Speech Practice
Dear student!
This term the course covers the following topics: Languages; British Mass Media. The 3rd year students will have to study a number of authentic texts, listen to audiotapes and then fulfill various tasks. This will help you to improve your command of English, develop your speaking, reading and listening skills, and broaden your cultural horizons.
COURSE OUTLINE Term 5
Course size — 8 hours, independent work — 24 hours
1. Learning objectives
The first part of the course is intended for our students to:
achieve greater fluency in speaking and reading;
widen their vocabulary and general background knowledge;
learn to plan their work individually and in teams;
acquire some understanding of certain aspects of life in Great Britain;
raise their awareness of cross-cultural differences.
2. Essential Study Materials
“Horizons. Aspects of Modern Life” Mikhalyova E.P., Lapteva O.A., Petrashkevich N.P.
“Horizons. Word Practice” Lapteva O.A., Sharabchieva E.V.
The manuals are available at “Lexis” book-shop in MSLU.
3. Student Activity
The course presupposes thorough and conscientious independent and class work on behalf of the student. The course offers you different types of work:
classroom activities (including group discussions and projects);
learning independently using recommended books and tapes;
home tests with self-check keys and class tests.
4. Content
During the 5th term students are expected:
to read 11 authentic texts;
to listen to 5 audiotapes;
to keep the student’s language learning diary;
to accomplish home and class tests.
For more detailed information, see Course Map I.
Course Map I (Class Work)
№ |
Topic |
Hours |
1 |
English as a world language. Variants of English. English or Esperanto as a world language. |
2 |
2 |
The importance and characteristics of the British press. |
2 |
3 |
Radio and TV in Great Britain. |
2 |
4 |
Musical traditions in Great Britain. |
2 |
5 |
Story types. |
2 |
6 |
Plot and its structure. |
2 |
7 |
Plot-structure elements. Setting. |
|
8 |
Credit test. |
|
4. Course examination
At the end of the 5th term you will have to write a final test, which will check the progress of your independent work. Besides, you are expected to do the exercises in the guides to the texts and tapes, practise the vocabulary units, keep the student’s language learning diary.
Procedure
Step 1. Working independently in September-December, you are supposed to read the indicated information in the course book Horizons and compile a file of useful information and vocabulary items, which will help you to cover the examination speaking points. As you study the material (texts and tapes), keep the student’s language learning diary in a notebook (See: What is a language learning diary?).
For better time management and effective learning, we suggest a weekly step-by-step scheme of independent work.
Languages
Date |
Study Material |
Follow-up |
Creative task: *choose one of the following and get ready for class presentation |
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01-07. 09. |
Read the text “English as a world language” Horizons, pp. 6-7; Word study, Ex.3, 4 p.11.
|
Write some facts about English in the following table. Use the text and your own ideas. English as a world language
|
Why are you learning English? Make a short presentation in class speaking about the importance of learning the English language today. |
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08-14. 09. |
Listen to the tape Esperanto |
Follow the guide to the tape. Write some facts about English and Esperanto as the world languages, comparing their
Plan or write down the speaking point “English as a world language” Plan or write down the speaking point “English or Esperanto as a world language”
|
Write a small essay “The future of English and Esperanto” |
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15-21. 09. |
Read the texts “British English and the languages of the UK”, “The transatlantic connection”, Horizons, pp. 8-9; 10-11. |
Find some extra information about different variants of English (in Britain and other countries). Plan or write down the speaking point “Variants of English”. |
Find some information on the internet about one of the variants of English (American, Australian, Canadian English, etc., one of the British dialects, or Gaelic and Welsh) and be ready to present it in class.
|
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22-28. 09. |
Listen to the tape Success through a foreign language; Word study, Ex.4-11, p.6-8
|
Do the guide to the tape.
|
Make a small (A4 format) poster, write on it - 5 dos and 5 don’ts of successful language learning - 5 personal benefits in language learning
|
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29.09.- 05.10. |
Listen to the tape Are you a good language learner? Word study, Ex.3, p.6
|
Follow the guide to the tape. Do you always agree with the speaker? Write the speaking point “How to be a good language learner”. Use the tape and your own ideas from your experience of learning or teaching English. |
Make a short presentation on one of the following:
|
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06-19. 10. |
Test for unit “Languages”
|
Vocabulary revision. Put down the vocabulary definitions in the language learning diary.
|
Write an essay about different languages and their variants: “Variety is the spice of life” |