HomeMy WebLinkAboutSPE-010
Bergen Community College
Division of Arts, Humanities, and Wellness
Department of ESL Speech
Departmental Policy Syllabus
SPE 010-001: Idioms, Conversation and American Culture
Semester and year:
Course and Section Number:
Meeting Times and Locations:
Instructor:
Office Location:
Phone:
Departmental Secretary:
Office Hours:
E-mail Address:
Course Description
This course aims to develop cultural awareness and improve conversation skills in high intermediate and
advanced English language learners through the understanding of idioms. In this course, students will
recognize and produce the high-frequency idioms and expressions needed in a range of conversational
and academic situations. Students will increase their ability to understand conversations through
structured and communicative activities. This one-credit elective provides training for students who
want to build their idiomatic vocabulary and cultural fluency for communicative success in a variety of
situations.
2 Lab hours, 1 credit (non-degree)
Co- or Pre-requisite: SPE-002 or Accuplacer placement in SPE-002 or higher
Text and Materials:
All Clear 3 Listening and Speaking (2nd edition)
Helen Kalkstein Fragiadakis, Heinle Cengage Learning
ISBN: 13-978-1-4130-1705-2
This book is available to purchase in the BCC Bookstore. It is also in the library to borrow and is on
reserve to read in the library.
Student Learning Objectives:
As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, students will:
Recognize high-frequency idioms and expressions
Accurately produce high-frequency idioms and expressions
Improve listening comprehension skills
Expand passive and active vocabulary
Increase knowledge and understanding of American culture
Enhance conversation skills
Course Content:
Focused listening comprehension exercises
Inductive and deductive activities for comprehension of target idioms
Dialogues and small group discussion encouraging production of target expressions
Pronunciation practice of new expressions
Individual and group presentations
Means of Assessment:
The major assessment types used in this course are tests, graded discussions, homework assignments,
presentations, and class participation. This includes active involvement in class discussions and being
prepared for class by completing homework assignments by their due date.
Grading Policy:
Class Participation 20%
Group Presentations 20%
Homework 20%
Quizzes & Tests 20%
Individual Presentations 20%
Grading Scale:
A 90-100
B+ 86-89
B 80-85
C+ 76-79
C 70-75
D 65-69
F 64 or below
Attendance Policy:
BCC Attendance Policy: All students are expected to attend punctually every scheduled meeting of
each course in which they are registered. Attendance and lateness policies and sanctions are to be
determined by the instructor for each section of each course. These will be established in writing on the
individual course outline. Attendance will be kept by the instructor for administrative and counseling
purposes.
American Language Program Attendance Policy:
Students are expected to attend class regularly and punctually. Attendance will be taken at each class
session. It is expected that class time will be spent so that students benefit from the lectures, class
discussions and class work. If students occasionally arrive late, they should be encouraged to enter
quietly, not disturbing the class. If students miss class, they should find out what they missed. It
is probably a good idea for students to exchange telephone numbers with other students as a way to find
out about missed classes. Make-ups for examinations should be allowed by the instructor if, in the
instructor’s judgment, the student has presented a good excuse for missing the work. Instructors may
penalize work which is late; however, the instructor’s policies for make-ups and late work must be
clearly specified on the student guide.
Attendance Policy in this Course:
Poor attendance will affect a student’s grade. If a student misses more than 4 classes, the student’s
grade may be lowered by one full letter grade. If a student is absent excessively, the student can
expect to fail the course. Lateness counts, too. Two late arrivals of more than 10 minutes will equal
one absence.
Student and Faculty Support Services
ELRC (English Language Resource
Center)
The ELRC offers free tutoring twice a
week, conversation groups, and
computerized speaking/listening
practice.
E-156 201- 612-5292
http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2182.asp
Intercultural Conversation Program
(ICP).
The ICP offers students the
opportunity to meet one-on-one with
native English speakers for
conversation practice
L-125 201-447-7489
http://www.bergen.edu/pages1/Pages/4
624.aspx
The Office of Specialized Services (for
students with disabilities)
S-131 201-612-5270
www.bergen.edu/oss
The Sidney Silverman Library –
Reference Desk
L-226 201-447-7436
http://www.bergen.edu/pages/683.asp
Tentative Course Outline & Calendar
Note to Students: The following Course Outline and Calendar is tentative and subject to change,
depending upon the progress of the class.
Week Date Topic
Week 1 September 5 Introduction to the Course
Meeting New People
-conversation starters, small talk, dating customs
Week 2 September 12 Meeting New People
Week 3 September 19 Group Work; Group Presentation #1
Week 4 September 26 Quiz #1
School Life
-boredom, learning styles, multiple intelligences
Week 5 October 3 School Life
Week 6 October 10 Review
Group Presentation #2 (in class work)
Week 7 October 17 give Group Presentation #2
Quiz #2
Week 8 October 24 Individual Presentation #1
Phobias
-etiquette, personal space, euphemisms
Week 9 October 31 Phobias
Week 10 November 7 Group Work; Group Presentation #3
Week 11 November 14 Quiz #3
Traveling
-traveling, jet lag, culture shock, stereotypes
Week 12 November 21 Traveling
Week 13 November 28 Group Work; Group Presentation #4
Week 14 December 5 Review
Week 15 December 12 Individual Presentation #2
Week 16 December 19 Final Exam