1

Speaking Level 3
Spring 2015
Instructor: Yun Zhang
Course Time: T/Th 1:45-3:00PM
E-Mail: yunzhang@sandiego.edu
Classroom: Durango E2
Course Description:
A low-intermediate level learner-centered listening and speaking
course providing students strategies which build academic listening,
speaking and note-taking skills.
The goal of this class not only creates an intensive English-speaking
environment but also help with preparing TOEFL for the future.
Each student will be promoted to speak up in the class, share ideas
with their classmates, and accomplish collaborative activities.
Objectives:
1. Assess prior knowledge of vocabulary and content to make
predictions
2. Listen for main ideas
3. Listen for supporting details
4. Ask for clarification
5. Identify key words, rhetorical cues, symbols and abbreviations for
notes taking
6. Be able to use transitional words/ phrases to organize their
speaking
7. Be able to be confidence to answer TOEFL speaking tasks 1, 2, 3
and 5
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Discuss main idea with development and supporting details in
TOEFL Speaking tasks
2. Ask and answer yes/no questions and information questions
about social topics
3. Use present, simple future, past, present perfect, present
progressive and past perfect tenses to describe/ express/ tell
stories/ experiences
4. Paraphrase a short listening input
5. Take notes for a short listening conversation/ lecture
6. Pronounce daily use English with only some errors in stress and
intonation
7. Give an clear and fluent oral presentation
8. Answer TOEFL speaking tasks: 1 Personal Preference
Independent Task, 2 Paired Choice Independent Task, 3
Announcement/ Discussion Task and 5 Problem/ Solution Task.

Textbooks/ Materials
Materials Required: Notebook with dividers, papers, pens.
Other Materials Provided in Class: Handouts
Recommended: Official Guide to the TOEFL Test With CD-ROM, 4th
Edition (Official Guide to the TOEFL IBT) Paperback August 29, 2012
Course Requirements/ Activities
Presence: Students are required to be in the class on time. If students
are late more than 10 minutes, they will be marked as an absence.
(5%)
Engagement: Students are expected to actively participate in
classroom discussions, group works, and activities by using English.
(25%)
Quizzes: In this class, students will have 2 quizzes to assess their
English speaking. All the two quizzes will be in the same style of the
questions in TOEFL speaking Tasks: 1 Personal Preference Independent
Task, 2 Paired Choice Independent Task, 3 Announcement/ Discussion
Task and 5 Problem/ Solution Task. (20%)
Mid-term: Students will have both an oral and writing mid-term on the
same day. On the test, students will listen to a conversation and take
notes. Then they will orally retell the story about what happens in the
conversation. (15%)
Presentation: Each student will prepare one topic, for example,
traditional holidays in China, and create a Power Point to present in
class. (20%)
Final Exam: Students will have both an oral and writing final exam.
On the test, first, students will have 10 multiple-choice questions. In
each question, students will only choose one correct verb form as an
answer. Second, students will be required to make 2 sentences for
each verb tense (past, present, future, present perfect, past perfect).
Third, students will listen to a short conversation and take notes. Hen
they will orally retell the story about what happens in the conversation.
(15%)
Assessment Plan/ Grading Criteria/Evaluation:
Presence and Engagement
30%
Quizzes
20%
Mid-term
15%
Presentation
20%

Final Exam

Evaluation:
A = 100-90%
B = 89 80% 3
C = 79 70%
D = 69 60%
F = 59 and below

15%

I = An Incomplete grade will only be given to a student who files a

petition with their instructor citing justifiable reasons.
Course Outline
MEETIN
DATE
GS
(WEEK)
1
Jan 26&30

Feb 2&6

Feb 9&13

Feb 16&20

Feb 23&27

Mar 2&6

Mar 9&13

CLASS
1. Class Introduction
Diagnostic Test
2. Syllabus Review
Introduce TOEFL Speaking Test
1. Discuss How can advertisers change our
behavior?
Main idea and details
2. Use the Future Tense to Discuss
Will women ever be equal to men?
1. If you can do one thing for making a better
society, what will you do?
2. Quiz 1
Two students presentation
1. Our multi-National corporation to be
blamed for problems in the world?
2. Three students presentation
1. The present perfect practice
Have you ever interviews and practice
2. Some people prefer to plan activities for
their leisure time very carefully. Others
choose not to make any plans at all for their
leisure time. Which do you prefer? Why?
1. Four Students presentation
2. Prepare for Mid-term
1. Midterm
2. Two students presentation

Mar 16&20 1. Introduce TOEFL Speaking Question 3

Practice: University Should Pave Running
Trails
2. Practice: Student Health Services Need
Improvement

9
10
(No
Class)
11

Mar 23&27 1. Introduce TOEFL Speaking Question

Practice OG 1 Task 5
2. Three students presentation
Mar30&Ap Spring Break
r6
Apr 8&10

1. Practice TPO 15 Task 5

2. Quiz 2
Two students presentation
1. Practice TPO 3 Task 5
2. Three students presentation

12

Apr 13&17

13

Apr 20&24

Go over and practice TOEFL Speaking Task 1,

2, 3 and 5

14

Apr27&Ma
y1

Review For Final

15

May 4

Final Exam

16

May 6

Final Class: self-reflection

17

May 8

Graduation 10:30AM
Warren Auditorium