BASIC ENGLISH II

DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE

Objective
At the end of the course, you will be able to communicate in English in everyday situations at a lower
intermediate level. You will be able to use the four skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading) to
undertake meaningful real tasks. Another objective of the course is to make you feel confident using
English in different daily situations, and to acquire practical tools and criteria to assess your learning
process.

Methodology
For learning a foreign language successfully, you must be responsible for your own learning and exercise
that responsibility through preparing your lessons before classes, doing homework, working on your tasks,
your portfolio, and assessing your process. It is also necessary to use the target language as medium of
classroom communication, channel of learning, and tool for reflection. For this reason, all classes will be
given in English.

Your teacher will provide you with material, links to practice the topics and to acquire strategies, and
access to English platform TEAMS. In addition, you will have to register your process on an online portfolio
that will be an important tool to evaluate your progress and receive constant feedback from your teacher,
your classmates, and yourself.

As previously mentioned, you are expected to work on tasks, which will help you practice and interiorize
the topics studied in each term and you will also build a final product you will have to present at the end of
the semester.

Self-assessment
An important component of this methodology is the evaluation approach, which is based on both
formative and summative assessment. Mainly, students should be trained on their ability to self and peer-
assess.

This kind of assessment implies that students monitor their learning experience. Thus, their
values, ideas, goals, and skills are relevant, making them feel in charge of their process (Yan &
Brown, 2017). By including this evaluation method gradually, along the semester, students can
receive and create more comprehensible and meaningful feedback.” This gradual development
proves to be worth the effort since self-oriented learners feel motivated, engaged and
empowered in their learning process - key foundations of self-regulated and lifelong learning .”
(Rodríguez, Ramírez y Camargo, 2019)

Information and Communication Technologies

Nowadays, using ICT is an undeniable necessity because of all the benefits it offers to both teachers and
students to communicate and learn in high education. Abarca (2015) affirms that to make it possible, it is
vital that these tools are step by step integrated by teachers once they are prepared to use technology
effectively and to guide students to use and learn through it.
ICT displays a wide range of possibilities to explore information and knowledge which turns out to be
highly pertinent since it allows teachers and learners to consider new ways to use technology in class,
access authentic information and explore social networks with learning purposes. Several articles have
broadly studied the impact of ICT when teaching English as a foreign language and most of them agree
that technology fosters students’ motivation to learn, innovative learning opportunities full of dynamism
and creativity (Rodríguez, Ramírez y Camargo, 2019).

Tasks

As part of the work you will do for this class, you will have to create three tasks. This will be a step-by-step
process you will start working on from the first term through a series of tasks you will do for the end of
each term. These activities are aimed at enhancing your linguistic, communicative and technological skills.

FIRST TERM TASK

FIRST TERM: A RESTAURANT I LIKE

Description You will do a video review of a restaurant describing the place, the food, prices, what you
are doing and your opinion about it. Later, all students will share the videos in canvas to
give comments to each other.
Topics Topic 1: What we do and what we are Topic 2: For better and for worse
doing
Language Review of simple present and simple Comparative adjectives, as+ adjectives+ as,
content present vs. present continuous superlative adjectives
Mini-tasks Choose a restaurant or restaurants you like Based on the video you did and the topics you
and film your 2-minute video meeting the have studies, write the script for your video.
following criteria: Make sure to meet the following criteria:
 The video should last 2 minutes  Include descriptions of the place,
 You should appear in the video people, food and prices
tasting different food and interacting  Compare food and prices
with someone
You need to film people and specific Give your opinion about the restaurant. You
features of the restaurant because you will can refer to positive and negative aspects
use the voice in off technique later
Suggested cellphone camera https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Food-
links Review (steps to write a review)
www.youtube.com
https://www.thedailymeal.com/how-review-
https://www.youtube.com/watch? restaurant (How to do a restaurant review)
v=IpYc7KrghOI (2-minute restaurant
review)
 SECOND TERM TASK

SECOND TERM: THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN MY LIFE

Description You will choose a person you admire to ask him/her different questions to know more about
his/her life. Then, you will write a short magazine article (3 paragraphs), step by step, and
will upload it in wix.com. There, you will complement it with pictures that show more about
that person and your relationship. Later, you will post it in canvas to provide questions and
comments among the members of the class.
Topics Topic 3: My childhood Topic 4: Lives

Language Past tense (affirmative and negative Past tense (yes/no questions and Wh questions in
content sentences) past tense)
Mini-tasks You need to write a paragraph about You need to write your second paragraph describing
a person who you think was the that person’s most significant milestones.
most meaningful for you in your
childhood, the reasons why he/she Also, you need to write your third paragraph
was so important and the most narrating a hard or difficult experience that person
significant life events you shared had or you had with him, as well as what you
with this person. Your paragraph learned from that.
needs: The paragraphs should meet the same criteria
explained before.
 A topic sentence, supporting
sentences and concluding Important: these are two min-tasks. Teachers can
sentence decide which one they want to evaluate
 Connectors and time phrases
studied
 7 – 12 lines
Suggested https://www.youtube.com/watch? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZibaJWPoWc
links v=JQRoAiVyR0k&t=26s (how to (tips to write an article)
write a paragraph)
www.wix.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hQ1OwYu4GsY&t=135s (six ways http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/
to start a sentence) interactives/essaymap/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LdCOswMeXFQ (punctuation
explained)
 THIRD TERM TASK

FIRST TERM: A VISIT TO A THERAPIST/FORTUNETELLER

Description You will do a live role play of a visit to a therapist or fortune teller. You will need to
perform a session where you talk about your past, current life and future. The role plays
will be recorded and seen in order to self and group assess the work done.
Topics Topic 8: What will /might happen in 2025 Topic 9: My intentions and plans

Language “Will” for making promises and Will vs. Might

content spontaneous decisions
Going to and present continuous for plans
Will vs. Might and arrangements
Modal verbs for making suggestions: Could,
should
Mini-tasks Write the script of your role play making Complement your intervention using going
sure you meet the following criteria: to, present continuous and modal verbs for
making suggestions. Rehearse your role in
 There should be balanced class by filming yourself and evaluating your
participation weaknesses and strengths. Pay attention to:
 It should last between 10 and 15
minutes  Voice projection/diction
 You should use props  Pronunciation and intonation
 Naturality and confidence

Suggested https://www.youtube.com/watch? Cellphone

links v=pKIVqyZdVyQ
Cellphone camera
www.wordreference.com

  
Task-based lesson

Each lesson should have the features of the task-based learning methodology and follow this cycle (Willis,
2012):

1. Pre-task: in this step the task and the topic are introduced. Students are prepared for the task by
means of input such as recordings, videos or readings that provide useful expressions or language,
but it is not taught formally. It is important to provide time so students decide how they are going
to do the task.

2. Task cycle: in pairs or groups, students develop the task using whatever language they know or
recycling forms from the input. In the meantime, the teacher walks around, monitoring and
assisting students’ questions without intervening or correcting errors. During this stage, it is
essential to stress on spontaneity, exploration and confidence-building. Once the task is done,
students should be given time to prepare a report for the whole class (the task outcome). At this
point the teacher may provide some advice to polish and correct language. Finally, some groups
 are asked to share the outcome with the rest of the class, and the teacher may comment on
students’ work and rephrase their ideas without making public corrections.

3. Focus on form: this is the stage in which teachers perform some conscious-raising activities to
focus on relevant forms to help students explore the language, develop awareness, systematize,
and clarify what they observed during the task cycle. This stage is accompanied by practice
activities such as sentence completion, memory games or matching activities.

As mentioned before, teachers will follow this cycle to plan their daily lessons and reach a communicative
goal. As well, a task will be done at the end of each academic term, and this will be a step-by-step process
that will be completed by means of mini-tasks that students will do in class during each term. These
activities are aimed at enhancing students’ linguistic, communicative and technological skills.

Task-based lesson sample

TOPIC: Family

OBJECTIVE: To describe families and to ask and answer general information questions about them.

WARM-UP: The teacher shows pictures of different kinds of families (small families, big families,
families with just one parent, same-sex parents, etc.) and has students identify the picture that best
represents their family.

PRE- TASK: The teacher shows students a picture of their family and draw their family tree. Then,
they explain who they are, what they do, where they are from, etc. and encourage students to ask
questions about any member of this picture/family tree they are curious about.

TASK: Students must draw their family tree. Then, in groups, they show it, explain it, and make
questions about their classmates’ families.

The product of the activity might be a short paragraph, some sentences, or a short presentation about
their classmate’s family.

Portfolio

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), students should be fully
engaged in every stage of their learning process. This implies that they can plan, monitor and evaluate it
and gradually become autonomous learners. To facilitate this process, the Council of Europe created,
along with its Principles and Guidelines, The European Language Portfolio (ELP) as a way to promote
reflection, self-assessment and autonomy (Little, 2009) through this well scaffolded structure:

1. Language Passport: initial part of the portfolio, where students evaluate their previous experiences
learning the language and their skills.
2. Language Biography: in this part, learners record the strategies they are using, the assessment of
these strategies, the objectives they set, the monitoring of their process and any other reflections
that shape their self-assessment development.
 3. Dossier: this part includes all the samples of the work students do and show their improvement.
The array of options is large: recordings, pictures, writings, videos, memes, etc.)

Over the course of each term, students will work in their e-portfolio and will gradually develop self-
assessment skills. This will be reflected in its four parts that have their origin in the typical structure
proposed by ELP.
Attendance
Attendance to every class is advisable because you need constant practice in speaking; and your teacher
needs to give you feedback on your progress with respect to how you communicate with others in English.
Also, during the classes you will have the opportunity to answer questions concerning concepts or
structures of the language.

Evaluation
The purpose of the evaluation is to measure your academic achievement throughout the course and to
identify specific aspects you can improve. To do this, coursework will include written and oral quizzes and
classwork, a task per each term, two term exams, a final exam, and a portfolio.

GRADING

FIRST 30% Task 1 5%

Quizzes and classwork 5%

Portfolio 5%

Exam 1 15%

SECOND 30% Task 2 5%

Quizzes and classwork 5%

Portfolio 5%

Exam 2 15%

FINAL 40% Portfolio 5%

Final task 10%

Quizzes and classwork 5%

Final Exam 20%

Class topics
These are the topics you will study throughout the semester.

FIRST TERM

FIRST TERM: A RESTAURANT I LIKE

FUNCTIONAL
TOPIC/ACTIVITY GRAMMAR CONTENTS VOCABULARY CONTENTS
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTOR
Y SESSION Explanation of rules, methodology, evaluation, portfolio, important dates, etc.
(1 session)

- Review of simple present

(affirmative, negative and
- Talking about
interrogative sentences) - Daily routines (take a bus – a
habits, routines,
taxi/drive to work, eat a lot/go on
Topic 1: and facts. - Simple Present vs.
a diet, watch tv -watch a series on
Present continuous
WHAT WE DO Netflix/read a book, cook/eat out)
(affirmative, negative and
AND WHAT WE - Talking about interrogative sentences) - Time expressions for routines
ARE DOING temporary and and for temporary situations
(3 sessions) permanent (frequency adverbs, now, right
situations now, currently, these days, at this
moment, at the moment)

Topic 2: - Describing people -Physical description (adjectives

- Comparative adjectives
for describing height, weight, hair,
FOR BETTER - Comparing food - As + adjective + as complexion, other features)
AND FOR and restaurants
WORSE - Superlative adjectives - Adjectives to describe
- Ordering at a restaurants (expensive, cheap,
(3 sessions) restaurant fancy, cozy, crowded, popular)

SELF-
ASSESSMENT 1 Session in which you will be able to reflect upon your learning process so far.
(1 session)

SECOND TERM

SECOND TERM: THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN MY LIFE

FUNCTIONAL
TOPIC/ACTIVITY GRAMMAR CONTENTS VOCABULARY CONTENTS
CONTENTS

Topic 3: - Talking about - Past tense of some - Childhood memories: School,

childhood regular and irregular verbs games (play: hopscotch, hide and
MY CHILDHOOD
memories (affirmative and negative sick, fly a kite; toys a movie; and
 (4 sessions) sentences) house).

- Childhood typical activities: ( go

to the park, watch TV, eat ice-
cream, ride a bike, and swim)

- Time phrases: (Last …, ---ago,

in…)

Topic 4: - Talking about - Past tense of some - Lifelines (be born, grow up,
their lives and their regular and irregular verbs. study, start work, get married,
LIVES
favorite people’s have kids, get divorced, die)
- Yes/no questions and wh-
(3 sessions) lives
questions in past tense - Time phrases (after that, before
that, then, 2 years later)

SELF-
ASSESSMENT 2 Session in which you will be able to reflect upon your learning process so far.
(1 session)

FINAL TERM

FINAL TASK: MY HOBBIES AND TALENTS

FUNCTIONAL
TOPIC/ACTIVITY GRAMMAR CONTENTS VOCABULARY CONTENTS
CONTENTS

Topic 5: WHAT - Making - Will vs. Might - Technology

WILL HAPPEN predictions
- Transport
IN 2025?
- Communications
(4 sessions)

Topic 6: - Planning and - Going to and present - Time phrases (next, in, tomorrow,
arranging continuous for plans and the day after tomorrow, soon)
INTENTIONS
arrangements
AND PLANS - Making - Short and long-term plans
(affirmative, negative and
suggestions (academic, professional and
(5 sessions) interrogative sentences)
personal goals)
- Modal verbs for making
suggestions: could,
should (affirmative and
negative sentences)

SELF-
ASSESSMENT 4 Session in which you will be able to reflect upon your learning process so far.
(1 session)
 Important dates
The following are the dates on which key activities will be carried out.

TERM   EXAM – TASK PRESENTATION  

1 TERM  
st

March 6th – March 11th   

(February 6 – March 11 )  
th th

2 TERM  
nd

April 17th – April 21st  

(March 13 – April 21 )  
th st

FINAL TERM  
May 29th – June 3rd 
(April 24th – June 3rd)  

SUGESTED LINKS

TOPIC 1
Habits, routines and facts:
http://www.englishtenses.com/tenses/present_simple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvFba-9CgbU
https://www.press.umich.edu/pdf/9780472033096-unit1.pdf

Temporary situations Vs. Permanent situations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEBRIBtq7q0
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCwSNGm1t4M

TOPIC 2
Comparatives and superlatives:
http://tatianasociologia56.blogspot.com/2012/02/comparatives-superlatives-pysical.html
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/
adjectives_comparison_sentences.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/adjectives_adverbs/adjectives_comparison_as_as.htm
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/adjectives-adverbs/adjectives/exercises
https://agendaweb.org/grammar/comparative-adjectives-exercises.html

Physical Appearance:
https://englishpost.org/2014/10/26/description-and-comparison-of-peoples-physical-appearance-and-
traits/
http://tatianasociologia56.blogspot.com.co/2012/02/comparatives-superlatives-pysical.html
https://prezi.com/yaomrfxetu_d/description-and-comparison-of-peoples-physical-appearance-a/

Food and Restaurants:

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice/food-and-restaurants
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/video-uk/food-britain

Ordering at a restaurant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWafoyMV9ug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mw9-uk_QFk

TOPIC 3
Past tense:
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/Sample/Advanced/gs/gs_05.htm
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/sim_past.htm

-ed Pronunciation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j32SurxnE4s
http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar/simple_past_tense04.html

How to write:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRoAiVyR0k (how to write a paragraph)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ1OwYu4GsY&t=127s (how to start sentences)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxuSj8WYAp0 (how to write an article)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS5xKed2-5M (how to write a descriptive essay)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KIqinFFIXE (how to write a biography)

TOPIC 4
Life stages:
http://esl.fis.edu/vocab/q1/life.htm
http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar/simple_past_tense04.html (time expressions in past)

Questions:
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-simple-exercise-6.html
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/wh-question-words.htm

Grammar:
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-past.php (simple past tense
exercises)
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/simple_past1/index.php (simple past complex test)

TOPIC 5
Making predictions:
http://www.really-learn-english.com/future-predictions.html
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-m_future.htm

What will or might happen in 2025:

https://es.slideshare.net/mariaalejandra125/will-and-might
http://www.english-at-home.com/will-might-going-to/
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/modal1.html

TOPIC 6
Intentions and Plans:
http://www.english-at-home.com/grammar-future-intentions/
https://es.slideshare.net/51625678/future-plans-and-intentions https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=G7YVSmpDFZQ
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/will-or-be-going-to.html
https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/going_to_future_statements.htm

Modal should

http://www.eclecticenglish.com/grammar/Should1A.html
http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-should-should-not-exercises.html#.W1SEEdJKjIV