EL111: English Communication

Skills I

Course Guide

2008/2009

Prepared by

Professor Lewis Mukattash

adapted by Dr. Chekra Allani

Copyright © 2004 Arab Open University

Copyright © 2004 Arab Open University

All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the Arab Open University.

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to EL111, English Communication Skills I. This Course Guide

provides you with an overall view of what you are required to do in order to
complete the course smoothly and successfully. It also has a weekly Study
Calendar that offers a step-by-step breakdown of your tasks for each unit.

EL111 is a three-credit-hour course that runs for one semester (or term) of
15 weeks. It is the first of two courses in English Communication Skills
(ECS) which all incoming students are required to take during their first
year of study.

The idea behind asking all AOU students to take two courses in English
during their first year of study is very simple. You need English not only to
help you pursue your university education but to utilize English, the lingua
franca of the world, to communicate with the world at large. You will also
need English in your current or prospective job or business. Almost all jobs
and businesses nowadays require a high level of proficiency in English. In
view of this, your attitude towards ECS should not be just to pass it but to
learn as much as you can from it and to avail yourself of the opportunities
AOU provides in order to develop and upgrade your proficiency in English.

ECS is a two-semester programme that is not concerned with the

accumulation of information. It is a skill-building program, enabling you to
do things with English : speak with ease and confidence, communicate with
different types of people, discuss academic, social and professional matters,
listen to news in English, watch TV programs, read newspapers, magazines
and references, write personal and business letters, write reports and articles,
etc. Briefly then, a high level of proficiency in English is a prerequisite for
academic, social and professional success.

This Course Guide is a basic component of your course. We advise you to

use it regularly in conjunction with the main course books, namely the
Student Book (SB) and Workbook (WB).

This guide contains essential information about course objectives, structure

and components. It also contains information about supplementary and

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audio material, language tutorials, assessment and study tips. You should
read this part carefully before you begin with your course books.

The guide also contains:

1. Study Calendar in which course units are evenly distributed over

the semester weeks and if you follow it, you will have no problems
in covering the course material in good time and in a smooth and
comfortable manner.

2. Tips on how to revise the teaching materials, and

3. Information on the structure of the Final Examination and the type of

questions it contains.

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 Contents

INTRODUCTION 3

1. COURSE OBJECTIVES 6

2. COURSE COMPONENTS 7

3. COURSE STRUCTURE 11

4. UNIT STRUCTRE 13

5. EL111 ONLINE 15

6. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 16
6.1. Relevant Sources 16
6.2. Online English 16
6.3. Relevant Online Language Programmes 17
6.4. What to Search For 19

7. TUTORS & LANGUAGE TUTORIALS 20

7.1. Your Tutor 20
7.2. Language Tutorials & Day Schools 21
7.3. Course Tutorials: Scope and Sequence 21

8. ASSESMENT: AN OVERALL VIEW 23

8.1. Continuous Assessment 23
8.2. Final Examination 23
8.3. Course TMA: Scope and Sequence 24
8.4. Course MTA: Date and Coverage 24

9. SOME STUDY TIPS 25

9.1. Getting Started 25
9.2. Grammar 26
9.3. Listening & Speaking 27
9.4. Reading & Writing 28

10. STUDY CALENDAR 30

11. YOUR FIRST WEEK 31

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12. REVISING THE COURSE 33

13. SEP & FINAL EXAMINATION 34

1. COURSE OBJECTIVES

ECS is a theme-based integrated skills programme for intermediate and

advanced learners. In both EL111 and EL 112, all four skills (listening,
speaking, reading and writing) are developed systematically and integrated
through relevant tasks. Language functions, grammar points and new
vocabulary items are fully integrated in both oral and written skills. The
reading and listening texts, on the other hand, explore high-interest universal
topics and together with the accompanying tasks/activities are meant to
develop the reading, writing, listening, speaking and study skills which you
will need to meet the demands of open learning university education.

By the end of the first course (i.e. EL111) you should be able to:

1. listen to and comprehend varieties of English discourse spoken at

normal speed,

2. speak correctly and fluently with near native-like pronunciation,

intonation and accent,

3. communicate with ease and confidence on a variety of daily topics as

well as on topics related to your university education, using appropriate
structures, diction and idioms,

4. read and understand a variety of English texts of varying length,

complexity, styles and genres,

5 write different types of paragraphs (descriptive, narrative, argumentative,

definition, process) and different letter types (personal letters, letters of
inquiry, letters of application, etc.) using appropriate punctuation marks,
writing mechanics and cohesive devices, and

6. summarize different types of texts correctly and efficiently.

The specific objectives subsumed under each of the above general

objectives are listed and defined separately for each lesson in the Summary
of Skills chart at the beginning of the Student Book.

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2. COURSE COMPONENTS

EL111 is made up of components as shown in the following table:

No. Component Title Qty.

1. SB On Target 1 1
On Target 2 1
2. WB On Target 1 1
On Target 2 1
3. ACs On Target 1 3
On Target 2 3
4. Course Guide EL111 : Course Guide 1
5. EL111 Online N/A N/A

Below is a brief description of each component.

2.1. Student Book (SB)

Each Student Book contains twelve units. A summary of skills chart

(following the Contents page) summarizes the important language skills and
functions in each unit. Review material following Units 3, 6, 9, and 12 in
each SB is meant to consolidate the main vocabulary and grammar points.

In addition to teaching material, SB includes:

1. A Starting Out section (providing a brief introduction to the course),

2. An irregular verb list,
3. An International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) chart,
4. A unit-by-unit vocabulary list, and
5. An index of key language and grammatical terms and topics.

2.2. Workbook (WB)

The Workbook provides further practice in vocabulary, language functions

and grammar in addition to speaking activities and listening tasks.
Furthermore, each unit ends with a Check Your Knowledge section to
enable you to assess your own progress.

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2.3. Audio Cassettes (ACs)

Each of the two books (i.e. On Target 1 and On Target 2) is accompanied

by THREE ACs.

It is important to remember that the teaching material on the ACs is an

integral component of both the SB and WB. In addition, the exercises on the
ACs are related to the grammar points, vocabulary and language functions
covered in every unit.

2.4. Course Guide

This is the booklet you are reading right now.

2.5. Set Book: Advanced Grammar in Use (not included in the table above)

The set book (Advanced Grammar in Use) is meant to provide

supplementary material for both EL111 and EL112. It is a self-study
reference and practice grammar book for intermediate and advanced learners
of English as a foreign language. The book is available at your university
Learning Resource Center.

The best way to make use of the book is to match the grammar topic/point in
your SB (i.e. Section 2 in each unit) with the corresponding grammar point
in Advanced Grammar in Use. For example, the grammar point in Section 2
in Unit 1 of On Target 1 is "The Simple Present Tense". The most obvious
choice in Advanced Grammar in Use is the first section in the Contents table
(i.e. "Tenses"), and within this overall category you should search for the
specific grammar print (i.e. simple present), which happens to be the first
sub-heading beneath "Tenses" in Advanced Grammar in Use.

As pointed out above, Advanced Grammar in Use is both a reference and

practice book. On each left-hand page a grammar point is explained and on
the facing page there are exercises that are meant to give the student practice
in the same grammar point. Furthermore, there are additional exercises
towards the end of the book (pp. 269-279) on each of the main
sections/topics listed in the Contents table.

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Details about how the book is organized and how to use it are to be found at
the beginning of the book (page viii). There is also a Study Guide towards
the end of the book (pp. 280-288).

The Contents list at the beginning of the book (pp. iii-vi) is divided into 17
main headings:

1. Tenses
2. The future
3. Modals
4. Be, have, do, make, etc.
5. Passives
6. Questions
7. Verbs: infinitives, -ing forms, etc.
8. Reporting
9. Nouns and compounds
10. Articles
11. Determiners and quantifiers
12. Relative clauses and other types of clauses
13. Pronouns, substitution and leaving out
words
14. Adjectives
15. Adverbs and conjunctions
16. Prepositions
17. Organising information

Each heading subsumes a number of sub-headings. For instance, the first

heading (i.e. "Tenses") has the following ten sub-headings:

1 Present simple (I do) and present continuous (I

am doing) (1)
2 Present simple (I do) and present continuous (I
am doing) (2)
3 Present perfect (I have done) and past simple (I
did) (1)
4 Present perfect (I have done) and past simple (I
did) (2)
5 Present perfect (I have done) and past simple (I
did) (3): adverbs used with these tenses
6 Past continuous (I was doing) and past simple (I
did)
7 Present perfect continuous (I have been doing)
8 Present perfect continuous (I have been doing)
and present perfect (I have done)

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 9 Past perfect (I had done) and past simple (I did)
10 Past perfect continuous (I had been doing) and
past perfect (I had done)

These sub-headings appear in the same order in which they are listed above.
For instance, the first sub-heading (i.e. Present simple and present
continuous) appears on pages 2-4 whereas the tenth sub-heading (i.e. Past
perfect continuous and past perfect) come towards the end of the section on
"Tenses" (pp. 20-21).

Finally, notice that Advanced Grammar in Use contains additional

sections/parts as follows:

1. Four Appendices (pp. 242-264) that deal with

1.1. Passive verb forms
1.2. Quoting what people say
1.3. Irregular verbs
1.4. Typical errors and corrections

2. Glossary: The glossary lists (in alphabetical order)

and defines major grammatical terms that occur in the
book.

3. Answer Key: We, however, advise you to do the

exercises first on your own and then check your answer
in the Answer Key.

Finally, we wish to remind you that some of the grammar exercises in

Advanced Grammar in Use will be used/adapted in your final examination.

2.6. EL111 Online

SEE SECTION 5 BELOW.

Other components of the course are:

1. Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA)

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 TMA constitute an integral component of your course and they will
be given to you in due course by your tutor (see section 8 below).

2. Specimen Examination Paper (SEP)

Section 13 below contains information on the structure of the final
exam. The SEP can be found on EL111 Online.

3. COURSE STRUCTURE

EL111 is divided into two blocks to be covered in fifteen weeks. The

structure of the blocks is summarized below:

3.1. Block 1:

Block 1 consists of the teaching material in the main course books, namely
On Target 1: Student Book and On Target 1: Workbook.

On Target 1: Student Book consists of twelve units. Each unit

contains multi-thematic material covering listening, speaking, reading
and writing skills in addition to vocabulary and grammar
consolidation and expansion activities. The teaching material is both
graded and varied.

On Target 1: Workbook is an exercise book meant to reinforce,

consolidate and expand the teaching points covered in each unit in the
Student Book.

3.2. Block 2:

Block 2, like Block 1, consists of a Student Book and a Workbook (both

entitled On Target 2).

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The table below shows the detailed structure of the course including
audiovisual material.

Block Teaching Material Title & Function

No.
1 SB On Target 1
WB On Target 1
ACs Nos. 1-3 (to go with SB and
WB)
2 SB On Target 2
WB On Target 2
ACs Nos. 1-3 (to go with SB and
WB)

The functional objectives of each unit in the two blocks are spelled out for
you in the Summary of Skills chart at the beginning of your SB.

Please observe the following abbreviations which will be used throughout

this guide as well as in the Study Calendar.

Abbreviations:

ACs Audio Cassettes

AGU Advanced Grammar in Use
IC1 In Charge 1
IC2 In Charge 2
OT1 On Target 1
OT1 On Target 2
SB Student Book
SEP Specimen Examination Paper
TMA Tutor Marked Assignment
WB Workbook

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4. UNIT STRUCTURE

4.1. Student Book

Each unit in your SB in both On Target 1 and On Target 2 consists of four

sections as in the following table:

.Section No Title
1 Getting Started
2 Grammar
3 Listening & Speaking
4 Reading & Writing

SB Unit Structure

Below is a brief description of each section (adapted from On Target 1

Teacher's Edition, 2000: vi)

1. First Section: Getting Started

This section consists of three parts:

- Warm Up: to introduce the theme of the unit,
- Figure It Out: to present the language in a functional context,
- Talk About It: to provide you with opportunity to practice
speaking English

2. Second Section: Grammar

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 This section presents the target grammar of the unit. The presentation is
followed by a variety of exercises which give you the opportunity to
practice language structure and to use language communicatively.

In addition to the grammar section in SB and WB, you will be required

to read for each topic certain units from the set book, Advanced
Grammar in Use (AGU). Other material which you are expected to
study for each unit in SB can be found in EL111 Online.

3. Third Section: Listening & Speaking

This third section integrates listening and speaking skills and activities.
It also provides you with ample opportunities to practice listening,
pronunciation and speaking.

4. Fourth Section: Reading & Writing

This final section consists of four sub-sections as follows:

- The Read About It and Think About It parts contain high-

interest readings and activities that reflect and extend unit themes.
Reading strategies are presented and checked in comprehension
exercises.

- The Write and Write About It tasks are both purposeful and
communicative and focus on specific writing tasks that prepare
you to write with confidence.

Details of unit sections are in section 9 below.

4.2. Workbook

Your workbook consists of the same number of units as in your SB and the
two books must be used together.

The workbook consists of two major parts as in the following table:

Section Title
1 Practice Exercises
2 Check Your Knowledge

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 WB Unit Structure

Below is a brief description of each section:

1. PRACTICE Exercises: These are numbered consecutively in each unit.

The number of these exercises ranges between 9-13 in each unit.

2. Check Your Knowledge: This final section in WB is meant for you to

assess your own progress.

5. EL111 ONLINE

Some EL111 material has been downloaded on the Arab Open University
Website (www.arabou.org). This move has been motivated by two
considerations:
1. To encourage you to begin using the Internet in a systematic manner,
which is harmonious with the philosophy and practices of distance
learning, and
2. To reduce the size of paper work and thus the cost of the teaching
material.

The EL111 material online comprises:

1. On Target 1 Answer Key
2. On Target 2 Answer Key
3. On Target 1 Grammar Notes
4. On Target 2 Grammar Notes
5. EL111 Specimen Examination Paper (SEP)
6. EL111 Online References

The Grammar Notes which are meant to be used in conjunction with On

Target 1 & 2 are tailored for the specific units in the Student Book. In
other words, there will be supplementary grammar notes for each unit which
are meant to reinforce and expand the grammar topic covered in your SB.

To enter "EL111 Online", please go to the Arab Open University website

using the address www.arabou.org and follow these simple steps:

1. Click on "English"
2. Click on the Online Courses icon

3. You will now have entered the Welcome to Online

Courses page.
4. Click on Faculty of Language Studies.

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 5. You are now viewing the Online Courses Offered page. Click on
EL111 Online.
6. You will have opened the Welcome to EL111 Online page.
7. This page displays 6 different paths. For example, if you want the Answer
Key to Unit 9 from On Target 1, you must first click On Target 1 Answer
Key, and then click on the subheading Unit 9.
8. Now you will have the option to open the file or save it to your computer.
You may click either one if you choose to print. To permanently save your
selection to your computer, simply click save and then choose where you
would like it to be saved.

Please remember that using the website for supplementary material is a critical tool in distance
education and we encourage you to take full advantage of any and all necessary material.

6. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

6.1. Relevant Sources

Amongst the most important relevant sources that will contribute

significantly towards improving your language skills are:

(1) radio and TV newscasts, commentaries, programs, etc. transmitted

in English,
(2) English newspapers, magazines and books, and
(3) the Internet

Of these three sources, the Internet is probably the most relevant because
through it you can have free access to a variety of English language courses
addressed to foreign language learners. These courses, which will be
discussed in some detail below, deal with various aspects of grammar,
vocabulary, pronunciation, reading and writing. In addition, they provide
you with ample opportunity to listen to English as spoken by native
speakers. It is because of this that we refer you to specific sites to look for
specific language topics in each and every unit.

6.2. Online English

In addition to EL111 Online there are scores of sites which provide tuition
and training in English. Most of these sites are not free of charge, i.e. they
cannot be accessed unless access fees are paid. There are, however, some
sites which can be accessed free of charge, and three of them have been

16
selected for you by the author of this guide to help you upgrade your
English. They have been chosen on three grounds:

1. The material is relevant to the course.

2. The level of difficulty is appropriate.
3. The content is culturally appropriate.

The significance of Online English courses/programmes manifests itself in

that:

1. They provide supplementary aid to you in such areas where you feel
you need help that the core course material does not provide.
2. Some of the exercises are interactive, and thus they are fun to do
because they show you your scores of right and wrong. But be
careful not to spend too many hours on them needlessly.
3. They provide training in areas which otherwise require instruction by
tutors, especially in pronunciation, and listening comprehension.
4. The exercises are done in total privacy, so you are not embarrassed
by the presence of other learners or by the tutor when you make a
mistake. This encourages you to learn by trial and error, and a lot
can be learned this way.
5. All listening/pronunciation material presented is by native speakers
of English.
6. You can use the Internet whenever you are free. There is no fixed
schedule.
7. You can go at your own pace.

6.3. Relevant Online Language Programmes

The language programmes most relevant to EL111 are:

6.3.1. University of Ottawa English Program

6.3.2. Purdue University Online Writing Lab

6.3.3. British Council Learn English: Grammar Program

Below are basic facts about these websites. More details are to be found in
EL111 Online.

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6.3.1. University of Ottawa English Programme

(A) Website Addresses

1. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/bldsent.html
2. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/grammar.html
3. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/diction.html
4. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/spelling.html
5. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/paragraph.html
6. http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergrammar/misc.html

(B) Contents

1. Building Sentences
2. HyperGrammar
3. Diction
4. Spelling
5. Writing Paragraphs
6. Miscellaneous Topics

6.3.2. Purdue University Online Writing Lab

(A) Website Address

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/index/html

(B) Contents

1. Grammar
2. Punctuation
3. Spelling
4. Exercises

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6.3.3. British Council Learn English: Grammar Programme

(A) Website Address

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/grammar/definitions/index.html

(B) Contents

 Articles
 Conditionals
 Conjunctions
 Determiners
 -ing or to?
 Modals
 Prepositions
 Relative Clauses
 Reported Speech
 Present Perfect

6.4. What to Search For

The sites which have been recommended for you contain definitions and
exercises on grammar, punctuation, spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary and
writing.

Most categories are listed in their home page in alphabetical order. Read the
home pages carefully before you begin to enter the relevant sites. It should
be noted, however, that the material in these sites have much more than your
course requires.

If you feel you still need additional training in a certain linguistic area, you
can either explore it yourself in the sites or you could ask your tutor to help
you.

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7. TUTORS & LANGUAGE TUTORIALS

7.1. Your Tutor

The best way to introduce you to the concept of tutoring at the AOU is
through some basic questions to which we have provided answers.

1. Q: Who is your tutor?

A: Your tutor is a qualified specialist appointed by the AOU to teach,

guide, and supervise you. In the AOU system, a tutor is assigned to a
group of about twenty students.

2. Q: Where can you find your tutor?

A: Tutors work full-time hours at AOU Regional Centers (Branches)

whose addresses and contact numbers will be mailed to you at the
beginning of the semester.

3. Q: How to contact your tutor?

A: You can contact your tutor during tutorials and office hours.
Alternatively, you can make an appointment to meet him/her during
office hours by phone, fax and/or e-mail.

4. Q: How does your tutor help you?

A: Your tutor guides your study during tutorials. He/She marks your

20
 assignment, MTA and your final examination. He/She also discusses
with you any difficulties you may run into during your study.

5. Q: How often do you have to see your tutor and why?

A: You are required to meet your tutor for tutorials and day-schools
which are held at regular intervals as announced by the AOU through
its communications with you. If due to compelling circumstances you
are not able to attend a certain tutorial or a day-school, you are
advised to keep in touch with him/her. You may also see your tutor in
order to:

 ask questions related to your study.

 submit assignment.
 seek advice on any aspect of your study.

7.2. Language Tutorials & Day-Schools

Language tutorials and study sessions are interactive classes adopting what
is known as a learner-centered approach where most of the talking and
discussions are done by you and your colleagues. As you no doubt know
the skill of speaking cannot be developed through independent study. You
need to talk to people who have similar interests. You also need to talk in a
meaningful context. Language tutorials during day-schools are meant to
provide you with ample opportunity to use English.

Day-schools, as their name suggests, provide face-to-face teaching during

the day and involve all the students taking a particular course. Details about
day-schools and language tutorials for this semester are shown below.

The main objectives of language tutorials and day-schools are:

(i) to upgrade your overall proficiency in English,

(ii) to improve your fluency in English,
(iii) to improve your pronunciation,
(iv) to facilitate your understanding of the teaching points in SB, and
the activities/exercises in WB, and
(v) to help you with any difficulty that you may encounter.

In view of these considerations you should attend these language tutorials at

day-schools on a regular basis. Furthermore, you should always come

21
prepared to these academic activities. Above all, you should be an active
participant in the language tutorials and teaching sessions.

7.3. Course Tutorials: Scope & Sequence

Seven two-hour tutorials are scheduled for EL111 this semester. The
following table shows the weeks during which these tutorials will take place
as well as the topics/activities each tutorial covers. It is convenient to
remind you that tutorials are interactive sessions in which you are expected
to participate actively and constantly.

EL111 Course Tutorials

TUTORIAL WEEK FUNCTION / COVERAGE

No.
1 1 Introducing you to EL111: Course Guide.
Providing you with information on how and when
to contact/meet your tutor.

2 3 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 1-4 in On Target 1.

3 5 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 5-8 in On Target 1.

4 7 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 9-12 in On Target 1.

5 9 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 1-4 in On Target 2.

6 11 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 5-8 in On Target 2.

7 13 Reviewing Reading, Writing, and Grammar

Units 9-12 in On Target 2

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8. ASSESSMENT: AN OVERALL VIEW

There are two components of assessment for the course: continuous

assessment, to which 50% of the overall mark is allocated, and a final
examination to which 50% of the same mark is allocated.

8.1. Continuous Assessment (50%)

Continuous Assessment consists of:

(1) One TMA, associated with the first block of the course. The
TMA is marked by your tutor as shown in the Study Calendar. This
means the assignment has to be completed and sent to your tutor by a
cut-off date given in the Study Calendar, and must be accompanied
by a special TMA cover form. This form is used to record your
grades as well as general comments on your progress throughout the
course. The assignment and the form will be subsequently returned to
you with a grade and teaching comments. 30% of the overall grade is
allocated to the TMA. Details about the TMA assigned for this
semester is shown in 8.3. below.

(2) One MTA (formerly called quiz) as shown in Section 8.4. below.
20% of the overall grade is allocated to this MTA.

8.2. Final Examination (50%)

At the end of the course, there is an examination. Details about your final
examination are contained in Section 13 below.

23
You should remember, however, that if you do not score a minimum of
20/50 on your final exam, you will fail the course regardless of the marks
you have obtained in the continuous assessment.

A Specimen Examination Paper (SEP) for EL111 can be found on EL111

Online.

8.3. Course TMA: Scope & Sequence

The following table shows the scope and sequence of the TMA assigned for
EL111 during this semester.

TMA NO. WEEK COVERAGE

1 4 Units 1-6 On Target 1

8.4. Course MTA: Date and Coverage

As pointed out above, you are required to sit for one MTA this semester as
shown in the following table. Pay special attention to the material which the
MTA covers.

WEEK COVERAGE
7 Reading & Writing
(Units 7-12) On Target 1

9. SOME STUDY TIPS

This section includes some suggestions on how to approach each section in

the unit (see Section 4 above). These suggestions (adapted from On Target
1: Teacher's Edition, pp. vii-xi) are not binding but you will find them
helpful.

9.1. Getting Started

 Warm Up
Each unit in On Target 1 and On Target 2 opens with a Warm Up section
that both introduces you to the theme of the unit and involves you in the

24
theme. It typically consists of a listening passage to which you must respond
and one or more interactive exercises in which you talk about the unit
theme.

Play the recording using the procedures outlined in Listen below, and then
complete the corresponding exercises.

 Figure It Out
This section demonstrates the use of the new language in functional
situations. Follow the following steps.
1. Examine the pictures and predict what the section is about.
2. Most of the units contain conversations. Read the conversation silently,
then aloud.
3. Answer the comprehension questions and do the meaning-from-context
exercise at this time.

 Vocabulary
On Target includes both active and passive vocabulary. The active
vocabulary has been selected for its usefulness and frequency of occurrence
in real communication. A list of the active vocabulary for each unit is
included in Unit Vocabulary at the back of the Student Book. In addition,
passive vocabulary appears throughout the unit. You are not expected to
learn these non-target (passive) words. As long as you can complete the
activities, understanding every word is not necessary.

We encourage you not to use dictionaries but to try to make intelligent

guesses about meaning based on the use of context. However, should you
like to consult a dictionary; we encourage you to use only monolingual
dictionaries. Bilingual dictionaries force you to see English in terms of your
own language, not as a distinct tool for communication.

We also encourage you to keep a notebook of new vocabulary, to include

the words you learn in the Student Book and the Workbook. If you group
the words by meaning and function (e.g. nouns, verbs, etc.), at the end of the
year, you will have your own personal dictionary.

 Talk About It
This mini-dialogue presents a series of connected conversation cues (a
discourse chain) that trains you to relate roles, functions, and language
possibilities. In doing these exercises, follow these steps:
1. Work in pairs (with a friend or a member of your family) to read the
situation and identify the roles; for example, in Unit 1 the situation is

25
 an interview, and the roles are a TV marketing manager and a person
being interviewed about his or her viewing habits.
2. Choose your role.
3. Read the functions (printed in small type) and the mini-dialogue
aloud.
4. Focus attention on the exercise cues; in Unit 1, these cues are the
categories on the TV Questionnaire (see Student Book, page 3).
5. Complete the exercise.

9.2. Grammar
In this section, you are given a brief grammatical description of the target
language and are asked to apply those rules (deductive reasoning), or you
are given a number of examples and are asked to use the examples to
formulate rules (inductive reasoning).
This presentation is followed by exercises designed to accomplish one of
two purposes:
(i) to train you to use the language accurately, and
(ii) to encourage you to use it fluently.
• Check Your Understanding exercises follow the presentation to allow
you to test your understanding of the specific situations in which the
particular points are used. These exercises are done individually and then
you are encouraged to check your answers with a partner or with your
tutor.
• The Express Yourself exercises should be done in pairs to promote
fluency and proper use of new vocabulary. This can be done during
Tutorials or at home with a friend or a member of your family.

9.3. Listening & Speaking

 Listen
The listening selections on the audio programme provide practice in
understanding ordinary English discourse.
Each listening section begins with Before You Listen questions, which
establish the context and help you activate and share prior knowledge. The
prelistening questions are followed by the presentation of a specific listening
strategy (e.g. Listening to Draw Conclusions), highlighted with the arrow
symbol  .

Below are some useful hints to deal with listening:

1. The first time you play the recording, listen with your book closed.

26
2. Open your book and reread the directions.
3. Play the recording again and listen for the specific information the
exercise asks for.
4. After you have written your answers, play the recording again for you to
check your work.

 Pronunciation
A book alone cannot teach pronunciation; it can only serve as a guide. It is
the voices on the recordings that provide the models for you. Speakers on
radio and TV, recordings, tutorials, day-schools and the Internet provide
additional models. Good models provide you with ample opportunity to
listen and speak and are essential for developing your pronunciation.
On Target focuses on perceiving and producing such aspects of English
phonology as plural and past tense endings, word and sentence stress,
intonation, etc. We recommend the following steps:
1. Read the explanation and make any predictions about the target sound.
2. Play the recording several times while you listen. Remember that you
must be able to perceive a sound before you can produce it.

You will find it valuable to work in pairs or groups during tutorials or at

home with friends or relatives to read the examples to each other. This
gives additional, needed practice in forming the sounds correctly.

 Speak Out
We encourage you to use the language in the strategy boxes in this sub-
section as much as possible, inside and out of class. The purpose of this
activity is to help you gain confidence in your oral performance. The
constant reinforcement of this language will result in greater fluency. You
can do the Speak Out activities in this section individually or in a group
during tutorials and day-schools (or at home with friends and relatives).

9.4. Reading & Writing

 Read About It
The reading selection in Read About It extends the theme of the unit and
provides the opportunity for improving reading strategies and critical
thinking skills.
The section opens with Before You Read prereading questions, which
introduce the content. In most units, the prereading questions are followed

27
by specific reading strategies (highlighted with ) aimed at helping you
focus your attention on reading for specific information, examples, or main
ideas. In other units, reading strategies immediately follow the reading
selections and focus on guessing meaning from context and making
inferences.
Below are some tips on how to do this section:
1. Most reading done for information or pleasure is silent reading, so you
should read the selections silently.
2. We encourage you to read without dictionaries. Stopping to look up
unknown words interrupts the flow of reading and makes it more likely
that you read word for word rather than for general meaning.
3. After you have read the text answer the questions.
4. If you are not sure of a certain answer, check it in the reading text or with
your tutor.

 Think About It
A final Think About It section presents some creative activities related to
the reading. Some exercises check comprehension, the ability to get
meaning from context, and other reading skills. These exercises can be
done individually or in pairs or small groups during tutorials. Other open-
ended activities offer you further opportunities to develop critical thinking
skills and share personal knowledge and experience in imaginative ways.

 Write
In the Write section, specific elements of writing are presented such as
identifying what makes a good paragraph, narrowing a topic, writing a topic
sentence, adding supporting details, and writing a concluding sentence, etc.
Other important academic writing skills and forms such as summarizing and
writing instructions are also presented. The presentations are immediately
followed by one or more exercises that allow you to apply and practice the
target elements or skills.

 Write About It
Write About It tasks are both purposeful and communicative. You write
for a real purpose related to the unit theme and for a real audience of (e.g.
your peer).
On Target also contains key elements of the writing process to help you
organize ideas, write your first drafts, and then edit and revise your
paragraphs.

The Check Your Writing exercises at the end of each unit focus your
attention on key points from the unit and help you edit and revise drafts,

28
applying the important writing process steps of peer/tutor feedback and
revision.

The following steps highlight and summarize key aspects of the writing
process.

1. Prewriting
Prewriting includes the important strategies of focusing, and organizing
information. These strategies help you to generate, select, and organize
ideas so that you can write a first draft of a paragraph about a specific topic.
Once you have a list of possible ideas, you can then focus on choosing the
best, most useful ideas for inclusion in a paragraph. In doing this you
should keep the ideas that relate to the topic you will write about and
eliminate ideas that do not.
After you choose the ideas you want to write about, you are ready to
organize them in a paragraph. Each Write section focuses on a specific
element – such as writing topic sentences, narrowing a topic, or writing
supporting sentences – for organizing ideas in a paragraph. These sections
include examples and models of the target elements.
You may find it beneficial to do some or all prewriting with a partner
because this enables you to invent and generate more new ideas from each
other's ideas.

2. First Draft
Many students do not realize that good writing is usually the result of many
revisions or drafts. Knowing that you will write more than one draft allows
you to focus on different aspects of your writing in each draft. As you write
your first draft, you should concentrate on composition, not mechanics (such
as grammar, spelling, and punctuation). You should remember that every
supporting sentence should support the topic sentence and that the sentences
should be in a logical order. Remember that good writers revise several
times.

3. Revision
Revision includes making such changes as adding new information, deleting
nonessential information, and arranging the information in the best order.
Editing for mechanics – to check grammar and proofread for correct spelling
and punctuation – is a final step of revision. Please bear in mind that your
tutor expects correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in the final copy,
but that revision of these comes last in the writing process.

29
Peer editing during tutorials is an effective tool for second-language writers.
Exchange papers with a partner and read the partner's paper for interest and
accuracy of content. You can, of course, have your work edited/revised by a
friend or a relative whose English is good. But remember that asking a
friend to edit your work does not mean that he/she should rewrite it for you.
After peer editing, you need to work independently to improve your draft.

EL111 STUDY CALENDAR - 2008/2009

TMA NO. ,
COURSE TEXT TUTORIALS MTA
WEEK & COVERAGE
UNIT NO. & COVERAGE COVERAGE &
CUT-OFF DATE
1.
1 COURSE GUIDE INTRODUCING
THE COURSE
ON TARGET 1:
2
UNITS 1&2
ON TARGET 1: OT1: UNITS 1-) .2
3
UNITS 3&4 (4
OT 1:) :1
ON TARGET 1: UNITS 1-6) -
4
UNITS 5&6 END OF
WEEK
ON TARGET 1: OT 1: UNITS) .3
5
UNITS 7&8 (5-8
ON TARGET 1:
6
UNITS 9&10
ON TARGET 1: OT 1: UNITS) .4
7
UNITS 11&12 (9-12
ON TARGET 2: OT 1: UNITS 7-
8
UNITS 1&2 12
ON TARGET 2: OT 2: UNITS 1-).5
9
UNITS 3&4 (4
ON TARGET 2:
10
UNITS 5&6
ON TARGET 2: OT 2: UNITS) .6
11
UNITS 7&8 (5- 8
ON TARGET 2:
12
UNITS 9&10
ON TARGET 2: OT 2: UNITS) .7
13
UNITS 11&12 (9-12
REVISING ON
14 TARGET 2:
UNITS 7-12
OVERALL
15
REVISION

16 FINAL EXAM

30
Assessment Strategy
EL111 has two equally weighted assessment components: a continuous assessment
component and an examinable component.

Continuous assessment: 1 TMA 30%

1 MTA 20%
Total 50%

Examinable component: the final examination constitutes 50% of this component and is
allocated 50 marks.
If you do not score a minimum of 20/50 on your final exam, you will fail the course
regardless of the marks you have obtained in the continuous assessment.
11. YOUR FIRST WEEK

 Check Your Material

 Familiarize Yourself With Teaching Material
 Read this Guide
 Secure a Monolingual Dictionary
 Check Your Understanding
 Your First Tutorial

11.1. Check Course Material

Have a quick look at the books and recordings you have in your possession
now. The following is a checklist. Put a tick in front of the right items in
the following list:

(1)  On Target 1  Student Book

 Workbook
 3 ACs (1-3)

(2)  On Target 2  Student Book

 Workbook
 3 ACs (1-3)

(3)  EL111 Course Guide (this booklet)

(4)  EL111 Online

If you have not received any of these items, get in touch with your tutor
immediately.

31
11.2. Familiarize Yourself with Teaching Material

(1) Have a quick look at the four sets of items in the above list.

(2) To begin with, you will use the items in (1), (3) and (4) above. So
put items in (2) above aside. You will not use them before the end
of week 7.

11.3. Read this Guide

(1) Now, go over this guide very carefully. Make sure you read and
understand every section. If you face any problem with any of the
sections, get in touch with your tutor.

(2) While reading the guide, we advise you to check the information
you read in the relevant section above:

1. Course Objectives
2. Course Components
3. Course Structure
4. Unit Structure
9. Study Tips

11.4. Secure a Monolingual Dictionary

It is essential that you have at your disposal a reasonable monolingual

dictionary, preferably one that provides, in addition to definitions and
meanings, the following:

1. pronunciation
2. examples

On the other hand, if you have access to the internet, you can utilize any of
the online dictionaries. You can search for such dictionaries through the
various "search" devices available on the internet.

11.5. Check Your Understanding

After you have done all of the above, check your understanding by
answering the following questions:

1. How many units does On Target 1 consist of?

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 2. How many ACs are used with the On Target 1 SB?
3. How many sections does each unit in On Target 1 consist of? What
are they?
4. What does the final part in each unit in the Workbook consist of?
5. What does TMA stand for? How many TMAs are you expected to do
this semester for EL111?
6. What does SEP stand for? What is it? Where can you find it?
7. How many tutorials and language sessions are you expected to attend
this semester?
8. When is your first tutorial due?

11.6. Your First Tutorial

Your first tutorial will take place this week. You will get information as to
the exact time and place from your tutor. It is of the utmost importance that
you attend this tutorial to meet your tutor and to be introduced to all aspects
of this course. If for a compelling reason you cannot attend this tutorial, get
in touch with your tutor to arrange for a meeting with him/her as soon as
possible.

12. REVISING THE COURSE

During week 14 and the following week we expect you to do two things:

1. Revise teaching material.

2. Examine the structure of the Final Examination in Section (13)
below.
3. Study the EL111 SEP on EL111 Online.

Below are some tips that will help you do the three tasks in good time. It is,
however, essential that you get in touch with your tutor if you encounter any
problem in revising any component of the teaching material or in answering
any question in the SEP.

Since language skills and sub-skills in On Target 1 and On Target 2 are

interwoven with each other in each individual unit, it is essential that your
revision be unit-based and not skill-based. In other words, you should
revise unit-by-unit. Furthermore, since material in your WB and on ACs is
an integral part of the teaching material in your SB, it is necessary that you
revise this material as you revise the corresponding unit in your SB.

33
After you have revised all the units in both On Target 1 and On Target 2, we
advise you to go over the exercises in the REVIEW pages in your SB, which
are as follows:

BOOK REVIEW Pages in SB

On Target 1 Units 1-3 31-32

Units 4-6 63-64
On Target 2 Units 7-9 95-96
Units 10-12 127-128

Do the exercises in the Reviews listed above, and check your answers in the
Answer Key provided in EL111 Online. If you encounter any problems,
get in touch with your tutor.

13. SEP & FINAL EXAMINATION

13.1. Specimen Examination Paper (SEP)

By now, you should have examined the SEPs for EL111. However, if you
have not for one reason or another you should do so at once. Your tutor will
give you a printout if you cannot read it online.

Go over your SEP carefully and do the exercises independently without

looking at the answer key. Then check your answers and make a list of the
errors you have made. Try to find out why you have made these specific
errors. If, after doing that, you still feel that you are confused about a
certain point, consult with your tutor.

13.2. Final Examination

Your Final Examination which carries 50 points (i.e. 50% of the overall
grade) will consist of the following sections/components:

13.2.1. Reading (20 points)

13.2.2. Grammar (15 points)
13.2.3. Writing (15 points)

34
 NOTICE
Notice that about 50% of the questions in your Final Examination will be adapted/
extracted from your SBs, WBs, and ACs. It is thus essential that you concentrate
on all activities and exercises contained in each and every unit in your SB and
WB. Notice further that "unseen" material will be modeled on the material
covered in the course books, the set book, and EL111 Online.

Below is a brief description of the type of tasks/questions that make up each

of the exam sections.

13.2.1. Reading

This section will consist of one or more texts. Each text will be followed by
the following types of questions:

1. Comprehension Questions (open-ended questions, choosing from

alternatives, fill in blanks, etc.)
2. Vocabulary Questions
3. Questions on Reading Strategies (e.g. distinguishing between fact
and opinion, identifying main idea, etc.)
4. Evaluation Questions (e.g. making inferences, recognizing writer's
tone, etc.)
5. Textual Questions (e.g. understanding reference, understanding
text organization, outlining a text, etc.)

13.2.2. Grammar

Grammar questions/tasks will be varied and they aim to test:

1. Grammatical form (e.g. tenses), grammatical meaning (e.g. past time)

or both.
2. Ability to use grammatical forms to communicate meanings (i.e.
functional use of grammar).

In most cases the tasks in this section are as follows:

1. Identifying (circle) the correct answer (choosing from alternatives).

2. Fill in gaps in a sentence or a text.
3. Transform sentences (e.g. from active into passive; from direct into
reported speech).

35
 4. What would you say in a given situation to express how you feel
about something? (e.g. indifference, interest, doubt, etc).

13.2.3. Writing

This section tests your ability to write different types of tasks:

1. Paragraphs (descriptive, persuasive, process, definitions, narrative)

2. Letters (a personal letter, a letter of application, a letter of inquiry,
etc.)
3. Short composition and essays (e.g. narratives, explanation.)
4. Summaries

36