English 5 is designed to improve students’ English language skills for academic purposes and provide them with more knowledge in relevant areas. The materials include topics such as international and intercultural issues as well as current topics of science and technology. Expectations require students to practice: reading academic articles, listening to English lectures, speaking before an audience, and developing skills to write paragraphs and short essays.
By the end of this course, students will:
・be able to express their ideas and opinions in classes confidently
・be able to write paragraphs or short essays
・be able to better understand academic lectures
・practice effective reading strategies
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 |
Reading:
1. Students are required to read the copy of an article or an essay given in advance before coming to class.
2. The instructor (1) clarifies the essential points of the text, and (2) teaches useful expressions.
Writing:
1. Students are required to do the specified exercises or tasks before coming to class.
2. The instructor (1) checks the answers, (2) clarifies the essential points, and (3) teaches useful expressions.
The instructor has the students do additional exercises or tasks when necessary.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Orientation Quiz | Quiz |
Class 2 | "How to Improve Your Reading Skills" (1) Reading news articles and essays (1) Useful expressions: (undecided) | To learn tips and expressions useful to read and write correctly |
Class 3 | "How to Improve Your Reading Skills" (2) Reading news articles and essays (2) Useful expressions: how to use participles effectively (1) | To learn tips and expressions useful to read and write correctly ・ To learn how to use participles effectively |
Class 4 | Reading news articles and essays (3) Useful expressions: 1. how to use particples effectively (2) 2. how to read headlines 3. how to write titles 4. punctuation | To learn tips and expressions useful to read and write correctly ・ To learn how to use participles effectively ・ To learn how to read news headlines ・ To learn how to write titles ・ To learn how to use punctuation marks properly |
Class 5 | Reading news articles and essays (4) Useful Expressions: 1. countable/uncountable nouns and articles 2. subject-verb agreement 3. parallel structure | To learn tips and expressions useful to read and write correctly ・ To learn how to use countable/uncountable nouns and articles properly ・ To learn to pay attention to the subject-verb agreement ・ To learn to pay attention to the parallel structure |
Class 6 | Learning the basics of paragraph writing Useful Expressions: 1. how to use "because" 2. how to use "for example" | To learn the basic format of English essays and the basic structure of English paragraphs To learn how to use "because" and "for example" properly |
Class 7 | Final exam Review | To measure the students' achievement To review the main points |
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.
SHIZUKA Tetsuhito. Writing Facilitator: Introduction to Paragraph Writing (Revised Edition). Tokyo: Shohakusha, 2019.
ISBN: 978-4-88198-751-3
Handouts are given in class when necessary.
Students are assessed on the degree to which they can put what they have learned in class to practical use.
Activities in class & Homework assignments: 50%
Final exam: 50%
None
The planned activities may be altered depending on the students' achievement, etc.