COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AND TEACHER’S GUIDE
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Table of Contents
COURSE TITLE
PAGE
1.
American Culture
3-5
2
British Culture
6-7
2.
Business English
3.
Composition (BEG, INT, ADV)
11 – 15
4.
Current Affairs
16 - 17
5.
Employment English
18 –18
6.
First Step to Living English
19 – 21
7.
Grammar
22 – 23
8.
Living English (BEG)
24 – 26
9.
Living English (INT & ADV)
27 – 28
10.
Practical English - IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC (BEG, INT, ADV)
29 – 32
11.
Public Speaking
33 – 34
12.
Reading (INT & ADV)
35 – 38
13.
Screen English
38 – 40
8 - 10
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AMERICAN CULTURE
Prerequisites
None
Course Description
A vital part of learning a language is to learn the culture of the country in which it is spoken.
This course is an study of American culture and students will get a general introduction to the
history, education, customs, values and current issues of America.
This is a challenging course that covers a lot of material. Ideally, students should have an
upper-intermediate command of the English language. This course is not recommended for
beginning level students. Freshmen students are advised to take Freshman English before
they take this course. A solid reading ability is a foundation skill for this course. Additional
emphasis on other skills such as speaking is at the discretion of the instructor. Grammar is not
covered. There may be participation in discussions and oral presentations. This will depend on
the instructors. Students must speak English in class, and attendance is mandatory for all
classes.
Through the course, students will get an overview of the following areas of American Culture.
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Traditional American Values and Beliefs
Religion
The Frontier Heritage
The Heritage of Abundance
The Business World
Government and Politics
Ethnic and Racial Diversity
Education
American Leisure time
The American Family
American Values at the Crossroads
By the end of the course, students will learn
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confidence in communicating ideas and thoughts
idioms and expressions
vocabulary
how to 1)analyze situations, 2) compare and contrast information
how to understand different cultures with an open-mind
conversation beyond small talk to holding an intellectual conversation and having
spontaneous discussions about a topic
 politically correct expressions
 how to present one’s own situation or opinion in a neutral and culturally informative way
 etc.
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Text book
The American Ways (Maryann Kearnsey Dates, Publisher – Longman)
Class Composition
Since there is no “prerequisite” for the course, students of all levels may sign up for the class.
Giving the students a chance to look over the textbook is a good way to inform and guide them
in determining if they are at an appropriate level.
There are some students who have been to the US, or are near-native speakers. Generally,
these students help spark discussions and often loosen up the class atmosphere for more
participation. Even though these students may know a lot about the US, they can learn a lot
from this course as they have not been exposed to a course that deals specifically with cultural
background and issues in an organized way.
Class Activities
The course and the textbook cover and touch upon a lot of different subjects. As long as the
basic concepts within the text book are presented to the students, individual teachers could
focus on different or additional aspects of US culture. In addition to the abundant resources
available in the book, possible ways to supplement the textbook material are:
 Reading comprehension quizzes (this motivates the students to read before coming to
class)
 Review and analysis of movies
 Review and analysis of TV programs
 Internet research
 Role play: students act out a situations and demonstrate the cultural significance of
their skits
 Role play: comparison and contrast of cultures
 Discussion of how one should present Korea to Americans
 Group or individual research and presentation on a current event
 Teacher-student Q&A or interviews
 Etc.
Attendance:
The university requires attendance to two-thirds of the classes. Absence of more than 1/3
of the classes is a Fail.
You may add additional qualifications such as:
Cheating or plagiarism: F
Missed (without excuse or prior notice) Midterm or Final Exam: F
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Grading and Exams:
A written mid-term and final exam are required. This serves to provide objective data on
which to base at least part, if not all, of your grading. The tests should cover the material that
was covered during the semester.
Teachers may choose to add an oral part to the exam. The appropriate format may be
determined by the teacher. Additional grades for quizzes, presentations, or participation, etc.
are also at the discretion of the instructors.
The administration provides the following mandatory grading guideline:
Attendance: 10%
Assignment and/or Presentation: 10~25%
Mid-term test: 30~35%
Final exam: 35~45%
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BRITISH CULTURE
Prerequisites
This course is suitable only for students whose English level is intermediate or higher. It is not
recommended that students who have not completed Freshmen English take this course.
Course Description
This course is a study of British life and culture. As students discover the background to British
society, they understand the attitudes and beliefs of British people. The course also gives a
good insight into daily life in the UK.
The course raises students' awareness of cultural differences and improves their ability to use
language related to customs, traditions and way of life. They are encouraged to make informed,
critical comparisons between Britain and Korea, practicing both their speaking and writing skills.
While there is flexibility, the course largely focuses on topics in the following areas:
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Country and people
Geography
Identitiy
Attitudes
Education
The economy and everyday life
The media
Transport
Welfare
Housing
Food and drink
Sport and competition
The arts
Holidays and special occasions
(Based on student feedback, the seven chapters covering history, the monarchy, politics and
the law were of least interest.)
As the textbook is largely a reading text, supplementary handouts and the use of audio and/or
video are encouraged. A YouTube channel has been created and a website will be set up so
that useful resources can be shared and easily accessed.
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Textbook
Britain for Learners of English (2nd Edition), James O'Driscoll (Oxford, 2009)
Grading Guideline
Mid-term and final exams: 60% or more
Attendance: 10% or more
Participation, assignments, quizes, presentations, etc: up to 30%
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BUSINESS ENGLISH
Textbook and Workbook: “Business Basics,” David Grant and Robert McLarty, Oxford
University Press, 2001. Purchase of CD or tape recommended. PLEASE PURCHASE
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND WORKBOOK
Course Description:
Business English is a complete first course in English for business, providing a systematic and
thorough coverage of basic language structures and skills, through the medium of interesting
and relevant material. Business English is ideal for professionals already in business, and for
students preparing to work in an international business environment. It consists of twelve
thematically-linked units. Each unit is divided into three sections, each with one or two main
teaching points, which may be grammatical, functional, or lexical. Students are given the
opportunity to practice language in meaningful contexts. The course objective is to prepare
students for employment in a business environment through means of presentation skills,
business meetings, tele-conferencing, business travel, marketing and branding, and crosscultural business etiquette in English.
Marks:
20% midterm
25% final exam
35% attendance/participation (role-plays, class discussions, group work)
20% classroom group report/written assignments
100%
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. Latecomers will
be deducted half a mark. Absents must be supported by a doctor’s or the university’s note and
student will be given half a mark; otherwise, full deduction. Seniors must come and discuss
with the instructor if s/he will be absent due to interviews, etc. prior to the class to be absent
from.
Hongik University Unexcused Absences Policy:
(5) Unexcused Absences will result in an automatic "F" for the course.
Cheating:
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Cheating on exams (including the use of cell phone text messaging) is considered
unacceptable and a student will receive an "F" on any exam where the student has been found
to be cheating.
Professor’s Policy:
A, B and C are NOT PERMITTED during the class. Repeat offenders will be asked to LEAVE
THE CLASS FOR THAT DAY ONLY:
A.) - Cell Phones: NO CELL PHONE USE in class. This means NO Text Messaging. Please
TURN OFF your Cell Phone before entering the classroom.
B.) - Sleeping: NO SLEEPING in class. A sleeping student cannot participate.
C.) - Other Activities, Reading Materials: NO READING COMIC BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS,
MAGAZINES, OR COMPLETING OTHER COURSE WORK, ETC. during the lesson.
- Excused Absence Notices: Must be received by the 14th week of class (the week BEFORE
the Final Exam). Any Excused Absence Notices received after this time will not be considered
for attendance record revision.
- Attendance: Late-Tardy/Absent:
- Drinks and Snacks: Drinks and Snacks are permitted in class. PLEASE THROW ALL SNACK
WRAPPERS, CANS, CUPS AND OTHER TRASH IN THE TRASH CAN BEFORE LEAVING
THE CLASSROOM.
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Hongik University Official Grading System:
Grades are determined by the results of examinations, frequency of
class attendance, and participation in class activities. The scale of
letter grades and the range of corresponding percentages are as
follows:
Letter grade Numerical grade Letter grade Numerical grade
Grade
%
Grade
%
Grade
%
A+
95-100
A0
90-94
B+-
85-89
B
80-84
C+
75-79
C
70-74
D+
65-69
D0
60-64
F
-60
Pass
-60
Non-Pass
-60
The lowest passing grade is D- and F means that the student failed
the course. However, a re-testing opportunity may later be given to
those who have received an F if recommended for re-evaluation by
the instructor. If the student fails a required course, it must be
repeated for credit. If it is an elective course, he can substitute
another elective for it.
Hongik University Policy: [%= Percent of Students] A = Less than 30%, A+B = Less than
70%, C,D,F = No limit
BEGINNER COMPOSITION
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PREREQUISITES:
 This is a beginning level composition class. There are no prerequisites.
CLASS COMPOSITION:
This class is geared towards beginner level students.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is a beginner Writing Skills course. It introduces the student to the basics of English
grammar and composition with the goal of elementary proficiency in speaking and writing. This
is achieved through extensive pair and group activities in the classroom as well as directed
composition, spelling, and mechanics at the basic paragraph level.
MECHANICS/LANGUAGE FOCUS:
At this level, students should learn basic punctuation rules and grammar rules. The focus will
be on vocabulary growth and sentence fluency.
ACTIVITIES:
Writing exercises are given weekly. In addition, the instructor may assign other homework
such as exercises in the book or provide worksheet exercises.
In-class activities will include:
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Rules of punctuation,
Rules of grammar,
Formulation of simple sentences
Error-correction practice
Revision practice
Peer editing
Controlled Writing
GRADING GUIDELINE:
Exercises and Short Assignments ......30%
Tests (both mid-semester and final) 30% each
Participation & Attendance ....10%.
TEXTBOOK:
Reason to Write : Strategies for Success in Academic Writing, by Miller, J.L and Cohen
R.F, Oxford. Low Intermediate
OR
Get Ready to Write Series for Beginners
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INTERMEDIATE COMPOSTION
PREREQUISITES:
 It is strongly recommended that students take the beginning level composition class
before signing up for the intermediate level course if the student has not had any other
experience with writing prior to registration.
 Students should be able to write simple and compound sentences and be familiar with
basic punctuation and capitalization rules.
CLASS COMPOSITION:
This class is geared towards Intermediate level students. In general, students who sign up for
this course have ranged from intermediate to advanced students in terms of speaking and
listening competency. Students at the lower levels should be encouraged to take other English
courses before they sign up for the intermediate writing course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course helps students to follow a four step process of essay writing (Brainstorming,
Organizing, First Draft and Final Draft). Students will also be taught that different types of
essay affect the first two steps of the process and learn which methods of brainstorming and
organizing are appropriate for each type of essay. As at all levels, attention is to the process of
writing, not just the final product. Composition grades should reflect the quality of revisions
between drafts.
ESSAY: The essay may be introduced as an expansion of the paragraph into introduction,
body and conclusion. Students should practice:
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writing hooks
writing clear introductions
supporting a thesis statement with topic sentences
using appropriate support for topic sentences
noticing and using cohesive devises such as pronoun use, repetition, synonyms and
related words
reading and editing/evaluating the essays of peers
revising essays
Some instructors may feel it necessary to start with paragraph writing and then work up to
essay writing, especially if textbook #2 is selected. Instructors should make this clear on their
syllabus and inform their students in the first class.
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TEXTBOOK:
Instructors should choose from one of two following textbooks:
1. Developing Composition Skills; Rhetoric and Grammar, 2nd Edition, by Reuten, Mary
K., ThomsonHeinle Publishing
2. From Great Paragraphs to Great Essays, 2nd Edition, Keith Folse, Elena Vestri Solomon,
David Clabeaux, Thomas Heinle Publishing
RHETORICAL FORMS:
Types of essays covered in the textbooks are: narrative, descriptive, process, compare and/or
contrast, classification, and cause-effect. Students will be given models of each of these types
of essays and be expected to follow the writing process to produce examples of each type of
essay.
MECHANICS/LANGUAGE FOCUS:
At this level, teacher feedback could point out word-form or word choice errors; inconsistencies
of person, number, or tense; pronoun reference errors; and awkward or unclear sentences.
Although this is not a grammar course, some teachers may choose to spend some part of their
class on grammar review – for example, topics that are in conjunction with the language focus
highlighted in the textbook.
ACTIVITIES:
Each class involves a peer-review of the previous week’s first draft followed by a short period
of time to edit a partner’s essay. This is followed by a lecture about a type of essay, in which
students are guided to do the major work of brainstorming ideas and organizing their ideas for
that week’s homework.
Most weeks’ homework consists of writing a first draft of a new essay and a final draft of a
previous essay to be submitted for evaluation. For obvious reasons this does not apply during
the first two weeks and the two weeks after the midterm exam.
ASSESSMENT:
Each essay is given three grades on a scale of one to five, five being the best grade. Grades
are given for Content, Organization, and Mistakes based on a rubric that the instructor has
devised. The grades are then averaged for an overall grade for the assignment. For midterms
and final exams a fourth grade for process is also given.
Depending on how the class is run, the grade breakdown may vary from teacher to teacher.
GRADING GUIDELINE:
Process Writing Activities ......up to 25 ~ 50%
Tests (both mid-semester and final) 20 ~ 35 only
Participation & Attendance ....no more than 10%.
Teachers can set their own percentages for homework and journal activities.
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ADVANCED COMPOSITION
PREREQUISITES:
 It is strongly recommended that students take the intermediate level composition class
before signing up for the advanced level course if the student has not had a great deal
of experience with writing prior to registration.
 Students should be well-versed in punctuation and capitalization rules, and be able to
write complex sentences, paragraphs and expository essays.
CLASS COMPOSITION:
This class is geared towards advanced level students. In general, students who sign up for
this course have ranged from intermediate to advanced students in terms of speaking and
listening competency. Students at the lower levels should be encouraged to take other English
courses before they sign up for the advanced writing course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The advanced course delves more extensively into expository writing and expands on where
the intermediate section leaves off. Certain teachers may explore analytical writing as well.
ESSAY: The essay may be introduced as an expansion of the paragraph into introduction,
body and conclusion. Students should practice:
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writing hooks
writing clear stated thesis statements vs. general (implied) thesis statements
supporting a thesis statement with topic sentences
writing well-organized body paragraphs which are linked together with transitional words
or expressions, have good topic sentences, are well supported, include detail, and
have concluding sentences
noticing and using cohesive devises such as pronoun use, repetition, synonyms and
related words
reading and editing/evaluating the essays of peers
revising essays
TEXTBOOK:
Refining Composition Skills: Rhetoric and Grammar, 5th Edition, Regina Smalley, Mary
K. Ruetten, Joan Kozyrev, Heinle and Heinle Publishing
RHETORICAL FORMS:
Types of essays covered in the textbooks are: descriptive, compare and/or contrast,
classification, and cause-effect. Students may be given models of each of these types of
essays but in reality may have time to thoroughly practice about two or three forms in one
semester.
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MECHANICS/LANGUAGE FOCUS:
At this level, students should learn to use semi-colons, colons, and commas effectively and
capitalization rules. Teacher feedback could point out word-form or word choice errors;
inconsistencies of person, number, or tense; pronoun reference errors; and awkward or
unclear sentences. Although this is not a grammar course, some teachers may choose to
spend some part of their class on grammar review – for example, topics that are in conjunction
with the language focus highlighted in the textbook.
ACTIVITIES:
Writing assignments are given weekly, though some may be rewrites to previous work. In
addition, the instructor may assign other homework such as exercises in the book or journals.
In-class activities may include:
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group brainstorming
mechanical exercises such as punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and combining
simple sentences to form complex sentences
error-correction practice
revision practice
evaluating or improving topic sentences, thesis statements, or whole compositions in
groups
peer review
ASSESSMENT:
Some assessment tools may focus on accuracy (language focus/mechanics test, errorcorrection test) and some may focus on fluency (timed writings, journals). However, the bulk
of the grading should be based on the actual writing done by students. These may be work
completed in class or collected weekly assignments. Instructors may choose to grade weekly
writing assignments using a rubric that scores different components of the essay (ex: sentence,
grammar, ideas, punctuation)
Teachers may choose to use portfolio evaluation, in which students select their
best paragraphs, essays, and journal entries from the semester, rewrite them, and include
them in a final portfolio along with original drafts, assignment reflections and a self-evaluation.
The finished portfolio, along with the exams, then becomes the basis of a student's grade.
GRADING GUIDELINE:
*Written assignments based on writing topics from the textbook 55~65%
*Tests (mid-semester and final) no more than 30%.
* Attendance 5~15% *Note: Within Attendance percentage, teachers may also add
participation category if they wish.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
PREREQUISITES: Current Affairs covers a variety of topics on an Intermediate to UpperIntermediate Level. Students who are uncertain of their ability to handle the course material
are strongly recommended to take Freshman English and/or a conversation class prior to
enrolling in the course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Current Affairs (CA) is designed to give students the opportunity to read, listen, discuss and
analyze the issues and events that surround them. By the end of the course, students should
be better able to discuss a wide range of topics and issues in English as well as:
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Developing analytic skills
Understanding complicated National/International issues
Forming and defending an opinion
Developing independent thought
Accepting different viewpoints
Improve reading comprehension skills
Interaction in group discussions
A broader knowledge of Korea and its role in International events
TEXTBOOK:
There is no textbook currently in use for this class. Class materials are selected articles from
online news sources that students/instructors choose for class discussion/analysis. Online
sources may include: Korea Times, Korea Herald, Joongang Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo, The New
York Times, USA Today, The Guardian, London Times, CNN, BBC, and the International
Herald Tribune.
(Note: Newsweek and Time magazine can not be used as source material due to their use in
other Hongik University courses)
CLASS COMPOSITION:
This class is described as an Intermediate Level class. Most CA students have had exposure
to news stories, but many students have not had the opportunity to analyze and discuss such
stories in a critical manner. The class is usually composed of students of varying speaking
levels, but even lower level students can find the course beneficial. (This class is good
preparation for 4th year students about to go on job interviews)
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CLASS ACTIVITIES:
Class activities are various, depending on the Instructors prerogative. Activities may include:
Instructors/Students choosing stories from online sources for analysis and class discussion;
Students reporting/writing their own news stories; Producing a hard-copy magazine/newsletter
from student contributions; Students forming sides to “debate” a controversial issue.
ATTENDANCE:
Regular university policy must be adhered to.
GRADING:
Midterm Exam– 30%
Final Exam – 30%
Instructors may divide the remaining 40% of the grade among these items:
Homework
Projects/Quizzes
Attendance
Participation
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EMPLOYMENT ENGLISH
Course Description
This course is designed mainly for senior students ( in Years 3 and 4), who are planning to
apply for internships or jobs in global companies, which require English proficiency. It plans to
develop students’ job seeking skills and confidence in the application procedure.
It includes company research methods, lectures, predictable job question and response
sessions, recognizing your strengths and skills, oral presentations, designing your Resume,
writing a cover letter, evaluating recorded interviews/viewing interviews on you-tube and
understanding the interview process.
Course requirements
Students are expected to participate actively every lesson, have an Intermediate standard in
English – particularly in speaking, and complete the required assignments.
Course materials: will be provided by the Professor
Recommended reading:
1. Finding a Job in Korea: from Resume through Interview, Joseph Hong, Hongik
University Press.
2. Cambridge English for Job Hunting, Colm Downes
Grading will be based around these percentages
10%
Attendance
40% - 50%
Set Assignments and Class Participation
25% - 15%
Mid Term Interview and Review
25%
Final Panel Interview
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FIRST STEP TO LIVING ENGLISH
PREREQUISITES
None.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
FSLE is designed for students who lack the skills or the confidence to speak basic English.
This course helps students to activate their English speaking and listening skills in a non–
competitive, Pass/Fail context. By the end of the course, students should better be able to
accomplish basic functional and conversational tasks such as
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opening a conversation
introducing themselves
making small talk
describing their family
asking about age, occupation and marital status
describing appearance including hair, body type, and clothing
asking and giving locations of things
giving directions using a map
giving simple instructions
talking about likes and dislikes
agreeing and disagreeing
discussing habits, routines, and schedules
inviting and accepting invitations
making and discussing future plans
asking and offering assistance
discussing and ordering food in a restaurant
making small and large requests
complaining politely
discussing experiences
telling stories in the past
asking for more details
discussing goals, hopes and possibilities
TEXT
Instructors must choose between two texts for the class:
American Headway 1, Student Book OR
English First Hand 1 (student book) OR
New Person to Person 1
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CLASS COMPOSITION
The class is described as an entry-level or pre-beginner class. The reality is that most FSLE
students are graduating students with years of English study behind them. In addition, levels
vary quite widely between and within classes. The administration asks, however, that you keep
the class at a basic level. This often means that more advanced students naturally take on
the roles of mentors and models.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Like in all conversation classes, teacher talking time should be at a minimum and most of class
time should be spent with students working on speaking activities in pairs or small groups
while the instructor monitors for errors, "feeds in" language, motivates, and ensures students
are on-task. Because of the mixed-levels in the class, open-ended activities that can be
extended by more advanced students may be more effective. Some activities might include:
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mingle activities (find someone who, information exchanges, simulations)
group or partner brainstorming
task-based listening (gist or specific information)
practicing dialogues
completing a gap fill while listening to a conversation
information gaps (Student A/B, "Duet")
short discussions ("Ensemble")
informal presentations (one-on-one or small group)
practicing and extending dialogs from the text
simulating telephone conversations
role plays
preparing small skits
teacher-student interview
etc.
ATTENDANCE
Because of its Pass/Fail nature, some students may regard attendance as less crucial for
FSLE classes. Some teachers consequently choose to tighten the attendance requirements for
the course to, say, a maximum of 3 absences. The university does, however, require
attendance to two-thirds of classes (10) to pass.
GRADING
FSLE is a Pass/Fail class. This means that rather than letter-grades, instructors need only
enter P or F at the end of the semester. Students receiving less than 60% in the course, or
who miss more than a third of the course without excuse (more than 5 days) must receive a
grade of F.
Typically, instructors set two exams during the semester. Because this is a speaking and
listening class, you may prefer to test speaking and listening skills, though the administration
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prefers to see a written component as well (on account of a perceived 'greater objectivity').
Additional grades for quizzes, homework, presentations, or participation are at the instructors
discretion, though choosing one of the following guidelines is mandatory:
Grading guideline 1:
Attendance: 10-15%
Participation: 10-20%
Projects/Homework: 10-20% Midterm Exam/Quizzes: 25-30%
Final Exam: 30-35%
Grading guideline 2:
Attendance: 10-15% Participation: 10%
Assignment and/or homework and/or quizzes and/or Presentation 35-40%
Final Exam: 40
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PRACTICAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR
PREREQUISITES:
The textbooks deal with grammar topics at an Intermediate Level. Therefore, students who
are uncertain of their ability to handle the course material are strongly recommended to take
either Freshman English and/or the introductory Pass/Fail class, First Steps to Living
English, prior to enrolling in Practical English Grammar.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Practical English Grammar (PEG) is designed to give students a chance to practice using their
grammar in speaking activities while paying careful attention to the form, meaning and use of
each grammar item presented. Methods used include clear and comprehensive grammar
explanations, practice exercises and communication activities.
TEXTBOOK:
Instructors must choose between the following texts:
 Grammar Dimensions 2
 Grammar Dimensions 2A
 Grammar Dimensions 2B
Book 2 has 25 units. 2A has the first 13 units and 2B has the remaining 12.
CLASS COMPOSITION:
This class is described as an Intermediate Level class. Although most PEG students have had
years of exposure to grammatical items, in reality many students have not had the opportunity
to internalize and produce such items in a communicative manner. Therefore, although the
class is usually composed of students of varying speaking levels, even higher level students
would find the course beneficial. As is frequently the case, the more advanced students tend
to become mentors for lower level students.
ATTENDANCE:
Regular university policy must be adhered to.
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GRADING:
Mandatory: Midterm Exam– 30% Final Exam – 30%
Instructors may divide the remaining 40% of the grade among these items:
Homework
Projects/Quizzes
Attendance
Participation
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BEGINNING LIVING ENGLISH
PREREQUISITES
None.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Beginning Living English is the second course of the conversation-type courses at Hongik
University. (First Step to Living English is the first course.) Beginning Living English is
designed for students who already posses basic English conversation abilities and wish to
improve their overall conversation skills. As such, the primary focus of this course is
conversation. At the end of the course, students should be able to
-introduce themselves and others, greetings
-express emotions, respond to others’ feelings
-state opinions, explain personal experiences
-state interests and opinions
-apologize, give reasons and excuses
-describe cultural artifacts, customs and symbols
-describe past events and personal experiences
-make plans, offers and requests
-ask for and giving advice
-tell and appreciate stories
-ask for and give opinions
-talk about plans, goals, and dreams
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TEXTBOOK
Teachers must use one of the following as their principal textbooks:
English Firsthand 2 (New Gold Edition) or
American Headway 2 or
New Person to Person 2
(N.B. The First Step to Living English course uses English Firsthand 1 or American Headway 1,
so Beginning Living English should follow suit.)
CLASS COMPOSITION
You may find that the overall student ability is higher than what the course is supposed to offer.
(This situation may be more likely with the liberal arts sections than with the science sections.)
But still you will find that student ability varies within each class. While you should adhere to
the course description as outlined above, you may wish to make the course more challenging
by integrating supplementary material.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Like in all conversation classes, teacher talking time should be at a minimum and most of class
time should be spent with students working on speaking activities in pairs or small groups
while the instructor monitors for errors, "feeds in" language, motivates, and ensures students
are on-task.. Some activities might include:
-mingle activities (find someone who, information exchanges, simulations)
-group or partner brainstorming
-task-based listening (gist or specific information)
-practicing dialogues
-completing a gap fill while listening to a conversation
-information gaps (Student A/B, "Duet")
-short discussions ("Ensemble")
-informal presentations (one-on-one or small group
-practicing and extending dialogs from the text
-simulating telephone conversations
-role plays
-preparing small skits
-teacher-student interview
-etc.
ATTENDANCE
Hongik University has an attendance rule whereby students who miss more than 1/3 of the
total number of classes will receive an F grade. This rule dictates that students who miss more
than 15 class hours would be subject to this rule--the Beginning Living English course is 3
hours a week, and the semester is 15 weeks long. Some teachers may find the need to
tighten attendance requirements, but doing so is at their discretion.
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GRADING
Teachers must remember that Hongik has a grading curve whereby a limited number of
students can receive A or B grades. This curve is determined by the number of students in a
class. Teachers should adhere to the course description but should also make the course
challenging enough whereby the grading curve isn’t affected.
The following grading guideline is just that—a guideline. Some teachers may prefer to give
both written and oral exams or one or another or a combination of both. Again, how students
are evaluated are up to the teachers’ discretion while keeping within the following grading
guideline:
Attendance: 10-15%
Participation, homework, presentations: 20-30%
Mid-Term Exam: 25-35%
Final Exam: 30-40%
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INTERMEDIATE LIVING ENGLISH
PREREQUISITES
There are no official prerequisites for this course, although it is highly recommended that
students choose this course because they are at the intermediate level. The options of
Advanced and Elementary Living English are also available for students at these levels.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This conversation course provides an opportunity for students to increase their confidence in
speaking "Naturally" through class and group discussions. Students are encouraged to speak
English as much as possible during class time and will be rewarded for active participation.
During the course, we will focus on:
- Improving communication skills.
- Reading for the purpose of communicating ideas.
- Improving vocabulary and increasing grammatical awareness.
- Expressing opinions and feelings.
- Instigating and sustaining short conversations.
- Improving pronunciation.
TEXT
Select one from: Discussion Strategies by David & Peggy Dustin Kehe
World Link 3 by Susan Stempleski
ATTENDANCE
The university requires attendance of two-thirds of classes (10) to pass.
GRADING
Attendance: 10-15%
Homework, participation, projects, etc: 25-35%
Exams (midterm exam, final exam, quizzes): 50-60%
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OR
ADVANCED LIVING ENGLISH
PREREQUISITES
There are no official prerequisites for this course, although it is highly recommended that
students choose this course because they are at the advanced level. The options of
Intermediate and Elementary Living English are also available for students at these levels.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This conversation course provides a safe, comfortable, and fun environment for students to
increase their confidence in practical English through class and group discussions. Students
are encouraged to speak English as much as possible during class time and will be rewarded
for active participation. During the course, we will focus on:
- Improving communication skills.
- Improving vocabulary and increasing grammatical awareness.
- Improving oral expression and helping acquire greater fluency in the English language. Fluently expressing opinions, ideas, points of view and criticism of readings.
TEXT
Select one from:
Speaking, Listening, Expression 3A, Pagoda Books
OR
Speaking, Listening, Expression Pagoda 3 Compact Edition OR
American Headway 4, John Soars & Liz Soars
ATTENDANCE
The university requires attendance of two-thirds of classes (10) to pass.
GRADING
Attendance: 10-15%
Homework, participation, projects, etc: 25-35%
Exams (midterm exam, final exam, quizzes): 50-60%
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PRACTICAL ENGLISH - IELTS
CLASS COMPOSITION
This is an elementary IELTS preparation course. However, it is suitable not only for students
who want to take the IELTS test some time in the future, but also for those students who more
generally want to improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in English.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Class activities will include communicative activities to build language skills, as well as practice
answering simplified versions of IELTS-type questions.
The IELTS test includes an important speaking component. Therefore, as well as reading
comprehension, academic writing and listening comprehension, students will work on
developing confidence in speaking, through pair work, group discussion and short
presentations.
As the basis for activities, teachers may opt to use a textbook at an appropriate level, such as
On Course for IELTS: Student’s Book (D. Conway and B. Shirreffs, (2006), Oxford University
Press ISBN: 019551663-X) or else may use their own materials that are pitched at an
appropriate level and include communicative and IELTS-relevant activities.
ATTENDANCE
As per Hongik University requirements, students are required to attend two-thirds of all classes.
Being absent more than one-third of the classes will result in a failing grade for the semester.
GRADING
Grading is up to the instructor; however, attendance should account for around 10 percent of
the total grade, with the midterm, final, and supplemental work (e.g. preparation for class
activities, essay assignment, participation) each accounting for roughly one-third of the total
grade.
LEVEL COMPOSITION
In Semester 1, 2009, Practical English (IELTS) is offered at the Elementary and Intermediate
levels. The Elementary level on its own is not intended to directly prepare students to sit an
IELTS test immediately, but rather to build their confidence and basic skills for IELTS success
in the future. The course covers some, but not all, of the question types in the IELTS test.
Specifically, the primary foci in each skill area are as follows:
1. Reading: building vocabulary; identifying main ideas in a text.
2. Listening: understanding details such as facts and figures.
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3. Writing: summarising data; writing opinion essays.
4. Speaking: expressing your opinion; giving reasons.
STUDENT ABILITY LEVEL
IELTS is a complex and difficult test, and so even an Elementary course of this type will
contain some challenging content. However, the aim of this course is to present such content
in a non-threatening way within a supportive classroom environment. Even with this support,
students will need some pre-existing confidence, particularly in spoken English, in order to
undertake this course successfully. Therefore, students who lack the confidence to carry on a
conversation in English might consider completing a conversation course, such as Beginner or
Intermediate Living English, before undertaking this course.
On the other hand, since this is an Elementary course to develop basic skills, it is not intended
for students who have completed an IELTS test already, who have lived for a long time in an
English-speaking country, or who have carried out extensive study in English. Such students
should consider the Intermediate level.
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PRACTICAL ENGLISH – TOEFL
CLASS COMPOSITION
This class covers the iBT TOEFL test Listening and Reading sections.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
The main activity centers on using the textbook to cover standard TOEFL question types and
strategies. This includes answering skill building questions, listening to audio files, and
covering reading strategies.
Teachers may also include supplemental activities focusing on key elements of the iBT TOEFL
test, as long as those activities remain subject relevant and level-appropriate.
ATTENDANCE
As per Hongik University requirements, students are required to attend two-thirds of all classes.
Being absent more than one-third of the classes will result in a failing grade for the semester.
Students who are late for 3 classes will be penalized as having been absent for 1 class. All
unexcused absences count against the student’s final class grade.
GRADING
Grading is up to the instructor; however, attendance and participation should account for
around 10 – 20 percent of the total grade, with the midterm, final, and supplemental work
accounting for roughly 40-50% of the total grade.
LEVEL COMPOSITION
Practical English - iBT TOEFL is offered at the Beginner and Intermediate levels. The
designated textbook series, Longman Preparation Course for the iBT TOEFL is recommended.
STUDENT ABILITY LEVEL
The maximum number of points on the actual iBT TOEFL is 120. Students with little or no
TOEFL experience are encouraged to take the beginner’s class. Students with a lot of
experience and a high score should consider taking the intermediate class.
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PRACTICAL ENGLISH - TOEIC
CLASS COMPOSITION
This class covers the New TOEIC test Listening and Reading sections.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
The main activity centers on using the textbook to cover standard TOEIC question types and
strategies. This includes answering skill building questions, listening to audio files, and
covering reading strategies.
Teachers may also include supplemental activities focusing on key elements of the New
TOEIC test, as long as those activities remain subject relevant and level-appropriate. As the
TOEIC does not test students’ speaking ability, conversation as a major component is
discouraged.
ATTENDANCE
As per Hongik University requirements, students are required to attend two-thirds of all classes.
Being absent more than one-third of the classes will result in a failing grade for the semester.
GRADING
Grading is up to the instructor; however, attendance should account for around 10 percent of
the total grade, with the midterm, final, and supplemental work accounting for roughly one-third
of the total grade.
LEVEL COMPOSITION
Practical English is offered at the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels. The designated
textbook series, Pearson-Longman Preparation Series for the New TOEIC Test, is broken into
three level-specific books.
STUDENT ABILITY LEVEL
The maximum number of points on the actual New TOEIC test is 990. Students with a score
between 730 and 990 are encouraged to take Advanced TOEIC. Students with a score
between 550 and 730 are encouraged to take Intermediate TOEIC. Students with a score
between 350 and 550 are encouraged to take Basic TOEIC. Students with a score falling
below 350 are encouraged to study TOEIC with a Korean professor, as these students may
have difficulty handling an English-language native speaker-led class that uses an all-English
textbook.
Students who have never taken the actual New TOEIC test or a simulation New TOEIC test
should review the textbooks prior to registration to gauge their own ability.
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PUBLIC SPEAKING
Course Overview:
This course is designed as an introduction to public speaking in English. Students will have
the opportunity to develop key skills that will allow them to be more dynamic and persuasive
when giving presentations in any environment. They will work both in groups and as
individuals to increase the quality and effectiveness or their intended message. Students will
learn to recognize, analyze, and utilize many of the key physiological and psychological
communication techniques necessary to stand before an audience of any size and deliver a
speech with confidence.
Prerequisites:
Due to the nature of this course students should have the ability to converse in English at an
intermediate level or higher. Students who are uncertain of their ability to handle the course
requirements are strongly recommended to take Freshman English and/or a conversation
class prior to enrolling in the course or to speak with an instructor directly.
Textbook:
Speech Communication Made Simple
Publisher: Longman
Author: Paulette Dale
Class Composition:
This class is an Intermediate Level course. Most students who take this course have taken
English conversation classes or have some experience studying or traveling abroad. Students
wishing to develop confidence and effective communication skills that can be applied to any
field find this course extremely useful. This is an excellent course for all students but 4th year
students about to go on job interviews will find it especially helpful.
Class Activities:
Throughout the course students will be challenged in a variety of classroom activities designed
to develop confidence, remove limiting beliefs and fears, and utilize communication skills
effectively. Some activities and topics that will be covered include:
-
Personal Goal Setting
-
Changing Negative Beliefs into Positive Beliefs
-
Role Plays
-
Speaking to Inform
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-
Speaking to Persuade
-
Non-verbal Communication Skills
-
Verbal Communication Skills
-
Speech Format
-
Getting the Audience’s Attention
-
Building Rapport with Your Audience
-
Supporting Details
-
Creating a Memorable Conclusion
-
Speech Analysis and Feedback
-
Watching Videos of Professional Speakers
-
Cross Cultural Communication
-
Impromptu Speaking
Note: Course activities will vary slightly depending on the individual instructor.
Grading Guidelines
Attendance
10%
Participation/Preparation
30%
Midterm Exam
30%
Final Exam
30%
Total
100%
Note: Grading guidelines will vary slightly depending on the individual instructor.
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INTERMEDIATE READING
Prerequisites
It is strongly recommended that students complete Freshman University English before signing
up for this class.
Course Description
Intermediate Reading will teach important skills for reading English effectively, including:
vocabulary, idioms, key phrases, summarizing, and finding the main ideas of an article or
literary work. This course provides the student with a variety of readings in the form of essays
and literary works such as short stories. The main texts required for this course are chosen by
each individual teacher.
As an intermediate course, the lessons will be more difficult than the freshman courses, and it
is assumed that students taking the class have university level English skills. This class will
challenge student’s abilities. The purpose is to increase reading comprehension and ability to
explain main ideas in writing or discussion.
Students will read an essay or short story every week. Although the focus of the course will be
on reading, some discussion and/or writing of the themes or ideas is a good way to review the
texts and check for understanding. Also, the Midterm, Final Test and homework will be written,
so students will be able to practice writing as well.
Textbook
This course is meant to provide the student with a variety of readings in the form of essays and
short stories. NEWSWEEK magazine has essays of the appropriate level for this class. So it
is a good place to start, but feel free to search out essays from other sources. For various
short stories, the teacher is free to choose.
Views and Values by Kari Sayers is a good book for stories. (Some are easier than others so
keep that in mind.)
The percentage of essay to short stories taught in class is up to the teacher, but do remember
this class is meant to provide a variety of readings. One could do 50-50% or 70% short stories
and 30% essay, for example.
(Do not use TIME because that is being covered in Advanced Reading and newspapers are
being covered in Current Affairs classes.)
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Materials: How do students get the reading materials?
1. Have them buy the book if most of it is being covered.
2. If a combination of many things is used, make a reading packet and leave a master copy at
the copy center located on the 7th floor of C building. Students can buy it from there.
Grading
There should be at least one midterm and final exam. Teachers can add to this if desired.
- For example weekly writing assignments along with the weekly readings or weekly quizzes.
- 30% Midterm, 30% Final, 30% Homework/Quizzes, and 10% Attendance/Participation
Attendance
The university requires attendance to two-thirds of the classes. Absence of more than 1/3 of
the classes is a Fail.
You may add additional qualifications such as:
Cheating or plagiarism: F
Missed (without excuse or prior notice) Midterm or Final Exam: F
Class Composition
This class tends to be mostly composed of seniors and juniors with a few sophomores and
maybe one or two freshman. Usually at least half of the class has a high level of speaking
ability.
Class Activities
Each class is focused on reading material. Weekly readings will be reviewed for basic
comprehension, and main ideas, themes and symbols will be discussed.
36
ADVANCED READING
Prerequisites
It is strongly recommended that students complete Freshman University English before signing
up for this class.
Course Description
Advanced Reading will teach important skills for reading English effectively, including:
vocabulary, idioms, key phrases, summarizing, and finding the main ideas of an article or
literary work. . This course provides the student with a variety of readings in the form of essays
and literary works such as short stories. The main texts required for this course are chosen by
each individual teacher.
This Advanced Reading course is a continuation of the Intermediate Reading, so it is assumed
that students taking the class have university level English skills. This class will challenge
student’s abilities. The purpose is to increase reading comprehension and ability to explain
main ideas in writing or discussion.
Students will read an essay or short story every week. Although the focus of the course will be
on reading, some discussion and/or writing of the themes or ideas is a good way to review the
texts and check for understanding. Also, the Midterm, Final Test and homework will be written,
so students will be able to practice writing as well.
Textbook
This course is meant to provide the student with a variety of readings in the form of essays and
short stories. TIME magazine has essays of the appropriate level for this class. So it is a
good place to start, but feel free to search out essays from other sources. For various short
stories, the teacher is free to choose.
The percentage of essay to short stories taught in class is up to the teacher, but do remember
this class is meant to provide a variety of readings. One could do 50-50% or 70% short stories
and 30% essay, for example.
(Do not use NEWSWEEK because that is being covered in Intermediate Reading and
newspapers are being covered in Current Affairs classes.)
Materials: How do students get the reading materials?
1. Have them buy the book if most of it is being covered.
2. If a combination of many things is used, make a reading packet and leave a master copy at
the copy center located on the 7th floor of C building. Students can buy it from there.
37
Grading
There should be at least one midterm and final exam. Teachers can add to this if desired.
- For example weekly writing assignments along with the weekly readings or weekly quizzes.
- 30% Midterm, 30% Final, 30% Homework/Quizzes, and 10% Attendance/Participation
Attendance
The university requires attendance to two-thirds of the classes. Absence of more than 1/3 of
the classes is a Fail.
You may add additional qualifications such as:
Cheating or plagiarism: Fail
Missed (without excuse or prior notice) Midterm or Final Exam: Fail
Class Composition
This class tends to be mostly composed of seniors and juniors with a few sophomores. Usually
at least half of the class has a high level of speaking ability.
Class Activities
Each class is focused on reading material. Weekly readings will be reviewed for basic
comprehension, and main ideas, themes and symbols will be discussed.
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SCREEN ENGLISH
PREREQUISITES
Students should be of Intermediate level in order obtain the full benefits of the class.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Screen English is designed to give students a variety of options for satisfying their appetite for
creative English classes. Screen English uses movies and/or TV shows to aide in enhancing
students’ English capabilities. Pending upon the instructor, the class focus may be on: the
study of the creative aspects of film, development of cultural understanding, to increase
students’ knowledge of real-life language, or a combination of several of the aforementioned.
By the end of the semester, students should meet the following objectives:
Potential Course Objectives *depending on class*
 Have an increased knowledge of English expressions and idioms
 Have a better understanding of western culture
 Have increased confidence in speaking English (especially in front of groups)
 Understand the do’s and don’ts of body language
 Be able to construct creative, more expressive thoughts in English
 Be able to write a film review
 Be able to discuss plotlines and developments
 Have a general understanding of script writing
 Be able to identify and discuss themes of videos
 Be able to construct humorous ideas and express them much like that of a native
speaker of English.
 Have improved listening and comprehension
 Etc.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Each Screen English class is unique in its own right because every instructor has their own
approach to teaching the class. Depending on the class structures previously mentioned, the
objectives may be met through, but not limited to the following activities:









discussion on videos
re-enact scripts
create original dialogues and acting them out to the class
discussion on cultural points within videos
view muted video scenes and predict what is being said
comprehension activities based on videos
analyze the styles between different movies (with group discussions)
keep a weekly journal with a personal analysis of each video
take vocabulary / comprehension quizzes
39



create a short film or trailer to be recorded inside or outside of class
make storyboards
etc.
TEXT
There are no required textbooks for Screen English. The class will be taught using videos and
supplemental materials per instructor’s discretion.
CLASS COMPOSITION
The class is described as an intermediate to advanced level class. Students taking Screen
English should have a moderate command of listening, reading, writing, speaking, and
comprehension of English. The exact level of each concentration will vary depending on each
individual instructor’s class.
ATTENDANCE
Because the class meets for only 2 hours, once a week for 15 weeks, attendance is crucial.
Students that miss more than 5 classes will receive an automatic in accordance with university
policy. *Note that 2 lates = 1 absence.
GRADING
Students receiving less than 60% in the course, or who miss more than a third of the course
without excuse (more than 5 days) must receive a grade of F.
Because of the nature of Screen English classes the requirements will be different for most
classes. Students can expect a midterm and final along with possible homework, quizzes,
projects or other assignments. The framework for each class is at the discretion of the
instructor. However, the grading scale should be within the following framework:
Grading guideline:
Attendance: 10%
Participation/Homework/Project/Quizzes/Etc.: 10-30%
Midterm Exam: 25-30%
Final Exam: 35-45%
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