Survival English Communication Course
1) Context and Course Description and Your Rationale for Choosing
The teaching context of my course is basically community based, informal one. There's
no institutionalized setting.
Actually, first it started with an idea of good will how about helping those who just came
to the US from other non English speaking countries, and who are quite suffering to
adjust to the new surroundings mainly because of the language barrier.
Every year here in Philadelphia suburban area hundreds of new family from foreign lands
added, and biggest part of them is Japanese, Korean, Indian population. Especially the
neighborhood where I stayed can be called Japanese community because such many
Japanese people are living here. As a good neighbor and same Asian person I want to
make friends with them and willing to help them. After some observation I found that
most of Japanese house wives are very limited in their English proficiency and therefore
as mom and housewife they have many difficulties to manage the family lives in this
totally new foreign culture.
So it occurred to me that an English conversation course can be helpful to them if it is
designed well enough to accommodate the Japanese learners' practical needs and wants.
Of course there have been already a couple of English as Second Language courses
which are held in some church or library. But unfortunately, I found that quite many of
these courses are dwindling or even dispelled in both sense of quantity and quality
because of bad economy. Therefore it's not so easy thing to find really helpful supportive
ESL course provided free by state or county funds.
So I came to plan this program, so called survival English program for the imminent
visitor to the US. One of my Japanese neighbors became an affecting motivator in
materializing this program specifically. She had just moved in to the US a couple of
months ago, so still having many difficulties in dealing with many things while
looking after her kids. Especially because her English proficiency level is low (among 5
point scale, very low- low- medium- high- very high), she is never feeling comfortable in
relatively plain communicative situation.
After a while she suggested other Japanese women's joining, the number of members
who welcomed the idea of this course and promised to participate proactively became
five finally.
Actually, my students have had some trial and error experience in searching the ESL
course which fits best for their needs. Most said in one voice from their experience that
in many community ESL course they couldn't find any instructional structure such as
scripted contents or lesson plan. Most of them are being managed in just spontaneous
way in which participants are required to speak just voluntarily with spontaneous topics,
even though some classes have designated a text book. So, in such case, all of my
students felt embarrassed and uncomfortable mainly because their speaking ability in
English is currently very limited and partly because they are generally have quite shy and
self- conscious trait as well.
Moreover when they turn to the private institute language course as an alternative they
also got disappointed because the courses are usually located in central Philadelphia - a
bit far away from the suburban area they are living- and their timetables are quite
demanding 3 hours a day / 2-3 days a week- it's very hard for my students who are moms
of very young kids. Overall they are too demanding for the students' situation let alone its
tuition which is somewhat considerable.
So quite many Japanese women just gave it up to study English in regular and consistent
way after some trial and error or rarely thought it promising their seek to learn English. In
addition, even though The Delaware County Literary Council promised them to provide a
free tutor or ESL course, in reality, the promise are not so promising, resulting in being
held in waiting list too long and after all nothing happened quite often. Sometimes just
calling there and referring to their service is challenging mission to my students unless
they can get help from translator. Unfortunately the DCLC doesn't provide interpretation
that, I thought, is quite absurd because it's an agency for helping literally illiterate
population.
Anyway, for this or that reason my Japanese housewife students are very delighted when
heard about this course that was supposed to be uniquely designed for their needs.
The physical setting of this course is a small conference room of public library. That
place is furnished with one round table and chairs for 7~8 people, and white board. There
was not laptop provided there, but I and a few other members can bring their laptop for
referring when some needs occur.
The theoretical foundation of this program in conceptualizing content is the combination
of communicative approach and structural view of language. With regard to the learner's
background, especially the fact they were taught the English as Foreign Language, they
currently couldn't adapt to fully context or content-based courses. In other words, they
still need to renew their structural knowledge of English. The grammatical structure and
vocabulary is still very critical factor in their stage of learning English. However, the
contrasting difference from their previous experience in learning English is that they are
now living in English speaking country, so they now always have to use English not as
foreign language but as real communicative tool in context and with content. This shift is
very critical point in developing course for Japanese or Korean learners who came to the
US for a visit.
2) Needs Assessment
In assessing their needs as learner I came to realize assessing itself is quite challenging
part of this course development project. Just because I don't know their mother tongue
and they don't know English well.
But fortunately I was able to get helping hands from another Japanese friend whose
English is quite great and she suggested being a teacher aid role in this course from then
on. Also their relative good reading comprehension made it possible to grasp their present
position and wishful position in near future in learning English. I made a simple
questionnaire and took an interview with each student one by one with the questionnaire.
The questions are following.
Questionaaire
Q1. How many years have you studied English?
Q2. How long have your stayed in the US?
Q3. Self assessment of English proficiency (speaking & listening)
Speaking: among 1 low – 5 high
Listening: among 1 low – 5 high
Q4. Your greatest strength or weakness as a learner of English
Q5. Why do you want to learn English?
Q6. What made you decide to take this class?
Q7. Aspects of your English you would like to improve in this class
include…(pleases as
specific as you can)
Q8. Are there any specific topics you want to learn about in this class?
Q9. Do you usually do anything in your spare time to help learn English, such as
watching TV or listening to radio or reading newspaper?
Q10. How do you feel about speaking English in classroom? Comfortable or
uncomfortable?
Q11. How much time per week are you prepared to spend on homework or
reviewing what you learned from this class?
Q12. Do you prefer individual work or working with others?
Q 13.Try to explain in what ways you prefer to learn English in a classroom?
(please as specific as you can)
After a couple of weeks' observation as a friend and prospective course developer at the
same time and interviews with above questionnaire, I found that their speaking and
listening comprehension is low level(beginner, score 1 -2 among 5 scale), meanwhile all
learners are college graduate or above, and they already obtained relatively good
understanding in written English( score 3 . middle in 5 scale), but not writing ability.
Their personal goal in English learning differs depending on individual, but their
common wish is that they could communicate with the American people, not with broken
English but relatively proper proficiency. Interestingly most of them are confessing
feeling hurt in pride when they got conscious of their incorrectness even in simple
sentence. Partly because of their social status in their home country, they seem pretty
sensitive in the aspect of correctness and propriety in using language, not only in the
communicative function.
In addition, they think they could speak much better if they could have the opportunity to
recollect and review the essential knowledge they had learned long time ago during
school days in their home country.
This seems mainly because of their learning experience in which English is taught not as
content based or communicative tool but usually from structural view, that is grammar
and vocabulary. Yet, I feel I should respect their feeling and also agree with their idea
about the need to review those parts. And furthermore, it's necessary to incorporate their
understanding in that structural knowledge part with practical usage in real
communicative context.
3) Consideration of Resources and Constraints
From the first moment of emerging the idea about this course I realized I had to consider
about some significant constraints. First of all, it's language barrier between the students
and instructor, I. Their English proficiency is very limited and I can not understand their
mother tongue at all.
Actually I've never taught this kind of learners before. My teaching experience was only
with Korean students.
Of course so many ESL classes are being held in similar condition with this. That is,
after all, usually ESL instructors are native English speakers who were born and raised
and educated in America. Therefore they also can't understand the ESL students' first
language and sometimes the learners and the instructor together must have felt some
inconvenience and significant miscommunication could happen.
However, another separate problem still came out. I wondered if it's really beneficial
thing or reasonable for them to have me- non native English speaker as their English
teacher?
In fact, if the instructor can't get complete trust from his learners, it's a biggest barrier to
happening learning. So, bluntly I asked them directly. How do you think? Is it really
good thing for you to have me as your English teacher while there are so many seemingly
better alternatives, simply native English speaker? Their answers were quite encouraging.
They said "yes, because you understand our troubles, and understand how to help us in
coping with the troubles with regard to English learning. And we are very much alike in
that we are at same neighborhood, mom with kids, temporary visitors. Most of all your
English sound perfect."
As a novice as an English teacher except in Korea, I feel I should be geared quite
differently. But somewhat fortunately their mother tongue Japanese language has same
structure in many ways with Korean language and their approach and experience in
learning English is very similar with that of Koreans. Moreover my Japanese students
are feeling affinity for me cause I'm sharing many things in common with them.
So I just decided to try.
Another major challenge in this course is the learners' attitude in especially speaking
ability. Without doubt they can't speak error-proof English for now. Still they should just
talk even with much imperfectness and try to talk more though. But their attitude is too
shy or too self-conscious. Or if seen differently, they are holding too much pride to just
approach with a humble and innocent manner in learning English.
As most people should agree, English as a foreign language is never something easy to
obtain. It took quite amount of time and efforts to be somewhat able. It's not the problem
of specific individual's aptitude or determination. Especially when just staying at home
country Korean or Japanese rarely have opportunity to communicate in English. Even in
America, English speaking country, many staying -at- home mom foreigners like my
students soon found it almost impossible to contact native English speakers continuously
in meaningful communicative way. Without any social position such as job or being a
student or volunteer, their social circle would fix to their own comrade- Japanese people.
In this situation perhaps the only opening to learning English to some degree in which
they can communicate with some confidence is ESL course and as mentioned earlier,
most ESL course have its flaws many ways. After all, my course can be quite significant
opportunity for the learners. This fact is I feel, from the course developer's point ,one of
the most important motivation and biggest challenge at the same time.
4) Goals and Objectives
The main goal of this course is to help the students become more
effective and confident in using English in their daily life.
This course is based on the combination of both structural syllabus and functional
syllabus. Because, according to what I found from the learners' needs assessment, they
are clearly in need of recollecting basic grammar or structural knowledge of English
above all, and at the same time, while trying to apply the knowledge to the real life
context in which they should function - communicate in English.
Therefore the educational objectives naturally come from these two syllabi, one
is instructional objective and the other one is performance objective.
The objectives can be described as such. First, at the end of the course the learners will
be able to recollect their given knowledge of English grammar and structure so that they
become confident in utilizing it in real communicative situation.
Second, during the course the learners will get accustomed to many communicative
contexts such as bank, post office, school conference, etc in which some particular terms
and expressions are required to use, so at the end of the course they will be able to
understand and use those words properly to the specific situation.
5) Conceptualizing Content
I’ll present this part by showing tentative course outline as below.
week
Topic
1st
Get started
2nd
make play date
appointment
Learing
pointsgrammar/
useful
expression
Inquiring
sentence
Objective
activities
-The students will
understand the contents
and general structure of
this course
- The students will be
able to ask various
types of questions (wh
type+ yes/no type)
- Course instruction
- ice breaker activity
-The students will be
able to make play date
appointment
communicating with
detailed information
-learning new
vocabulary and
expression and
practicing them with
peers and instructor
-sharing related
experience and
simulating this
situation
- practicing
conversation through
role play with peers
3rd
participate
in parentsteacher
conference at
school
Expressing
concerns/
asking a
favor
-The students will be
able to express worry
or concerns and ask a
favor
- sharing former
experience in
meeting with kid’s
teacher
- The students will be
prepared to next
conference with
enhanced
communicative ability
- writing down all
inquiries and
concerns about their
kids’ school life
-simulating the
conference situation
and take the each
role of teacher and
mom by turns
4th
report the child's
absence or late
arrival to the
school office
Acquiring
Telephone
conversation
manner
-The students will be
able to understand the
manner of phone
conversation and use it
properly
5th
At the pharmacy
Describing
abnormal
condition
- The students will be
able to express pain and
abnormal condition
-learning related
terms and useful
expressions
-Practicing role play
The student will be able with peers
to ask questions about
-Going to pharmacy
symptoms and medicine with a peer and do
the task and
recording the
conversation
- Listening the
recorded
conversation with
peers and instructor
and sharing
assessing opinions
-The students will be
-learning related
able to understand the
terms and useful
process in opening
expressions
bank account and use
-Practicing role play
specific terms in
with peers
banking
-The students will be
-learning related
able to understand the
terms and useful
process in sending
expressions
parcels and use proper -Practicing role play
expressions at the post
with peers
office
-
6th
At the bank
Opening
bank
account
7th
At the post
office
Sending
parcels
.
-learning basic and
typical telephone
conversation
expressions
- Oral practice with
peers in simulating
real situation
6) Selecting/Adapting/Creating Materials and Activities
After a great deal of consideration, I determined to combine existing teaching material
already published for ESL or EFL instruction and new material adapted from it .Mainly
because of the lack of time, but also because the judgment there must be established
relevant reference book to fit for my learners' condition.
Finally I discovered a great book titled" Oxford picture dictionary 2nd edition" published
by Oxford Press. In spite of the title as "dictionary", it's never conventional word
dictionary but situation listed one so that users can depend any time when they wonder
what would happen and what word and expression would be necessary in that situation.
Its strong point is being oriented for those who are at initial stage of immigrating to the
US, so in great need of basic concept of the way of living in America. The volume and
vocabulary covered here never looks overwhelming rather very dependable in many
common situation where the learners might need some guidance.
Based on this book, I'll prepare more detailed teaching materials that help the learners
remind the basic structural knowledge of English grammar. In other words, "the picture
dictionary" and "structural grammar guide" will be two interrelated backbone of this
course.
But at the same time I will try to respond the individual learner's request such as some
specific grammar part or pronunciation that can be tricky for Japanese learners. It could
be also about the real communicative problem they encountered in their adjusting to new
culture. In that case I'll try to help them solve or understand the problem mainly through
teaching the appropriate language use in that context.
7) Organization of Content and Activities
Regarding this, refer to the tentative course outlines presented above. While focusing on
the topic and learning points, I’ll follow these steps in classroom activities
step 1. Reviewing what was taught in last class
step2 . Learning related vocabulary and expression
step 3. Sharing or presenting experience and concerns or questions in this situation using
the relevant vocabularies and expressions
step 4. Learning one relevant grammar points
step 5. Enhancing vocabulary and confirming the grammar points through oral practice
step 6. Reviewing what has been taught this class and presenting home assignment when
necessary .
Example: at optician's shop(eye glasses shop), at grocery store, at restaurant, at beauty
shop, at walmart, at pediatrics, at art center which gives art lesson or music instrument
lesson to the kids,at ice rink, at music instrument shop which sells or rents .... etc.
# Scene1.at sports clothes shop:
- questioining using these questions
eg) Where can I find swim suit for women? /Is that all you have? /Where is the
bigger(smaller, conservative,stylish) one?/ How much is it?/ Can you show me more
affordable one?/
- asking: Please show me other styles. I want you to give me more detail. Would you
be more specific? Would you bring that one for me? Could you give me some discount?
#Scene 2. at school conference:
- expressing concerns or asking questions to the teacher using these experssion
eg) How's my kid's social aspect? /Does he get along well with other kids?/ What's
his favorite subject?/ Does he participate actively during the class?/ Does he ask when he
has doubts or question?/ Does he volunteer in presenting his opinion or just respond to
the request? /What's his weakness point in his study? Is he showing progress in that
subject? What's your overall opinion about my kid? Is he doing well?/ In your view,
what's this most noticeble strength and weakness of his?
#Scene 3. at pharmacy
-asking questions to the employee or the pharmacist using these expression
eg) What medication is for runny nose(headache, stomache,cold, bruise,etc) for kids?
/Are you sure this is for kid under 5yrs old? /What's the difference between these
two brands?/Which is better?/ Which one is more affordable?/ Which one is best selling
product? /Give me some direction how to use it.
#Scene 4. talking through phone call to make a play date appointment or arrangement
#Scene 5. at dentistry(or pediatric dentistry), explaining the reason to visit and asking
all concerns about the examined problem.
#Scene 6. calling to the school office to report the child's late arrival or absence and
explain the reason and finally make sure that the counterpart understands well.
8) Evaluation
The assessment is ongoing process throughout the course.
At each session, first and last 5 to 10 minutes, I'll take a kind of reviewing time about
what we learned last time and newly this time each. It could be done from a short quiz or
simple question and answer or just talking freely. Between two objectives of this course,
this short assessment type is for instructional objectives- mainly grammar and vocabulary.
Meanwhile, with regard to performance objective, I’ll recommend that the learners go to
the site by themselves directly and confront the task. In such occasion it would be a good
idea to carrying a small recording device to the scene where they should really perform
some communicative function. After that, returning to the class I’ll have time for all
students listen to the recording and participate in assessment about how well the student
performed. It can be an another interesting and educational opportunity for students to be
involved as well as an assessment. At this time the learners will use a rubric developed
by instructor on what traits we should focus and how we evaluate the trait.
This is the rubric.
Primary Trait: Succeeding in verbal communication- especially in asking questions
or making requirements.
Score
0
1
2
3
Description
Failed to communicate at all- especially failed to make herself understood to the
counterpart from the starting point when asking questions or requiring what she
wants
Attempted to ask or require but did not make it clear enough so that the
counterparts got confused and asked back several times or ultimately failed to get
proper response
Talked with a bit of confidence and succeed in getting proper response but still
failed to proceed to more detailed question
Talked with quite big confidence and succeed in getting proper response and
succeeded in proceeding to more detailed question
And at the final week of the course, I'll take time to grasp whole perspective about this
course itself.
This is a non-grading course. However, self-assessment is also
recommended. After finishing all those tasks, learners should reflect on what they learned
from this class and these experiences. Also, the teacher will learn about learners’ progress
from ongoing observation of their performances and final interview with each learner. In
that interview, it will cover mainly what was gained through this course and also what
should or could have been done more both personally and class wholly for better results.
Also I feel I need to mention about the consideration what role feedback will play in my
general response to student language use during course. I made a decision to provide
explicit pronunciation feedback during lessons instead just focus primarily on
communication and meaning. That's not only because of general importance
pronunciation in communication, but also because especially in Japanese learners’ case
their language's totally different way of enunciation became a serious barrier to be
understood by counterparts.
Meanwhile, about accuracy in language forms I choose not to focus so much, if
ever. Because meaningful communication is much more important and imminent
demands than accuracy in language forms for the learners. Furthermore, in beginner's or
intermediate level learners' case, the focus on correctness is likely to divert their attention
to peripheral detail from communication itself, which is, in my view, one of the biggest
reason to frustrate so many learners in trying to obtain a foreign language.
In Korea, for quite long years, the custom of teaching English used to be oddly
emphasizing the correctness of its usage at the both phase of teaching and testing. It has
been criticized so severely that current teaching focus has been overturned to the contrary
from that. Therefore I'll point out such errors only when I decide it baffles the
communication seriously.
Course Syllabus
Spring 2012
Instructor: Youngju Lee
Assistant Instructor: Rie
Kikukawa
Class meeting
Tel: 617-510-1907 Youngju
TUE 10:30am -12pm
610-454-9789 Rie
Class room
E-mail:
Reserve room 116 at Radnor Library jewellee7054@gmail.com
or Radwyn Apt J29
riepoco@googlemail.com
Course Description:
This course is a nonacademic course for Japanese housewives who have come to the US
less than a half year ago and currently living in Philadelphia suburban area who wish to
improve their ability to communicate in English in a wide range of real life situations as a
mom and home manager.
This 12 week course is a task-based language teaching course, which covers the various
tasks the housewife students need to accomplish in their daily life. The course aims at
improving the students’ grammar or structural knowledge in English and spoken English
competence, and as well their awareness of American way of life in many specific
contexts
Goals and Objectives:
The main goal of this course is to help the students become more
effective and confident in using English in their daily life.
Also, students are expected to succeed in the following specific objectives:
1. The students will recollect useful grammatical or structural knowledge of English
2. The students will learn useful related terms and expressions in specific contexts and
will be able to use them properly and confidently.
In addition, I expect
3. The students will improve their intelligible pronunciation, stress and intonation
patterns.
4. The students will be able to use everyday English fluently in different situations and
accomplish tasks such as banking, in an English-speaking country.
5. The students will be aware of cross-cultural similarities and differences and have a
better understanding of North American culture.
Non-mandatory Requirements and Students Responsibilities:
1. Regular attendance is not required but recommended.
2. Active participation in class discussion and feedback sessions is expected of all
3. Completion of all the tasks the teacher assigns.
Course Materials:
-Main material: Oxford Picture Dictionary 2nd edition
published by Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-474016-6
- Other materials will be adapted from many sources such as internet or books,
magazines, newspapers.
Assessment and Evaluation:
This is a non-grading course. However, the teacher will learn about your progress from
interviewing you and as well from ongoing observation of your performance. Selfassessment is also recommended. After completing the course, you could reflect on what
you learned from this class and these experiences. Besides, the teacher is more than
willing to listen to your reflection on this whole course if you would like to.
Lesson Plan I -at the post office
1. Learning objectives
- The students get to know how to send their parcels at the US post office.
More specifically about several mailing options and postal systems in the US
- The students get to know how to ask various concerns to the clerk at the post office
- The students get to know the way of tracking the parcel and confirming its delivery
- The students will be able to use post office with communicative and informational
knowledge effectively and confidently
2. Learning materials
1) List of related terms and vocabulary
priority mail/ express mail/ media mail/ certified mail/ airmail/ ground post/ parcel post/
envelope/package/ book of stamps/ postal forms/ letter carrier
return address/ mailing address/ postmark/ scale/ postal clerk/ post office box/ automated
postal center(APC)/ stamp machine/ mail box
2) List of useful expression
-write a note in a card/ address the envelope/ put on a stamp/ mail the card/ deliver the
card/ receive the card/ write back
-overnight mail/next day mail/ express mail/ postage/ junk mail
- This letter has to get there tomorrow (Express Mail)
- This letter has to arrive in two days( priority Mail)
- This letter can go in regular mail (First class)
3. Learning activities
1) Do pair practice as below. And try new conversation
Ex) A: Hi, This letter has to get there tomorrow.
B: You can send it by Express Mail
A: OK. I need a book of stamps, too.
2) Discussion over what were taught or other concerns
- What kind of mail do you send overnight?
- Do you get junk mail? What do you do with it?
- What's your impression of US post office? What's the difference from your country's
post office?
4. Assessment through short quiz
Lesson plan II - at the bank
1. Learning Objectives
-The students will get to know how to use the bank, specifically how to open an account,
how to order check book.
- The students wil be able to communicate effectively using relevant terms and
expressions when using the bank.
2. Learning Materials
1) list of useful terms and vocabulary
ex) teller/ account/ customer/ deposit/ deposit slip/ security guard/ vault/ safety deposit
box/ valuables/ account manager/ passbook/
savings account number/ check book / checking account number/ atm card/ bank
statement/ balance
2) list of useful expressions
ex) cash a check/ make a deposit/ bank online/ insert your ATM card/ enter your pin/
withdraw cash/ remove your card
/ I'd like to open an account
/ What kinds of checking accounts do you offer?
/ I'd like to open a joint account with my husband and he'll be the primary account
holder
/ Do I have to buy the checks?
/ Are there any hidden fees?
/Can you change this twenty dollar bill to singles?
/What is this $30.00 charge on my account?
3. Learning Activities
1) check terms list through quiz (guess what?) or voluntary explanation
2) Small class discussion
: The students will have 10 minutes to talk in pairs and then share with the rest of the
class. This small discussion is a warm-up activity and can make the students feel
relative and get involved.
ex) what 's your experience in the US bank? Was it successful? Or what kind of
difficulty did you undergo?
3) Simulation
-Practicing role play as a teller and customer with peers utilizing related terms and useful
expressions
Lesson Plan III - at parents - teacher conference
1. Learning Objectives
-The students will be able to express worry or concerns about their kid.
- The students will be able to ask various questions about their kid's school life
- Then students will be able to ask some favors when necessary
2. Learning materials
1) List of related terms and vocabulary
ex) school enrollment processing/ immunization record/ birth certificate/ recent
record card/ certificate of studentship/ proof of enrollment/
proof of residence/ monthly mortgage bill /school district/ IEP(Individualized
Educational Plan)/ ELL( English Language Learner) /
ESY(Extended School Year)/ water and sewer bill/ tax bill/ private school/ public
school/ pre kindergarten/ half day/ morning class/ afternoon class/
full day/ recess time/ school district/ cafeteria/ 1st period/ passing time/ home
room teacher/ counselor/ freshman/ sophomore/ junior/ senior/
field trip/ pumpkin path/ permission slip/ junior high school/ choir/ book fair/
science fair/ ice cream social/ end of school year party/ farewell party
apple orchard/ petting farm /scholastics
2) important sample documents from school yellow envelope
- new terms from school calendar:
tardy bell/ dismissal bell/ 1st full day of school orientation/ curriculum night/ no
classes/ no school/ school resumes/ good Friday/ Memorial day/
Easter break
3) sample conference record for reference
3. Learning activities
1) Presentation about unique things about school system of the US by instructor or
voluntary student
2) Q & A time : what do you want to know about kids' schooling?
3) write down all your concerns you want to ask to the school teacher of your kid's
4) discuss about those concerns with each other - by turns in pair or altogether
5) read sample conference record and simulate using useful expressions