UNIVERSITY OF QUINDIO
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DIPLOMADO EN INGLÉS
SYLLABUS
ENGLISH III
COURSE
CODE
PREREQUISITE
CREDITS
HOURS
PER WEEK
WEEKS PER
SEMESTER
HOURS PER
SEMESTER
CEF
LEVEL
English III
160410301
English II
10
15
16
240
B1+
(Threshold
plus)
1. PROFESSOR:
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE:
The purpose of this course is to develop the four different types of language competence- communicative, cognitive, textual, and argumentative-- through the three components of
the subject: listening/speaking, grammar, and reading/ writing. Each component is
developed separately, but they should be integrated to promote the sociolinguistic
competence as one of the final outcomes. This course follows the guidelines proposed by
the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for this specific
level B1+ (Threshold plus)
2.1 The main focus of the listening/speaking component comprises the sociolinguistic
aspect of the communicative competence; however, the other competences should be
taken care of in due course. The cognitive aspects are concerned with different topics,
articulatory phonetics and phonology, language functions, and communication strategies.
Research activities will be part of the course as a way of promoting the learners relation
with their community and fostering the intercultural elements of the learners and the target
language group.
2.2 The central goal of the reading/writing component is to develop high levels of
comprehension and production of short compositions, outline, expository paragraphs, and
introduction to essay. Literal, inferential, critical and creative comprehension levels will be
aimed at. The components of the communicative competence to be developed are the
sociolinguistic, the discursive, the linguistic, and the strategic ones.
2.3 The grammar component of the course corresponds to the study of some of the
linguistic elements of the language. Grammar should be taught in context and envisaged
as part of language functions in order to develop speech acts at the communicative level.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:
3.1 General Objective:
To develop the basic communicative, cognitive and textual competences through the
three main components that constitute the course.
3.2 Specific Objectives:
 To develop fluency and accuracy in English.
 To read and write short compositions, outlines, expository paragraphs and
introductions to essays.
 To be aware of the grammatical aspects of the language and use them in
contextualized situations.
4. METHODOLOGY
This course responds to the present requirements of a foreign language teaching
methodology, which is perceived as an important tool in the current communicative
environment. In addition, it encompasses other abilities that go beyond the simple
commitment of accomplishing the linguistic needs. For this reason, this course is based
on the Action Method which focuses on the development of a set of skills that lead to the
acquisition of tools to enable communication in real life situations. During this course, the
2
speech acts are carried out through linguistic activities that are included in the social
context and contribute to the meaningful learning process of the students.
5. CONTENTS
3
COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE
Goals to achieve by the end ofThird Semester
Independent User: B1 + (Threshold plus)
Language
Skill
General
competence

GRAMMAR

WRITING
Specific Competences
Content
Can describe
experiences and
events, dreams,
hopes &
ambitions and
briefly give
reasons and
explanations for
opinions and
plans.
 Can give straightforward
descriptions on a variety of familiar
subjects within his/her field of
interest.
 Can reasonably fluently relate a
straightforward narrative or
description as a linear sequence of
points.
 Can give detailed accounts of
experiences, describing feelings and
reactions.
 Can describe events, real or
imagined.
 Can briefly give reasons and
explanations for opinions, plans and
actions.
 Review of Continuous tenses
(Past and Future)
 Review of perfect tense (Past
and Present)
 Future Perfect
 Perfect progressive tenses
(past present future)
 Adjective and Noun clauses
 Second and Third conditional
 Passive/Active Voice
 Pattern verbs
(Adj+Noun+Prep)
 Phrasal Verbs (Two and Three
word verbs)
 Gerunds/Infinitives
 The use of “Get-Wish”
 Reported Speech
 Michigan Practice I
Can produce
simple connected
text on topics
which are familiar
or of personal
interest.
 Can write straightforward connected
texts on a range of familiar subjects
within his field of interest, by linking a
series of shorter discrete elements
into a linear sequence.
 Can write straightforward, detailed
descriptions on a range of familiar
subjects within his/her field of
interest.
 The writing process-Outline
 The rules of punctuationoutline within the paragraph
structure
 Expository paragraph:
definition paragraph, Basic
APA rules
 Expository paragraph: process
paragraph (how to)
 Expository paragraph: process
paragraph (explanatory)
Suggested
underlying topics*
 Sports
 Technology
 Health
 Culture
 Entertainment
 Environmental Issues
 Final project:
Science Fair
*The topics suggested in
this section should be
specified, adapted and
contextualized according
to students’ historical and
cultural context.
 Can write accounts of experiences,
describing feelings and reactions in
simple connected text.
 Can write a description of an event,
a recent trip – real or imagined.
 Can write short, simple essays on
topics of interest.
 Can summarize report and give
his/her opinion about accumulated
factual information on familiar routine
and non-routine matters within
his/her field with some confidence.
 Can write very brief reports to a
standard conventionalized format,
which pass on routine factual
information and state reasons for
actions.

READING
Can understand
the main points of
clear formal and
informal input on
familiar matters
regularly
encountered in
work, school,
leisure, etc.
 Can understand straightforward
factual information about common
everyday or job related topics,
identifying both general messages
and specific details […]
 Can understand simple technical
information, such as operating
instructions for everyday equipment.
 Can follow detailed directions.
 Can read straightforward factual
texts on subjects related to his/her
field and interest with a satisfactory
level of comprehension.
 Can understand the description of
events, feelings and wishes in
personal letters well enough to
correspond regularly with a pen
friend.
 Can scan longer texts in order to
locate desired information, and
gather information from different
5
 Expository paragraph:
comparison and contrast
 Persuasive paragraph
 Argumentative paragraph
 Composition
 Introduction to essay
 Parallel Structure
 Reading comprehension based
on author’s purpose, topic,
genre and format.
 Predicting
 Deducing/Inferring
 Skimming/Scanning
 Contextual clues
 Identifying markers of coherence
and cohesion
 Sports
 Technology
 Health
 Culture
 Entertainment
 Environmental Issues
 Final project: Science
Fair





LISTENING
Can deal with
situations likely to
arise whilst
travelling in an
area where the
language is
spoken.
parts of a text, or from different texts
in order to fulfill a specific task.
Can find and understand relevant
information in everyday material,
such as letters, brochures and short
official documents.
Can identify the main conclusions in
clearly signaled argumentative texts.
Can recognize the line of argument
in the treatment of the issue
presented, though not necessarily in
detail.
Can recognize significant points in
straightforward newspaper articles
on familiar subjects.
 Can generally follow the main points
of extended discussion around
him/her, provided speech is clearly
articulated in standard dialect.
 Can follow a lecture or talk within
his/her own field, provided the
subject matter is familiar and the
presentation straightforward and
clearly structured.
 Can follow in outline straightforward
short talks on familiar topics provided
these are delivered in clearly
articulated standard speech.
 Can understand the information
content of the majority of recorded or
broadcast audio material on topics of
personal interest delivered in clear
standard speech.
 Can understand the main points of
radio news bulletins and simpler
recorded material about familiar
subjects delivered relatively slowly
and clearly.
6
*The topics suggested in
this section should be
specified, adapted and
contextualized according
to students’ historical and
cultural context.
 Identifying
 Reporting
 Expressing agreement and
disagreement
 Expressing pleasure and likes
 Expressing dislikes
 Expressing preference
 Using compensatory strategies
 Cohesion and coherence in oral
speech
 Raising cultural awareness
 Supra segmental features
 Sports
 Technology
 Health
 Culture
 Entertainment
 Environmental Issues
 Final project: Science
Fair

SPEAKING
Can deal with
situations likely to
arise whilst
travelling in an
area where the
language is
spoken.
 Can generally follow the main points
of extended discussion around
him/her, provided speech is clearly
articulated in standard dialect.
 Can reasonably fluently sustain a
straightforward description of one of
a variety of subjects within his/her
field of interest, presenting it as a
linear sequence of points.
 Can reasonably fluently relate a
straightforward narrative or
description as a linear sequence of
points.
 Can relate details of unpredictable
occurrences, e.g. an accident
 Can relate the plot of a book or film
and describe his/her reactions
 Can describe events, real or
imagined.
 Can develop an argument well
enough to be followed without
difficulty most of the time.
7
 Identifying
 Reporting
 Expressing agreement and
disagreement
 Expressing pleasure and likes
 Expressing dislikes
 Expressing preference
 Using compensatory strategies
 Cohesion and coherence in oral
speech
 Raising cultural awareness
 Supra segmental features
*The topics suggested in
this section should be
specified, adapted and
contextualized according
to students’ historical and
cultural context.
6. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
For each component, assessment will be carried out both in formative and summative
ways. The fifty percent of all the grades will be based on a follow-up procedure and the
other fifty percent on the mid-term (25%) and final examination (25%). The final grade of
the course will be obtained taking into account that the grade for the listening and speaking
component corresponds to the40%, for the reading and writing component corresponds to
40%, and for the grammar component corresponds to the 20%.
Follow-up 50%
Activities
Mid-term examination
25%
Final
Examination
25%
LISTENING/SPEAKING
Presentations,
role-plays,
listening
tasks,
participation in discussions, round tables, listening
quizzes, phonetic exercises.
Listening Exam
Listening Exam
Oral exam
Oral exam
GRAMMAR
Presentations, role plays, grammar analysis, class
activities, quizzes, grammar tasks.
Mid-term
Final exam
READING/WRITING
Paragraphs, reading comprehension tasks, books,
quizzes
Mid-term
Final
Criteria
Grammar Component
Reading/Writing Component
Listening/Speaking Component
Total
Percentages
20%
40%
40%
100%
Important Notice: A student who fails any of the three components of the course
(Listening/speaking, grammar, or reading/writing) will have to take the course (English III)
again. There is no re-examination for this course.
7. INDEPENDENT WORK
English III is composed by three components: Listening/speaking, reading/writing, and
grammar. Each component has an intensity of 5 hours of class work per week, for a total
of 15 hours a week for the entire course. In the same way, independent work is expected
to be done in the same amount of time, that is to say, students should work on their own,
based on the activities proposed by each teacher, for a total of 15 hours a week.
Independent work includes activities such as homework, workshops, research, reading and
writing assignments, oral presentations, exam reviews and tutoring, among others. The
nature of the course is theoretical and practical.
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
8.1 Texts
Cohen, R., & Miller, J. (2004).NorthStar: Reading and writing (2nded.). White Plains, N
Y: Longman.
Eastwood, J. (2000). Oxford practice grammar(2nded.). Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Fawcett, S., & Sandberg, A. (2000) Evergreen: With readings: A guide to writing (6th
Ed.). Instructor’s annotated. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Hart, C. (1999). The ultimate phrasal verb book. New York: Barron’s Educational
Series, Inc.
Mazak, C., &Zwier, L. (1998).The Michigan guide to English for academic success (3r
ed.) Michigan: University of Michigan Press
McCarthy, M.,& O’Dell, F. (2004).English phrasal verbs in use. United Kingdom:
Cambridge University Press.
Nettle, M., & Hopkins, D. (2003). Developing grammar in context with answers. United
Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Pavlik, C. (2004). Grammar sense 2A. New York: Oxford University Press.
Sanabria,T.,&Ferree.T. (2004).NorthStar :Listening and speaking (2nd ed.). New York:
Longman.
Schrampfer, B. (2002). Understanding and using English grammar (3rd ed.). New York:
Longman.
Soars J., & Soars, L. (2001). American headway 1. New York: Oxford University Press.
8.2 Websites


BBC’S British English, sounds of English. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2014,
from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/chart.sht
ml
Daily English Dictation 1: Learn English Listening Skills. (n.d.). Retrieved September
8, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32T-nyka0dM
9
















Daily English Dictation 2. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=achfLFf7dUo
Daily English Dictation 3. (n.d.). RetrievedSeptember 15, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tvg7_jaSV8
English Dictation 4. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXZ3TbWzgZI
English Dictation 5. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UueMWH2y-7s
English Listening Practice: Transcription exercise. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15,
2014,
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzcaW7c98_s&list=PLF53CD9A6635B92D8&i
ndex=2
Free Practice Tests for learners of English (n.d.). Retrieved August 20, 2014, from
http://www.examenglish.com/leveltest/listening_level_test.htm
Learn English Listening Skills. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssuiqtreiBg&list=PLF53CD9A6635B92D8
Listen A Minute.com, 479 Listenings, 9-Page Handouts & Online Quizzes - Listen
Up! (n.d.). Retrieved August 23, 2014, from www.listenaminute.com
Phonetics : The consonants. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2014, from
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english20118.php
Pronunciation
tips.
(n.d.).
Retrieved
September
22,
2014,
from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/
What are your deepest, darkest fears? (n.d.). Retrieved September 1, 2009, from
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/what-are-your-deepest-darkestfears/1910656.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
http://www.cnn.com
http://www.elllo.org
http://learningenglish.voanews.com
http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics
Revised,June 16-2015
10