NC 308: ESL Multiskills - Intermediate 2

• Demonstrate ability to successfully perform in functional life tasks such as performing in a job interview; networking to obtain jobs and improve job success; improving and maintaining health; applying for and choosing insurance; discussing problems and solutions with teachers; and justifying choices.
• Combine learned grammatical structures in a single, connected narrative.
• Articulate and utilize level appropriate words including 4-5 syllable words; participle adjectives; modifications from conjugation, comparative forms, prefixes / suffixes, and the passive voice; and reduced forms (contractions, “gonna,” “What’ve,” When’d, “Right?”, “Haven’t you?”).
• Use simple, compound, and complex sentences with common stress and intonation patterns.
• Engage in extended (3-5 minutes) discussion and conversation in a variety of topics and time frames to complete functional life skills.
• Deliver a presentation (3-5 minutes).
• Demonstrate comprehension of essential and requested information of medium-length (2 – 4 minutes) listening passages including those with unfamiliar words interpreted by context.
• Demonstrate comprehension of the main ideas in some basic natural, native spoken American English and non-interactive oral, audio pieces (2-4 minutes) such as short talks, commercials, podcasts, radio, and TV broadcasts.
• Demonstrate comprehension of simple, compound, and complex sentences with common stress and intonation patterns.
• Demonstrate comprehension of information in medium-length (6-8 paragraphs), level-appropriate readings.
• Read texts aloud using correct pronunciation of learned vocabulary, modified known vocabulary, and inflection / intonation patterns.
• Express complex states, feelings, opinions, ideas, desires, preferences, abilities, agreement or disagreement, complaint, accusation, defense, and justification.
• Closely approximate pronunciation of unlearned words and phrases (4-5 syllables).
• Use reading strategies (scanning, skimming, annotation, paraphrasing, summary) and reference materials (ESL dictionary, web pages) to improve comprehension and retention.
• Compose four paragraphs (5-8 sentences each) using correct mechanics and punctuation; making use of a variety of complex sentences; transition words; and basic academic writing elements including basic topic sentences, claims, supporting details, and a very basic introduction and conclusion.
• Use modifications – prefixes/suffixes, conjugation, comparatives, participial adjectives, the passive voice – to alter meaning of known words and structures.
• Write texts with basic varying organizational and methodological structures and content (persuasion, compare-and-contrast, summary, expository, narrative, argumentative).
• Use commas with signal words and phrases, between compound sentences, and with relative and dependent clauses.
• Recognize and utilize critical reading, writing, speaking, listening and learning strategies.
• Identify and utilize socially acceptable language and behavior in American society.
• Illustrate aspects of American culture and subcultures and compare and contrast with his/her own.
• Form opinions on American media, arts, politics, and culture.
• Narrate and describe events that have already taken place and relate facts in a connected discourse.
• Describe and compare aspects of quality, expectations, customs, and ability.
• Justify choices, preferences, opinions, expectations, and assumptions.
• Differentiate between formal and informal American English and use polite language appropriately including with indirect questions.
• Use a wide range of vocabulary such as synonyms (doctor / physician), antonyms (concern / indifference), precise terminology (home / condo), phrasal verbs, and idioms (to be late / running behind schedule) in a variety of functional life topics.
• Select and utilize grammatical structures including basic use of the passive and active voice, infinitives and gerunds, real conditionals, various dependent clause types, and combining the simple present perfect, present perfect continuous verb tenses, and other common verb tenses into a single, connected text.

GRAMMAR

Verbs

1. Select correct forms of the past perfect verb tense (basic introduction)
2. Use correct forms of previously learned verb tenses (simple present; simple future; present continuous; simple past and past continuous; and present perfect simple and continuous) in all formations
   1. Imperative, declarative, interrogative (“Wh-” and “Yes/No”), and negative
      1. Select use and placement of auxiliary verbs with appropriate verb tenses and forms
      2. Use and discriminate between common and exceptional verb forms including
         1. Modals: “would” (for past habitual and unreal conditionals), should vs. had better vs. must/have to; past modals introduction
         2. Reflexives
         3. Tag questions
         4. Phrasal verbs
            1. Separable vs. inseparable
            2. Three word phrasal verbs (get along with, get together with)
3. Distinguish between correct usage of the simple present, present continuous, simple past, past continuous, simple future, simple present perfect, and present perfect continuous
   1. Identify when to switch between verb tenses for various time senses
      1. Especially the present perfect vs. other verbs tenses
      2. Use time expressions appropriate to each verb tense

Passive Voice 

1. Use and switch between the active and passive voice in the simple present and simple past tense
   1. With and without performers
   2. Direct and indirect objects

Nouns 

1. Use correct forms in context of
   1. Indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, something, anything)
   2. Direct and indirect objects and pronouns (review)
   3. Reflexive pronouns (introduction)
   4. Count and non-count nouns (continuation)

Adjectives and Adverbs 

1. Utilize and place adjectives, adverbs, adjectival phrases, and adverbial phrases in correct sequence and order including
   1. Time order and signal words
   2. Conjunctive adverbs (“consequently,” “however,” “as a result,” “otherwise”)
   3. Comparative and superlative forms including adverbs
2. Use and differentiate between participial adjectives
3. Use adverbs of time with correct verb tenses and time frames         
4.  Use “enough,” “not enough,” and “too”
   1. To modify adjectives, nouns (count and noncount), and verbs
   2. Differentiate between use of intensifiers (very, so, really, super)       

Function Words

1. Use appropriate function words in correct sequence and order including
   1. Articles
      1. Definite versus indefinite articles (specificity vs. generic use of nouns) 
         1. General nouns as plurals without articles
   2. Paired conjunctions (both, either, neither)
   3. Quantifiers (many, a few, a lot of, all, most, some, none, any)
      1. Some vs. any

Gerunds and Infinitives

1. Use gerunds and infinitives
   1. After specific correlating verbs as objects
   2. With verbs that can take both without changing meaning
   3. To show purpose
   4. After prepositions
   5. After adjectives and “it” (e.g. It was easy to sleep last night)
   6. As subjects of sentences

Conditionals

1. Use present and future real conditionals
2. Use present unreal conditionals (introduction)

Clauses

1. Identify and use various clauses (basic) to make complex sentences including
   1. Independent
   2. Dependent
      1. Adjectival/Relative clauses (basic)
         1. Introduce adjectival/relative clauses with
            1. Relative pronouns (“Who,” “Which,” “That”)
            2. Relative adverbs (“When,” “Where,” “Why”)
      2. Noun clauses as subject and object with (basic)
         1. “That,” “what,” “whoever,” “which”
      3. Adverbial clauses (basic)
         1. “Until,” “as soon as,”
         2. Concessive clauses
            1. “Though,” “although,” “even though,” while”
         3. Cause and effect
            1. “Since,” “due to”

Analysis and Sentence Structure

1. Construct simple, compound, and complex sentences
2. Identify parts of speech, clauses, and correct versus incorrect sentence structures
3. Correct errors on learned and prerequisite grammar points
4. Construct simple, compound, and complex sentences
5. Identify when to change tense based on time reference
6. Combine multiple verb sentences in a single narrative

VOCABULARY

1. Demonstrate comprehension and use of vocabulary including but not limited to
   1. A wide range of vocabulary such as synonyms (doctor / physician), antonyms (concern / indifference), precise terminology (home / condo), and phrasal verbs and idioms (to be late / running behind schedule) on a variety of topics
   2. Words, phrases, phrasal verbs, collocations, and idioms in everyday and specialized contexts
   3. Various word forms (nominal, verbal, adjectival)
   4. Demonstrate the ability to use standard and non-standard forms appropriately (“going to” vs “gonna,” “water” vs “wader”)
   5. The connotative (basic) meaning of words from context (expensive vs. cheap)
   6. Specialized vocabulary (technical, academic, operative)
   7. Words changed by prefixes and suffixes
   8. Comparative and superlative forms including adverbs
   9. Unfamiliar vocabulary using contextual clues
   10. Learning types and multiple intelligences
   11. Educational pathways, careers, and educational requirements
   12. Cultural norms, customs, values, beliefs, gestures, and aesthetics
   13. Stress and coping mechanisms
   14. Volunteerism
   15. New technologies, time-saving devices, language learning technologies, and buzzwords
   16. Buying and returning merchandise
   17. Effective practices in finding and getting a job
   18. Environmental issues such as “going green”
   19. Celebrations, holiday, traditions, and customs
   20. Current events and news
   21. Media and arts

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS 

1. Demonstrate ability to function in life tasks such as performing in a job interview; networking to obtain jobs and improve job success; improving and maintaining health; applying for and choosing insurance; discussing problems and solutions with teachers; and justifying choices
2. Discuss the past, the recent past, repeated activities in the past, ongoing activities, current conditions and future plans in a single, connected narrative using the passive voice
3. Engage in extended social exchanges and conversation
4. Express complex states, feelings, opinions, ideas, desires, preferences, and abilities
5. Express agreement or disagreement, complaint, accusation, defense, and justification
6. Make polite requests, refusals, acceptance, and suggestions using indirect language
7. Differentiate between polite and impolite language and behavior in requests, offers, acceptance, and refusal
8. Defend and explain choices, preference, advice, and actions with reasons
9. Support statements, opinions, and ideas with examples, descriptions, and facts
10. Deliver a presentation (2-4 minutes)
11. Complete more complex forms (rental application, government forms, accident reports)
12. Compare and contrast people, places, outcomes, future possibility, and other functional life topics
13. Compare various cultures, customs, and traditions
14. Create a resume, create a cover letter, and perform in a job interview
15. Analyze information and situations with hypothetical outcomes to find solutions, make informed decisions, and reduce risk
16. Describe actions based on expectations
17. Give detailed instructions, explanations, and directions
18. Ask for and give advice, possibilities, suggestions, or commands dependent upon appropriate context
19. Make assumptions based on experience, analysis, and knowledge
20. Express imaginary and hypothetical situations
21. Relate expectations, intentions, hopes, and wishes
22. Reflect on past events by offering alternatives and multiple outcomes based on altering past decisions
23. Give suggestions, disagreement, or requests tentatively or indirectly 

READING

Reading and Speaking Skills 

1. Apply appropriate inflections for punctuation and tone
   1. Quotation marks, exclamations, intensifiers, tag questions, appositives, complex sentences

Comprehension

1. Restate simple, compound, and complex sentence meaning
2. Demonstrate comprehension of moderately complex texts (course descriptions, community newspapers, common workplace materials, young adult or simplified English literature, insurance)
3. Determine the sequence of events in a narrative with multiple verb tenses and complex sentences
4. Use supporting illustrations and emphasized text to interpret readings
5. Interpret and explain information in charts, tables, maps, diagrams, and graphs (schedules, pie charts, country and city maps, line graph, bar graph)
6. Interpret the use of formatting clues (headings, captions, bullets, numbering, bold, italics)
7. Use signal words and time phrases as clues to the sequence, organization, and content of a text
8. Compare related information from various sources
9. Identify the main idea of a medium-length text (4-6 paragraphs) and individual paragraphs
10. Identify the supporting details of a medium length text (4-6 paragraphs) and individual paragraphs
11. Interpret detailed instructions (workplace procedures, operating instructions, consumer materials)

Reference materials 

1. Use an ESL dictionary to aid in comprehension and differentiate between multiple meanings of a word
2. Locate information organized in groups or categories (catalog, web page, directory)

Reading Skills and Strategies 

1. Predict the content of a text from title, pictures, captions, and emphasized information
2. Scan a simple text (web pages, articles, short stories, documents, forms, schedules) to find specific information
3. Skim to find the main idea of a medium-length text (4-6 paragraphs)
4. Scan signal words to quickly find a sequence
5. Surmise the meaning of news words from context
   1. Determine if new words have positive or negative meanings
   2. Use prefixes and suffixes to interpret words
   3. Use familiar words to understand new word augmentation (work / worker, place / placement, interest / interested / interesting)
   4. Use situational context, punctuation, grammar analysis, and contrast to approximate meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases
6. Identify topic sentences
7. Increase reading speed, accuracy, and fluency
8. Annotate a text with notes of inference and summary (basic)
9. Make inferences and draw conclusions from a text
10. Identify the introductory and concluding paragraphs of a text or essay
11. Paraphrase and summarize information
12. Differentiate fact from opinion
13. Identify cause and effect
14. Use punctuation as a clue to meaning

WRITING

Spelling and Mechanics

1. Use apostrophes for possessives and plural possessives
2. Use commas in a series, in introductory phrases, between compound sentences, and with relative and dependent clauses
3. Spell modifications including comparative forms, past participles, participle adjectives, prefixes and suffixes, and various word forms
4. Write using appropriate format and structure for different purposes (outline, letter, notes)
   1. Format written material (headings, captions, bullets)
   2. Write information for charts, tables, and graphs

Grammar

1. Use prerequisite and learned grammar points in writing
2. Demonstrate basic competency of correct syntax versus incorrect syntax
   1. Write complete simple, compound, and complex sentences
      1. Avoid fragments, run-ons, and comma splices
3. Use a variety of sentence structures to add variety (basic)

Organization

1. Present and support information with representative multiple media formats (pictures, graphic organizers, symbols)
2. Use signal words to signify contrast, example, sequence, choice, cause-effect, and condition
3. Write related sentences and content to form 4-5 cohesive, connected paragraphs unified by a main idea (basic)
   1. Organize text in paragraphs with a clear beginning, middle, and end
   2. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences
   3. Use details to support main ideas such as examples, facts, and/or description
4. Organize and summarize information using a variety of organization patterns:  sequence, comparison, contrast, classification, cause and effect, problem and resolution

Writing Functions

1. Complete complex forms (rental application, taxes filings,  job application, police report)
2. Write detailed instructions (workplace procedures, operating instructions, how-to reports)
3. Recount personal experience using multiple verb tenses and the passive voice
4. Write explanations and detailed descriptions (reference information)
5. Write moderately complex texts (common workplace materials, letters of complaint and request)
6. Write informational materials (brochures, advertisements)
7. Write personal texts (journal entries, reminders)
8. Write extended functional texts (letters, postcards, e-mail, notes, lists)
9. Write the sequence of events in a complex narrative
10. Write expository texts
11. Make assumptions based on experience, analysis, and knowledge
12. Create a resume and cover letter

Writing Skills and Strategies

1. Write notes for peer-editing
2. Proofread and edit for accuracy and meaning
3. Draft, review, and revise a text after feedback
4. Pre-write and prepare with brainstorming, notes, and graphic organizers
5. Use details to elaborate on and support main ideas and opinions (examples, descriptions, personal experiences, facts, quotations)
6. Demonstrate awareness of writing for varying contexts, audiences, and purposes
7. Use appropriate voice, organization, and terminology according to context, audience, and purpose
8. Paraphrase and summarize information and texts
9. Present information logically using introductions, topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusions
10. Use transition words and sentences to connect content and show relationships

SPEAKING

Phonology and Pronunciation

1. Demonstrate accurate pronunciation of the various sounds of English
   1. Stressed versus unstressed syllables in poly-syllabic words
2. Demonstrate accurate pronunciation of words and sounds when they are modified
   1. Comparative and superlative forms
   2. Prefixes and suffixes
3. Demonstrate accurate pronunciation of reduced forms in high-frequency expressions and contractions (“Di-ju,” “Wanna,” “Gonna,” “Where’d” “Where’ve,” “Where’d-e,” When’d-ju”)
4. Use stress and intonation patterns in English words and sentences
   1. In complex sentences with various clauses
5. Use pronunciation, stress, and intonation and rhythm patterns to convey moods, emotions, and attitudes
   1. Express skepticism, doubt, enthusiasm, interest / disinterest, relief, worry, surprise, and a variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes 

Speaking Functions

1. Give a medium-length (3-4 minute) presentation
2. Engage in extended social exchanges and conversation
3. Use format and structure suitable for purpose and audience
4. Perform in rehearsed and impromptu conversation
5. Use speech to persuade, argue, defend, report, and emphasize
6. Express a variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes
7. Use abbreviated and reduced forms of speech
8. Restate extended (1-3 minutes) non face-to-face messages or announcements
9. Convey multi-step instructions and directions
10. Ask and answer informational requests
11. Relate a narrative with the passive voice and repeated actions in a variety of time frames
12. Participate in an interview
13. Give and take surveys
14. Present arguments in a debate format
15. Make polite requests, refusals, acceptance, and suggestions using indirect language
16. Differentiate between polite and impolite language and behavior 

Speaking Strategies and Critical Thinking

1. Paraphrase information for clarification
2. Communicate the topic or main idea
3. Emphasize key points to guide listeners in following important ideas
4. Give examples, experiences, description, and facts to support ideas
5. Organize a logical and convincing argument
6. Switch between standard and non-standard dialects as situation warrants
7. Use signal words to signify contrast, sequence, choice, place, cause-effect, and condition
8. Use fillers and place holders in speech (Um, You know, Like, Well)
9. Give suggestions, disagreement, or requests tentatively or indirectly (“Would you happen to if,” “I was wondering if,” “Do you really think so?”)
10. Respond with suggestions, feedback, and alternative viewpoints politely
11. Use a range of different styles for various purposes (explanation, narrative, persuasive, humorous)
12. Utilize media to a help convey meaning, key points, and purpose

LISTENING

Phonology and Pronunciation 

1. Identify and interpret the various sounds of English
   1. Stressed versus unstressed syllables in poly-syllabic words
2. Demonstrate comprehension of words and sounds when they are modified
   1. Comparative and superlative forms
   2. Prefixes and suffixes
3. Demonstrate comprehension of reduced forms in high-frequency expressions and contractions (“Di-ju,” “Wanna,” “Gonna,” “Where’d” “Where’ve,” “Where’d-e,” When’d-ju”)
4. Identify stress and intonation patterns in English words and sentences
   1. In complex sentences with various clauses
5. Identify and interpret pronunciation, stress, and intonation and rhythm patterns used to convey moods, emotions, and attitudes
   1. Express emphasis of intensifiers, qualifiers, and stressed words
   2. Express skepticism, doubt, enthusiasm, interest / disinterest, relief, worry, surprise, and a variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes 

Listening Functions

1. Demonstrate comprehension of
   1. Medium-length (3-4 minute) presentations
   2. Extended social exchanges and conversations
   3. Format and structure suitable for purpose and audience
   4. Rehearsed and impromptu conversation
   5. Speech used to persuade, argue, defend, report, and emphasize
   6. A variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes
   7. Abbreviated and reduced forms of speech
   8. Extended (1-3 minutes) non face-to-face messages or announcements
   9. Multi-step instructions and directions
   10. Informational requests
   11. Narratives with the passive voice and repeated actions in a variety of time frames
   12. Interviews
   13. Surveys
   14. Arguments in a debate format
   15. Polite requests, refusals, acceptance, and suggestions using indirect language
   16. Differences between polite and impolite language and behavior

Listening Strategies and Critical Thinking 

1. Identify the topic, main idea, and summary of an extended discourse
2. Identify specific details of a brief discourse
3. Predict content of discourse types that follow common patterns (doctor and patient exchange, narratives, instructions)
4. Approximate meanings of new words using contextual clues
5. Recognize how signal words give clues to organization, emphasis, and content of a message
6. Recognize fillers and place holders in speech (“Um,” “Like,” “You know”)
7. Determine when clarification is necessary
8. Locate and identify essential contextual clues to get information (time references, key vocabulary)

CULTURE 

American Conventions 

1. Distinguish between polite and impolite language and behavior
2. Demonstrate comprehension of American holidays and traditions
3. Demonstrate comprehension of basic American body language and gestures
4. Identify local and nation places of interest
5. Demonstrate familiarity with important contemporary individuals