Course Description

This course helps students improve their vocabulary recognition and begin to read short texts in English. Students will learn new vocabulary words and how to use them in basic conversation. They will learn how to read short phrases and sentences that will help them function in routine interactions.

Course Emphasis

•  Vocabulary - 60%
  
  • Skills, accuracy, and comprehension - 40%
  • Pronunciation - 20%
• Reading - 40%
  • Skills, strategies, and comprehension - 20%
  • Fluency building - 10%
  • Oral fluency and pronunciation - 10%

Course Books and Materials

• Reading Horizons Student Book (place class set order through UPC 103)
• Oxford Picture Dictionary, 3rd edition, ISBN 9780194505291 (All classes)

1. Understands and uses target vocabulary appropriately.
   1. Recognizes target vocabulary in controlled contexts.
   2. Matches target vocabulary to associated pictures, concepts, or context clues.
   3. Produces target vocabulary in controlled speech when elicited.
2. Acquires new vocabulary.
   1. Recognizes high-frequency general vocabulary from textbook and general service lists.
   2. Understands borrowed words and cognates in English.
   3. Uses context clues and background knowledge to infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary.
3. Uses vocabulary in controlled and spontaneous ways.
   1. Uses target vocabulary to respond to controlled questions and situations.
   2. Recombines target vocabulary to produce short, novel expressions.
4. Understands level-appropriate text (i.e. very short passages, simple maps, receipts, etc.).
   1. Recognizes letters, numbers, symbols, and other characters.
   2. Can identify key words, cognates, and practiced vocabulary.
   3. Understands basic main ideas with context clues and multiple re-readings.
   4. Can make predictions about a story based on details from the story.
5. Reads with some comprehensible pronunciation.
   1. Pronunciation of unfamiliar, high-frequency words.
   2. Correctly pronounces high frequency general vocabulary words in isolation.
   3. Produces two- and three-word chunks with appropriate coarticulation and blending

Pronunciation

1. Oral Reading. While most reading happens silently, students will most likely be asked to read aloud at some point in many different settings, and therefore need to practice and improve their fluency in oral reading. Oral reading activities for all skill levels can focus on word-, sentence-, and passage-level fluency.


2. Reading Horizons. This is a phonics-based program that features both in-class instruction and practice and an online program.

Reading

1. Assigned Reading. Like with extensive reading, students engage in reading large amounts of text with various activities to check for comprehension and completion. In assigned reading, the ELC has determined appropriate books for the level (see your level's book list). Thus, during a semester, there can be a blend of both extensive reading and assigned reading.


2. Fluency Building. Students should engage in fluency activities on a regular and consistent basis. Fluency activities should 1) be easy 2) focus on the main idea 3) encourage students to go fast 4) provide sufficient opportunities to practice.


3. Reading Skills & Strategies. Reading skills and strategies help learners improve their reading comprehension, independent of the language itself. Since the ultimate goal of all reading instruction is to help readers improve their overall comprehension and ability to use the information in a text, a significant portion of class time should be spent teaching and practicing reading skills and strategies. Which reading skills teachers should focus on in their particular class(es) is found in the Course Learning Outcomes.

Vocabulary

1. Assessment. Even though vocabulary may already be assessed ELC-wide, vocabulary assessment can still occur within a Reading course. However, assessment should be focused on words discussed within the class or words from a specific context (i.e., a reading passage).


2. Productive Skills. In order to master the usage of vocabulary, students need to practice producing the target words. 


3. Receptive Skills. In order to better comprehend vocabulary, students need to receive instruction on and practice receptive vocabulary skills. 

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