The Language Institute of Thammasat University

EL 172 English Course III (Regular Programs)

Course Outline 1/2014
*****************************************
Course Description:
An upper-intermediate English course to enable students to use integrated skills at a more
sophisticated level than the prior course especially in speaking and writing.
Course Objectives:

To develop students competency in listening and speaking;

To develop students competency in English written communication through intensive
and extensive exposure to a variety of paragraphs;
To promote students ability to communicate with foreigners in English;
To increase students confidence to use English in daily life;
To promote autonomous as well as student-centered learning;
To raise cultural awareness;
To increase awareness of morality and ethics.

Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to
listen and speak English appropriately;
write paragraphs effectively;
communicate effectively with other speakers of English;
gain experience of self-directed learning as well as learning with other students;
demonstrate their understanding of the Thai culture in English;
develop awareness of morality and ethics and act according to the LITU student moral
standards.
Teaching Methods & Materials:

Teaching Methods: Student-Centered Learning, Autonomous/Self-Directed Learning,

Discussions, Pair Work, Group Work, Oral Presentations, Media Application
Materials:
1. EL172 Foundation English Listening & Speaking by LITU
2. University English 2 by LITU
The copies of textbook are available at Dao Photocopy Shop (SC building)
Supplementary exercises will be provided in class.

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Course Evaluation

Part

Percentage

Description

Attendance
(10% L/S + 5% RW)

15%

- 80% mandatory class attendance

- Absences for more than six class meetings subjected to an
automatic F grade in the course.
- 1% deducted for one absence / 0.5% deducted for one lateness
- Class assignments and homework done and submitted on time
- Cooperation and being considerate towards your teachers and
classmates is a course requirement. Class disruption (i.e.
chatting, social networking) may adversely affect the attendance
score.

Participation
(Listening/Speaking
only)

10%

- All students begin with 7 out of 10 points.

- One point may be added for each time student shows extra effort
during activities (doing more than the teacher asks or taking risks
with English during speaking activities)
- After one warning, students lose 1 point for each time they speak
Thai during the speaking activities.
- Students lose 2 points each time they bring a book with the
answers filled in (doesnt matter if its a friends book or if
student completed in advance)

Writing Assignments

10%

- Narrative Paragraph (5%) and Process, Descriptive, or Cause

and Effect Paragraph (5%)
To be assigned in Week 7 & Week 14 respectively.
(a paragraph of approximately 120-150 words)

Midterm Examination

15%

- Reading Comprehension and Sentence Level

(Vocabulary 5 %, Reading 5 % and Grammar 5%)

Speaking Tests

20%

- (2) One-on-one interviews with teacher students answer

questions similar to what they perform in classroom activities)
10-point exam before midterm and 10 point-exam before final

Final Examination

30%

-Listening Comprehension
10% (Multiple Choice) Listening
-Reading & Writing
20% consisting of 5% Vocabulary, 5% Reading and 10%
Grammar(Control writing and Grammar points)

TOTAL

100%

Important Notes:
In the Listening/Speaking class, students must bring a new book (not someone elses
book, not one with the answers filled in before class) to class every week. The success of
improving students listening and speaking abilities depends on students having to use

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and react to the language. Therefore, students must do the work themselves, not just
have the right answer.
If students are confused about something in class, they should ask the teacher to help
them, not their friend. Students learn classroom language for this reason.
Thammasat University strongly discourages plagiarism, i.e. an act of copying someones
ideas or work and presenting them as if they were yours, without referring to the
original sources or authors. Therefore, any (Speaking & Writing) assignment that is
considered (partially or entirely) plagiarized will be given a score of zero.

Score Distribution between R/W and L/S

Reading & Writing
EL 172

Attendance

Listening & Speaking

5%

Attendance

10%

Writing Assignments

10 %

Participation

10%

Midterm Examination

15%

Speaking Tests

20%

Final Examination
Sub-total
100%

10%
50%

Final Examination
20%
Sub-total
50%
Grand Total
Tentative Schedule
Week

Date

Aug 18-22

EL 172
Listening-Speaking (LS)
1. Course outline
2. Students buy L/S book
3. Unit 1 Classroom
language

Reading-Writing (RW)
Course Orientation
U1: Reading (3 Ways to Make Each
Job Application Special)
Reading Skill (context clues and
structural clues)

Aug 25-29

U1: Grammar Focus (phrases,

clauses, and sentences)

Sep 1-5

Unit 3 Hobbies & leisure

activities

Writing Skill (paragraph unity,

coherence, and transitional signals)
U2: Reading (The 7 Ps of Marketing)
Reading Skill (skimming for topic and
main ideas)

Sep 8-12

Unit 4 Talking about your

country & the SE Asian region

U2: Grammar Focus (Sentence

Pattern Review)

* Sep 11:
Wai Kru
ceremony

Unit 2 Talking about

yourself, your studies & future
plans

Writing Skill (Writing Topic

Sentences)

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Sep 15-19

Listening-Speaking (LS)

Reading-Writing (RW)

Unit 5 Your recent travels

U3: Reading (KalakanniJataka:

What's in a Name?)
Reading Skill (Implied Main idea)
Grammar Focus (Fragments, comma
splice and run-on sentences)
Writing Skill (Outlining)

Sep 22-26

Review and/or beginning of

Speaking Test #1

U4: Reading (Mark Zuckerberg:

Facebook Founder and CEO)
Reading Skill (Scanning for
Supporting Details)

Sep 29-Oct 3

Speaking test #1 (continued)

U4: Grammar Focus (Narrative

Tenses)
Writing Skill (A Narrative
Paragraph)
-Teacher assigns the 1st writing task
(Narrative Paragraph)
Review of U1-4 for the Midterm
Examination

Oct 5-13
Midterm Examination Week (No Classes)
Midterm Exam Date: (Thu) 9 October 2014 9.00-11.00

Oct 14-17

Unit 6 What youve done

recently

U5: Reading (The Process of Red

Winemaking)
Reading Skill (References)

10

Oct 20-24
*Oct 23:
Chulalongkorn
Memorial Day

Unit 7 - Locations

-Students hand in their 1st writing

assignment.
U5: Grammar Focus (Passive
Voice)
Writing Skill (Process Paragraph)
- Relevant grammar points and
paragraph organization brought up

11

Oct 27-31

Unit 8 - Directions

-Teacher returns graded 1st

assignments with comments
U6: Reading (Beijing)
Reading Skill (Making Inferences)

12

Nov 3-7

Unit 9 Using public transport

U6: Grammar Focus (Participial

Phrase)
Writing Skill (Describing people,

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place, and objects)

Reading-Writing (RW)

Listening-Speaking (LS)
13

14

Nov 10-14

Nov 17-21

U7: Reading (Thailand Lagging

Behind in English)

Unit 10 Restaurants, hotels &

shopping

Reading Skill (Distinguishing facts

from opinions)
U7: Grammar Focus (Adverb
clauses and prepositional phrases of
cause and result)

Review and/or beginning of

speaking test #2

Writing Skill (Paragraphs of cause

and effect)

15

Nov 24-28

Teacher assigns the 2nd writing task

(Process, Descriptive, or Cause
and Effect Paragraph).
U8: Reading (Plagiarism in
Educational Institutions)

Speaking test #2 (continued)

Reading Skill (Identifying

Purposes, Attitudes, and Tones)

16

Dec 1-5

-Students hand in their 2nd writing

assignment.
U8: Grammar Focus (Forms of
Comparison and Contrast)

Speaking test #2 (continued if

necessary)

*Nov 5:
H.M. The
Kings
Birthday

Writing Skill(Comparison/Contrast
Paragraphs)
- Relevant grammar points and
paragraph organization brought up
- Teacher returns graded 2nd
assignments with comments
- Review of U 6-8 for the Final
Examination

17

Dec 8-28
Final Examination Week (No Classes)
Midterm Exam Date: (Tue) 9 December 2014 9.00-12.00

Add-Drop period: 27 August 1 September 2014

"W" period:

20 -27 October 2014

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