and express irony,
Mar 3
reject offers and sarcasm, and
TR 54
invitations in different (dis)interest
modalities and with
different levels of
formality
Understand the effects of
tone and body language
on communication

2
Week 5 Public Engage in repair in Repair practices Linking phrases - Midterm:
Speaking conversation (self-repair, other- cause/effect, Week 5
Mar 7 Create an outline for a initiated repair, sequence
ZB 418 third position, Future perfect
presentation
Deliver a presentation negotiation of Conditionals
Mar 10
on a topic of your choice meaning) Gerund and
TR 54
Give peer feedback on Structuring oral
infinitive
presentation presentations
content and
organization
Delivering oral
presentations
fluency and body
language

Spring break
Mar 11~ Mar 20
No class

Week 6 Current Discuss current events Structuring oral Linking phrases -

Events Deliver a presentation presentations cause/effect,
Mar 21 on a current event content and sequence HW#3
ZB 418 organization Modals of
Make and express
Mar 24 logical connections and Delivering oral possibility and
TR 54 conclusions presentations certainty
Week 7 Speculate about the past fluency and body Conditionals
and the future language Future perfect
Mar 28 Listen for supporting
ZB 418 arguments
Mar 31
TR 54
Week 8 Social Values Recognize and express Expressing and Modals (could,
personal opinions and mitigating should, might, HW#4
Apr 4 attitudes disagreement must, would)
ZB 418 Express agreement Eliciting and Subjunctive
Apr 7
and disagreement supporting another (necessity)
??? Engage in an informal speakers opinion Linking phrases
Week 9 discussion and formal Evading an answer introducing,
debate on a current Managing a debate adding, and
Apr 11 social issue closing arguments
ZB 418 Listen for assumptions

Apr 14
TH 227

3
Week 10 Cultures around the World Final
Share personal experiences with different cultures Exam:
Apr 18 Express wishes and regrets Week 10
ZB 418
Express interest and encouragement in a speakers story
Apr 21 Listen for important personal details
TR 54 Make inferences about speakers and their relationship through verbal choices and
body language
Recognize level of interest

Course Materials:
There are no required books for this course. Course materials such as
handouts will be provided by the teacher. We will also be watching
informational videos and listening to other audio material.

Course Objectives:
At the end of the course students will be able to:
1. Engage in conversations, discussions, and presentations on a wide
range of topics, including abstract topics and current events.
2. Interact with fluency and spontaneity using appropriate conversational
structures.
3. Adapt their speech production and interactions to formal and informal
situations as well as socially sensitive interactions such as requests and
complaints.

Course Requirements:
Midterm Presentation: 30%
Final project: 35%
Attendance and Participation: 15%
Homework: 20% (5%*4; Homework will be in the form of recording or a small presentation

Attendance Policy:
If a student misses 5 or more classes, s/he cannot pass the course. If the
student is late for 10 classes, s/he cannot pass the course.

Tests:
There will be a midterm presentation during week 5 and a final project
due at the end of the course. Guidelines and specifics will be provided
during Week 3 or 4 and Week 8 or 9, respectively.

Grading:
A+/- Excellent A+ 97 A 94 96% A- 90
B+/- Good 100%
B+ 87 89% B 84 86% 93%
B- 80
C+/- Satisfacto C+ 77 79% C 73 76% 83%
C- 70
ry 72%
(pass
Fail/Repeat Poor (no 69% or D 63 66% D- 60
pass) Below 62%

4
 W Withdrawal (With permission from the teacher and
the Director, the student withdrew from the course
due to extenuating circumstances)

Program Policies:
Academic Integrity
Students who intentionally submit work either not their own or without clear
attribution to the original source, fabricate data or other information, engage
in cheating, or misrepresentation of academic records may be subject to
charges. Sanctions may include dismissal from the college for violation of the
TC principles of academic and professional integrity fundamental to the
purpose of the College.
Students with Disabilities
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with
documented disabilities. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of
Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities (OASID) for information
about registering with the office. You can reach OASID by email at
oasid@tc.columbia.edu, stop by 163 Thorndike Hall or call 212-678-3689.
Services are available only to students who are registered and submit
appropriate documentation. As your instructor, I am happy to discuss
specific needs with you as well.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of Teachers College to respect its members observance of
their major religious holidays. Students should notify instructors at the
beginning of the semester about their wishes to observe holidays on days
when class sessions are scheduled. Where academic scheduling conflicts
prove unavoidable, no student will be penalized for absence due to religious
reasons, and alternative means will be sought for satisfying the academic
requirements involved. If a suitable arrangement cannot be worked out
between the student and the instructor, students and instructors should
consult the Program Director. If an additional appeal is needed, it may be
taken to the Provost.
Have a great spring course :)