UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF HANOI

FOREIGN LANGUAGES CENTER

ENGLISH DIVISION

General English (Writing)

COURSE GUIDE
B0 STAGE 1 PROGRAM

Program English for B0 Stage 1: B0S1

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Course title B0S1 Writing

Course duration 20 hours (10 weeks)

Session number 10

Weekly hours 2 hours

Course status Core

Semester 1

Prerequisites from A1

Subsequent course of level A2+

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1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed for students of B0 Stage 1 English Program to fundamentally assist them in
establishing and developing their skills at Basic level. The proficiency goal of this course is for students to
develop from level A1 towards A2 CEFR.

The course is designed according to a competence-based approach, emphasizing on teaching students

to be more competent in four basic English skills and in using English knowledge, particularly grammar,
in communicative tasks in a range of familiar topics. Despite the standard-based targets, the tools for
teaching are communicative tasks in a range of familiar topics in Roadmap A2+. Moreover,
communicative language teaching and experiential learning serve as the major pedagogical
considerations, which requires teachers to be facilitators and experience sharers for students to learn
through practice. Individual work and pair-work are central to enhancing students’ language skills. This
may be adjusted to match the contexts of the USTH students and classrooms by individual teachers.

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course objectives are based on CEFR description for level A2 which are adapted to suit the used
textbook and the actual teaching and learning conditions at USTH. They aim mainly at establishing and
developing students’ English in Writing and Grammar at A2 level CEFR.

Writing skills:
On finishing the course, student(s) can generally
- Write short, simple formulaic notes relating to matters in areas of immediate need.
- Write personal letters giving news and expressing thoughts about abstract or cultural topics
such as music, films.
- Take a short, simple message provided he/she can ask for repetition and reformulation.
- Write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like “and", “but”
and “because”.
- Write about everyday aspects of his environment e.g. people, places, a job or study experience
in linked sentences.
- Write very short, basic descriptions of events, past activities and personal experiences.
Grammar:
- use some simple structures correctly, but still systematically make basic mistakes - for example
tends to mix up tenses and forget to mark agreement; nevertheless, it is usually clear what
he/she is trying to say.
Transferable skills:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Work cooperatively to accomplish assigned tasks
- Self-study at home
Attributes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Develop learner autonomy and be responsible for their own learning
- Demonstrate their commitment to contribute to their disciplines

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3. COURSE MATERIALS
Butler, L. (2014). Longman Academic Writing Series 1: Sentences to Paragraphs (2ndedition). Pearson
Education.

4. COURSE POLICY
● Attendance Policy:
✔ Students who are absent for more than 30% of the sessions will merit an automatic
failure.
✔ No late submission of assignments is accepted without the lecturer’s approval.
● Technology and Media:
✔ Email: Students can submit their assignment to the lecturer via email if allowed by him/her.
✔ Electronic Device Usage: Students can use their device(s) during the lecture to look up for
new words, or to type their writing (if required by lecturer). However, they will be asked to
leave the classroom immediately and marked as absent on that day if found using those
device(s) for any purpose unrelated to that particular studying session.
● Professionalism Policy:
✔ As per university policy and classroom etiquette, mobile phones, iPods, etc., must be
silenced during all classroom and lab lectures. Those disobeying this rule will be asked to
leave the classroom/lab immediately so as not to disrupt the learning environment.
✔ Students are supposed to arrive on time in all class meetings and participate actively in the
lessons. Those who habitually disturb the class by talking, arriving late, etc., and have been
warned will gain a reduction in their grade.
● Academic Conduct Policy: Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. If you are
uncertain as to what constitutes academic dishonesty, please consult University Policy on the
website for further details. As in all University courses, the University Policy will be applied.
Violations of these rules will result in a record of the infraction being placed in your file and
receiving a zero on the work in question AT A MINIMUM. At the instructor’s discretion, you may
also receive a failing grade for the course. Confirmation of such incidents can also result in
expulsion from the University.

5. COURSE ASSESSMENT
Marking policy: all English subjects at USTH are marked out of 20.
Component Description
Attendance Students need to attend class and class activities.
Homework Students submit homework and writing as assigned by lecturers.
Writing Students do weekly in-class writing assignments given by lecturers.
assignments Time allowed is 10 minutes.
Lecturers mark at least 03 writing assignments for each student.
Final score of this component is the average score of the marked assignments.

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MARKING OF WRITING
Lecturers can refer to the assessment scheme below, half mark (0.5) or 0.25/0.75 can be awarded. The
score of the writing is then multiplied by four. Lecturers should refer to the focused mechanics and
sentence structure of each lesson to give marks for grammar criteria.
Mark Criteria

5  Very good attempt at the task.

 No effort is required of the reader.
 All elements of the message are fully communicated.
 Grammar: The majority of sentences are grammatically correct, and there are
some complex structures.
4  Good attempt at the task.
 Minimal effort is required of the reader.
 All elements of the message are communicated.
 Grammar: The majority of sentences are grammatically correct. Errors are
present but non-impeding.
3  Satisfactory attempt at the task.
 Some effort is required of the reader.
 All elements of the message are communicated.
 Grammar: The majority of sentences are grammatically correct. Errors are
present and may cause some difficulty in communication.

OR
 One content element omitted but others clearly communicated.
 Grammar: The majority of sentences are grammatically correct. Errors are
present and may cause some difficulty in communication.
2  Inadequate attempt at the task.
 Significant effort may be required of the reader.
 Content elements omitted, or unsuccessfully dealt with, so the message is only
partly communicated.
 Grammar: Grammatical errors are noticeable.
1  Poor attempt at the task.
 Excessive effort is required of the reader.
 Very little of the message is communicated.
 Grammar: Grammatical errors are predominant.
0 No submission or Plagiarism

6. COURSE SYLLABUS

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Week Session In-class contents Homework Notes
(Student’s book)
1 1 Chapter 1: Prepare for Writing 1: A
- Introduction: looking at the models Paragraph to Introduce
- Sentence Structure and Mechanics: Yourself
sentence structure, statements and
questions, sentence mechanics
- Grammar: verbs, the simple present
of the verb be, basic sentence patterns
with the verb be
- Writing assignment 1
2 2 In-class Writing: Writing 1 Prepare for Writing 2: A
Chapter 2: paragraph about your
- Introduction: looking at the models morning routine
- Grammar and Sentence structure:
nouns, subject pronouns, the simple
present
- Writing assignment 3
3 3 In-class Writing: Writing 2 Prepare for Writing 3: A
Chapter 3: paragraph about Someone
- Introduction: looking at the models in a photo
- Sentence Structure: subject of
sentences, writing complete sentences
- Grammar: negative verbs, adjectives
- Writing assignment 3
4 4 In-class Writing: Writing 3 Prepare for Writing 4: A
Chapter 4: paragraph about a typical
- Introduction: looking at the models day
- Sentence Structure and Grammar:
simple sentence patterns-part 1,
adverbs of frequency, using
prepositions to show time
- Writing assignment 4
5 5 In-class Writing: Writing 4 Prepare for Writing 5: A
Chapter: paragraph describing your
- Introduction: looking at the models hometown
- Grammar: A, an, and The; There is
and There are; using prepositions to
describe location
- Sentence structure: prepositional
phrases in sentences
- Writing assignment 5
6 6 In-class Writing: Writing 5 Prepare for Writing 6: A
Chapter 6: paragraph about someone
- Introduction: looking at the models at work
- Grammar: the present progressive,
present progressive vs. simple present

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 - Sentence structure: simple sentence
patterns-part 2
- Writing assignment 6
7 7 In-class Writing: Writing 6 Prepare for Writing 7: A
Chapter 7: paragraph about a
- Introduction: looking at the models memorable event
- Sentence Structure and Mechanics:
simple vs. compound sentences
- Grammar: the simple past
- Writing assignment 7
8 8 In-class Writing: Writing 7 Prepare for Writing 8: A
Chapter 8: paragraph about your
- Introduction: looking at the models memories of a trip
- Grammar: past time expressions
- Sentence structure: sentences with
past time clauses, sentence fragments
- Writing assignment
9 9 In-class Writing: Writing 8 Prepare for Writing 9: A
Chapter 9: paragraph about your future
- Introduction: looking at the models plans
- Grammar: expressing future time
with be going to, expressing future
time with will, future time expressions
- Writing assignment 9
10 10 Revision
Practice writing