Year II
2014/2015
EFL - CONVERSATION
Instructors: Jakub Przybył, Karolina Rakowicz, Ewa Urbaniak-Rybicka
Course aims
The major objective of the course is to develop students’ speaking and listening skills. The course will focus on the
following:
1. Continuous development of fluency (including the use of compensation strategies), coherence, functional
language (e.g. apologizing, negotiating), proper register choice, etc in oral communication.
2. Use of rich, varied and precise vocabulary including idiomatic language.
3. Correct pronunciation and correct and sophisticated grammar are also in focus (though students take
independent phonetics and grammar courses).
4. Improvement of listening comprehension in terms of recognizing the gist and the types of spoken texts as
well as understanding details.
Course description
1. Before most classes students are obliged to read articles/other materials chosen by the teacher (and possibly
by students) from B2 level coursebooks and other sources of comparable difficulty, including original ones.
2. For most classes, students prepare short oral contributions (speeches, summaries, dialogues, etc.) related to
the topic covered, which may be based on the assigned reading or some other materials, including materials
found by students.
3. In class, students take part in pair and group conversation, discussions, debates, etc. related to the assigned
reading and audio/video materials used in class and/or at home, which are also employed to develop
students’ listening skills. The instructor monitors these activities and provides different sorts of corrective
feedback.
4. Students are obliged to learn the vocabulary in the assigned coursebook units and in the assigned reading.
Students’ knowledge of the vocabulary is tested by a number tests and/or quizzes in which students define
words and expressions given, provide examples, fill in gaps, etc. The course also provides assistance as far
as effective vocabulary learning in concerned including vocabulary learning strategies.
Credit requirements
Your final grade for every term will be based on the following:
1. Attendance
2. Your preparation for (always do your homework!!!, always do the assigned reading!!!) and participation
in class discussions and activities will be evaluated. REMEMBER! This is a speaking class, so speaking in
class is essential.
3. Vocabulary quizzes - there will be approximately 8 quizzes throughout the year.
4. Mock exam (exam-like interview). The mock exam in the second term takes place during the last two
classes and resembles the oral part of the final EFL (PNJA) exam in as many ways as possible, including the
criteria of evaluation. The mock exam in the first term, taking place during the final class of the term (one
class only), is much shorter, but otherwise also resembles the final EFL exam. Only the topics covered in a
given term are discussed during these exams.
Grading scheme
1st and 2nd term
Attendance, preparation, participation
2 major vocabulary tests
Mock exam
Grades
60-70% - 3.0
71-75% - 3.5
76-84% - 4.0
85-90% - 4.5
91-100% - 5.0
40%
40%
20%
Topic list (the figures are compulsory unit numbers in EVU Upper-intermediate)
Term 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Living in the city, living in the country, living ... somewhere else 35, 50
Being green 42, 49, 51
Slow food 48
Optimism 77
Science in our lives 57, 58
Magic and mysterious events, people, places 73, 67
Family life, parenthood, and childhood 39
Term 2
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Economics and its role in our lives 62, 69
Politics and politicians 60, 38
Gambling – thrills and dangers 61
Reading in today’s world 59, 27-EVU Advanced
Advertisements
Dreams and desires in our lives 65
Emotions - laughter and sadness 64, 83
Materials
Clandfield, L. and Robb Benne R. 2011. Global Upper Intermediate Coursebook. Oxford: Macmillan.
Craven, M. 2008. Real Listening and Speaking 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Feree, T. and Sanabria, T. 2008. NorthStar Listening and Speaking Level 4. Pearson.
Jones, L. and von Baeyer. 1983. Functions of American English: Communication Activities for the Classroom.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. and O'Dell, F. 2002. English Idioms in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. and O’Dell, F. 2001. English Vocabulary in Use. Upper-intermediate.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. and O’Dell, F. 2002. English Vocabulary in Use. Advanced.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. and O'Dell, F. 2004. English Phrasal Verbs in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
McCarthy, M. and O'Dell, F. 2005. English Collocations in Use. Intermediate. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
McCarthy, M. and O'Dell, F. 2007. English Phrasal Verbs in Use. Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
O'Dell, F. and McCarthy, M. 2008. English Collocations in Use. Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
O'Dell, F. and McCarthy, M. 2010. English Idioms in Use. Advanced. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. and O’Dell, F. 2010. Vocabulary in Use. High Intermediate.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Preiss, S. 2008. NorthStar Listening and Speaking Level 5. Pearson.
Side, R. and Wellman, G. 2002. Grammar and Vocabulary Practice for Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency.
London: Longman.
Vince, M. 2009. First Certificate Language Practice. Oxford: Macmillan Heinemann
English Language Teaching.
Vince, M. and Sunderland, P. 2004. Advanced Language Practice. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
Wallwork, A. 2010. Discussions A-Z. Advanced. A resource book of speaking activities. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Wallwork, A. 2010. Discussions A-Z. Intermediate. A resource book of speaking activities. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Any Cambridge First Certificate or B2 level coursebook
Useful EFL links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
http://esl-lab.com/
http://www.npr.org/