Course information

• What is the course about?
  
  Through the program, you will be exposed to a number of challenging and interesting topics by browsing the Internet resources, and you will practice English through a series of communicative activities such as participating in discussion, analyzing the cultural differences, doing role-plays, and reporting individual presentation as well as team project.
  
  We hope to create an active and energetic class. Thus, regular attendance, class participation, and learning attitude are very important for your grade and progress in academic performance. Please make necessary preparation for weekly assigned topics, team discussion, and project presentation; failure to do so will positively affect your final grade. You are responsible for the presence on the assigned dates for reports and exams. If you are absent on the scheduled dates, you won't get any grade; that is, no make-ups. If you miss classes more than three times, you might not pass the course. For the classroom etiquette, please listen to and respect for the ideas of your classmates.
  
  Remember this – PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! The best way to improve your English speaking ability is to talk, talk, and talk some more. Don't worry about making mistakes and don't forget that you will never learn to communicate effectively if you keep your mouth closed! J I hope you try your best to follow the program and enjoy your English learning as a discovery process of communication!
  
  
  
• GRADING POLICY
  
  CLASS ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION 15%
  ASSIGNMENTS & PRACTICES 30%
  TEAMWORK & PROJECTS 40%
  FINAL EXAM 15%

A TENTATIVE SYLLABUS

1. 9/20 Course Orientation / A Dear Teacher Letter
2. 9/27 Greetings (Unit 1)
3. 10/4 Expressions for Closing Conversations (Unit 1) / Meet My Friends
4. 10/11 Dress and Appearance (Unit 2) / English Song 1
5. 10/18 Body Language & Emoticons (Unit 2) / Teamwork 1
6. 10/25 Exchanging Information (Unit 3) / English Song 2
7. 11/1 Telephone Conversations (Unit 3) / English Song 3
8. 11/8 Telling & Analyzing Stories / A Movie Review
9. 11/15 Social Interaction (Unit 4) / English Song 4
10. 11/22 Suggestions & Invitations (Unit 4) / English Song 5
11. 11/29 Visiting a city in Taiwan / Midterm Project
12. 12/6 Apologizing & Requesting (Unit 4)
13. 12/13 A Story of Christmas / A Movie Review
14. 12/20 All About Christmas! / Teamwork 2
15. 12/27 Rules & Regulations (Unit 4)
16. 1/3 A Cultural Comparison / Final Project
17. 1/10 A Movie Review
18. 1/17 Final Exam & Course Feedback

• REQUIRED TEXTS
  HANDSHAKE (Peter Viney & Karen Viney) OXFORD ISBN: 0-19-457220-X
  LONGMAN ESSENTIAL ACTIVATOR ISBN: 0-582-24742-X
• RECOMMENDATIONS

LONGMAN DICTIONARY OF CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH, New Ed.
AMERICAN STREET TALK美國人每天說的話(BURKE) LONGMAN 文鶴
COMMON SPOKEN ENGLISH ERRORS OF CHINESE STUDENTS (BOYLE) LONGMAN ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE (REDMAN) CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH PHRASAL VARBS IN USE (McCARTHY & O’DELL) CAMBRIDGE
PRONOUNCING AMERICAN ENGLISH: SOUNDS, STRESS, AND INTONATION, 2nd ED. (ORION) THOMSON
SOCIAL EXPRESSIONS (KIRKPATRICK) LEARNERS
WHAT'S WHAT: A VISUAL GLOSSARY OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD (BRAGONIER & FISHER)