Speaking with Improved Grammar and Vocabulary (E4731, Pool 4)

Today’s Class BREAK Course requirements and components Assessment at mid-term and end of course Types of work assigned for homework Description of the 1st assignment (due Monday) BREAK Diagnostic grammar test To help you decide if this is the class for you, we will cover the following in today’s class.

Samuela Eckstut Samuela Eckstut-Didier

Ms. Eckstut OR Sammi (NOT “Teacher”, “Ms.”, etc.) How to address me. (“Professor” or “Professor Eckstut” would be appropriate except I’m not a professor).

Introductions Your name and how you like people in the US to call you Your academic and/or professional background Your reasons for signing up for this elective

“Grammar is not the most important thing in the world, but if you make a lot of mistakes you may be more difficult to understand, and some kinds of people may look down on you or not take you seriously. Hardly anybody speaks or writes a foreign language perfectly, but you will communicate more successfully if you can make your English reasonably correct.” How English Works (A Grammar Practice Book), Michael Swan and Catherine Walker, Introduction, p. 2. This statement sums up the overall goal of this elective and that is to help you communicate more effectively when you speak.”

Requirements Active participation in all class activities One presentation per student Participation in Q & A period after presentation Active participation in all class activities 30-minute assignments + vocabulary log Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus (ECKSTUT, E4731) Promptness No phone use

The Three Components of This Elective Speaking Practice Grammar Analysis Vocabulary Analysis

Student Presentations & Q&A Follow-up Group Discussions Speaking Practice Student Presentations & Q&A Follow-up Group Discussions

Speaking Practice Assessment i)language skills accuracy vocabulary usage pronunciation ii)participation

Advanced grammar points Grammar Analysis Advanced grammar points (conditionals, modals, etc.) Error analysis (based on student errors)

Grammar Analysis Assessment i)Results of grammar quizzes (4 in total) ii)Accuracy in sentence-homework

Vocabulary Analysis Grammar of vocabulary Usage (count/non-count noun, verb complement, etc.) Usage (collocation, connotation, etc.)

Vocabulary Analysis Assessment i) Correct usage in sentence homework ii)Vocabulary reviews (2 in total)

Vocabulary worksheets Types of Assignments Sentences with new vocabulary (5 words per assignment, 7 to 8 assignments in total, submitted by email) Vocabulary logs (5 words per week, non-academic vocabulary) Vocabulary worksheets (7 to 8 in total, to go over in class)

1st Assignment When? By email, no later than 9 AM on Monday, February 1st What? i) the topic of your presentation ii) a summary statement (“I am going to talk about…) iii) a link to the reading you have selected iv) 3 discussion questions for group discussion after your presentation

Which two topics will probably not lead to a lot of group discussion? Living off-campus Satellites in space Sleep problems The special places to see in my country Money in sports Why aren’t people honest? How to improve one’s memory

Which of these would not be acceptable sources for a reading text? www.about.com  Africa News (Uganda) www.BusinessWorld.com Chinadaily.com.cn www.history.com The Irish Times www.nytimes.com Newsweek www.wikipedia.org

Compare your answers. www.about.com NO Africa News (Uganda) YES www.BusinessWorld.com YES Chinadaily.com.cn NO www.history.com NO The Irish Times YES www.nytimes.com YES Newsweek YES www.wikipedia.org NO

seckstut@bu.edu http://blogs.bu.edu/seckstut/

Absences If you know in advance that you will be absent, please let me know beforehand. If you are ill the day of class, please email me before 1:30. Whatever the reason for your absence, it is your responsibility to come to the next class fully prepared.