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Community English Program

Teachers College, Columbia University
Spring 2014
Level: Advanced 1 (A1)

Course Information
Instructors: Christiana Chien cc3394@tc.columbia.edu
Melody Guo cg2770@tc.columbia.edu
Class Meeting Time & Date: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10:00am to12:00pm
February 10
th
April 24
th
, 2014
Location: To Be Determined (check your e-mail for updates)

Important Contact Information
CEP office hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 09:00am-09:30pm
Tuesdays, Fridays: 10:00am-04:00pm
Community Language Programs, Teachers College, Columbia University
525 West 120
th
Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
Room: Horace Mann 46E, New York, NY 10027
CEP office phone number: (212) 678-3097
clp@tc.columbia.edu
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/centers/communityenglish

About the CEP
The Community English Program (CEP) is a unique and integral part of the TESOL and Applied
Linguistics Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University. It provides English as a second
language and foreign language instruction to adult learners of diverse nationalities and
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backgrounds. In addition, the CEP serves as an on-site language education lab in which TESOL
and Applied Linguistics faculty and students enrolled in the programs teach the courses and use
the CEP as a setting for empirical inquiry. Here at Teachers College we believe that observation
and classroom research are the best way to learn about how we teach and gain insights into how
teaching might take place. Thus, we encourage observation and classroom research and want
people to use it as a tool for learning.

Course Description
Welcome to Advanced 1! The aim of this course is to help you increase and perfect your English
communication skills in the four areas of reading, listening, writing, and speaking. This goal will
be achieved through your active participation in individual, paired, and group exercises and
activities. Apart from the textbook and workbook, you will also be provided with materials to
help you engage in authentic and meaningful communication with your fellow interlocutor. Also,
through the practice and utilization of increased vocabulary and enhanced grammatical
understanding, you will learn strategies for both understanding others and expressing yourself
with more accuracy and fluency.

Course Objectives
By the end of the 10 weeks of class, you will be able to lead communication in a more precise
fashion than before, expressing yourself in a variety of topics. You will be able to:
- Use grammar correctly and more precisely in the present tenses, the past tenses, and the
future. You will also learn about gerunds and infinitives.
- Listen for gist and details, sequence, evaluate arguments, and apply background knowledge.
- Differentiate between different sounds, stress patterns, and utilize them in your speech.
- Start a meeting or discussion, define an issue, speak persuasively, and manage a conflict.
- Learn to read by using contextual clues, perceive time organization, read critically, and
evaluate a point of view.
- Link paragraphs to essays, analyze essay questions, analyze a persuasive essay, and learn to
choose and narrowing a topic when writing.

Course Materials
Available in the Columbia University Bookstore (115
th
St. & Broadway)
1. In Charge 1: An Integrated Skills Course for High-Level Students, 2
nd
Edition (student
textbook). Authors: Evelina Dimitrova-Galaczi and rpd Galaczi. ISBN: 0-13-094264-2
3
2. In Charge 1: An Integrated Skills Course for High-Level Students, 2
nd
Edition
(workbook). Author: Stephen Gudgel. ISBN: 0-13-094382-7

Important Dates
Monday, February 10
th
First day of CEP Classes
Friday, February 14
th
Last day for refunds and transfers
Monday-Friday, March 17
th
-21
st
Spring Holiday Break (NO CLASSES)
Monday or Wednesday, April 21
st
or 23
rd
Final Exam Dates
Thursday, April 24
th
Last day of classes


Class Schedule
Period Theme (subject to change) Special Note
Week 1 02/10-02/13 02/10 Class introduction
02/12 Unit 1
02/13 Unit 1
Welcome to A1!
Week 2 02/17-02/20 02/17 Unit 1
02/19 Unit 1
02/20 Unit 1

Week 3 02/24-02/27 02/24 Unit 1 Review
02/26 Unit 1 Test
02/27 Unit 2

Week 4 03/03-03/06 03/03 Unit 2
03/05 Unit 2
03/06 Unit 2

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Week 5 03/10-03/13 03/10 Unit 2
03/08 Unit 2 Review
03/09 Unit 2 Test

Week 6 03/17-03/20 Spring Break No classes!
Week 7 03/24-03/27 03/24 Unit 3
03/26 Unit 3
03/27 Unit 3

Week 8 03/31-04/03 03/31 Unit 3
04/02 Unit 3
04/03 Unit 3 Review

Week 9 04/07-04/10 04/07 Unit 3 Test
04/09 Unit 4
04/10 Unit 4

Week 10 04/14-04/17 04/14 Unit 4
04/16 Unit 4
04/17 Unit 4

Week 11 04/21-04/24 04/21 Unit 4 Review
04/23 Final Exam
04/24 Last day of class!
Final exam
End of classes!


Course Policies
Attendance/Tardiness
Attendance is taken at the beginning of every class session. Please arrive on time. Classes start at
10:00am. If you are more than 15 minutes late for each class session for more than 10 tines, or if
you miss more than 5 class sessions, we will not be able to let you pass.
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Cell Phones and Technology
Cell phones are not allowed in class. Please ensure you turn them off or put them on vibrate mode
during the class. Please avoid using technology for non-class use (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, texting,
e-mails, browsing the Internet etc.)

Grading
Unit tests 1, 2, 3: each 15% (total 45%)
Final exam: 30%
Class participation and attendance: 10%
Homework assignments: 15%
Final grades will be given as follows:
Grade Results % of Possible Points
A +/ Excellent A + 97-100% A 94-96% A 90-93%
B +/ Good B + 87-89% B 84-86% B 80-83%
C +/ Satisfactory (pass) C + 77-79% C 74-76% C 70-73%
Fail/Repeat Poor (pass) 69% or below
W Withdrawal (With the permission of both the teacher and the Assistant
Director, the student withdrew from the course due to extenuating
circumstances)

Students with Disabilities
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.
Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with
Disabilities for information about registration (166 Thorndike Hall). Services are available only to
students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation. As your instructor, I am happy
to discuss specific needs with you as well.

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Religious Observance
It is the policy of Teachers College to respect its members observance of their major religious
holidays. Students should notify instructors at the beginning of the semester about their wishes to
observe holidays on days when class sessions are scheduled. Where academic scheduling
conflicts prove unavoidable, no student will be penalized for absence due to religious reasons, and
alternative means will be sought for satisfying the academic requirements involved. If a suitable
arrangement cannot be worked out between the student and the instructor, students and instructors
should consult the appropriate department chair or director. If an additional appeal is needed, it
may be taken to the Provost.

Academic Integrity
Students who intentionally submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to the
original source, fabricate data or other information, engage in cheating, or misrepresentation of
academic records may be subject to charges. Sanctions may include dismissal from college for
violation of the TC principles of academic and professional integrity fundamental to the purpose
of the College.