Teaching English at University Level

Aquest llibre nomes es posa a virtuals, no s’imprimeix xx AULA POLITÈCNICA
en papaer, per tant la coberta no te sinopsis,

Aquest llibre nomes es posa a virtuals, no s’imprimeix / CIÈNCIA, CULTURA I SOCIETAT
Aquest llibre nomes es posa a virtuals, no s’imprimeix
Mònica Soler Lorente
xx
Teaching english
at university level
xxx
9 788483 018163
EDICIONS UPC
AULA POLITÈCNICA 96
Teaching english
at university level
AULA POLITÈCNICA
/ CIÈNCIA, CULTURA I SOCIETAT
Mònica Soler Lorente
Teaching english
at university level
EDICIONS UPC
Primera edició: juny de 2008
Disseny de la coberta: Jordi Calvet
© Mònica Soler Lorente, 2008
© Edicions UPC, 2008

Edicions de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, SL
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necessiteu fotocopiar o escanejar algun fragment d’aquesta obra.
To Mireia, my daughter
Index 9
INDEX
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ITS GLOBAL CONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
English as a Second Language . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Terminology and typology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
English outside English-speaking countries. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
English within English-speaking countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
II: WHICH VARIETY TO TEACH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Difficulties for learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pronunciation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grammar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Differences between spoken and written English . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Varieties of English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
III: THE CLASSROOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Students’ profile . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Attention to students with Special Educational Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Facilities and resources . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
IV: OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

General Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Area Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Specific Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cross-curricular contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 Teaching English at university level. A course guide
V: METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Different approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Teacher and students’ roles . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Activities . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Class activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Skills activities . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Communicative activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sociocultural activities. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Grammar activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Homework activities . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Activities outside the classroom. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Error correction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Testing previous knowledge. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Continuous assessment
Assessment of specific objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Evaluation system. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
VI: SYLLABUS DESIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GLOSSARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preface 11
PREFACE
Language learning is regarded as extremely So, it is considered a tool for international

important, not only in people’s general education communication. This is the reason why speaking
but also in their specialised or professional career. English has almost become a “must” for people
It represents the consolidation and extension everywhere.
of human capacities to be in contact with other The aim is to implement it at any university with
cultures. the final objective of providing students with an
This work is based on the Common European operative, authentic means of communication. It
Framework of Reference for Languages. It intends is achieved by setting specific objectives whose
to develop the following functions: teaching and difficulty increases as the student advances.
learning in a reflexive manner, clarifying learning Special attention is devoted not only to the
objectives, identifying competences, helping learner’s development of the traditional four skills
students to be autonomous learners, helping (speaking, listening, writing and reading), but also
students to be responsible for their own learning to the positive attitudes towards different cultures
process and motivating them to learn different and societies of English-speaking countries.
languages. The area of English language comprises a range
Our country belongs to the European Union of knowledge, a privileged field where vast areas
where there is a constant need to learn foreign of expertise are integrated. English language is
languages. We therefore have to enable our closely related to other curricular such as Social
citizens to communicate properly and effectively Sciences, Ethics and Technology. It should be
with the members of this wide community. noted that the activities are flexible, that is to say,
Besides, English is considered a lingua franca as they can be adapted to specific circumstances
it is the key element for many of the transactions that may arise and to the pupils taking the course.
taking place every minute around the world. A pupil’s rate of learning depends on his/her
12 Teaching English at university level. A course guide
individual psychological development, on his/her There are two elements that are given priority:
social background and on his/her family situation. - Knowledge of new technologies. Students
Therefore, it is vital that all learning options have a practical grasp of computer tools.
are taken into account. Activities in the various - Complementary activities. These arise from
learning processes should be gradual and they tuition and must be of interest to the whole group/
have to respond to this educational reality which class and contribute to the values of the group.
is clearly heterogeneous in our classrooms.
Mònica Soler i Lorente
October, 2007
I am immensely indebted to Ruth Murray and Sonia Oliver del Olmo for reading
the original work, giving their point of view, offering suggestions and corrections
and for their excellent guidance and support during my project.
I-English language and its global context 15
CHAPTER I: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ITS GLOBAL CONTEXT
“Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language -natural

communication- in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their
utterances but with the messages they are conveying and understanding.”
Stephen Krashen
The Common European Framework of of language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines,
Reference for Languages examinations, textbooks, etc. across Europe. It
As previously stated, there is an inminent describes in a comprehensive way what students
language teaching system in Spain to achieve have to learn for communicating and what
standards proposed by the European Council. knowledge and skills they have to develop so as
It is related to language teaching and learning to be able to act effectively. The description also
processes: The Common European Framework covers the cultural context in which the language
of Reference for Languages. It intends to provide is set. The framework also defines levels of
a response to the growing need of communicating proficiency which allow learner’s progress to be
across language boundaries in Europe, as well measured at each stage of the learning process
as a means of harmonising these studies. and on a life-long basis”.
We can no longer speak about traditional levels Finally, the European Language Portfolio must
based on language knowledge, instead we also be mentioned. This document is a personal
are considering students as the centre of the record promoted by the Council of Europe in
teaching-learning process and as such we speak which language users will be able to register
about user’s competences instead of basic, their level of knowledge and their skills in a
intermediate and advanced levels. foreign language. The Portfolio will certainly
The Common European Framework of Reference help universities to organise courses and will
“provides a common basis for the elaboration allow students to certify their level of proficiency
16 Teaching english at university level. A course guide
in other countries of the European Union. these two arms have very different funding
structures, public in the former and private in the
English as a Second Language latter, and to some extent this influences the way
ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) schools are established and classes are held.
and EFL (English as a foreign language) refer to Matters are further complicated by the fact that
the use or study of English by speakers of other the United States and the United Kingdom, both
languages. These terms are most commonly used major engines of the language, describe these
in relation to teaching and learning English, but categories in different terms: as many eloquent
they may also be used in relation to demographic users of the language have observed, “England
information. and America are two countries divided by a
ELT (English language teaching) is a widely-used common language.”
teacher-centred term, as in the English language
teaching divisions of large publishing houses, ELT (Attributed to Winston Churchill, George Bernard
training, etc. The abbreviations TESL (teaching Shaw, and Oscar Wilde.) The following technical
English as a second language), TESOL (teaching definitions may therefore have their currency
English for speakers of other languages) and contested.
TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language)
are all also used. English outside English-speaking countries
EFL, English as a foreign language, indicates the
Terminology and typology use of English in a non-English-speaking region.
The many acronyms used in the field of English Study can occur either in the student’s home
teaching and learning may be confusing. English country, as part of the normal school curriculum or
is a language with great reach and influence; it otherwise, or, for the more privileged minority, in
is taught all over the world under many different an anglophone country which they visit as a kind
circumstances. In English-speaking countries, of educational tourist, particularly immediately
English language teaching has essentially before or after graduating from university. TEFL is
evolved in two broad directions: instruction for the teaching of English as a foreing language; note
people who intend to stay in the country and that this sort of instruction can take place in any
those who don’t. These divisions have grown country, English-speaking or not. Typically, EFL is
firmer as the instructors of these two “industries” learned either to pass exams as a necessary part
have used different terminology, followed of one’s education, or for career progression while
distinct training qualifications, formed separate working for an organisation or business with an
professional associations, and so on. Crucially, international focus. EFL may be part of the state
I-English language and its global context 17
school curriculum in countries where English has EAL (English as an additional language), rather
no special status (what linguist Braj Kachru calls than ESOL, is usually used when talking about
the “expanding circle countries”); it may also be primary and secondary schools.(1) In the United
supplemented by lessons paid for privately. States, the term English language learner (ELL)
Teachers of EFL generally assume that students is used by governments and school systems.
are literate in their mother tongue. It differs from the other terms above because it
English within English-speaking countries refers to learners rather than the language.
The other broad grouping is the use of English Typically, this sort of English (called ESL in the
within the Anglosphere. In what theorist Braj United States, Canada, and Australia, ESOL in
Kachru calls “the inner circle”, i.e. countries such the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand)
as the United Kingdom and the United States, is learned to function in the new host country,
this use of English is generally by refugees, e.g. within the school system (if a child), to find
immigrants and their children. It also includes and hold down a job (if an adult), to perform the
the use of English in “outer circle” countries, necessities of daily life. The teaching of it does
often former British colonies, where English is not presuppose literacy in the mother tongue.
an official language even if it is not spoken as a It is usually paid for by the host government to
mother tongue by the majority of the population. help newcomers settle into their adopted country,
In the US, Canada and Australia, this use of sometimes as part of an explicit citizenship
English is called ESL (English as a second programme. It is technically possible for ESL to be
language). This term has been criticized on the taught not in the host country, but in, for example,
grounds that many learners already speak more a refugee camp, as part of a pre-departure
than one language. A counter-argument says that programme sponsored by the government soon
the word “a” in the phrase “a second language” to receive new potential citizens. In practice,
means there is no presumption that English is however, this is extremely rare.
the second acquired language (see also Second Particularly in Canada and Australia, the
language). TESL is the teaching of English as a term ESD (English as a second dialect) is
second language. used alongside ESL, usually in reference to
In the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, the term programmes for Canadian First Nations people
ESL has been replaced by ESOL (English for or indigenous Australians, respectively. It refers
speakers of other languages). In these countries to the use of standard English, which may need
TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other to be explicitly taught, by speakers of a creole
languages) is normally used to refer to teaching or non-standard variety. It is often grouped with
English only to this group. In the UK, the term ESL as ESL/ESD.
II-Which variety to teach 19
CHAPTER II: WHICH VARIETY TO TEACH
It is worth noting that ESL and EFL programmes and confusing meanings, one of which refers
also differ in the variety of English taught; to a decontextualised variant of the language,
“English” is a term that can refer to various independent of the culture and associated
dialects, including British English, American references of any particular country, useful
English, and others. Obviously, those studying when, for example, a Saudi does business with
English in order to fit into their new country will someone from China or Albania.
learn the variety spoken there. However, for
those who do not intend to change countries, the Difficulties for learners
question arises of which sort of English to learn. Language teaching practice often assumes
If they are going abroad for a short time to study that most of the difficulties that learners face in
English, they need to choose which country. the study of English are a consequence of the
For those staying at home, the choice may be degree to which their native language differs
made for them in that private language schools from English (a contrastive analysis approach).
or the state school system may only offer one A native speaker of Chinese, for example, may
model. Students studying EFL in Hong Kong, for face many more difficulties than a native speaker
example, are more likely to learn British English, of German, because German is closely related
whereas students in the Philippines are more to English, whereas Chinese is not. This may be
likely to learn American English. true for anyone of any mother tongue (also called
For this reason, many teachers now emphasize first language, normally abbreviated L1) setting
teaching English as an international language out to learn any other language (called a target
(EIL), also known as English as a lingua franca language, second language or L2). See also
(ELF). Linguists are charting the development of second language acquisition (SLA) for mixed
International English, a term with contradictory evidence from linguistic research.

Language learners often produce errors of these sounds are missing even in some English
syntax and pronunciation thought to result from dialects. Some learners substitute a [t] or [d]
the influence of their L1, such as mapping its sound, while others shift to [s] or [z], [f] or [v] and
grammatical patterns inappropriately onto the even [ts] or [dz]).
L2, pronouncing certain sounds incorrectly or
with difficulty, and confusing items of vocabulary Vowel phonemes
known as false friends. This is known as L1 The precise number of distinct vowel sounds
transfer or “language interference”. However, depends on the variety of English: for
these transfer effects are typically stronger example, Received Pronunciation has twelve
for beginners’ language production, and SLA monophthongs (single or “pure” vowels), eight
research has highlighted many errors which diphthongs (double vowels) and two triphthongs
cannot be attributed to the L1, as they are attested (triple vowels); whereas General American has
in learners of many language backgrounds (for thirteen monophthongs and three diphthongs.
example, failure to apply 3rd person present Many learners, such as speakers of Spanish,
singular -s to verbs, as in ‘he make’). have fewer vowels, or only pure ones, in their
While English is no more complex than other mother tongue and so may have problems
languages, it has several features which may both with hearing and with pronouncing these
create difficulties for learners. Conversely, distinctions.
because such a large number of people are
studying it, products have been developed to help Syllable structure
them do so, such as the monolingual learner’s In its syllable structure, English allows for a cluster
dictionary, which is written with a restricted of up to three consonants before the vowel and
defining vocabulary. four after it (e.g., straw, desks, glimpsed). The
syllable structure causes problems for speakers
Pronunciation of many other languages. Japanese, for example,
Consonant phonemes broadly alternates consonant and vowel sounds
English does not have more individual consonant so learners from Japan often try to force vowels
sounds than most languages. However, the in between the consonants (e.g., desks /desks/
interdentals, /θ/ and /ð/ (the sounds written with becomes “desukusu” or milk shake /mɪlk ʃeɪk/
th), which are common in English (thin, thing, etc.; becomes “mirukushçku”).
and the, this, that, etc.) are relatively rare in other Learners from languages where all words end
languages, even others in the Germanic family in vowels sometimes tend to make all English
(e.g., English thousand = German tausend), and words end in vowels, thus make /meɪk/ can
come out as [meɪkə]. The learner’s task is syllables are roughly equidistant in time, no
further complicated by the fact that native matter how many syllables come in between.
speakers may drop consonants in the more Although some other languages, e.g., German
complex blends (e.g., [mʌns] instead of [mʌnθs] and Russian, are also stress-timed, most of
for months). the world’s other major languages are syllable-
timed, with each syllable coming at an equal
Unstressed vowels - Native English speakers time after the previous one. Learners from
frequently replace almost any vowel in an these languages often have a staccato rhythm
unstressed syllable with an unstressed vowel, when speaking English that is disconcerting to
often schwa. For example, from has a distinctly a native speaker.
pronounced short ‘o’ sound when it is stressed “Stress for emphasis” - students’ own languages
(e.g., Where are you from?), but when it is may not use stress for emphasis as English
unstressed, the short ‘o’ reduces to a schwa does.
(e.g., I’m from London.). In some cases, “Stress for contrast” - stressing the right word or
unstressed vowels may disappear altogether, expression. This may not come easily to some
in words such as chocolate (which has four nationalities.
syllables in Spanish, but only two as pronounced “Emphatic apologies” - the normally unstressed
by Americans: “choc-lit”.) auxiliary is stressed (I really am very sorry)
Stress in English more strongly determines vowel In English there are quite a number of words -
quality than it does in most other world languages about fifty - that have two different pronunciations,
(although there are notable exceptions such as depending on whether they are stressed. They
Russian). For example, in some varieties the are “grammatical words”: pronouns, prepositions,
syllables an, en, in, on and un are pronounced auxiliary verbs and conjunctions. Most students
as homophones, that is, exactly alike. Native tend to overuse the strong form, which is
speakers can usually distinguish an able, enable, pronounced with the written vowel.
and unable because of their position in a sentence,
but this is more difficult for inexperienced Connected speech
English speakers. Moreover, learners tend to Phonological processes such as assimilation,
overpronounce these unstressed vowels, giving elision and epenthesis together with indistinct
their speech an unnatural rhythm. word boundaries can confuse learners when
listening to natural spoken English, as well as
Stress timing - English tends to be a stress- making their speech sound too formal if they do
timed language - this means that stressed not use them. For example, in RP eight beetles
and three ants /eɪt biːtəlz ənd θriː ænts/ becomes Idiomatic usage - English is reputed to have
[eɪtbiːtl̩znθɹiːjæns]. a relatively high degree of idiomatic usage. For
example, the use of different main verb forms
Grammar in such apparently parallel constructions as “try
Tenses to learn”, “help learn”, and “avoid learning” pose
English has a relatively large number of tenses difficulty for learners. Another example is the
with some quite subtle differences, such as the idiomatic distinction between “make” and “do”:
difference between the simple past “I ate” and the “make a mistake”, not “do a mistake”; and “do a
present perfect “I have eaten.” (Progressive and favour”, not “make a favour”.
perfect progressive forms add complexity).

Articles - English has an appreciable number of
Functions of auxiliaries - Learners of English articles, including the definite article the and the
tend to find it difficult to manipulate the various indefinite article a, an. At times English nouns can
ways in which English uses the first auxiliary verb or indeed must be used without an article; this is
of a tense. These include negation (eg He hasn’t called the zero article. Some of the differences
been drinking.), inversion with the subject to form between definite, indefinite and zero article are
a question (eg Has he been drinking?), short fairly easy to learn, but others are not, particularly
answers (eg Yes, he has.) and tag questions (has since a learner’s native language may lack articles
he?). A further complication is that the dummy or use them in different ways than English does.
auxiliary verb do /does /did is added to fulfil these Although the information conveyed by articles is
functions in the simple present and simple past, rarely essential for communication, English uses
but not for the verb to be. them frequently (several times in the average
sentence), so that they require some effort from
Modal verbs - English also has a significant the learner.
number of modal auxiliary verbs which each have
a number of uses. For example, the opposite of Vocabulary
“You must be here at 8” (obligation) is usually Phrasal verbs - Phrasal verbs in English can
“You don’t have to be here at 8” (lack of obligation, cause difficulties for many learners because they
choice), while “must” in “You must not drink the have several meanings and different syntactic
water” (prohibition) has a different meaning from patterns. There are also a number of phrasal
“must” in “You must not be a native speaker” verb differences between American and British
(deduction). This complexity takes considerable English.
work for most learners to master.

Word derivation - Word derivation in English other languages, as the users of the utility may
requires a lot of rote learning. For example, an have forgotten, or never learned, the correct
adjective can be negated by using the prefix un- spelling of a word. The generalizations that exist
(e.g. unable), in- (e.g. inappropriate), dis- (e.g. are quite complex and there are many exceptions
dishonest), or a- (e.g. amoral), or through the use leading to a considerable amount of rote learning.
of one of a myriad of related but rarer prefixes, all The spelling system causes problems in both
modified versions of the first four. directions - a learner may know a word by sound
but not be able to write it correctly (or indeed find
Size of lexicon - The history of English has it in a dictionary), or they may see a word written
resulted in a very large vocabulary, essentially but not know how to pronounce it or mislearn the
one stream from Old English and one from the pronunciation.
Norman infusion of Latin-derived terms. (Schmitt
& Marsden claim that English has one of the Varieties of English
largest vocabularies of any known language.) There are thriving communities of English native
This inevitably requires more work for a learner speakers in countries all over the world, and this
to master the language. historical diaspora has led to some noticeable
differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and
Differences between spoken grammar across different regions, as well as
and written English that across different social strata within the same
As with most languages, written language tends to country. The world holds over 7000 languages,
use a more formal register than spoken language. and most exist within only a small geographic
The acquisition of literacy takes significant effort area; even most of the top 100 are limited to a
in English. small number of countries or even a single state.
Some of the more well-known languages are to
Spelling - Because of the many changes in some degree managed by a specific organisation
pronunciation which have occurred since a written that determines the most prestigious form of
standard developed, and the retention of many the language, e.g. French language and the
historical idiosyncrasies in spelling, English spelling Academie de la langue française or Spanish
is difficult even for native speakers to master. This language and the Real Academia Española.
difficulty is shown in such activities as spelling bees Since many students of English study it to enable
that generally require the memorization of words. them to communicate internationally, the lack of
English speakers may also rely on computer tools a uniform international standard for the language
such as spell checkers more than speakers of poses some barriers to meeting that goal.
III-The classroom 25
CHAPTER III: THE CLASSROOM
Students’ profile Researchers have begun to identify those aspects
Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about of the teaching situation that enhance students’
learning, but many need or expect their instruc- self-motivation (Lowman, 1984;
tors to inspire, challenge and stimulate them: “Ef- Lucas, 1990; Weinert and Kluwe, 1987; Bligh,
fective learning in the classroom depends on the 1971). To encourage students to become self-
teacher’s ability ... to maintain the interest that motivated independent learners, instructors can
brought students to the course in the first place” do the following:
(Ericksen, 1978, p. 3). Whatever level of motiva- -Give frequent, early, positive feedback that
tion your students bring to the classroom will be supports students’ beliefs that they can do well.
transformed, for better or worse, by what hap- - Ensure opportunities for students’ success by
pens in that classroom. assigning tasks that are neither too
Unfortunately, there is no single magical formula easy nor too difficult.
for motivating students. Many factors affect a - Help students find personal meaning and value
given student’s motivation to work and to learn in the material.
(Bligh, 1971; Sass, 1989): interest in the subject - Create an atmosphere that is open and
matter, perception of its usefulness, general positive.
desire to achieve, self-confidence and self- - Help students feel that they are valued members
esteem, as well as patience and persistence. of a learning community.
And, of course, not all students are motivated Research has also shown that good everyday
by the same values, needs, desires, or wants. teaching practices can do more to counter
Some of your students will be motivated by student apathy than special efforts to attack
the approval of others, some by overcoming motivation directly (Ericksen, 1978). Most
challenges. students respond positively to a well-organized

course taught by an enthusiastic instructor who Attention to students with
has a genuine interest in students and what Special Educational Needs
they learn. Thus activities you undertake to There are students with (Special Educational
promote learning will also enhance students’ Needs) In these cases, curricular adaptations are
motivation. required.
Dealing with the cognitive processes the learner Since not all students have the same learning
shows, in this period, a tendency towards future- styles nor do they advance at the same pace, the
oriented projects which modify his/her present teacher needs to find the best method to try to
conduct. Accordingly, s/he makes plans for the meet all students’ needs.
future and begins to articulate his/her reasons; The fact of teaching a vehicle for communication,
and develops a world outlook, a firm system of as opposed to content to be learned, allows
values and an interest in his/her inner experiences for different types of activities, sometimes
and in those of others. individual and receptive, sometimes interactive
S/he ‘learns how to learn’. Intellectualising and productive and, therefore, all students will
learning leads to proper monitoring but also find a type of activity that best suits their profile.
often to prejudices which have to be unlearnt, as Similarly, the different working modalities
they interface with his/her attitudes towards the outlined above (e.g. pair work, group work,
learning processes. etc.) allow weak students to mix with stronger
In terms of social sphere late adolescence goes students and to learn from their peers. I can then
from ego/group to society. During this period, s/ give different roles and tasks to each student in
he learns to take a more objective view of society a group according to each student’s abilities or
and of its demand on his/her personality. Thus, style.
the teacher’s and other adults’ opinions and Those students who are intellectually gifted will
demands on his/her personality, knowledge and need curricular adjustment that may also require
abilities become more significant. greater course content.
There is an interdisciplinary environment, but also We can still consider two cases that are
within a context that should provide for personal specific to attention to diversity, which are
advancement towards the full realisation of students with some auditory or visual deficiency. In
the student’s potentialities through language these cases it is advisable that the pupil sits near
learning, developing language knowledge, skills; the teacher to allow for a close follow-up of his/her
developing cognitive strategies, creativity, etc;  learning process. Moreover, taking notes will be
influencing attitudes towards language, learning, easier for them. In cases of a severe deficiency,
oneself and others. it would be advisable to ask for help from people
III-The classroom 27
with the same deficiency through organisations in there is a specific video tape for those contents.
order to gain advice from experts. The Department of Education and Universities
has a substantial supply of videos that continues
Facilities and Resources to grow year after year. The PMAV (Programa
The following facilities must be available to de Mitjans Audio-visuals - Programme for
teach at any degree according to this syllabus: Audiovisual Media) is the organisation res-
an ordinary classroom, a special classroom for ponsible for production, coordination and
languages, chemistry laboratories, a classroom for broadcasting for the Department of Education,
technology, classrooms with overhead projectors and has the rights to this material. The videos
and a classroom for computer science. are obtained by means of a loan through CRPs
In the aforementioned facilities, several resources (Centres for Pedagogic Resources). Apart from
are provided. A blackboard in the classroom, the loan service, the Department of Education
several reference books, one video-projector on provides all educational services that are
each floor (4-5 classrooms). interested in having their own copies with its
ICTs are used as they can help students to didactic copy video service.
clarify concepts in a visual and educational way. Teaching English, which is a language and,
Internet is a vast source of information, but not all therefore, whose ultimate teaching goal is
of it offers pedagogic quality. Therefore, students to communicate, the way in which content is
should be guided in the correct use of the material presented is very susceptible to change according
it offers. to the students’ backgrounds, to their tastes, or
One of the main sources that the Internet offers is according to events happening around them.
the webquest. A webquest is “a tool for research This affords the subject with invaluable flexibility
guided by Internet resources, which records the and allows teachers to provide relevant content
time taken by the pupil in carrying out the task”. to their students.
Webquests provide great diversity in a range of The sequencing of activities is set out from an
subjects related to students’ learning. The teacher initial activity which determines the level of
can produce his/her own webquest and show it knowledge on the topic. It allows the teacher to
like any other web site. Image use is an essential provide information and material progressively
tool to illustrate complex English sequences and from simple to difficult and from easy to complex
it helps students to visualise the global content. and thus allows for greater assimilation of the
Therefore, video equipment allows for illustration concepts.
in order to clarify or to reinforce contents in a As much as students need to learn to be good
specific aspect. The didactic units specify whether independent readers, they also need to learn
how to respond to books and how to share require a response that includes the misspelled
their feelings about books with others. The word, in order to correct them.
teacher models by spelling words correctly in
their responses to students who had misspelled
in their work. He/she even asks questions that

IV-Objectives and contents 29
CHAPTER IV: OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS
General Objectives style, organisation and in their use of English
In any university degree, the curriculum assumes language structures for a specific purpose.
students have an intermediate level of English. The tasks are also diverse where the reason
The aim is to consolidate and enhance previously for reading may be to extract information,
acquired knowledge. It also takes into account acquire knowledge or simply for interest and
the mature stage of learning which most 18- leisure.
year-old students have reached. Therefore, the 3. To reflect on the foreign language in
English language is regarded as a continuation communication, in order to improve the student’s
and specialisation of all basic skills. own productions and understand foreign ones in
The main objective is: varied and unexpected situations.
To develop students’ communicative competence 4. To understand the fundamental aspects of
in order to improve their oral and cultural output the sociocultural environment of the language
in the acquisition of the English language. studied in order to achieve better communication
and greater comprehension and interpretation of
Area Objectives different cultures.
1. To use the foreign language orally and in 5. To broaden students’ knowledge of the foreign
writing, with fluency to communicate in real language and to use it for learning and to gain an
situations in a clear, personal and creative in-depth understanding of the language studied
manner. and other fields of knowledge and culture.
2. To understand and interpret oral, written and 6. To critically appraise other ways of organising
visual texts in the media. experience and structuring personal relationships
3. To read texts in the foreign language in an including the relative value of conventions and
autonomous way. These texts will be diverse in cultural rules.

Specific objectives at grasping the opinion of other people about
1. To summarize a book, a television drama, a subjects of interest for teenagers, and to present
film, including information on the story, characters the results orally, with the support of diagrams
and personal opinion. and outlines.
2. To read books appropriate to the level and 12. To plan in a detailed way a real or mock
interests of the pupils. activity, after obtaining relevant information for its
3. To reflect on regularities and exceptions development.
typical of the linguistic system of the foreign 13. To write and read out loud, with clear diction
language. and appropriate intonation, searching brief
4. To write informal cards and letters with a certain narrations to cause an effect on the reader
degree of formality, in paper or electronic format (interest, emotion, fear, laughter).
asking and giving information about certain 14. To solve tasks, information about which is
aspects of interest, using models. distributed among all members of the group
5. To describe an image to be reproduced by the to be shared: informative puzzles, completing
partner with maximum accuracy. grid, completing a logical sequence, while
6. To make a working plan for a period of time, interaction models progressively become more
comparing it with working plans written by independent.
partners and to evaluate degree of attainment. 15. To talk about mock common situations, with
7. To write an autobiography or biography of an linguistic support (an argument with a colleague
ancestor, a historical character or a fictional one, or an adult, a difficult situation for a friend, the
explaining the most important facts of his|her celebration of a success, a meeting to take a
life. decision, the spreading of a rumour).
8. To explain technological or scientific processes 16. Writing and presenting orally short works
studied from annotations, diagrams or other about a cultural or scientific area: history,
types of resources, in a simple way with linguistic literature, music, biology, technology, ecology,
support. using models.
9. To participate in an Internet chat, from 17. To simulate informal or semiformal telephone
structured, specific task. conversations in order to ask and give information,
10. To narrate a brief real or imaginary piece making an order or agreeing on an appointment.
of news about a subject of interest to the pupil, 18. To use knowledge acquired of formal and
including the typical information for news (who, pragmatic aspects about the language to improve
what, when, where, why). the productions themselves. To distinguish the
11. To draw up and interpret a survey aimed main and secondary ideas from diverse texts,
IV-Objectives and contents 31
features of non-specialized social media, of Research of concrete datum (scanning).
juvenile press and of publications addressed to Oral and written interactive activities. Different
learners of the language. from the paralinguistic elements.
Syntactic value of the prosody or of the pauses
Contents in the oral one.
The selection of contents and the organisation of Identification, characterisation and interpretation
didactic intervention (methodology) allow pupils to of linguistic and paralinguistic elements.
develop the acquisition process and the learning 2) The English language as an instrument of
process of the English language. linguistic reflection.
In this process there are: Reflection activities allow for effective progress in
Conceptual elements, basic elements for linguistic the learning process.
development. Phonological, lexical and morpho-syntactic
Procedures to relate concepts, to acquire them elements.
and to create conceptual meaning. The concepts Phonological system of the language.
and the activities will be inseparable. Inflections of rhythm and intonation.
Attitudes towards the language Textual procedures.
In all of them, several aspects can be Spelling and punctuation.
distinguished: Observation of the characteristics typical of the
1) English for communicative purposes written text.
The treatment of spoken English has to be Recognition and adequacy of the vocabulary.
approached in a specific way. We can Discursive and textual organization.
present students with a variety of different Conceptualisation of the evidence that makes
discursive, accessible and significant models reference to the situational context. Distinction
that are set in a context. of aspects such as:
Discursive strategies. Possessives. Verb endings. stereotypes and
Socio-communicative rules. sexism, racist orientation, amongst others.
Variety of speech. Descriptive, narrative and argumentative texts.
Variety of situations. Formal, standard and colloquial type of
Variety of support and documents. language.
Activities to understand the message: 3) The English language as an instrument for
Interpretation of the global meaning autonomous learning.
Anticipation of the contents (background). The contents of this section are aimed at
Interpretation from the context (skimming). developing the learning capacity as a vital
condition in achieving autonomous use of the towards another civilization. Therefore, students
English language. need to have a respectful and critical attitude
Application of knowledge and learning towards the values and rules of other cultures.
strategies.
Awareness of the methodology used in class. Cross-curricular contents
Capacity to select materials, work techniques The need to develop new attitudes which are
and information sources. flexible enough to adapt to the requirements of
Knowledge of specific goals in the short and a plural society in a constant process of change
long term. is offered by cross-curricular themes that are not
Development of procedures for: Diagnosis of only concerned with ‘knowing about’ but also with
errors. ‘knowing how to behave’ in society. Thus, either
Self-correction. in the topic of the unit or the specific tasks, all units
Appraisal of one’s own productions and those deal with the themes of moral and civic education,
of others. environmental education, road safety, education
Appraisal of materials. for tolerance, education for sexual equality, health
Appraisal of the teacher’s work. education or consumer education.
Appraisal of autonomous work.
Appraisal of the methodology used.
4) The English language and the socio-cultural
dimension.
Learning English is also a means by which
students can gain a new perception of their
surroundings and acquire knowledge on a
range of contexts that can be compared with the
students’ own culture.
The selection of thematic contents takes
educational goals into account when including
subjects in the curriculum and in line with interests
and demands of students.
The procedures should give rise to a discovery
of experiences within the realms of the Anglo-
Saxon culture, in such a way that they produce
a psychological change in students’ attitudes

V-Methodology and evaluation 33
CHAPTER V: METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION
Different approaches other teaching methodologies will also be used.

A method is believed to be a set of techniques Some relevant authors whose theories have
or procedures normally attached to a systematic influenced this work are:
scheme. However, a method does not necessarily Ausubel, who inspired the constructivist
have to be linked to a particular language theories. The notion of significative learning is to
teaching or learning theory. It only has to be a be highlighted, since it states that processes are
“satisfactory” one in teaching practice. In fact, a significant for the students because they connect
satisfactory methodology must be flexible and it with their previous knowledge and background.
will be successful as long as the general goals Taking on board this idea, activities have been
are achieved. designed such as warming-up exercises or
No methodology is established as compulsory pre-teaching activities, which work as a bridge
by law, but key importance is given to the role of between previous and new knowledge.
English as a means of communication. Therefore Vygotsky, according to whom interaction
the teacher is autonomous when choosing the with other subjects becomes essential for the
one that best suits the needs and interests of learner to experiment and assess his/her own
students and his/her own, too. improvements within a process which should
The communicative approach seems to be aim towards self-correction. Hymes, whose
the best suited. Moreover, the Council of Europe notion of communicative competence we take
provides a common framework for teaching into account when selecting the concepts to
languages stating that the learner must be able be introduced. This notion is framed inside the
to carry out a series of communication tasks to functional-pragmatic approach. It includes four
develop gradually communicative competence dimensions (discursive, sociolinguistic, strategic
in a specific tongue. Besides, useful aspects of and linguistic) established by Canale and Swain.
This implies that English should be the main followed in the classroom. Continuous and daily
vehicle of learning and work in our classroom. work is required as well as constant and active
Krashen. Following this author we will carry participation by student. Not only does the student
out a methodology that will try natural acquisition need to learn concepts but he/she must also put
of the language by means of reproducing in the them into practice and use the language to fulfill
classroom situations as real as possible and certain realistic tasks and functions.
connected with the needs and motivations of the The methodology to be followed takes into
students. consideration the range of objectives to be
Considering all these approaches, a achieved, the content to be covered, the different
methodology has been designed based on the levels, skills, rhythms, attitudes and learning styles
combination of self-conscious learning processes, in the classroom, as well as cultural differences
which implies a certain degree of work and study and previous experiences.
of concepts such as vocabulary and grammar The material prepared constitutes the key
by the student, with situations where the use of element for each unit both for classroom work
English is promoted in a natural and significant and for homework, as well as individual study.
way, imitating real communicative situations However, for some units supplementary materials
inside the classroom. or totally different materials (readers, webquests,
Finally, we have to consider that as language etc.) will also be used.
is alive we should adapt our methodological The units will be developed in the following
practise to the changes that this permanently stages:
instigates as well as busing our teaching on a Introductory stage where there is a presentation
series of flexible and creative psychopedagogical of the objectives of the unit, a presentation of
and didactic guidelines. the topic and some free discussion with warm-
Also, we cannot forget that we must use up introductory questions to get an idea of how
English as much as possible in class right much previous knowledge students have.
from the start. And of course students must Controlled stage: The topic is presented
also consider English from the first day as the and students are guided into the reading topic
language to be used in class, thus creating the and the vocabulary exercises. Similarly, the
need to communicate in English and making their grammatical structures to be dealt with are also
ulterior linguistic production easier. presented. The students then do the grammar
English is a language and not just a list of and vocabulary exercises which are supervised
things to be learned mechanically, therefore and corrected, also answering questions and
shapes and determines the methodology to be checking for any queries. The presentation
of the function and features of the type of text when presenting the topic of a unit, through
presented in the unit is also led, so that students brainstorming, introductory tasks or questions,
become aware of them before writing their own when correcting the grammar and vocabulary
composition. Throughout the unit, all learning tasks, and for error correction in compositions.
strategies are presented to students.
More productive stage: The students speak Teacher and students’ roles
and focus on production exercises, following The students should be aware of their autonomy
models and instructions and using relevant in the learning process but they should also see
expressions in the unit. Before speaking, they as significative what the teacher is teaching. This
are made aware of certain phonological features awareness depends on many factors, but mainly
through the listening exercises, which they should on the students’ realisation of the fact that what
incorporate into their speech. The writing tasks they learn is functional, practical and useful.
are also productive and the students are given Motivation is, then, absolutely essential and
freedom as to what content to include, after being has to continue throughout the whole learning
made aware of the function and characteristics of process.
the text they are to write. This is why the teacher must be able to
Due to the variety of activities, with different detect students’ interests in order to adapt the
objectives and characteristics, and to the variety methodology according to their needs and
of learning styles, activities and tasks are choose appropriate material resources. We have
approached in different ways, thus making the to bear in mind that this is a delicate process and
class more varied and active: if the contents are a long way from the students’
- Individual work: Appropriate for listening, previous experience, they could find these difficult
reading, and writing. to follow and as a result drop out. However, if the
- Pair work/small group work: Appropriate contents are too easy and no effort is required,
for completion of grammar tasks, vocabulary learning is uninteresting and it can become a
work, project work (e.g. looking for a web page boring routine. A balance is needed.
and presenting it to the class), information gap The teacher will act as a guide, monitoring
activities, or problem solving activities (oral and providing the pupils with the adequate
presentations using PowerPoint). Furthermore, tools needed to be used in real communicative
students can compare their understanding situations and to become a more autonomous
of a text and listening exercise with that of a learner in the future.
classmate. Therefore, focusing on our daily work in the
- Teacher-student interaction: Appropriate classroom, the teacher role will be that of a guide
or monitor to help the student in the learning find out the students’ interests and needs, so that
process, providing the necessary tools so that we have better founded criteria when choosing
the learner can become more autonomous. On activities for classroom implementation.
the other hand, the teacher will coordinate the We have to take into account that an activity
guidelines to be followed in such a way that an may have different results and unexpected
interaction between the teacher and the students consequences depending on the class group, the
among students themselves is created. In the time of performance, etc. Our programming must
classroom there should be a cordial relation and be flexible enough to allow us to interrupt the
atmosphere that helps to maintain a respectful and sequence of contents because of relevant news
cooperative relaxed atmosphere. This interaction or special dates to celebrate, related if possible,
will be achieved through the whole group work, to the Anglo-Saxon culture festivity calendar.
pair work or group work. As for students, their role Our syllabus design includes a Calendar of
is a new one in this communicative methodology Year Events, with activities on special dates that
since they are active participants in it, not just can be introduced when necessary during the
passive learners. In this sense, the responsibility year, adapting the timing of contents.
for the teaching-learning process is not only that
of the teacher, but also the student, who can Class activities
even take part in designing some of the activities Activities are designed with different
to be performed during the academic year. characteristics according to the specific time in
which they are used during development of the
Activities sessions. The initial activities in every didactic
Activities in every syllabus must be coherent unit should act as an introduction for the topic
according to objectives and contents. They should and/or the grammar to be studied or revised.
also be varied. These two ideas have been taken After these, we will offer activities that develop
into account when designing the didactic units new contents so that students can assimilate new
included in this syllabus. concepts; or revise previous knowledge. Finally,
We should start the year with activities that closing activities will be consolidation, extension
help students to meet each other and promote and/or revision of the studied concepts, that
a relaxed and familiar atmosphere, which is, assessment activities. These will be further
encourages them to feel confident, in order to explained below.
develop their abilities spontaneously and thus It would also be advisable to prepare lighter
facilitate their learning. activities (songs, games, etc.) every now and
We should also carry out some activities to then or for certain days or moments when the
students’ disposition towards learning is perhaps and British varieties. Comprehension activities
lazy. will be also carried out through other authentic
materials from the mass media (songs, films,
Skills activities newspaper or magazine articles, etc.) or from the
Class activities include skills activities and other literature of English-speaking countries.
skill-derived tasks, such as grammar activities, Finally, written production will be developed
vocabulary tasks and other communication through the writing of texts of relevance to daily
activities. A balanced treatment of the four basic life. It will be directed at either guided or free
skills will be pursued, providing the students composition activities about topics of interest to
with materials in which they will appear in an the learner connected with the topics studied in
integrated way. each unit, so s/he can use the vocabulary, idioms,
Reading comprehension will be developed structures learnt.
as much as possible in pieces of authentic
material. This is true for higher levels, but for Communicative activities
lower levels adaptations will have to be made Comprehension and use of English language
to texts. Exercises for this skill include reading in daily communicative situations and in those
comprehension, work with vocabulary, reading derived from the teaching-learning process
aloud, scanning, skimming, etc. itself will aim towards a significative use of the
The student’s oral production will also be based language with communicative purposes, while
on exercises reproducing habitual situations of use still including other aspects such as correction
of the English language, such as conversations and formal precision.
or written messages like letters, notes, e-mails, The same importance is given to both receptive
mobile text messages, etc. In face to face situations (listening and reading) and productive (speaking
conversation strategies will be used: repetitions, and writing) skills through communicative
clarifications, turn changes, etc. situations which should be of interest to the
Oral comprehension, i.e. listening, will be students and directed to their future use of the
aimed at achieving global and specific information language. In this sense, the contents will include
related to relevant topics for the students. In communication activities on oral and written texts
face to face situations the students should try to habitually used in daily life (classroom language,
identify the speaker’s intention (traces of humour, instructions, conversations, debates, leaflets and
irony, etc.) and to distinguish between main and brochures, etc.), but also on any other written
secondary ideas. The teacher will also introduce text which may be of interest to students. They
the most important differences between American will have access to reference materials (grammar
books, dictionaries, etc.) and adequate use will language from a contrastive point of view will be
be promoted in the classroom work. used in order to take advantage of similar points
between the English and Spanish/Catalan. As
Sociocultural activities much as possible, language will be taught and
The sociocultural characteristics which define therefore learnt in an active way, i.e. students
the culture of English-speaking countries, the will have to be aware at all times of the way
different usages and registers that depend on in which the learning process is taking place:
the social context in which they take place, and they will have to elaborate their own learning
other relevant elements associated to these process and make a metalinguistic reflection to
countries’ history, geography, ethnic groups, etc discover grammar rules. Therefore, students do
are studied. These three factors will contribute not play the role of simple and passive receivers
to broadening the learner’s knowledge of these of information, instead they become active
countries and, consequently, to improving his/her researchers and develop a key role in their own
linguistic performance. teaching-learning process. As for us, it is also
We will introduce students to sociocultural more motivating, since this is a more active and
values and stereotypes, which are significant for fun way of teaching languages, when compared
the understanding of the foreign culture, as well to passing information from teacher to student.
as to semiotic elements such as gestures which Finally, work on grammar is not carried out
may be different from those in their own culture. on a single sentence or simple phrase basis,
As teachers, we will particularly value a but on complete texts. In this way we will make
positive attitude from the learner towards other use of the study of grammar in context. This
cultural forms and his/her critical appreciation of teaching method provides more possibilities for
them by contrast with his/her own culture. the rule to stay in students’ memories and thus
to be effectively learnt, also because looking for
Grammar activities linguistic phenomena in texts becomes a kind
Grammar will be taught whenever possible of treasure hunt and it is remembered more
by means of a learning process which could be easily.
defined as “search and discover”. This teaching The skills required for students to work in this
method makes students look for linguistic features way are: reflecting upon the language, making
in written texts and derive rules from them. These hypotheses and activating all their own intellectual
rules will be later revised and explained in depth resources to work on the grammar of English.
by the teacher. Reflecting on language function is of key importance
Whenever possible, an analysis of the at this educational stage, since it directly affects its
correct comprehension and use. taking notes on everything they learn or the way
they read. Blogs could be useful for this and the
Homework Activities teacher could revise them every now and then.
Homework activities will mainly consist of Task-based projects can be proposed; in
grammar activities, especially those which imply a fact there is an example of this in this syllabus.
mechanical method (drills, repetition, substitution, These help students to be independent learners
transformation, expansion, reconstruction, even so they do not rely completely on the teacher
reverse controlled translation). These will be and classroom activities. These projects
checked and corrected in class the day after can be assigned in different semesters and
completing them at home. students can do them obtaining information
Writing activities will also be strongly from magazines, the Internet and/or other
recommended as homework, since students resources.
normally need more time to complete them and
also require the use of complementary material Activities outside the classroom
such as dictionaries. Generally speaking, homework activities could
Reading texts and comprehension activities also be included in this section, but here we want
can also be proposed as homework, unless we to consider all extracurricular activities outside
want students to work on strategies such as the classroom to help students in their learning
scanning, skimming or others. Working at home process too.
gives them the possibility of having plenty of time A chart or some kind of activity can be given
to understand the text and having other materials to students who decide to take on extra activities
at hand. in order to check that they have completed them
Extensive reading outside the classroom satisfactorily.
will be centred on authentic literary works from Watching subtitled films whose original
countries where English is spoken, using varied soundtrack is in English is one of these
adapted and graded books in elementary levels activities. The School can offer the possibility
and complete levels and unabridged books in of a Cineforum or perhaps there is a cinema
advanced levels. Reading two works per year are in the town where they can go. If these are not
suggested. This sort of long reading encourages possible, DVDs are also a good opportunity for
comprehension skills as the students get used to those who want to practise listening. We should
learning words in context and a they are exposed encourage independent listening and the radio is
to wide vocabulary. They can keep a reading also available on the web.
diary so as to be aware of their process as well as Reading can be done by means of international
press or even on-line versions of newspapers, lists of symbols often prove useful if the teacher
magazines, or anything in which students might first trains students on their meaning and what
be interested. is expected from them when a certain symbol is
These would be activities to be done on used.
their own, but there are also others which can Written comments on content should be
be more fun since they are done with their consistent. Teachers must use a set of clear and
peers, for example, conversation exchange or direct comments and questions, and also should
conversational groups to practise speaking and familiarize students with these comments.  
pronunciation. Lower level learners have been found to
As for activities involving larger groups of people, benefit from more direct correction rather
we can mention the following: theatre at the School, than indirect correction in which symbols are
quizzes and games, year events, conferences given used or the place of error has been indicated.
by native people or by other students, cooking, Another thing to be kept in mind when teaching
designing a magazine, cultural trips, etc. beginner level students is that because the
students are struggling with both linguistic
Error correction structure and writing conventions, the teacher
Distinguishing between serious and minor has to stress different things at different times.
errors may be a good guide to choosing what When learners are making many mistakes, it
to correct. Presentation, obvious spelling, may be futile for the teacher to try to correct
punctuation, and capitalization mistakes may every error on the paper: it will be a waste
occur because the student did not bother to edit of both time and effort for the teacher and
and proofread his/her own paper. It is a good very discouraging and unmanageable for the
idea to ask the student to edit the text before the student. Sometimes the teacher should wait
teacher checks the assignment. for students to reach a certain fluency, then
Lower level learners have problems finding the stress correctness.
appropriate word and they need more modeling. It has been noticed that students who receive
Most of the time word choice is idiomatic or feedback and self-correct their mistakes during
conventionally agreed upon and it is difficult for revision are more likely to develop their linguistic
learners to come up with the correct or appropriate competence than those who receive no feedback
word even if they consult a dictionary. and those who are not asked to do re-writes.
Teachers should use consistent and Therefore, revision in the form of re-writes is a
standardized methods to indicate to their students must if we want improvement.
the type and place of errors. Correction legends,

Testing previous knowledge checks previous knowledge related to the topic,
Initial assessment is instrumental for the vocabulary and grammar structures that will
assessment of specific objectives, since it allows be covered. This can be done by asking short
us to determine the baseline status of a group of questions, brainstorming with the students,
students and to compare it with their final status. performing an error correction exercise, eliciting
This principle can be applied to the beginning certain expressions, etc.
of each unit. Attitudes are important in order to
identify positive or negative attitudes, different Continuous assessment
moods, motivations or preferences which may Continuous assessment is determined, to
determine the teaching approach taken for each a great extent, by students’ active participation
group. Some books have questionnaires that aim in all class activities, punctual and accurate
at identifying students’ attitudes but the teacher completion of homework, positive attitude toward
can also devise his/her own questionnaire asking the classes, respect for other students’ opinions
about aspects that they consider more relevant and interventions, active contribution in pair or
in terms of students’ previous experiences with group tasks and discussions and by their grade
English, motivation orientations, learning style, in the first draft of the written composition. When
perception of importance or self-assessment as the unit consists of a project, participation and
foreign language learners. Previous knowledge interest will be given special attention because it
should also be tested in different ways. Most is important for the student to realize that English
books have some revision sheets including is not only something to be learnt from a book but
grammar concepts that should have been learned rather a vehicle for real communication.
in previous years and this can be easily tested
during the first days of class. However, speaking, Assessment of specific objectives
listening, reading and writing abilities should be The assimilation of objectives can be
tested too, since often knowledge of grammar is assessed by giving students a progress test
very mechanical and may be misleading as to the after each unit, which helps them see what the
students’ actual level of English use. This can be objectives of each unit are and encourages
done through written and oral self-introductory continuous study, instead of giving only a big test
presentations, texts about English and its role in once in a while. Also, we can assess terminal
the world, examples of real life use of English to objectives by giving a grade to their second
check their understanding, listening to a song or draft of the written composition reflecting
a news report, etc. both process and final product. Assimilation
At the beginning of each unit, the teacher of objectives can also be evaluated on the
basis of their participation and application of on interesting topics for the learner and in
new structures and relevant vocabulary to the organised speech related to cross - curricular
speaking activities. topics or socio - cultural aspects of English
- speaking countries, using communicative
Teacher’s assessment strategies and formal and informal elements.
It is universally acknowledged that improvement 4. Obtaining global and specific information from
in our educational system is crucially dependent different kinds of texts, related to cross-curricular
on effective teacher self-evaluation. Indeed, we topics or everyday situations, from newspapers,
the teachers instinctively wish to reflect on our magazines and books.
work, evaluate it and look for ways to improve it. 5. Reading short modern literary texts (stories,
However, effective self-evaluation is not simply a novels, poetry, etc) related to the learners’ interests
process for the individual; it involves other opinions and showing comprehension in a specific task
in a variety of ways. A fundamental principle is (summary, role play, etc).
that we have to see ourselves as learners. For 6. Writing different kinds of texts with
this reason, a questionnaire can be handed out coherence and cohesion, accuracy and fluency,
after finishing each unit –to find out students’ making them comprehensible.
opinions on the materials, their difficulty, etc. 7. Using linguistic, sociolinguistic, strategic
and discursive knowledge of the foreign language
Evaluation System to manage his/her own learning and others’
According to the Official Curriculum for Second learning and correction.
Language Teaching and Evaluation, evaluation 8. Using learning strategies such as consulting
criteria have been applied directly or indirectly dictionaries, grammar books, recordings and
through the different resources: so on to solve problems in new contexts in
1. Obtaining global and specific information communication or delving deeply into learning of
from texts in a face-to-face communicative the linguistic system or sociocultural aspects.
context about everyday topics and socio-cultural 9. Recognising socio cultural elements implicit
aspects in English-speaking countries. in the texts used and analysing them correctly,
2. Identifying the topic and global information while being aware of and respectful of other ways
from short oral texts with visual help produced by of perceiving and encoding reality, of organising
means of communication about general everyday interpersonal relations, and of thinking and
situations and aspects about culture associated behaving.
to the second language.
3. Giving an unprepared oral presentation

VI-Syllabus design 43
CHAPTER VI: SYLLABUS DESIGN
This syllabus fulfils two main functions. On coherent with the distribution of contents and
the one hand, it explains the intentions of an our teaching intentions. The main aim is to
education system, answering the question what contribute to the development of communicative
to teach? On the other hand, it guides practice competence. Moreover, it will contribute to overall
through a plan of action, answering questions growth of students. This will be further achieved
such as when or how to teach? or what, when through flexibility by the teacher
and how to evaluate? The didactic units do not only cover general
These questions come together and become objectives, contents, vocabulary, evaluation
coherent through the design of activities using and procedures needed for each class, but
didactic material and resources. In each unit, also cultural themes and topics of interest to
there are methodological principles, which are students.
Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 1 LEARNING TECHNIQUES

1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 15, 22
CONTENTS Unit 1 LEARNING

LEARNING OBJECTIVES TECHNIQUES
CONCEPTS PROCEDURES ATTITUDES
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN
x Listening to a conversation about study COMMUNICATION:
- To get general and specific x Study techniques and ways of studying.
information from a written and an techniques. x Reflecting on different ways of
x Text types: descriptive text,
oral text. studying.
questionnaire, dialogue, oral x Speaking with a classmate about study
- To identify /s/, /z/, /iz/. presentation. x Recognising the importance of
difficulties.
- To make up sentences in logical REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: developing reading strategies.
x Paraphrasing sentences. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
order. x Present simple and present continuous.
x Answering questions of specific x Recognising errors as a part of
- To discriminate false friends. x Stative verbs. comprehension. the learning process.
- To develop reading strategies. x Expressions of wishes and preferences. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: x Showing interest in text
- To learn how to use a dictionary. x Pronunciation of the plurals /s/, /z/, /iz/. x Filling the gaps with determiners. coherence and cohesion.
- To review present simple and x Rules to make a sentence (affirmative,
present continuous. x Correcting a text with misused ‘false friends’. LEARN ING TO LEARN:
negative and interrogative forms). x Being willing to become
- To identify and correct errors as a x Identifying un/countable nouns.
x ‘False friends’. autonomous in the process of
part of the learning process. x Looking up synonyms and antonyms.
LEARNING TO LEARN: learning.
LEARNING TO LEARN:
x Use of the dictionary. x Recognising the importance of
x Correcting compositions.
x Identification and correction of mistakes. learning studying techniques.
x Monitoring and evaluating self-learning. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
x Relationship: hobbies and spare time. x Being respectful toward different
x Talking in groups about different ways of students’ sorts of learning.
x Difficulties found when studying. learning.
x Becoming aware of one’s own
x Writing a composition about one’s wishes and learning style.
ambitions.
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CORE ACTIVITIES TEACHING/LEARNING ACTIVITIES
-Activity 1: Introductory questions about the topic; talking about the difficulty of studying. Timing: 25’
Core Activities 1: -Activity 2: Reading an article about smart and guessing the meaning of unknown words. Answering the questions about
it. Timing: 50’
Human intelligence.
-Activity 3: Answering a questionnaire about different ways of studying and discussing the unknown words. Timing: 40’
-Activity 4: Completing a text with vocabulary related to study techniques, subjects and jobs. Timing: 35’
-Activity 1: Filling in the blanks with the correct verbal tense (present simple or continuous)Timing:1h
Core Activities 2:
-Activity 2: Oral exercise (by pairs). Looking at two pictures and expressing likes and dislikes using the verbs: enjoy,
Present simple hate, want, like, dislike or prefer and give. Timing:35’
versus present continuous. -Activity 3: Completing a chart about the uses of Present Simple and Present Continuous.Timing:15’
-Activity 1: Listening to a report about ways of learning a foreign language. Getting the main idea and specific
Core Activities 3: information:Timing:35’
Electronic dictionaries. -Activity 2: Describing your study habits and how preparing your homework (50-80 words).Reading it aloud and making
the appropriate corrections modelled by the teacher. Timing:1h30’
-Activity 3: Finding false friends in sentences and replacing them with the correct word. Timing:35’
-Activity 1: Pronouncing plurals becoming aware of the differences of /s/, /z/, /iz/. Timing:15’
Core Activities 4: -Activity 2: Individual work. Giving a speech about hobbies and spare time (5 minutes). Timing:1h30’
Learning by heart.
Exam. Timing:1h
Teaching english at university level. A course guide
Tables
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
A. Assessment
Students are given a sheet to evaluate themselves at the end of the unit. The teacher also assesses him/herself about the unit plan.
B.1 Evaluation criteria
x Understanding a questionnaire about different ways of studying.

x Getting general and specific information from a written and an oral text.
x Answering questions from a specific information text.
x Giving a short speech using new vocabulary.
x Identifying mistakes.
x Self-assessing and evaluating on acquired knowledge.
B.2 Evaluation instruments
- Initial evaluation. Through the questionnaire, a thought –provoking introduction to the theme of the unit, learners' previous knowledge will be activated
and it will help me to establish learners' needs.
- Formative evaluation. Most of the activities are thought to let the student check his/her continuous progress and help me to make the adequate
revision of the activities and procedures.
- Summative evaluation. Although this kind of evaluation is the result of the assessment of activities and procedures used, and the learner’s attitude -
direct observation, daily assessment, questionnaires, class work and homework (10% of the mark), I specially value the result of the exam at the end of the
unit (70% of the mark) because the student has to show his/her progress in grammar, writing, listening and reading. I also consider the previously organised
speech about hobbies and spare time (20% of the mark).
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METHODOLOGY
In the development of this unit, the following methodological principles have been taken into account:
- Linguistic competence is seen from the communicative point of view and not just from the grammatical structures and rules.
- Previous learner's experiences, ideas and knowledge are taken as a turning point to associate it with the new material, so learner can
change his/her schemes and thus can progress.
- Methodology is learner-centred. Student participates actively in setting the objectives, so the process will be adapted to his/her needs and
preferences.
- Information and Communication Technologies are used for communicative purposes.
- The teacher tries to do the learner more and more autonomous in learning providing him/her with the adequate techniques and procedures.
He/she is aware of the practical application of learning in everyday life.
- The importance of cooperation and pair and group work is appreciated.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Biology and Ethics.
- The topic Learning techniques can be connected with cross-curricular themes such as Moral and Civic Education and Education for Sexual
equality.
- Resources and materials: blackboard, computers, internet, a dossier with readings, listenings, vocabulary and grammar exercises.
- Spaces: classroom, computers’ room.

Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 2 FRESH WATER
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17,18, 20, 23
CONTENTS Unit 2 FRESH WATER

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION:
- To give advice to save water. x Figures and percentages. x Comparing figures. x Raising awareness about problems
- To get general and specific x Text types: interview, song, x Listening to a song related to water. related to water (pollution, dryness...)
information from a written and an questionnaire, graphs, scientific x Inferring non-explicit information from a x Respecting other people’s opinion.
oral text. text, maps, short stories. scientific text. x Being willing to speak in English.
- To identify /t/, /d/, /id/. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
x Recognising different famous water
- To describe actions and x Suggestions and advices. places. x Being willing to correct oneself
processes in the past. x Past simple and past continuous. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: mistakes.
- To make up sentences in logical x Pronunciation of /t/, /d/, /id/. x Giving instructions. x Showing interest in using new
order. vocabulary.
x Comparative and superlative forms. x Describing processes.
- To recognise the importance of LEARNING TO LEARN:
water in our lives. x Commands. x Identifying rivers in a map of UK.
LEARNING TO LEARN: x Designing a board game. x Being willing to become an
- To develop reading strategies. autonomous learner.
- To answer questions from visual x Reading strategies: Inferring the LEARNING TO LEARN:
meaning of words and grammar x Showing a esponsible attitude in
information. x Experimenting.
rules, getting relevant information. saving water.
- To understand instructions SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
describing a board game. x Rules to do a solar still. x Identifying and matching famous
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Being willing to save water.
- To take part in a game water places with the country they
x Uses of water. belong to. x Being aware of ecological problems.
- To review the possessive
x Famous water places. x Getting information about the amount x Being aware of water as an universal
adjectives and pronouns.
of water used at home. good.
- To interpret a graph and a x English rivers.
diagram.
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-Activity 1: Brainstorming. It is a warming up activity. It consists on remembering ideas, words and facts related to water
Core activities 1:
and at the same time they learn new vocabulary.Timing: 20’
Water quiz.
-Activity 2: Finding out the hidden water words in a wordsquare. Timing:30’
-Activity 3: Reading a text about the water cycle; narrating it orally (pair work).Timing:1h10’
-Activity 1: Reading a text and inferring the meaning of unknown words from the content. Answering questions about
Core activities 2:
it.Timing:45’
How much water is there?
-Activity 2: Finding out the amount of water in some common food. Practice figures and percentages.Timing:40’
-Activity 3: Getting information from a statistic diagram. The common use of water is analysed in this activity. It involves
taking a decision, a dialogue, using the imperative and should. Timing:35’
-Activity 1: Listening to the song Water, by Cathy Fink; listening for getting the main idea and for specific information.
Core activities 3:
Filling in the gaps. Becoming aware of the sounds /t/, /d/, /id/. Timing: 45’
Water and us.
-Activity 2: Revision of uses and formation of past tenses (past simple and continuous).Grammar exercises.Timing:1h45’
-Activity 1: Pair work. Building a solar still. In this activity, instructions are given. The comprehension is checked by
Core activities 4:
students themselves in the success of the experiment. The passive is practised in the process. Timing:1h30’
Water, water everywhere.
-Activity 2: Writing down the previous ideas and conclusions after doing the experiment. Explaining how it works to the
rest of the group.Timing:1h’
Written exam. Timing: 1h

Oral exposition. Timing: 1h
Tables
A. Assessment
Students are given a sheet to evaluate themselves at the end of the unit. The teacher also assesses hm/herself about the unit plan.
x Designing a board game with questions and answers about water.

x Ordering sentences in a logical sense.
x Giving a short speech using the acquired procedures in the unit.
x Self-assessing and evaluating on acquired knowledge.

- Initial evaluation. Through the brainstorming and a memory game and a wordsquare, learners' previous knowledge will be activated and it will
help me to establish learners' needs.
- Summative evaluation. Although this kind of evaluation is the result of the assessment of activities and procedures used, and the learner’s attitude -direct
observation, daily assessment, questionnaires, class work and homework (10% of the mark), I specially value the result of the game designed by learner
at the end of the unit and the speech about it (60% of the mark) because he/she has to use the macro-skills in an integrated way and he/she has to show
his/her progress in English. I also consider the grammar exam about verbal tenses (30% of the mark).
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52
METHODOLOGY
preferences.
- The teacher tries to do the learner more and more autonomous in the learning providing him/her with the adequate techniques and
strategies. He/she is aware of the practical application of learning in everyday life.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Geography, Physics,
Science, Chemistry and Maths.
- The topic Fresh water can be connected with cross-curricular contents as Health Education, Education for Peace, Environmental Education,
Moral and Civic Education and Consumer Education.
Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 3 LET’S EXPLORE
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10,11 ,12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23
CONTENTS Unit 3 LET’S EXPLORE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
ORAL AND WRITTEN OMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ORAL AND WRITTEN
- To read about exploration and x Comparison of past and present tenses. x Filling the gaps. COMMUNICATION:
discovery. x Text types: biography, article, narration, x Writing about a well-known explorer. x Being confident about the use
- To get specific information from description. of new vocabulary.
x Predicting information.
an oral text. x Conversational interaction about trips. x Showing interest in knowing
REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
important discoveries and
- To use self-learning strategies REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: x Classifying vocabulary: Geographical explorations.
for predicting information with x Vocabulary related to explorations and words.
visual help. discoveries. x Using time clauses in context.
x Being willing to correct oneself
- To distinguish pronunciation /d/, x Prepositions of movement. x Comparing past simple and past mistakes.
/t/ in past tense. x Final –ed of regular verbs. continuous.
x Showing interest in new
- To recognise and correct errors. x Time clauses in the past. x Paraphrasing sentences with used to. vocabulary.
- To tell stories. x Used to. x Completing a written text with the correct LEARNING TO LEARN:
- To narrate. LEARNING TO LEARN: verbal tenses.
x Recognising and correcting
- To transfer information. x Meaning and grammar rules inference. LEARNING TO LEARN: mistakes.
- To scan information. x Reference materials use. x Mnemonics on exploration words. x Showing interest in applying
x Previous knowledge use. x Organising ideas in a logical way. specific learning strategies.
x Relevant information recognition. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Identifying famous places and finding them x Showing respect for other
on a map. cultures.
x Cultures and societies different from ours.
x Role-playing journeys and visits to famous x Appreciating the cultural and
x Explorers.
places. historic traditions in other
countries.
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-Activity 1: Introductory questions about the topic. Looking at some pictures of animals that are in danger of extinction
Core Activities 1: and discussing the possible countries they come from and the best solution to save them. Timing: 30’
A round the world. -Activity 2: Reading a text on discoveries to get the main idea (skimming) and a biography on a famous explorer,
Jacques-Yves Cousteau, for specific information (scanning). Timing 45’
-Activity 1: Revision of uses and formation of past tenses (past simple and continuous); practising the tenses in context
by means of four exercises. Timing: 40’
Core Activities 2:
-Activity 2: Revision of adjectives in the appropriate order to describe people; word order exercise. Timing: 20’
Byographies.
-Activity 3: Forming compound adjectives by matching words. Using the compound adjectives to complete sentences.
Timing: 30’
-Activity 4: Finding information about a famous explorer and organizing it to write a biography. Timing: 1h
-Activity 1: Listening to a conversation between two teenagers who are discussing about a possible trip; listening for
Core Activities 3: main idea and for specific information. Timing: 25’
Where can we go? -Activity 2: By pairs, talking about past habits and about famous explorers and their lifestyle. Timing: 20’
-Activity 3: Identifying famous places and finding them on a map. Timing: 25’
-Activity 1: Taking a tour through ancient civilizations while composing a journal of their adventures. Webquest:
Core Activities 4: http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dmatousek/ancientwq/ancient_civilizations_wq.htm#Extension Timing: 3h
Ancient Civilisation Time Machine.
Exam. Timing: 1h
Tables
A. Assessment
Students are given a sheet to evaluate themselves at the end of the Unit. The teacher also assesses him/herself about the unit plan.
x Interacting about past and present actions.

x Answering questions to show specific comprehension of a text.
x Using the acquired linguistic and syntactic knowledge.
x Writing a short text about a history event.
- Initial evaluation. Through the warming up activity and Cousteau’s biography, the first reading of the unit, previous knowledge will be activated and
it will help me to establish learners' needs.
direct observation, daily assessment, class diary, tests, questionnaires, class work and home work and self-assessment sheet (10% of the mark), I specially
value the result of the exam at the end of the unit (60% of the mark) because he/she has to show an improvement in grammar and vocabulary. It will also be
considered the webquest project (30 % of the mark).
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56
METHODOLOGY
preferences.
- The learner becomes more and more autonomous in the learning providing him/her with the adequate techniques and procedures. The
teacher has to be aware of the practical application of learning in everyday life.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Geography, History
and Economics.
- The topic Let’s explore can be connected with cross-curricular topics such as Environmental education, Education for peace.
- Resources and materials: Internet, blackboard, DVD, a dossier with listenings, readings and grammar exercises.

Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 4 HEALTH RISKS
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 18, 19, 20, 25
CONTENTS Unit 4 HEALTH RISKS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
x Advices and opinions. x Preparing a leaflet about a healthy diet. COMMUNICATION:
- To examine different aspects of
health and fitness. x Text types: dialogue, discursive text, x Asking about fast food restaurants. x Showing respect for turn-taking
- To get general and specific medical article, leaflets. when speaking.
x Answering a survey.
information from a text. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
x Distinguishing between relevant and
- To make comparisons. x Vocabulary related to health and food. x Understanding the importance of
redundant information.
- To make predictions and accuracy.
x Prepositions. x Giving opinion about future actions.
deductions. x Appreciating the use of the
x Idioms. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: English language as a means of
- To talk about the future.
x Measures and dimensions. x Matching measurements and communication with people from
- To talk about causalty and result. dimensions.
x Simple future, continuous future. other cultures.
- To express measures and x Giving opinion about future actions.
x Conditional sentences: 1st type. x Showing initiative in using
suggestions.
x Relative clauses. x Completing sentences with relative reference material to check
- To recognise time clauses in doubts.
pronouns.
sentences. x Sound /h/ and soundless /h/ and / / and /
LEARNING TO LEARN: LEARNING TO LEARN:
- To identify /h/ and soundeless /h/ /.
x Using reading strategies. x Fostering self-confidence.
and / / and / /. LEARNING TO LEARN:
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Being willing to become more and
- To infere the meaning of unknown x Reflection on the structure of a medical
x Identifying components in packet food more autonomous as a learner.
words though the context and find text.
sinonyms. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: labels and medicines. x Being precise in using self-
x Calculating the amount of acquired correction strategies.
x National Health Service in England.
calories in a day. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
x Teenagers and physical appearance.
x Acquiring a critical attitude
towards fashion.
x Being respectful with other
habits and customs.
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CORE ACTIVITIES TEACHING /LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: Introductory questions about the topic. Looking at some pictures and talking about the changes in fashion
Core Activities 1: and people’s appearance over time. Timing: 30’
Fashion. Activity 2: Skimming and reading some excerpts from an advice column for teenagers, and answering some
questions about it. Timing: 50’
-Activity 3: Answering a survey about a healthy diet.Talking about the results with the rest of students.Timing: 50’
-Activity 4: Matching measurements and dimensions.Timing: 20’
-Activity 1: Looking at some pictures and identifying different food types. Timing: 30’
Core Activities 2: -Activity 2 Formulating the menu for a new fast food franchise. Webquest:
A new restaurant. http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/food/NutritionWebquest.html Timing: 2h
-Activity 1: Listening to an interview about National Health Service in England and answering some questions about
Core Activities 3: it.Timing: 30’
National Health Service. -Activity 2: Distinguishing between /h/ and soundless /h/ and / / and / /. Timing: 20’
-Activity 3: Group work. Talking about the National Health Service in Spain and comparing it with the English one.
Timing: 40’
-Activity 1: Completing sentences with the correct comparative or superlative form.Timing: 50’
Core Activities 4:
-Activity 2: Completing a text with the future tenses (will or going to). Timing: 55’
First Conditional.
-Activity 3: 1st Conditional. Filling in the blanks with the correct form of the verb. Timing: 45’
Exam. Timing: 1h
Tables
A. Assessment
Students are given a sheet to evaluate themselves at the end of the unit. The teacher also assesses him/herself about the unit plan.
x Preparing a leaflet with a healthy menu.

x Giving advice.
x Understanding concrete information of a text.
x Using the acquired linguistic and syntactic knowledge.
- Initial evaluation. Through the oral exercise, learners' previous knowledge will be activated and it will help me to establish learners' needs.
- Summative evaluation. Although this kind of evaluation is the result of the assessment of activities and procedures used, and the learner’s attitude -direct
observation, daily assessment, class work and homework ( 10% of the mark), I specially value the exam (60% of the mark) because the student has to show the
acquired knowledge through the unit. The webquest project will also be considered for evaluating this unit (20% of the mark).
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METHODOLOGY
In the development of this Unit, the following methodological principles have been taken into account:
- Previous learner's experiences, ideas and knowledge are taken as a turning point to associate it with the news material, so learner can
preferences.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Physical Education,
Biology, Chemistry and Maths.
- The topic Health risks can be connected with cross-curricular topics as Health Education, Education for Peace, Moral and Civic Education,
Consumer Education.

Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 5 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17,18, 21, 23
CONTENTS Unit 5 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND FUTURE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES DEVELOPMENTS
- To review the meaning and use of x Agreement and disagreement. x Reading graphs. COMMUNICATION:
modals. x Distinction between facts and opinions. x Guessing the meaning from the x Respecting other students’point of
- To talk about possibility. content. view.
x Road vehicles and road safety.
- To show concession in writing. x Predicting information. x Showing a critical attitude towards a
x Advantages and disadvantatges.
- To interact about the use of scientific text ideological content.
x Text types: scientific articles, dialogues, x Listening to a dialogue about
household appliances. technological advances. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
descriptions and interviews.
- To practice brainstorming. x Producing /s/, / /, /t /. x Being aware of different text types.
- To use self-learning strategies as REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: x Showing initiative in using reference
inferring meaning from context. x Vocabulary related to science. materials.
x Matching similar concepts.
- To think about English language x Use of the passive voice to describe LEARNING TO LEARN:
system, recognising and applying x Memorizing words related to science
events. x Recognising the importance of co-
word formation rules. and technology.
LEARNING TO LEARN: operation.
- To use reading strategies: getting x Expressing the same idea with
x Use of a scientific dictionary. different words and structures. x Appreciating reference and
global and specific information correction instruments.
from oral and writing texts. x Direct and indirect objects. x Classifying sentences according to
their structure. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
- To organise a composition. x Use of gerund and infinitive.
LEARNING TO LEARN: x Appreciating the importance of the
- To pronounce the sounds /s/, / /, x Use of modals.
English language as a vehicle for
/t /. x Use of the passive with modals. x Understanding a sequence.
technological development and
- To use the passive to describe SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Using a variety of reading strategies. scientific exchange.
events. x Using the rules to make a composition. x Being aware of traffic rules
x The American influence in technological
- To take a look at technology in our SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: importance in personal security.
development.
lives. x Reading a scientific text.
x Commenting a scientific text in class.
x Writing a paragraph about cars.
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-Activity 1: Warming up activity. Brainstorming; reflecting on science, its effects and functions. Timing: 35’
Core Activities 1: -Activity 2: Reading the text about a scientific experience and identifying the function of the text; answering
An experiment. comprehension questions about the text. Timing: 50’
-Activity 3: Finding synonyms and correct paraphrases of new words and expressions from the text, using different
passive structures in context. Identifying pairs of synonyms. Timing: 35’
-Activity 1: Revision of modals; completing a chart. Timing: 35’

Core Activities 2: -Activity 2: Completing a text with modal perfect tenses. Timing: 35’
Modal perfect tenses. -Activity 3: Receptive and productive exercises about the infinitive and gerund.Timing: 45’
-Activity 1: Using the sounds /s/, / /, /t / to pronounce some words. Timing: 20’
-Activity 2: Listening to a radio program about the effects of the American influence in technological developments;
Core Activities 3: identifying the main idea and listening for details. Timing: 35’
American technology. -Activity 3: Getting information about the structure and content of a formal letter, and different connectors to express
purpose. Timing 40’
-Activity 4: Planning and writing a formal letter complaining about heavy traffic; error correction. Timing: 1h30’
-Activity 1: Getting information about the role of women in Science and Technology. Webquest:
Core Activities 4: http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/women.html Timing: 1h.
Women in Science. -Activity 2: Open class discussion. Have women contributed to the progress that science has made the same as men?
Timing: 1h
Exam. Timing:1h.
Tables
A. Assessment
x Expressing orally the advantages and disadvantages of technologies.

x Giving one’s opinion.
x Writing a formal letter of complaint.
x Reading a scientific text.
x Getting specific information from a scientific magazine or a recorded speech.

- Initial evaluation. Through the warming up activity and the first reading of the unit, previous knowledge will be activated and it will help me to
establish learners' needs.
direct observation, daily assessment, class work, homework and the self-assessment sheet (10% of the mark), I specially value the result of the exam at
the end of the unit (60% of the mark) because the student has to show an improvement in grammar and vocabulary. It will also be considered the open
class discussion based on the webquest project (30 % of the mark).
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METHODOLOGY
preferences.
procedures. He/she is aware of the practical application of learning in everyday life.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Science, Technology
and Maths, Chemistry and Physics.
- The topic Science, Technology and Future Developments can be connected with cross-curricular contents such as consumer education,
environmental education, sexual equality.

Tables
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 6 HIGH ON SPORT
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,14, 16, 17,24
CONTENTS Unit 6 HIGH ON SPORT

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
x Use of communicative strategies. x Interacting giving solution to the violence in COMMUNICATION:
- To read about the origin of
different sports. x Text types: byographical press articles, sports. x Showing respect for turn-
advertising leaflets, dialogues, headlines. x Answering a survey. taking when speaking.
- To discuss about violence in
sports. x Use of specific information in a reading text x Writing a composition about sports. x Being willing to interpret the
- To use learning strategies: to give an opinion. meaning of headlines.
x Exchanging oral and written information.
paraphrasing, inferring and x Oral interview about sports. x Paying attention to accuracy
x Transferring written information from a text when speaking.
summarising. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: to a chart.
- To use reading strategies: x Showing initiative in asking
x Vocabulary related to sports and sports REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
mnemonics on sports words. questions.
facilities. x Deducing present perfect rules.
- To practise with the simple past REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
x Present perfect and present perfect x Using an appropriate rising or falling
and present perfect tenses. continuous. x Being willing to compare past
intonation. tenses structure and use.
- To listen to an interview about
x Uses of since/for/still/already/yet. x Contrasting past tenses structure and use.
sports and identify specific LEARNING TO LEARN:
information. x Play, do, go + sports. LEARNING TO LEARN: x Recognising the importance
x Going to + infinitive. x Using reading strategies such as prediction. of grammar reference
x Intonation: sentences with present perfect. . x Classifying and organising vocabulary into sections as a means of
LEARNING TO LEARN: word groups. developing autonomy in
x Being willing to compare past tenses SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: language learning.
structure and use. x Comparing school sports in different SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: countries. x Respecting other habits and
x Sport and health. x Identifying international sport terms. customs.
x The most common sports in English x Being aware of the
speaking countries. importance of practising
sports.
x Specific sports origins and descriptions.
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A. Assessment
x Self-evaluating.
x Contrasting the uses of past tenses.
x Participating in a mock-interview to a sportsman in the radio.
- Initial evaluation. Through the speaking and reading, learners' previous knowledge will be activated and it will help me to establish learners' needs.
direct observation, daily assessment, class work and homework and self-assessment sheet (10% of the mark), I specially value the result of the exam at
the end of the unit (60% of the mark) because he/she has to show his/her progress in English. It will also be considered the webquest project about
Adventure Sports (30% of the mark).
Tables
METHODOLOGY
preferences.
procedures. He/she is aware of the practical application of learning in everyday life.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Physical Education
and Biology.
- The topic High on Sport can be connected with cross-curricular topics such as Health education, Moral and civic education, Education for
sexual equality and drug addiction prevention.

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SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Unit 7 HAVE A NICE TRIP!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15,16, 19, 25
CONTENTS Unit 7 HAVE A NICE TRIP!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
x Description of exotic places. COMMUNICATION:
- To use visual help for improving x Transferring information from input to
comprehension. x Interaction about trips. output. x Being confident using the new
vocabulary.
- To get specific information from an x Countries: weather differences. x Writing about routes.
oral text. x Showing respect to cultural
x Text types: Tourist brochures with x Expressing a personal opinion about diversity.
- To use learning strategies as descriptions and suggestions, holidays.
matching symbols and words, and dialogues. x Being willing to organise a
x Discussing photographs. tourist route.
classifying vocabulary. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
- To pronounce /ai/, /ei/. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
x Points of the compass. x Applying grammar rules to real
- To describe photographs. x Considering errors as a part of
x Past continuous and past perfect. communicative situations. learning process.
- To tell travel stories.
x Time expressions. x Completing sentences and answering x Showing initiative in using
- To recognise and correct questions.
x Silent letters. reference material to check
mistakes.
x Vocabulary related to descriptions of x Comparing exotic places. doubts.
- To interact using personal LEARNING TO LEARN:
opinions about holidays. places, holidays and means of transport. x Appreciating corrections.
LEARNING TO LEARN: x Deducing the meaning of a word from the LEARNING TO LEARN:
- To apologize and complain about
x Informal letters and postcards. context. x Reflecting on the importance of
something.
x Learning strategies: memorising, x Applying different techniques to memorise coherence and cohesion in
- To develop a critical attitude
deducing and practising. travel expressions. students’ written texts.
towards advantatges and
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Fostering self-confidence.
disadvantatges of ressorts.
x Lifestyles and customs in different x Identifying countries from souvenirs. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
places. x Identifying famous places finding them on a x Appreciating the cultural
x Interpersonal relationships: postcards map. traditions from other places.
and letters. x Exchanging socio-cultural information with x Recognising and respecting
x Hobbies and spare time. classmates. different customs from the own
x Role-playing journeys. ones.
Tables
- Activity 1: Introductory questions. Reflecting on traveling experiences. Timing: 35’

Core Activities 1: - Activity 2: Reading a text about a travel story, inferencing extra information. Timing: 35’
Around the world. - Activity 3: Answering questions about the text. Timing: 25’
- Activity 1: Working on the different meanings and rules of past perfect and past continuous. Timing: 45’
Core Activities 2: - Activity 2: Completing sentences with tenses that can be used in clauses of time; using them in context. Timing: 40’
Time clauses.
- Activity 1: Describing a landscape using different connectors of sequence. Timing: 1h30’

Core Activities 3: - Activity 2: Filling in a given text the correct connectors. Timing: 35’
I’ve got a postcard! - Activity 3: Planning and writing a postcard of a trip that students have gone on; sending it to a partner via mail address;
getting pictures from the page http://www.steveheller.com/tripix/eurtrip.htm; error correction. Timing: 1h40’
- Activity 1: Listening to an interview of a woman who wants to go to third world countries as a volunteer. Timing: 30’
Core Activities 4: - Activity 2: Answering some multiple choice questions about the interview. Timing: 20’
Helping people. - Activity 3: Listening to and pronouncing words to distinguish the sounds /ai/, /ei/. Timing: 10’
- Activity 4: Open class discussion. Talking about what to do in some hypothetical situations; using some given structures.
Timing: 40’
- Activity 5: Acting out a dialogue expressing opinions about an English speaking country. Timing: 1h30’
Exam. Timing: 1h
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A. Assessment
x Describing a photograph.
x Getting general and specific information from a written text related to travel.
x Acting out a dialogue about an English country using new vocabulary.
x Describing a visited place using the acquired strategies.
x Writing a postcard describing a holiday place.
- Initial evaluation. Through the oral reflection and the reading, learners' previous knowledge will be activated and it will help me to establish learners'
needs.
direct observation, daily assessment, questionnaires, class work and homework and the self-assessment sheet (10% of the mark), I specially value the
result of the exam at the end of the unit (60% of the mark) because he/she has to know the grammar and vocabulary of the unit. It will also be considered
important the previously organised dialogue about a topic related to an English speaking country (30% of the mark).
Tables
METHODOLOGY
preferences.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Geography and
Science.
- The topic Have a nice trip! can be connected with cross-curricular topics such as Education for peace, Environmental education, Moral
and civic education.

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TERMINAL OBJECTIVES Unit 9 THROUGH THE WEB
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26
CONTENTS Unit 9 THROUGH THE WEB

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
x Communicative software use. x Listening to a speech. COMMUNICATION:
- To match titles and texts.
x Letter writing. x Putting sentences into reported speech. x Showing interest in knowing
- To infer words meaning.
Internet world.
- To use the dictionary. x E-mail use. x Being able to contact to other people
x Reflecting about the English
- To scan a text. x Text types: computer magazine, via Internet.
language and comparing it to
- To get specific information report, dialogues, internet pages. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: the Catalan one.
- from a text. REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE: x Expressing the same idea with different REFLECTION ON LANGUAGE:
- To know about English x Indirect speech: statements words and structures.
x Reflecting about English
- loanwords in Catalan/Spanish. and commands. x Matching words to form compound words. language and comparing it to
- To use the reported speech. x False friends. x Participating in an English ‘chat’. the Catalan one.
- To narrate facts and events. x Compound words. x Contrasting the meaning of similar words x Being accurate in using
- To use different searchers in x Cognates: do/make, say/tell. from English and Catalan languages. reference and self-correction
Internet. instruments.
x The sound /3:/. x Transferring concepts from input to output.
LEARNING TO LEARN:
- To write a summary. LEARNING TO LEARN: x Pronouncing words with the sound /3:/.
x Being willing to use the new
- To activate the previous x Previous knowledge use. LEARNING TO LEARN:
knowledge to improve reading technologies.
x Reference materials use. x Activating previous knowledge to improve
comprehension. x Appreciating cooperation.
x Meaning and grammar rules inference. listening and reading comprehension.
x Appreciating the amount of
SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS: x Using the different stages of writing a
information that can be found
x Internet as a learning English composition.
through the net.
resource. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:
x Ignoring irrelevant or non-appropiate
x Interpersonal relationships: a new way x Appreciating the importance
information. of Internet nowadays.
to be in touch.
x Contrasting English and Spanish: x Showing interest in knowing
the compound adjectives. useful net addresses to
practice English.
Tables
-Activity 1: Introducing the unit talking about the e-mail use (open discussion). Timing: 25’
-Activity 2: Reading an informative text; distinguishing opinions from facts; identifying the topic sentence; finding synonyms
for new words and expressions; completing sentences using words from the text; answering multiple choice questions about
Core Activities 1: the text. Timing: 55’
I’ve got an e-mail. -Activity 3: Identifying idioms in a written text. Timing: 20’
-Activity 4: Contrasting the meaning of similar words from English and Catalan languages (false friends). Timing: 25’
-Activity 5: Completing sentences with the following cognates: do/make, say/tell. Timing: 20’
-Activity 1: Practicing question intonation. Timing: 10’

-Activity 2: Pronouncing words with the sound /3:/. Timing: 10’
Core Activities 2: A Chat.
-Activity 3: Listening to a commercial speech. Answering comprehension questions; explaining the main idea. Timing: 35’
-Activity 4: Participating in a chat with 16-years-old students from Taunton School, in Somerset, England. Timing: 2h
Core Activities 3: -Activity 1: Completing sentences with vocabulary related to computers. Timing: 20’
Computers language. -Activity 2: Planning and writing an opinion essay on Internet using different connectors to express purpose and result.
Error correction. Timing: 1h40’
-Activity 1: Completing a chart about reported speech statements and commands. Timing: 15’
Core Activities 4: -Activity 2: Rewriting sentences into reported speech. Completing rules. Timing: 50’
Reported Speech. -Activity 3: Completing a passage with the correct verbal tense. Timing: 35’
Exam Timing: 1h
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A. Assessment
x Sailing through Internet looking for specific information.

x Using the linguistic and syntactic knowledge acquired.
x Completing sentences with the acquired vocabulary.
x Writing a text using the acquired vocabulary.
x Taking part in class activities.
x Consulting the dictionary.
x Self-evaluating the acquired contents.
- Initial evaluation. Through the open discussion, learners' previous knowledge will be activated and it will help me to establish learners' needs.
- Formative evaluation. Most of the activities are thought to let the student check his/her continuous progress and help me to make the
adequate revision of the activities and procedures.
- Summative evaluation. Although this kind of evaluation is the result of the assessment of activities and procedures used, and the learner’s attitude
-direct observation, daily assessment, class diary, class work and homework and self-assessment sheet ( 10% of the mark), I specially value the result
of the exam at the end of the unit (70% of the mark) because the student has to show his/her progress in English. It will also be considered “special” the
previously organised essay on Internet (20% of the mark).
Tables
METHODOLOGY
- Previous learner's experiences, ideas and knowledge are taken as a turning point to associate it with the news material, so learner can
- Methodology is learner-centred. Student participates actively in setting the objectives, so the process will be adapted to his/her needs
and preferences.
- The contents are interrelated in global tasks and activities. It is fostered the interdisciplinary with other areas such as Computer
studies, Philosophy.
- The topic Through the web can be connected with cross-curricular topics such as Moral and Civic Education, Consumer Education.

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Glossary 77
GLOSSARY
• Accuracy: Producing language with no • Active vocabulary: Vocabulary that students
errors. actually use in speaking and writing.
• Achievement test: A test to measure what • Active: Related to student engagement and
students have learned or achieved from a study participation. For example, listening is perceived
programme; it should be part of every language to be a passive skill, but is actually active as it
programme and be specific to the goals and involves students in decoding meaning.
objectives of a specific language course. These
tests must be flexible to respond to the particular • Alphabet: A complete standardised set of
goals and needs of the students in a language letters –basic written symbols– each of which
programme. roughly represents a phoneme of a spoken
language, either as it exists now or as it may
• Activate: The phase in a lesson where students have been in the past. English uses the Roman
have the opportunity to practice language forms. or Latin alphabet, which consists of vowels and
See “controlled practice”, “guided practice”, and consonants.
“free practice”.
• Vowel: A sound in spoken language character-
• Active listening: A technique whereby the ized by an open configuration of the voice tract so
listener repeats (often in other words) what that there is no build-up of air pressure above the
the speaker has said to demonstrate his or her vocal chords. The Roman vowels include the let-
understanding. Active listening is a particularly ters “a”, “e”, “i”, “o”, “u” and sometimes “y”. In all
useful alternative to directly correcting a student languages, vowels form the nucleus of a syllable.
error. A vowel also completes a syllable.

• Semivowel: A sound that is much like the • Aural: Related to listening.
vowel, but is not the key (core) sound in a syllable.
Examples: the opening sounds in the words “yet” • Authentic text: Natural or real teaching
and “wet”. material; taken from newspapers, magazines,
radio, TV or podcasts.
• Consonant: An alphabetic character which
represents a sound created by a constriction or • Automaticity: A learner’s ability to recover
closure at one or more points along the vocal a word automatically, without straining to draw it
tract. Consonants form the onset or end of a from memory.
syllable, or both.
• Behaviourism: the belief that learning should
• Aptitude: The rate at which a student can be based on psychological study of observable
learn a language, based on raw talent. Aptitude and measurable psychology only; psychological
does not seem to be related to attitude; a gifted theory based on stimulus-response influenced
student can have a poor attitude. audiolingualism.
• Attitude: A complex mental state involving • Brainstorming: A group activity where
beliefs, feelings, values and dispositions to act in students freely contribute their ideas to a topic to
certain ways. Attitude affects a student’s ability to generate ideas.
learn, but is unrelated to aptitude.
• Chomsky, Noam: His theories of knowledge
• Audiolingualism: A form of language learning of language and language acquisition relate
based on behaviourist psychology. It stresses the as much to the study of human nature as to
following: listening and speaking before reading language teaching. Chomsky’s claim that…all
and writing; activities such as dialogues and humans speak a single language is based on
drills, formation of good habits and automatic the discovery that the same symbol-manipulating
language use through constant repetition; use of machinery, without exception, underlies the
target language only in the classroom. world’s languages. Linguists have long known that
the basic design features of language are found
• Audio-visual aids: Teaching aids such as everywhere… A common grammatical code,
audio, video, overhead projection, posters, neutral between production and comprehension,
and various other displays of pictures and allows speakers to produce any linguistic
graphics. message they can understand, and vice versa.

Glossary 79
Words have stable meanings, linked to them by • Colloquialism: A word or phrase used in
arbitrary convention… Languages can convey conversation –usually in small regions of the
meanings that are abstract and remote in time or English-speaking world– but not in formal speech
space from the speaker, (and) linguistic forms are or writing: “Like, this dude came onto her real
infinite in number. bad.”
• Chorus: Speaking together as a group; used • Communicative Competence: The role of
in choral speaking and jazz chants. language learning is to achieve communicative
competence. Communicative competence
• Classroom climate: Environment created has four parts, which we call language
in the classroom by factors such as the physical competencies.
environment and also the interrelationship 1. Grammatical competence is how well a
between the teacher and the students, and person has learned those features and rules
among the students. of the language. This includes vocabulary,
pronunciation and sentence formation. The main
• Classroom management: The management question is: How well does a person understand
of classroom processes such as how the English grammar?
teacher sets up the classroom and organizes 2. Sociolinguistic competence how well a
teaching and learning to facilitate instruction. person speaks and is understood in various
Includes classroom procedures, groupings, social contexts. This depends on factors such
how instructions for activities are given, and as status of those speaking to each other, the
management of student behaviour. purpose of the interaction, and the expectations
of the interaction. The main question is: how
• Cloze: A technique usually used to assess socially acceptable is the person’s use of English
students’ reading comprehension. It can also be in different settings?
used as a practice activity. Teacher blanks out 3. Discourse competence how well a person
certain words from a written text and students fill can combine grammatical forms and meanings
in the missing words based on their understanding to achieve different types (genres) of speaking or
from context. writing. The main question is: How well does one
properly combine all the language elements to
• Collocation: The way words are often used speak or write in English?
together. For example, “do the dishes” and “do 4. Strategic competence how well the
homework”, but “make the bed” and “make noise”. person uses both verbal forms and non-verbal
communication to compensate for lack of enough experience, we become unconsciously
knowledge in the other three competencies. competent: we know it and we can do it, and we
The main question is: Can a person find ways do not have to think about it much. This model
to communicate when he or she is lacking some applies to a great deal of language learning, to
knowledge of English? TEFL training and to many other areas of study.
• Communicative Language Teaching: • Comprehensible input: Language that is
Communicative language teaching (CLT) is an understandable to learners.
approach to foreign or second language learning
which emphasizes that the goal of language • Content words: Words that carry meaning;
learning is communicative competence. The usually nouns, verbs and sometimes adjectives
communicative approach has been developed and adverbs.
particularly by British applied linguists as a
reaction away from grammar-based approaches • Context clues: Clues used when guessing
such as the aural-oral (audio-lingual) approach. word meanings; clues that provide students
Teaching materials used with a communicative with meaning or comprehension based on the
approach teach the language needed to express environment in which a word is found.
and understand different kinds of functions, such
as requesting, describing, expressing likes and • Contrastive analysis: Comparing two
dislikes, etc. Also, they emphasize the processes languages to predict where learning will be
of communication, such as using language facilitated and hindered.
appropriately in different types of situations; using
language to perform different kinds of tasks, e.g. • Controlled practice: Practice of language
to solve puzzles, to get information, etc.; using forms in a way that is controlled by the teacher.
language for social interaction with other people.
• Creative construction hypothesis:
• Competence learning model: Once Hypothesis in language acquisition which states
we begin our course of studies, we become that learners gradually develop their own rule
consciously incompetent: we know how much we systems for language.
do not know. From there we proceed to conscious
competence: we have functional knowledge and • Culture: The sum of the beliefs, attitudes,
can perform competently, but we have to think behaviours, habits and customs of a group of
about what we are doing. Finally, after we have had people.

Glossary 81
• Deductive teaching: Also known as in the classroom than in other approaches. The
deduction, from the verb “to deduce”; a teaching facilitator may also take the role of mentor or
technique in which the teacher presents language coach rather than director.
rules and the students then practice those rules in
activities. Deductive teaching is usually based on • Feedback: Reporting back or giving
grammar-based methodology and proceeds from information back, usually to the teacher; feedback
generalizations about the language to specifics. can be verbal, written or nonverbal in the form
of facial expressions, gestures, behaviours;
• Descriptive grammar: Grammar that is teachers can use feedback to discover whether
described in terms of what people actually say a student understands, is learning, and likes an
or write, rather than what grammar books say activity.
tho grammar of the language should be. See
“prescriptive grammar”. • Fluency: Natural, normal, native-like speech
characterized by appropriate pauses, intonation,
• Diagnostic test: A test to diagnose or stress, register, word choice, interjections and
discover what language students know and what interruptions.
they need to develop to improve their language
abilities; may be used before a course of study • Form-focused instruction: The teaching
and combined with placement test. of specific language content (lexis, structure,
phonology). See “language content”.
• Dictation: A technique in which the teacher
reads a short passage out loud and students write • Free practice: Practice activities that involve
down what the teacher reads; the teacher reads progressively less control by the teacher.
phrases slowly, giving students time to write what
they hear; the technique is used for practice as • Functional syllabus: Syllabus based on
well as testing. communicative acts such as making introductions,
making requests, expressing opinions, requesting
• Facilitator: A concept related to a teacher’s information, refusing, apologizing, giving advice,
approach to interaction with students. Particularly persuading; this type of syllabus is often used in
in communicative classrooms, teachers tend to communicative language teaching.
work in partnership with students to develop their
language skills. A teacher who is a facilitator tends • Gesture: A facial or body movement that
to be more student-centered and less dominant communicates meaning; examples include

a smile, a frown, a shrug, a shake or no of centered teaching technique where the students
the head. Gestures often accompany verbal discover language rules through extensive use of
communication. the language and exposure to many examples.
This is the preferred technique in communicative
• Graded reader: Reading material that has language teaching. (See “ Deductive teaching”.)
been simplified for language students. The
readers are usually graded according to difficulty • Input hypothesis: Hypothesis that states
of grammar, vocabulary, or amount of information that learners learn language through exposure
presented. to language that is just beyond their level of
comprehension. See “Krashen, Stephen”.
• Grammar translation: A method of language
teaching characterized by translation and the • Interference: A phenomenon in language
study of grammar rules. Involves presentation learning where the first language interferes with
of grammatical rules, vocabulary lists, and learning the target or foreign language.
translation. Emphasizes reading rather than
communicative competence. • Interlanguage: The language a learner
uses before mastering the foreign language; it
• Grammatical syllabus: A syllabus based on may contain features of the first language and
the grammar or structure of a language; often the target language as well as non-standard
part of the grammar translation method. features.
• Guided practice: Intermediate step in • Interlocutor: In a conversation, this refers to
teaching between controlled and free practice the person you are speaking to.
activities; there is still some teacher guidance at
this stage. • Intonation: How we change the pitch and
sound of our voice when speaking. See “language
• Idiom: A group of words whose meaning content”.
is different from the meanings of the individual
words: “She let the cat out of the bag” or “He was • Krashen, Stephen: His Theory of Second
caught red-handed.” Language Acquisition is a highly practical theory
for communicative language learning. This
• Inductive teaching: Also known as induction, notion of second language acquisition consists
from the verb “to induce”; a facilitative, student- of five main hypotheses: the Acquisition-Learning
Glossary 83
hypothesis; the Monitor hypothesis; the Natural and then uses the account to teach language,
Order hypothesis; the Input hypothesis; and the especially to develop reading skills.
Affective Filter hypothesis. These hypotheses
represent practical interpretations of what • Language learning requirements: To learn
happens in language acquisition, and they form language, students have four needs: They must be
the basis of a system of language teaching called exposed to the language. They must understand
“The Natural Method.” its meaning and structure. And they must practice
it. Teachers should hold their students as able.
• Language content: Language has three They should not over-explain or make things too
components, which are commonly taught as easy. Learning comes through discovery.
language items.
1. Structural items are grammatical points about • Language skills: In language teaching, this
the language. CL teachers frequently introduce refers to the mode or manner in which language
these as examples or model sentences, and they is used. Listening, speaking, reading and writing
are often called “patterns”. are generally called the four language skills.
2. Phonological items are features of the sound Speaking and writing are the productive skills,
system of the language, including intonation, while reading and listening are the receptive skills.
word stress, rhythm and register. A common way Often the skills are divided into sub-skills, such
to teach phonology is simply to have students as discriminating sounds in connected speech, or
repeat vocabulary using proper stress and understanding relationships within a sentence.
pronunciation.
3. A lexical item is a new bit of vocabulary. It is • Learning burden: These are the features of
sometimes difficult to decide whether an item is the word that the teacher actually needs to be
structural or lexical. For example, the teacher taught, and can differ dramatically from word to
could teach phrasal verbs like “chop down” and word. Especially in lexis, the teacher needs to
“stand up” as lexis or structure. reduce learning burden by, for example, reducing
the number of definitions and uses presented.
• Language experience approach: An
approach based on teaching first language reading • Learning factors: For EFL teachers, four
to young children, but adapted for use with adults. factors outside aptitude and attitude affect the
Students use vocabulary and concepts already rate at which a student learns a second language.
learned to tell a story or describe an event. The These are (1) the student’s motivation, including
teacher writes down the information they provide, whether it is instrumental or integrative; (2) the
amount of time the student spends in class sometimes used to mean the language used in
and practicing the language outside class; (3) class to give instructions, explain things, etc. – in
the teacher’s approach to teaching; and (4) the essence, to refer to all teacher talk that does not
teacher’s effectiveness and teaching style. The specifically include the “target language”.
most important of these motivators are the first
two, which are also the two the teacher has least • Model: To teach by examples; a teacher
control over. See also “aptitude”, “attitude” and who wants students to do an activity may first
“TEFL vs. TEFL”. demonstrate the activity, often with a student
volunteer.
• Lesson plan: An outline or plan that guides
teaching of a lesson; includes the following: • Motivation: In language instruction, the desire
pre-assessment of class; aims and objectives; to learn.
warm-up and review; engagement, study,
activation of language (controlled, guided and • Native speakers: Those who speak English
free practice); and assessment of lesson. A as their mother tongue.
good lesson plan describes procedures for
student motivation and practice activities, and • Needs assessment: Measurement of what
includes alternative ideas in case the lesson is students need in order to learn language and
not long enough or is too difficult. It also notes achieve their language learning goals; also may
materials needed. include consideration of the school syllabus.
• Look and say: Also called the whole-word • Non-native speakers: Those who speak
method, a method to teach reading to children, English as an additional language. English is not
usually in their first language; has been adapted their mother tongue.
for second-language reading; words are taught in
association with visuals or objects; students must • Objectives: Also called aims; statements
always say the word so the teacher can monitor of student learning outcomes based on student
and correct pronunciation. needs; objectives state specifically what the
students will be able to do in a specified time
• Metalanguage: Language used to period; objectives are measurable and therefore
describe, analyse or explain another language. involve specific and discrete language skills.
Metalanguage includes, for example, grammatical
terms and the rules of syntax. The term is • Oral: Related to speaking.
Glossary 85
• Passive vocabulary: Vocabulary that proficiency level or ability; can be used to
students have heard and can understand, but do determine entry and exit levels of a language
not necessarily use when they speak or write. programme or to adjust the curriculum according
to the abilities of the students.
• Peer correction: Also known as peer review,
peer editing, or peer feedback; in writing, an • Rapport: Relationship, usually a harmonious
activity whereby students help each other with one, established within a classroom between
the editing of a composition by giving each other teacher and students and among students.
feedback, making comments or suggestions; can
be done in pairs or small groups. • Realia: Real or actual objects used as
teaching aids to make learning more natural;
• Phonemic awareness: Awareness of the can include forms, pictures, tickets, schedules,
sounds of English and their correspondence to souvenirs, advertisements and articles from
written forms. English magazines or newspapers, and so on.
• Placement tests: Tests used to place students • Recycling or spiralling: Sometimes called
in a specific language programme; such tests the cyclical approach; the purpose is to repeat
should reflect programme levels and expectations language items throughout the syllabus; each
for students at each proficiency level offered by time a language item is encountered more detail
the language programme. about it is added; this allows students to build on
prior knowledge.
• Prescriptive grammar: Grammar that is
described in terms of grammar rules of what is • Register: Level of formality in speech with
considered the best usage, often by grammarians; others; register depends on the situation, location,
prescriptive grammar may not agree with what topic discussed, and other factors.
people actually say or write.
• Scan: To read quickly for specific information;
• Proficiency level: Describes how well a a reading stratagem.
student can use the language (often categorized
as beginner, intermediate or advanced). • Skim: To read quickly for main idea or general
information; a reading stratagem.
• Proficiency tests: General tests that provide
overall information on a student’s language • Social context: The environment in which

meanings are exchanged; can be analysed in • Student feedback: Information solicited
terms of the field of discourse, which refers to from students by the teacher to assess
what is happening, including what is being talked the effectiveness of the teaching-learning
about; the tenor of discourse, which refers to the process.
participants taking part in the exchange of meaning,
including who they are and their relationships with • Student-centred: Also called learner-
each other (for example, teacher and students); centred, a way of teaching that centres on
and the mode of discourse, which refers to what the goals, needs, interests and existing
part the language is playing in the particular knowledge of the students. Students actively
situation and what “channel” (writing, speaking or participate in such classrooms and may even
a combination of the two) is being used. be involved in setting learning outcomes.
Teachers in student-centred classrooms
• Sociolinguistics: Aspects of culture that affect ask students for input on their goals, needs
communication with others; examples: social and interests and on what they know before
class, education level, age, gender, ethnicity. providing them with study topics or answers
Also, see “communicative competence”. to questions (for example, grammar rules).
They may also ask students to generate
• Student and teacher: Teachers have different (help produce) materials. The teacher is
roles in the classroom. They are authorities and seen more as a facilitator or helper than the
sources of knowledge; entertainers; caregivers; dominant figure in the classroom.
role models; counsellors and sometimes
friends; classroom disciplinarians; directors and • Syllabus or curriculum: The longer-term
managers; facilitators, coaches and guides. teaching plan; includes topics that will be covered
The most important person in the classroom is and the order in which they will be covered in a
the student. The teacher’s primary focus must course or programme of studies.
be on effective ways to have the student practice
using his or her language. Classes should be • Syntax: the way in which words are combined
planned so they enable the student to use just to form sentences and the rules governing
a little more language than they are comfortable sentence formation.
with. This is known as “i+1” – an idea popularised
by Stephen Krashen. This formula is short for • Tape script: A written text which accompanies
“comprehensible input plus one.” Comprehensible listening material; it may be used to make cloze
input is language the students can understand. passages or for student review.
Glossary 87
• Task-based syllabus: A syllabus organized There is no point in presenting exotic vocabulary
around a sect of real, purposeful tasks that until students have mastered basic, high-
students are expected to carry out; tasks may frequency words. Learners should be tested on
include telephone use, making charts or maps, high-frequency word lists for passive knowledge,
following instructions, and so on; task-based active production and listening comprehension.
learning is purposeful and a natural way to learn Learners cannot comprehend or speak at a
language. high level without these words as a foundation.
Learners need to spend time practising these
• TEFL vs. TESL: TEFL is an acronym for words until they are automatic; this is known
Teaching English as a Foreign Language; TESL, as building automaticity. Since there is often
for Teaching English as a Second Language. not enough class time for much word practice,
teachers need to present their students with
• Technique: A way of presenting language. strategies for developing automaticity outside the
classroom.
• Thematic syllabus: Syllabus based on topics
of interest to the students. • Vocabulary-based syllabus: Syllabus built
around vocabulary; often associated with the
• Top-down information processing: Students grammatical syllabus and the grammar translation
learn partially through top-down information method.
processing, or processing based on how students
make sense of language input – for example, • Worksheet: paper-based activities to help
through using students’ previous knowledge or students comprehend, use, and learn language;
schema. it can be used in association with all skill levels
and in individual and group work.
• Uninterrupted sustained silent writing:
A technique in writing whereby a specified,
relatively short period of time is set aside in class
for students to practice their writing without being
interrupted. This helps build writing fluency.
• Vocabulary, importance of: Core vocabulary
(the most common 2000-3000 English words)
needs to be heavily stressed in language teaching.

Bibliography 89
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alexander, L.G. (1980), Threshold Level English, Oxford: Pergamon.
Ausubel, D., 1985, Learning As Constructing Meanings. London Palmer Press.
Chomsky, N., 1965, Aspects of Theory and Syntax. Cambridge.
Ellis, R., 1994, The study of Second Language Acquisition. OUP.
Freeman, D. & Richards, J.C., 1996, Teacher Learning in Language Teaching. CUP.
Grzega, Joachim (2005), “Reflection on Concepts of English for Europe: British English, American
English, Euro-English, Global English”, Journal for EuroLinguistiX 2: 44-64
Grzega, Joachim (2005), “Towards Global English via Basic Global English (BGE): Socioeconomic and
Pedagogic Ideas for a European and Global language (with Didactic Examples for Native Speakers of
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Krashen, S. & Terrell, T., 1983, The Natural Approach. Oxford Pergamon Press
Krashen, S., 1989, The Input Hypothesis. Longman.
Nunan, D. 1989, Communicative Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. CUP
Nunan, D., 1987, The Learned Centred Curriculum. Cambridge Applied Linguistics. CUP.
Nunan, D., 1989, Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. CUP.
Nunan, D., 1992, Research methods in Language learning. CUP.
Peter McKenzie-Brown., 2007. Reflections on Communicative Language
Teaching; The Language Institute, Chiang Mai University.
Prabhu, N.S., 1987, Second Language Pedagogy. OUP.
Quirk, Randolph (1981), “International Communication and the Concept of Nuclear English”, in: Smith,
Larry E. (ed.), English for Cross-Cultural Communication, 151-165, London: Macmillan
Ribé, R. & Vidal, N., 1992, Project work Step by Step. Heinemann.
Rinvolucri, M., 1989, Challenge to Think. CUP.
Rubin, J., 1987, Learner Strategies in Language Learning. Prentice Hall.

Schmitt, N. And Mc Carthy, M., 1998, Vocabulary: Description , Acquisition and pedagogy.
Stein, Gabriele (1979), “Nuclear English: Reflections on the Structure of Its Vocabulary”, Poetica
(Tokyo) 10: 64-76.
Tomalin, B. &  Stempleski, S. & Maley, A. 1994, Cultural awareness, resource books for teachers. OUP.
Ur,P. & Wright, A., 1992, Five-minute Activities. Longman.
Widdowson, H.G., 1979, Explorations in Applied Linguistics. OUP.
Willis, J., 1996, A framework for Task-based Learning. Longman.
Willis, J., 1996, Challenge and Change in Language Teaching. Heinemann ELT.
Wright, A. & Haleem, S., 1991, Visuals for the Language Classroom. Longman.
Aitchinson, J., 1994, Words in the mind. Blackwell.
Baxter, A., 1997, Evaluating your Students. Richmond Publishing.
Dornyei, Z., 1994, “Motivation and Motivating in the Foreign Language
Classroom”. The Modern Language Journal. 78(3): 273-284.
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Lynn, R., 1995, Mistakes and Correction Using the Strategy of the Dolphin.
Morgan, J. & Rinvolucri, M., 1989, Once Upon a Time. CUP.
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Classroom Bibliography
Aitken, R. Teaching Tenses. Nelson.
Baker, A. Introducing English Pronunciation. CUP.
Barnes, R. Get your tenses Right. CUP.
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Bibliography 91
Cambridge Word Selector. Cambridge.
Collins Picture Dictionary. Collins.
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D.Bolton., Behind Working Grammar. (Workbook).  Nelson.
Ellis, G. & Sinclair B. Learning to Learn English. (Workbook). CUP.
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Audio-visual Materials
A Weekend Away. Oxford.
Faces of  Britain. Longman.
Follow Me. BBC English.
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People You Meet. Longman.
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English Wall Charts. BBC.
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Scrabble. Spear’s Game.
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Internet
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http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/
http://webquest.org/index.php/
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Teaching English at University Level

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Aquest llibre nomes es posa a virtuals, no s’imprimeix xx AULA POLITÈCNICA

en papaer, per tant la coberta no te sinopsis,

Mònica Soler Lorente

Mònica Soler Lorente

Disseny de la coberta: Jordi Calvet

© Mònica Soler Lorente, 2008

© Edicions UPC, 2008

I: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ITS GLOBAL CONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

II: WHICH VARIETY TO TEACH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

III: THE CLASSROOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IV: OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

V: METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VI: SYLLABUS DESIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Language learning is regarded as extremely So, it is considered a tool for international

is clearly heterogeneous in our classrooms.

Mònica Soler i Lorente

CHAPTER I: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ITS GLOBAL CONTEXT

“Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language -natural

The Common European Framework of of language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines,

Reference for Languages examinations, textbooks, etc. across Europe. It

As previously stated, there is an inminent describes in a comprehensive way what students

as a means of harmonising these studies. and on a life-long basis”.

based on language knowledge, instead we also be mentioned. This document is a personal

structures, public in the former and private in the

information. and America are two countries divided by a

ELT (English language teaching) is a widely-used common language.”

teacher-centred term, as in the English language

English for speakers of other languages) and contested.

TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language)

are all also used. English outside English-speaking countries

EFL, English as a foreign language, indicates the

Terminology and typology use of English in a non-English-speaking region.

circumstances. In English-speaking countries, of educational tourist, particularly immediately

means there is no presumption that English is however, this is extremely rare.

second language. used alongside ESL, usually in reference to

TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other to be explicitly taught, by speakers of a creole

CHAPTER II: WHICH VARIETY TO TEACH

learn the variety spoken there. However, for

International English, a term with contradictory evidence from linguistic research.

grammatical patterns inappropriately onto the even [ts] or [dz]).

L2, pronouncing certain sounds incorrectly or

with difficulty, and confusing items of vocabulary Vowel phonemes

transfer or “language interference”. However, depends on the variety of English: for

create difficulties for learners. Conversely, distinctions.

because such a large number of people are

studying it, products have been developed to help Syllable structure

defining vocabulary. four after it (e.g., straw, desks, glimpsed). The

syllable structure causes problems for speakers

Pronunciation of many other languages. Japanese, for example,

Consonant phonemes broadly alternates consonant and vowel sounds

for months). the world’s other major languages are syllable-

timed, with each syllable coming at an equal

often schwa. For example, from has a distinctly a native speaker.

unstressed, the short ‘o’ reduces to a schwa does.

in words such as chocolate (which has four nationalities.

by Americans: “choc-lit”.) auxiliary is stressed (I really am very sorry)

and unable because of their position in a sentence,

but this is more difficult for inexperienced Connected speech

English speakers. Moreover, learners tend to Phonological processes such as assimilation,

listening to natural spoken English, as well as

[eɪtbiːtl̩znθɹiːjæns]. a relatively high degree of idiomatic usage. For

example, the use of different main verb forms

Grammar in such apparently parallel constructions as “try