Course Syllabus for Undergraduate Studies

at Shantou University

课 程 名（COURSE TITLE）： ELC2

课程代码（COURSE CODE）： ELC2

学 分（CREDIT VALUE）： 4

课内课时（CONTACT HOURS）： 64

先修课要求（PREREQUISITES） Placed into ELC2 / passed ELC1

开课单位（DEPARTMENT/UNIT）： English Language Center (ELC)

版本（VERSION）： 20240115

课程负责人（COURSE
COORDINATOR）： Guan Xiaofei

审 核 人（APPROVER）： Assoc. Prof. Yunier P. Sarduy

审核日期（APPROVE DATE）： 20240121

English Language Center, Shantou University

Spring 2024
 ELC Level 2
Facilitator XXX
Office Hours: XXX (By Appointment)
Email:
English Language Center
Office: Second Floor of ELC Building
Shantou University
Class website: http://my.stu.edu.cn (Moodle) Spring, 2024
Class number: Room: Class time:
Class number: Room: Class time:
Class number: Room: Class time:

Preamble
In its broad perspective, ELC’s mission is concerned with the integral education of our students.
Therefore, in its design and implementation, it must take into consideration the core socialist values
of prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, the rule of law, patriotism,
dedication, integrity, and friendliness.
This syllabus establishes the general framework of goals, concepts, and rules for the teaching of
English as a foreign language in Level 2, at the English Language Center (ELC) of Shantou University.
According to ELC core objectives, this syllabus’s primary concerns are that students
- acquire the underlying, abstract, and implicit mental representation of the English language,
- attain levels of language proficiency (listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills) that allow them
to communicate fluently and accurately in the foreign language,
- develop autonomous and sustainable life-long habits of listening and reading, as well as abilities of
critical thinking and intercultural communication.
This syllabus is conceived in a holistic articulation of contents with the other levels across ELC. Such
interconnectedness provides for an ascending complexity that offers students the necessary
scaffoldings in the processes of language acquisition and in the development of language skills. The
syllabus’s theoretical framework is grounded on the communicative approach.

Course Description
Level 2 is the second course in a comprehensive series designed to further develop English
language proficiency among non-English major students at Shantou University. Building upon
the foundation established in level 1, this course aims to enhance students' language skills in
listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a primary emphasis on speaking and writing
abilities. The course focuses on the language required for communication in an academic
environment, preparing students to successfully navigate a variety of situations and contexts
within the university setting.
Through engaging and interactive learning activities, students will acquire fundamental English
language competencies necessary for effective oral and written communication in academic
contexts. Additionally, the course will continue to hone students' reading and listening abilities,
further advancing their overall communicative competence.

Key topics covered in Level 2 include but are not limited to:
• Advanced vocabulary and expressions related to academic topics and university life.
• Complex grammatical structures and sentence patterns essential for effective
communication in an academic context.
• Listening strategies for comprehending lectures, presentations, and academic discussions.
• Reading and analyzing academic texts, such as research articles, reports, and essays.
•Speaking skills for participating in academic discussions, delivering presentations, and
expressing complex ideas and opinions.
• Writing skills for producing clear and well-structured academic texts, such as opinion
essays.
• Cultural aspects and sociolinguistic norms relevant to academic English language use.

Level 2 is a four-credit course, consisting of 64 hours of classroom instruction and additional

independent study. Active participation and regular attendance are vital to ensuring optimal
language development. By the end of this course, students will acquire essential language
competencies necessary for effective communication in academic English language contexts.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of Level 2, students will be able to:

Listening Skills:
a. Comprehend and interpret main ideas, supporting details, and implicit information from
spoken materials, such as lectures, presentations, and academic discussions.
b. Employ effective listening strategies to extract relevant information from authentic audio
sources.
c. Analyze and evaluate the organization, coherence, and persuasiveness of spoken materials.

Reading Skills:
a. Apply advanced reading strategies to comprehend and analyze a variety of academic texts,
including research articles, reports, and essays.
 b. Demonstrate an expanded vocabulary and understanding of idiomatic expressions
encountered in academic texts.

Speaking Skills:
a. Participate in academic discussions, expressing complex ideas and opinions using
appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures.
b. Deliver clear, well-structured, and persuasive presentations on academic topics.
c. Collaborate with peers in group discussions, debates, and collaborative projects to develop
communicative competence in an academic context.

Writing Skills:
a. Produce clear, coherent, and well-structured academic texts, such as essays.
b. Demonstrate an understanding of advanced English grammar, sentence structure, and
academic register in writing.
c. Apply appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic expressions to convey ideas effectively in
academic writing.
d. Revise and edit written work to improve clarity, accuracy, and overall coherence.
e. Demonstrate paraphrasing skills to process written academic texts.

Cultural Competence:
a. Exhibit an understanding of cultural aspects and sociolinguistic norms relevant to academic
English language use.
b. Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity towards diverse cultural perspectives encountered in
academic reading and listening materials.
c. Apply appropriate cultural and sociolinguistic strategies in oral and written academic
communication.

Independent Learning:
a. Develop effective self-study skills to reinforce and expand language proficiency outside the
classroom, with a particular focus on listening comprehension.
b. Utilize various resources, such as online platforms, dictionaries, and language-learning apps,
to enhance academic language skills independently.
c. Take responsibility for individual language development by setting goals, managing time,
and seeking opportunities for language practice in academic contexts.

The successful achievement of these intended learning outcomes will equip students with advanced
English language skills necessary for effective communication in academic English language contexts.
These outcomes will also prepare students for further language development in the final course of the
ELC English series.

Course Teaching and Learning Activities

 The following teaching and learning activities are regularly used in this course.
 Listening Exercises: There are both materials adapted for EFL learners and authentic ones.
 Reading Exercises: They prompt the students to evaluate and reflect on real-life issues and to develop
effective reading strategies.
 Speaking Exercises: Each reading and listening activity is followed by speaking exercises which
generally consist of "developing critical thinking" questions that are related to the topics presented in the
reading and listening activities.
 Writing Assignments: Students practice paraphrasing and writing different elements of an essay, which
is followed by writing a complete essay in the form of timed in-class and non-timed out-of-class
assignments.
 In-Class Oral Presentations: Students will give one presentation during the semester and another one for
the final oral exam.

Course Requirements
Grading Criteria
Sections % Minimum Information
Participation 10 Participation in class; homework; etc.
Writing Assignments (2) 20 Collaborative writing and individual writing, worth 5% &
15% respectively
Oral Report Project 10 At least 5 individual reports + 5 conversations based on
listening and reading materials
In-class Oral Presentation 5 A prepared oral presentation practice + a brief reflective
Practice report
Final Oral Presentation 15 Before the final exam
In-class Quizzes 10 8 quizzes (6 vocabulary quizzes + 1 listening quiz +1 reading
quiz)
Final Examination 30 Based on Units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8
Extra Credits up to Up to 3 points for participating in ELC extracurricular
3 activities

Brief Description of Grading Sections

Participation
The grading of students' participation will be based on their level of engagement including pair and
group work, adherence to teacher instructions, and the completion of homework assignments.
Writing Assignments
Students will be required to write essays consisting of an introduction with a thesis statement, two
body paragraphs with topic sentences, main ideas, and supporting details/examples, as well as a
conclusion with a restatement of the thesis statement. Students will be placed into small groups to write
the first draft of the essay collaboratively, and then revise it based on the teacher’s feedback. By the
end of the semester, students will write another essay individually.

Oral Report Project

Students will have to submit at least 10 oral reports, including 5 individual reports and 5
conversational reports. These reports should be based on authentic materials such as movies,
lectures, speeches, books, etc. chosen according to the students' interests and learning objectives. The
purpose of this project is to expose students to a range of authentic English language resources and
enhance their speaking proficiency. By the end of the semester, students will upload all the reports to
an online platform at the teacher’s discretion for assessment.

In-class Oral Presentation Practice

Each student is required to give one prepared oral presentation in class and submit a brief reflective
report afterwards. A list of topics will be given to students beforehand, but they also have the flexibility
to choose other topics they are interested in with their teacher’s approval. This task is aimed at
preparing students for the final oral exam.

Final Oral Presentation

Before the end of the semester, each student will be required to deliver a short in-class presentation
related to one of the themes from the textbook. A list of topics and ideas will be given to students will
be given to students in advance, yet they can also choose alternative topics with the consent of their
teacher.

In-class Quizzes
During the semester, students will take 8 in-class quizzes, including 6 vocabulary quizzes, 1 reading
quiz, and 1 listening quiz. Students will have to take one vocabulary quiz after the completion of each
unit.

Final examination
 SPOT DICTATION: recognize the pronunciation of the course-taught vocabulary items and spell
them correctly within a given context.
 LISTENING: listen to 1 speech and 2 news items for main ideas and specific details.
 READING: read for main ideas and specific details.
 VOCABULARY: choose appropriate words from a word bank to fill in the given sentences.
 WRITING: write an essay with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Extra Credits
Up to 3 points will be given to students who attend extracurricular activities. Students will earn 0.1
extra credit point for each activity they attend. A sign-in sheet will be available on Moodle.
Office Hours
Office hours should be organized by the teacher’s appointment or at students’ request.

Attendance Policies
 Students pass Level 2 if they get a total course score of 60 or higher.
 Students must always speak in English while in class and participate actively in whole class and
group discussions.
 Based on a recommendation by their instructor, students who complete Level 2 with a grade
higher than 95% (not including extra-credit points) may apply to go directly to Level 4.
 Students who do not take the final exam fail the course regardless of their course average.

Absences and Lateness

 Unexcused absences:
o Students who miss 4 class sessions or more in a course (excluding the 1st week of class) will
not pass the course.
 A class session refers to a 90-minute session.
 Assignments missed due to absence will receive a grade of 0.
 Excused absences:
o Absences are normally only “excused” if a student is unable to attend class due to serious
illness or if required by the university to be somewhere else.
 An excused absence does not count toward a student’s total number of absences.
 An absence may only be excused if the instructor is provided with a written note from a
doctor, a doctor's assistant, or a university administrator.
 Lateness:
o Lateness of 20 minutes (or more than 20 minutes) will result in ½ of an absence. Hence,
arriving 20 minutes (or more than 20 minutes) late twice will result in an absence; arriving 20
minutes (or more than 20 minutes) late four times will result in two absences, etc.
o Four instances of lateness (regardless of how late) will result in an absence.
o Assignments missed due to lateness will receive a grade of 0.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism [copying from other sources without acknowledging the author(s)] is a serious academic
offense.
Plagiarism includes:
 Turning in work written by someone else (including websites) while pretending to be the author.
 Copying a text, parts of a text, or paraphrasing from a source without acknowledgment of the
source. To copy, summarize or paraphrase from any source, the student must, at least, indicate the
 name of the author/source within parentheses. For example: “The greatest glory in living lies not
in never falling, but in rising every time we fall (Nelson Mandela). ” Or: Sixty-seven
representatives from thirty-two world’s leading geographical societies joined the January 22nd
online discussion in response to climate emergency (Chinese National Geography).
The student who commits plagiarism will be graded 0 in the assignment/test.

Tentative Weekly Schedule

This schedule serves as an approximate guide for course content and homework. Teachers are free to use their
own materials to teach the knowledge and skills prescribed in their level.
The terminology used in the schedule: ‘INTEGRATED’ stands for New Standard College English - Real
Communication: An Integrated Course (Book 2); ‘LISTENING & SPEAKING’ stands for New Standard
College English - Listening and Speaking (Book 2); ‘Listening in’ and ‘Outside View’ are sections in the
LISTENING & SPEAKING book.

Week Day 1 Assignments Day 2 Assignments

INTRO 1) Buy the required • Intro to the In-class 1) Read INTEGRATED
• Icebreaker textbook Oral Presentation U2 Active Reading 2
• Syllabus & Course 2) Explore language Practice (AR2): How Empathy
content (general learning apps and • Presentation skills #1 Unfolds (pp. 28-30) and
introduction) websites. (See the end of Unit 2 finish ex. 4-6 (p. 31)
the syllabus) • Warm-up activity: 2) Bring the Vocab List

(1) 3) LISTENING & Watch The Power of to the next class

SPEAKING U2 Outside Empathy (short
26-Feb
View (pp. 20-22) animation)
Unit 2 1）LISTENING & • Presentation skills #2 1) Moodle quiz: U2
• INTEGRATED U2 SPEAKING U2 Listening Unit 2 Spot Dictation & U2
Active Reading 2 (AR2): In: Passage 2 (p. 25) • Vocab review Vocabulary Quiz
How Empathy Unfolds 2) Individual report 1 • LISTENING & 2) Vocab review
• Homework feedback SPEAKING Listening

(2) • Intro to the Oral In: News & Passage 1

Report Project (p. 23)
4-Mar

• Student presentation 1) Read INTEGRATED • Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: U3

• U2 Vocab quiz U3 AR 2: My Dream Unit 3 Spot Dictation & U3
• How to discuss a topic Comes True (pp. 47-48) • INTEGRATED U3 Vocabulary Quiz
in a group (video) and finish ex. 4-6 (p. 49) AR2: My Dream Comes 2) LISTENING &
• Presentation skills 2) Conversational report 1 True SPEAKING U3
#3 • Homework feedback Listening In: Passage 2

(3) • Follow-up activity: (p. 38)

listen to a TED Got a
11-Mar
meeting-Take a walk
 • Student presentation 1) Individual oral report 2 • Student presentation 1) Practice writing two
Essay writing #1 2) Write an introduction • Peer review: intro body paragraphs
• Essay structure paragraph paragraph 2) Moodle quiz:
• Introduction Essay writing #2 Persuasive Essay
paragraph • Body paragraphs Writing-PowerPoint
• Sample intro • Sample body Comprehension Quiz
paragraph analysis paragraph analysis 3) Vocab review
Unit 3 • Paraphrasing
• Vocab review
• Task-based learning

(4) activity: STU sports

open day
18-Mar

• Student presentation 1) Group writing • Student presentation 1) Read INTEGRATED

• Peer review: body assignment (1st draft) • Collaborative writing U4 AR2: Stolen Identity
paragraphs due week 6 day 1 practise: writing a(n)/ (pp. 66-68) and finish
• U3 Vocab quiz 2) Conversational report 2 introduction/body ex. 4-6 (p. 69) &
Essay writing #3 paragraph Collocations (pp. 72-
• Conclusion Unit 4 73)
paragraph • Warm-up activity for 2) LISTENING &
• Collaborative U4 themed crime SPEAKING:

(5) writing training & (e.g., crime-related Listening in, passage 2

practice news/videos) (pp. 52-53)
25-Mar

• Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: U4 Spot

Unit 4 Dictation
Qing Ming
• INTEGRATED 2) Listening practice, e.g.
NO CLASS ON
AR2: Stolen Identity listening to news
THURSDAY
• Homework feedback 3) Individual oral report 3
Apr. 7 (Sun.) as make-up day
• LISTENING &
for Apr. 5 (Fri.)
(6) SPEAKING:
Outside View
1-Apr
(pp.49-50)
• Student presentation 1) Listening practice, e.g. • Student presentation 1) Read INTEGRATED
Unit 4 listening to news linked to • Peer review: body U5 AR1: Leisure
• Vocab review U4 paragraphs Inactivities (pp. 78-80)
• LISTENING & 2) Moodle quiz: U4  Reading and and finish ex. 4-6 (p.

(7) SPEAKING: Vocabulary Quiz listening quizzes 81) & Collocations (p.
Listening In: News 3) Conversational report 3 91)
8-Apr
& Passage 1 (p.51) 2) Vocab review
 • Student presentation 1) Group writing • Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: U5
• U4 Vocab quiz assignment (2nd draft) due Unit 5 Spot Dictation
 Feedback on Group Week 9 Day 1 • INTEGRATED U5 2) Moodle quiz:
writing assignment 2) Individual oral report 4 AR1: Leisure Listening to a lecture

(8) (1 draft)
st
Inactivities
 Group discussion • Homework feedback
15-Apr
and revision
• Student presentation 1) LISTENING & • Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: U5
Unit 5 SPEAKING: • Lecture language Vocabulary Quiz
• Vocab review Listening In: Passage 2 2) Lecture language
• LISTENING & (pp. 52-53) exercises
SPEAKING: 2) Conversational report 4

(9) Listening In:

Passage 1 (pp.65-
22-Apr
66)
• Student presentation 1) Read INTEGRATED • LISTENING &
• Feedback on Group U6 AR1: Can Bad Labor Day Holiday SPEAKING:
writing assignment Luck Be Explained? NO CLASS FROM Listening In: News
(2 draft)
nd
(pp. 96-99) and finish WEDNESDAY TO report & Passage 1
 U5 Vocab quiz ex. 3-5 (p. 101) FRIDAY (pp.79-80)
Unit 6 2) Individual oral report Apr. 28 (Sun.) & May 11 • Listening practice,
• Warm-up activity 5 (Sat.) as make-up days for e.g. listening to
for U6 themed May 2 (Thur.) & May 3 (Fri.) news/lectures
(10)
science & respectively
29-Apr
technology
• Student presentation 1) Decide a tentative • Student presentation 1) LISTENING &
• Final oral survey topic & write Unit 6 SPEAKING: Listening
presentation intro up survey questions • INTEGRATED U6: In: Passage 2 (pp.80-
 Final oral exam 2) Read INTEGRATED AR2 - Science: Fact 81)
prep. #1 (e.g. U6 AR2: Science: or Fiction? 2) Revise survey
general steps to Fact or Fiction? (pp. • Homework feedback questions, send out pilot
design a survey) 104-106) and finish  Final oral exam prep. survey questionnaire &
Unit 6 ex. 5-7 (pp. 107-108) #2 (How to design bring survey findings
• INTEGRATED U6: 3) Conversational report effective survey

(11) AR1: Can Bad Luck 5 questions)

Be Explained?  Peer review: survey
6-May
• Homework feedback questions
• Student presentation 1) Vocab review • Student presentation 1) Read
• In-class writing 2) Moodle quiz: U6 Spot  Final oral exam prep. INTEGRATED U8

(12) preparation Dictation & U6 #4 (Language used AR1: Are You the Right
Unit 6 Vocabulary Quiz to report data and Person for the Job?
13-May
• Vocab review findings)
  Final oral exam 3) Revise survey • In-class writing (pp. 134-136) and finish
prep. #3 (How to questionnaire (individual writing) ex. 4- 6 (p. 137)
analyze & report 2) Vocab review
data)
 Group discussion:
survey findings
• Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: Listen to a • Student presentation 1) LISTENING &
 U6 Vocab quiz lecture Unit 8 SPEAKING U8
Unit 8 2) Prepare for final oral • LISTENING & Listening In:
• AR1 - Are You the exam SPEAKING: Outside Passage 2 (pp. 108-
Right Person for the View (pp.105-106) 109)
Job? • INTEGRATED U8 2) Moodle quiz: U8

(13) • Homework feedback AR2 - Volunteer for Spot Dictation

• Speaking activity: Peace
20-May
job interview
• Student presentation 1) Moodle quiz: U8  U8 Vocab quiz Prepare for final oral
Unit 8 Vocabulary Quiz • Feedback on exam
• Vocab review 2) Vocab review individual writing
• LISTENING & 3) Prepare for final oral • Final written exam

(14) SPEAKING: exam review

Listening In:
27-May
Passage 1 (p. 107)
FINAL ORAL EXAM Prepare for final oral exam Prepare for final oral
(*Final oral exam will start exam
from DAY 2 for classes
that are not on Mondays as FINAL ORAL EXAM
the Dragon Boat Festival
will not affect regular class
(15)
schedule on Day 1 of Week
3-Jun 16)
Prepare for final oral exam Study for final written
Dragon Boat Festival
exam
NO CLASS ON FINAL ORAL EXAM
(16) MONDAY
no make-up
10-Jun

FINAL EXAM
(17)

17-Jun

HOLIDAYS & MAKE-UPS

 HOLIDAY MAKE-UP DAYS
Qing Ming (Tomb-Sweeping Day): Off from
Apr. 7 (Sun.) make up for Apr. 5 (Fri.)
Apr. 4 to 6 (Thur. to Sat.)
Apr. 28 (Sun.) make up for May 2 (Thur.)
Labor Day: Off from May 1 to 5 (Wed. to Sun.)
May 11 (Sat.) make up for May 3 (Fri.)
Dragon Boat Festival: Off from Jun. 8 to 10 (Sat.
No make-up
to Mon.).
Co-curricular Activities
The ELC offers co-curricular activities that are organized to help you improve your English
through putting what you have learned to actual use in a particular situation. Level 2 students
are especially encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities that help you practice your
listening, presentation, and discussion skills. The weekly schedule of our co-curricular
activities will be announced on MYSTU (http://my.stu.edu.cn).

Center for Independent Language Learning (CILL)

CILL is a place where you can go to learn how to design and carry out independent language
learning projects, and to find resources for independent language study. It also hosts a variety of
services that can help you improve various aspects of your English. Here are the services offered at
CILL:

 HDIIME: How Do I Improve My English? (Independent Language Learning Consultation)

 Voice & Accent Consultation

 Speech & Presentation Studio

 The Writing Studio

 IELTS Help Center

And here are some of the resources CILL offers:

 English movies, TV series, and cartoons on the PCs in CILL

 Graded Readers (levels Starter-6), such as the Oxford Bookworms series

 Books in every genre, at every difficulty level, and for every interest (and in a variety of
languages, not just English) – storybooks, nonfiction books, picture books, art books,
children’s books, comics, graphic novels and more

 manga and anime (in Japanese and English), reference materials, magazines, newspapers,
music, TED Talks and more

CILL is located on the ground floor of the STU Library complex (Sangpu Campus)
 For more information on CILL, go to: https://elc.stu.edu.cn/Facilities/CILL.htm

Other resources:
You are encouraged to use Internet resources for knowledge and skills enhancement, such as:
 General / Designed for EFL learners:
• [Recommended] English Central http://www.englishcentral.com/
o Watch a short video, read out loud the sentences, and get some feedback on your
pronunciation, test your vocabulary, etc.
• For listening practice: ESL-LAB http://esl-lab.com/
o [Recommended for students who have little experience with listening activities]
o Designed for learners of English. Plenty of short listening exercises. Ordered by level or
topic.
• 六分钟英语: It’s an app. The clips come from BBC Learning English.
• For listening practice: http://www.elllo.org/, http://www.esl-lab.com/
• 沪江 English: http://www.hjenglish.com/ [Recommended by students]
• To meet people online from different countries: http://www.penpalworld.com/ [Recommended by
students]
• Many things: http://www.manythings.org/

 Online speeches/presentations/Documentaries
• [Recommended] TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/ and https://ed.ted.com/

 EFL Podcasts
• ESL Pod: http://www.eslpod.com/website/index_new.html
• Podcasts In English: http://www.podcastsinenglish.com/index.shtml
 Audiobooks
• LibriVox http://librivox.org/
• LibraVox http://www.libravox.org/
Vocabulary
• Monolingual dictionaries:
o http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
o http://www.merriam-webster.com
o https://www.macmillandictionary.com/
• English/ Chinese dictionary: www.nciku.com
• Collocation dictionary: https://www.freecollocation.com/
• Thesaurus (for synonyms): http://thesaurus.reference.com/
• For vocabulary enrichment: www.freerice.com
• For vocabulary enrichment: http://www.towords.com [Recommended by students]
• Words and phrases: http://www.wordandphrase.info/
• Corpora (for words in context, incl. collocations):
o Corpus of Contemporary American English: https://www.english-corpora.org/coca/
o The British National Corpus: http://www.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/

 Online academic lectures

• Open Yale courses (excellent website!): http://oyc.yale.edu/
• University of Warwick http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/podcasts/
• MOOC: https://www.icourse163.org/