English 2 follows English 1 to solidify the foundational skills for effective communication in English as well as to foster international awareness, as both are typically required in the globally expanding domain of scientific and technological research activities. It also prepares students to study or do research abroad in the future. Students are assigned training exercises that cover the four language skills — reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The reading and listening materials include topics such as international and intercultural issues as well as the fundamentals of science and technology. Practice exercises in writing and speaking are provided so that students can develop communication competence to participate in discussions and conferences where opinions are exchanged through both text and speech. TOEFL-type exercise problems are also used in the course.
This course aims to establish a solid base on which students can build toward a higher level of communication competence specifically in an English language environment. The base is, as mentioned in "Course description and aims" of English 1, composed of three elements: (1) identifying relevant information accurately, (2) exercising fair judgement to form a valid opinion, and (3) stating opinions clearly and persuasively.
Each student is assigned to a group led by an instructor. Instructors for each group conduct the course using the "Course description and aims" and "Student learning outcomes" as the basic framework. "Class direction," "Course schedule," and other information below explain the features of each class.
By the end of this course, students will:
・Strengthen practical English abilities that are required for learning at university and for research activities both in Japan and abroad
・Be able to accurately grasp the main ideas and arguments of written and spoken materials in diverse areas including international and intercultural issues, science, and technology
・Have increased their knowledge of effective vocabulary and expressions to actively communicate their ideas and opinions in English
・Be able to write their own short paragraphs with a clear purpose
・Be able to state their opinions with good organization
Four language skills, fostering international awareness, communication skills, studying abroad, TOEFL
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
By learning English from digital resources every week, students will improve their speaking skills, including vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. They also improve presentation skills by giving a short recitation from news media every class in a quarter.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | 6 Minute English: Debating Veganism: How to Change Someone's Opinion (3) -Recitation 6 Minute English: Debating Veganism: How to Change Someone's Opinion (4) -Overlapping and shadowing exercise | (1) Recitation practice (2) Learning vocabulary: How resilient are you? |
Class 2 | 6 Minute English: Debating Veganism: How to Change Someone's Opinion (5) -Recitation 6 Minute English: How resilient are you? (EPISODE 200213 / 13 FEB 2020) (1) -Vocabulary quiz -Overlapping and shadowing exercise | Recitation practice |
Class 3 | 6 Minute English: How resilient are you? (2) -Presentation: reading the text out loudly -Overlapping and shadowing exercise | Recitation practice |
Class 4 | 6 Minute English: How resilient are you? (3) -Recitation | (1) Recitation practice (2) Learning vocabulary: 1Q |
Class 5 | 6 Minute English: How to Talk about Conspiracy Theories (6) -Overlapping and shadowing exercise Vocabulary quiz (1Q) | (1) Recitation practice (2) Learning vocabulary: 2Q |
Class 6 | 6 Minute English: How to Talk about Conspiracy Theories (7) -Recitation Vocabulary quiz (2Q) | (1) Recitation practice (2) Learning vocabulary: 1Q2Q |
Class 7 | 6 Minute English: How to Talk about Conspiracy Theories (8) -Recitation Vocabulary quiz (1Q2Q) | Keep learning. Do overlapping and shadowing 30 minutes per every day. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
インターネット素材を元にしたハンドアウトを使用する:6 Minute English (https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023)
◯The art of conversation (EPISODE 221124 / 24 NOV 2022)
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2022/ep-221124
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGhbhWUqL-w&ab_channel=BBCLearningEnglish
◯How to talk about conspiracy theories (EPISODE 200903 / 03 SEP 2020)
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6-minute-english/ep-200903
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69o1qyxZBuw&ab_channel=BBCLearningEnglish
◯Debating veganism: How to Change Someone's Opinion (EPISODE 190314 / 14 MAR 2019)
BBC: https://www.bbc.com/learningenglish/chinese/features/6-minute-english/ep-190314
YouTube:
◯How resilient are you? (EPISODE 200213 / 13 FEB 2020)
BBC: https://www.bbc.com/learningenglish/thai/features/6-minute-english/ep-200213
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcf1dbiWKsk&ab_channel=BBCLearningEnglish
Additional reading materials may be assigned throughout the term.
Quiz: 30%
Class presentation: 70%
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koizumi[at]ila.titech.ac.jp
※ Please replace "[at]" with "[at]".
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