INGLÉS 3 / ENGLISH 3

DEPARTAMENTO DE LENGUAS Y CULTURA

COURSE CODE - SECTION: LENG-1153 – 03

TYPE OF COURSE LANGUAGE
COURSE LEVEL UNDERGRADUATE
CREDITS 2
YEAR - SEMESTER 2021-10A
PROFESSOR: Oscar Gómez
CLASS SCHEDULE Mo-Fri 8:00 – 9:15
E-MAIL: o.gomez@uniandes.edu.co
OFFICE: Via Zoom
OFFICE HOURS Monday 9:30-11:30

Program Description
The Academic English Support Program provides undergraduate students at Los Andes with the English
instruction they need to complete academic tasks in English within the university, as well as to use English
effectively in academic and professional situations outside the university. It is also designed to help students
acquire the strategies they need to continue learning English independently beyond the classroom. The
Academic English Support Program has eleven levels and two cycles: basic and intermediate/advanced. The
purpose of the basic cycle is to prepare students for an English-language academic environment and to be
able to read academic texts, which are required in their university classes. Successful completion of the basic
cycle fulfills the university’s English reading requirement, and prepares students to take Cursos I. The purpose
of the intermediate/advanced cycle is to provide students with specific focused instruction in oral and written
communication, including aspects of both fluency and accuracy. Successful completion of the
intermediate/advanced cycle fulfills the university’s second language requirement.

Basic English Fundamentals LENG 1150

English 1 LENG 1151
English 2 LENG 1152
English 3 LENG 1153 Integrated Academic Skills
English 4 LENG 1154
English 5 LENG 1155
English 6 LENG 1156
Intermediate English 7 LENG 1157 Intermediate Academic Speaking
English 8 LENG 1158 The Basics of Writing Academic English
Advanced English 9A Students LENG 1159 Writing for Science and Engineering
Choose
English 9B One LENG 1160 Writing for Humanities and Social Sciences
English 10A Students LENG 1161 Speaking for Academic Purposes
Choose
English 10B One LENG 1162 Speaking for Professional Purposes
Course Description

English 3 is the fourth course in the Basic Cycle. At this level, students work on their development of the four
language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), and acquire essential grammar structures and
vocabulary that will allow them to succeed in academic and social settings. In an attempt to empower students
to cope with their most immediate academic need, and similar to the previous and subsequent courses in the
Basic Cycle, this course aims to develop a stronger set of reading skills in comparison to the other skills of the
language. Moreover, critical thinking skills are taught and practiced, requiring students’ reflection and analysis
rather than simple recall. The extent to which the language skills will be developed corresponds to the
following exit levels as per the Common European Framework of Reference:

 Reading: B1
 Listening: B1
 Speaking: A2+
 Writing: A2+
 Grammar A2+

Methodology

This course embraces the philosophies of learner autonomy and student centeredness, and it offers students
the tools and opportunities for their development as language learners. The course is also based on the belief
that effective language learning is only possible through consistent daily practice and review. This, in turn,
requires commitment, dedication, and discipline by the learners both in and out of class.

The methodology is guided by an eclectic approach in which the teacher customizes the class using a number
of possible methodological options at his or her disposal in the best interest of the student’s learning process
(Brown, 2001).

The course runs for 8 weeks, and it consists of 7.5 hours in class and 4.5 hours of independent work during
the first 7 weeks, and 3 hours of in-class time and 9 hours of independent work during the eighth week. During
class time, students are encouraged to participate in different activities in the four language skills as well as
grammar and vocabulary. Likewise, during their independent work time, learners are required to complete task
work, practice what they learned in class, or prepare for upcoming sessions.

Objectives

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, students will be able to read simple academic texts at a low-
intermediate level through the use of strategies to help them make predictions, find specific information as well
as main ideas and related ideas. Students will also be able to identify references with specific pronouns as
well as recognize the writer’s point of view in the text. As to their listening skills, they will be able to understand
naturally-spoken instructions, to follow a sequence of events and to follow the main points of short talks on
familiar topics, provided speech is standard and clear. They will also be able to produce written language such
as simple comparisons and basic descriptions, as well as spoken language to interact in face-to-face
conversations and to describe everyday topics.

Reading
 • Can identify the topic sentence of a paragraph.
• Can recognize the writer's point of view in a simple academic text, if guided by questions.
• Can predict the content of a simple academic text, using headings, images and captions.
• Can take basic notes on a text about a familiar topic in their field of study.
• Can identify key information in a simple academic text, if guided by questions.
• Can identify the main topic and related ideas in a structured text.
• Can scan a simple academic text to find specific information.
• Can understand the relationship between a main point and an example in a structured text.
• Can understand the main idea of a passage using textual clues.
• Can identify anaphoric reference with personal, relative, and demonstrative pronouns in a simple text.
• Can identify and show comprehension of basic noun phrases in English.

Writing
• Can make simple comparisons between people, places or things.
• Can write short, basic descriptions of places, people or things.
• Can write a description of a simple everyday process.
• Can signal contrast in simple text with a limited range of language.
• Can write short basic descriptions of past events and activities.

Listening
• Can understand instructions delivered at normal speed and accompanied by visual support.
• Can follow the main points in a simple audio recording aimed at a general audience.
• Can recognize when a speaker is checking that the listener has understood something in a
conversation conducted slowly and clearly.
• Can follow the main points of short talks on familiar topics if delivered in clear standard speech.
• Can extract key factual information such as dates, numbers and quantities from a presentation.

Speaking
• Can make simple, direct comparisons between two people or things using common adjectives.
• Can give an extended description of everyday topics.
• Can initiate, maintain and close simple, restricted face-to-face conversations.
• Can use simple language to describe people’s personality and emotions.
• Can explain what they like or dislike about something.

Grammar
• Can use the comparative and superlative form of simple adjectives.
• Can use the simple past and past expressions.
• Can use coordinate conjunctions to link sentences.
• Can use the present perfect to express duration.
• Can use modals of possibility, probability and necessity (may, might, must, can).

Course Materials
• For reading and writing: Yellow Book, Reading and Writing, by Universidad de los Andes.
Photocopiable.
• For Listening, Speaking and Grammar: Pathways 1B, Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking, 2 nd
Edition by Becky Tarver Chase. National Geographic Learning.
Assessment
Students’ work is marked on a scale of 0 to 5. 5.00 is the highest possible grade, and 3.00 is the lowest
passing grade. The final official grade is reported as either A (aprobado/pass) for grades of 3.00 and above or
R (reprobado/fail) for grades below 3.00. Exams and coursework have the following values:

Module 1 – Weeks 1-3

Type Overall Breakdown
 5% Speaking Task
Classwork 20%
 15% other skills
 35% Reading
 25% Listening
Midterm Exam 30%
 20% Writing
 20% Grammar

Module 2 – Weeks 4-7

Type Overall Breakdown
 5% Speaking Task
Classwork 20%
 15% other skills
 35% Reading
 25% Listening
Final Exam 30%
 20% Writing
 20% Grammar

EXAM DATES

 Midterm: Monday, February 15 (LGW) and Tuesday, February 16 (Reading)

 Final: Monday, March 15 (LGW) and Tuesday, March 16 (Reading)

NOTE: Please keep in mind that THERE IS NO LOS ANDES POLICY FOR AUTOMATICALLY ROUNDING
COURSE GRADES. The lowest passing grade is 3.00; any grade lower than 3.00 WILL NOT BE a passing
grade.

Graded assignments and assessments submitted and/or received after the stated deadline will receive a
score of zero point zero (0.0) unless you have discussed any issues with the instructor IN ADVANCE of the
deadline and the instructor has agreed to give you an extension. In the case of accepted excused absences,
please refer to the undergraduate student handbook (Reglamento General de Estudiantes de Pregrado).

In the event that you wish to dispute a grade, please refer to the procedure explained in articles 62 and 63 of
the undergraduate student handbook (reglamento de estudiantes de pregrado).
Attendance
From the undergraduate student handbook (reglamento de estudiantes de pregrado):

Artículo 42: La Universidad considera que la inasistencia a clase impide un rendimiento académico
adecuado. Es facultativo de cada profesor controlar la asistencia de sus alumnos y determinar las
consecuencias de la inasistencia, si esta es superior al 20%.

Artículo 43: Los parámetros para controlar la asistencia les serán informados a los estudiantes el
primer día de clases, junto con el programa del curso, con el fin de que se comprometan a
respetarlos desde ese momento.

All courses in the program will follow these regulations. Students who miss more than 20% of classes,
including required online class sessions in blended courses, will fail the course and will receive a grade of R
(reprobado/fail). Instructors will inform students of the procedure for checking attendance on the first day of
class.

Bibliography
ReadWorks.org. (2014) Dancing Ganesha. Retrieved on January 10 from
https://www.readworks.org/article/Dancing-Ganesha/7633caa0-4436-4f20-98f6-6b0ca2c3b792#!
vocabularySection:aspect/articleTab:content/ 

ReadWorks.org. (2015) The Orchid’s Secret. Retrieved on July 10 th 2018 from

https://www.readworks.org/article/The-Orchids-Secret/f5f2d499-092d-4395-949c-d9ea9fc8c171#!
questionsetsSection:404/articleTab:content/ 

ReadWorks.org. (2014) Talking Leaves. Retrieved on June 10, 2017 from

https://www.readworks.org/article/Talking-Leaves/3a9a5df8-1c27-4d36-8c01-e8344d73e834#!
articleTab:content/

ReadWorks.org. (2013) Digitized Signals Are the Future of the Black Box. Retrieved on June June
27th 2018 from https://www.readworks.org/article/Digitized-Signals-Are-the-Future-of-the-Black-
Box/2bd18909-3762-4d44-9a87-05c867b43443#!
questionsetsSection:352/vocabularySection:communication/articleTab:content/ 

Tarver Chase, Becky (2018) Pathways 1B: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking. Boston, MA: National
Geographic Learning.