Advanced Listening, Speaking, and Note-taking Skills for Internationals
ESL 435 – 4 undergraduate credits – Spring 2016
Contact Information
Instructor Name: Eric Duwe
Office: Curtin 695
Email: duwe@uwm.edu
Mailbox: in Curtin 672 (ESL Main Office)
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
(or schedule an appointment at a different time)
Class Sessions
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Fridays 12-3:20 p.m. in Curtin 219
Each student also has five individual conferences throughout the semester with the instructor
Course Prerequisites
This course is open to international graduate-level students and undergraduate students of junior or senior
standing who want to focus on improving listening, speaking, and note-taking skills at an advanced level.
Other undergraduate students should consider taking ESL 135 or 145.
Course Description
ESL 435 assumes that students already have an advanced control of English. The course aims to refine
advanced students’ overall English language control through extensive work in listening and speaking.
Classroom activities will focus on a combination of individual presentations, small group discussions, and
language exercises which are designed to improve aural and oral communication skills. Audio and video
recordings will frequently be made during the semester for monitoring individual language development and
to aid in assessing and improving individual performance. Finally, various note-taking exercises/aspects will
also be a fundamental element of the course.
In addition to the classroom meetings, regular individual conferences with the instructor will focus directly on
the oral communication needs of each student.
Credit
This is a four-credit course which may be taken for credit/non-credit but may not be audited.
Required Texts
 Foreign to Familiar
Author: Sarah A. Lanier (2000)
ISBN 1-58158-022-3
 Educating Milwaukee
Author: James K. Nelsen (2015)
ISBN 978-0-87020-720-4
It’s recommended you make your purchases for these
two books at uwm.ecampus.com (online) or Neebo
(“Panther Bookstore” on 3132 N. Downer Ave).
When you are ready to purchase, bring your course
syllabus with you so you have the exact name and
number of the course and the required books.
Additional Materials
In addition to your textbooks, bring a pen/pencil, notebook, and your class handouts with you each class
session. The instructor will post content on D2L and will let you know whether these additional resources
should be printed or can be brought in a digital format. Finally, you will be responsible for recording and
uploading some audio files, so you will need an audio recording device.
Learning Outcomes
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Overall Language: Students are able to comprehend and respond to a broad range of typical graduatelevel instructions, discussions, and note-taking situations. Students have a good command of idiomatic and
academic expressions. Students are not expected to perform like “native speakers” but can appropriately
comprehend and respond to any graduate course work environment.
Listening: Students are able to comprehend academic lectures, classroom discussions, and comments of
graduate peers.
Speaking: Students are able to speak clearly with others by being aware of phonetic elements like place
and manner of articulation, voiced or unvoiced sounds, etc., as well as standard American English stress
patterns and intonation. Moreover, students can work effectively in pairs, small groups, and entire class
discussions.
Note-taking: Students are able to take notes with confidence in any classroom lecture or gleanings from
readings, student discussions, etc.
Administrative Drops
Students who do not attend the first class may be administratively dropped from the course to make space for
students wishing to add the course.
Attendance Policy
Attending classes and conferences is essential to your success in this course. You will get the most benefit
out of each class and conference by coming prepared and on time. Students arriving late or leaving early will
receive partial attendance credit for the day. Students missing more than half a period will be marked absent
for the day.
Failure to come to class may also negatively affect your participation grade for the class, and students who
miss more than two class sessions may not be eligible to have their final portfolio accepted.
If you need to be absent for a religious celebration, you can (and should) go, but alert your instructor in the
first three weeks of the class to make alternative arrangements for exams or presentations. More information
can be found in the university policy: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
D2L
D2L (Desire2Learn) is an online resource that we will use often for this class. You will need to become
comfortable using D2L to find extra materials for class, check your attendance and grades, and submit
assignments using the Dropbox and Discussions features.
Classroom Behavior
These behaviors, common in the U.S. university environment, will help you and your classmates succeed in
this class.
DO:
 Check your UWM email (Office 365) and D2L accounts every day. Your instructor may communicate important
class information with you there.


Come to class every day on time.
Communicate with your classmates and teachers in English, even if you share a common language other than
English.
DON’T:
 Do not leave during class time unless you have a medical emergency. Leaving the classroom to answer a cell
phone call is not acceptable.
 Do not use your cellphone, laptop, tablet, or headphones in class unless your instructor allows you to use them.
 Do not chat with classmates during class time, especially when the instructor or a classmate is speaking.
Homework
Students should expect to do two hours of homework for every one hour in class. As ESL 435 is a four-credit
class, you should expect to do at least eight hours of homework out of class each week. Be prepared to
manage your time well so you can invest the time you need to be successful in this course.
All homework is required. Some homework will be collected, some will be submitted on D2L, and some is
for personal exercise. For most weeks of class, students will be responsible for submitting a homework
assignment to D2L. Notice that these small assignments add up to significant portion (20%) of your grade.
Late submissions are penalized and may not be submitted after other students have already received feedback
and grades on the assignment.
It is against university policy to turn in work done by another person. Consequences for this type of academic
dishonesty include failure of a course and expulsion from the university. See the university policy:
http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
Final Portfolio
In the final class session, a listening/speaking task will be given to all students enrolled in the course. This
task will constitute your portfolio, which will be evaluated by a three-member panel to determine the grade
you receive on it.
Final Grades
 D2L assignments (10) = 20%
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Quizzes (listening/note-taking skills) = 20%
Presentation 1 = 10%
Class seminar contributions = 10%
Presentation 2 = 10%
Portfolio task = 20%
Attendance and participation = 10%
Grading Scale:
100-94 A, 93-90 A-, 89-87 B+, 84-86 B, 80-83 B-, 79-77 C+, 74-76 C, 70-73 C-, 69-67 D+, 64-66 D, 60-63 D-, 59-0 F
Additional Information
Take the time to look through these other important UWM policies:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/resources/upload/Syllabus-Links.pdf
Students with disabilities. Verification of disability, class standards, the policy on the use of alternate
materials and test accommodations can be found at the following: http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
Students called to active military duty. Accommodations for absences due to call-up of reserves to active
military duty should be noted. http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment). Definitions of discrimination. Harassment, abuse of
power, and the reporting requirements of discriminatory conduct are found at the following:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf
Complaint procedures. Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit or department in
which the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed
to the head of the department or academic unit in which the complaint occurred or to the appropriate
university office responsible for enforcing the policy. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm
Grade appeal procedures. Procedures for student grade appeal appear at the following:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm
Final examination policy. Policies regarding final examinations can be found at the following:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S22.htm
ESL 435 Tentative Schedule
(last updated 1/28/16; subject to change)
Prepare as HW for the week
Conferences
-D2L Assignment #1 (Due
Wednesday, Feb 3 at noon)
-D2L HO: Phonetic alphabet
-Complete Student Information
Sheet
-D2L Assignment #2 (Due
Wednesday, Feb. 10 at noon)
-D2L HO: Vowel Overview
-Read FtF p. 7-54
Conference 1:
Diagnostic testing /
listen to
presentation, set
goals
Conference 1
continued
-D2L Assignment #3 (Due
Wednesday, Feb 17 at noon)
-Read FtF p. 55-118
-D2L HO: Consonant overview
-D2L HO: Beginning and Final
Consonants; joining final
consonants
-Begin to develop a basic idea for
Presentation 1
-Read FtF p. 119-128
-PREPARE PRESENTATION 1
-D2L HO: Syllables and Stress in
Words: Overview
-D2L Content A/V
-D2L Assignment #4 (Due
Wednesday, Mar 2 at noon)
-Read and practice “Discussion Useful Phrases” (D2L)
-D2L HO: Rhythm Overview
-D2L Assignment #5 (Due
Wednesday, Mar 9 at noon)
-D2L HO: Intonation Overview
Conference 2:
Review basic
pronunciation
packets, individual
needs practice
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conference 2
continued
-Read EM Intro p. 1-5 / notes
-D2L HO: Final Intonation Patterns
- D2L HO: Listing Intonation;
rising intonation on question words
9
-D2L Assignment #6 (Due
Wednesday, Mar 30 at noon)
-Read EM Part 1 p. 9-61 / notes
-D2L HO: Beginning Consonant
Clusters
-D2L HO: Final Consonant
Clusters; joining final consonants
(Feb 12)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Quiz 1
-Receive overview of Presentation 1
-“Foreign to Familiar”
(Feb 19)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Discuss Presentation 1 format
-A great presenter
-Complete Presentation 1 goal checklist
-“Foreign to Familiar”
(Feb 26)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Individual Presentation 1
-“Foreign to Familiar”
(Mar 4)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Review presentation/reflection
-Class Seminar (practice)
-“Taboo”
(Mar 11)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Quiz 2
-“Taboo”
-Receive overview of Presentation 2
(No class on Mar 18)
Spring Break
8
In-Class
(Jan 29)
-Welcome, meet colleagues, class expectations,
initial self-evaluation, prepare and present selfintroduction
-“Resolutions”
(Feb 5)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Introduction to note-taking
-“Resolutions”
Conference 3:
Practice rhythm,
pronunciation
packets (review and
new), review
presentation
Conference 3
continued
(Mar 25)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-“Educating Milwaukee”
(Apr 1)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Presentation 2
-“Educating Milwaukee”
10
11
12
13
14
15
-D2L Assignment #7 (Due
Wednesday, Apr 6 at noon)
-Read EM Part 2 p. 65-141 / notes
-D2L HO: Predicting Stress; parts
of speech and suffixes
-D2L HO: Words Used as Nouns or
Verbs; Words with Prepositional
Prefixes
-D2L Assignment #8 (Due
Wednesday, Apr 13 at noon)
-Read EM Part 3 p. 145-178 / notes
-Prepare comments on peers’
presentation
-D2L HO: Vowels Followed by /r/
-D2L Assignment #9 (Due
Wednesday, Apr 20 at noon)
-Prepare answers to seminar
discussion
- D2L HO: TH sounds
-D2L Assignment #10 (Due
Wednesday, Apr 27 at noon)
-D2L HO: Primary and Secondary
Stress; unstressed syllables;
moveable stress
- D2L HO: Stressed and Unstressed
Words
-D2L HO: Thought Groups
-D2L Content A/V
(Evaluate portfolios)
Conference 4:
individualized
exercises, reading
through short story,
pronunciation
review handout
(Apr 8)
-Individual Presentation 2
-Discuss readings + extra practice
- Quiz 3 (In-class video)
-“Educating Milwaukee”
Conference 4
continued
(Apr 15)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Peer response to Presentation 2
-“Educating Milwaukee”
(Apr 22)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
- Seminar on class topics (graded)
-“Algorithms”
Conference 5
(Apr 29)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Quiz 4
-“Algorithms”
Conference 5
continued
(May 6)
-Discuss readings + extra practice
-Wrap up/class survey
-PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT