NC 309: ESL Multiskills - Advanced

• Demonstrate ability to successfully perform in functional life tasks such as finding, applying for, interviewing, and performing in a job; writing a five-paragraph essay; discussing current events, news, and politics; discussing topical issues; analyzing multiple sides of an issues; and speaking with native English speakers.
• Select and utilize grammatical structures including pas modals; real and unreal conditionals; causatives; reported speech; a variety of complex sentences and some compound-complex sentences; the past perfect simple and continuous verb tenses and combining all learned verb tenses into a single connected text.
• Articulate and utilize level appropriate words including poly-syllabic 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 sentences, compound and complex with common stress and intonation patterns (express skepticism, doubt, enthusiasm, interest / disinterest, relief, worry, surprise, implication and a variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes).
• Engage in extended (4-6 minutes) discussion and conversation in a variety of topics and time frames.
• Deliver a presentation (4-8 minutes).
• Demonstrate comprehension of essential and requested information of extended (3-6 minutes) listening passages including those with unfamiliar words interpreted by context.
• Demonstrate comprehension of the main ideas in natural, native spoken American English and non-interactive oral, audio pieces (3-6 minutes) such as short talks, commercials, podcasts, radio, and TV broadcasts.
• Demonstrate comprehension of information in extended (6-10 paragraphs), level-appropriate readings.
• Demonstrate comprehension of and engagement with authentic English materials including literature, newspapers, magazine, web articles, blogs, and poetry.
• Closely approximate pronunciation of unlearned words and phrases (4-5 syllables).
• Express complex states, feelings, opinions, ideas, desires, preferences, abilities, agreement or disagreement, complaint, accusation, defense, and justification.
• Use reading strategies (scanning, skimming, annotation, paraphrasing, summary) and reference materials (ESL dictionary, web pages) to improve comprehension and retention.
• Write 5-6 cohesive, connected grammatically correct paragraphs unified by a main idea.
• Use a variety of sentence structures to add variety.
• Write texts with 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 (use colons, quotation marks, and semi-colons).
• 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.
• Engage with American media, arts, politics, and culture.
• Narrate and describe events that have already taken place and relate facts in a connected discourse.
• Compare and contrast people, places, outcomes, past possibility, hypotheticals, future possibility, and other functional life topics.
• Reflect on past events by offering alternatives and multiple outcomes based on altering past decisions.
• Analyze information and situations with hypothetical outcomes to find solutions, make informed decisions, and reduce risk.
• 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) including the connotative meaning of words from context (expensive vs. cheap); figurative meanings of words from context (flooded with calls); meaning of metaphors and similes in context; and various word forms (nominal, verbal, adjectival).

GRAMMAR

Verbs

1. Select and use the correct forms the past perfect and past perfect continuous verb tenses
2. Use and switch between correct forms of all prerequisite and learned verbs tenses in a single, connected text (simple present, present continuous, simple past, past continuous, simple future, simple present perfect, present perfect continuous)
   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. Past modals: “should’ve,” “could’ve,” “would’ve,” “might have,” “must have”
         2. Modals: “would” in all uses
         3. Tag questions
         4. Phrasal verbs
            1. Separable vs. inseparable (continued)
            2. Three word phrasal verbs (get along with, get together with)
         5. Causatives

Passive Voice

1. Use and switch between the active and passive voice in present, past, and present perfect
   1. With and without performers (review)
   2. Direct and indirect objects
   3. Modals

Nouns

1. Use and place correct forms in context of
   1. Indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, something, anything)
   2. Direct and indirect objects and pronouns (review)
   3. Reflexive pronouns

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
      1. Conjunctive adverbs / Transitions
         1. “Consequently,” “however,” “as a result,” “otherwise,” “therefore,” “despite,” “although,” “nevertheless,” etc.
      2. Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs
   2. Use and differentiate between participial adjectives
   3. Use adverbs of time with correct verb tenses and time frames 
   4. Use “ever” in various sentence structures               

Function Words

1. Use appropriate function words in correct sequence and order including
   1. Articles
      1. Definite versus indefinite articles (specificity vs. generic use; uniqueness vs. indefiniteness; noncount nouns made countable)
   2. Paired conjunctions (both, either, neither)

Gerunds and Infinitives

1. Use gerunds and infinitives
   1. After specific correlating verbs as objects (review)
   2. With verbs that can take both without changing meaning
   3. With verbs that can take both with a change of meaning
   4. After prepositions
   5. To show purpose
   6. After adjectives
   7. As subject of sentences
   8. After specific nouns (“It seems like the thing to do”)
   9. In gerund phrases and clauses

Conditionals

1. Use present and past unreal conditionals

Clauses

1. Identify and use various clauses to make complex and basic compound-complex sentences including
   1. Independent
   2. Dependent
      1. Adjectival/Relative clauses
         1. Adjectival/relative clauses with
            1. Relative pronouns (“Who,” “Which,” “That”)
            2. Relative adverbs (“When,” “Where,” “Why”)
               1. Whenever vs. When
         2. Restrictive vs. non-restrictive
         3. Reduced relative clauses
            1. Restrictive
               1. “ing” clauses
               2. Deleted relative pronoun
            2. Non restrictive
               1. Deleted relative pronoun with “be”
      2. Noun clauses as subject and object with
         1. “That,” “what,” “whoever,” “which”
      3. Adverbial clauses
         1. “Until,” “as soon as,”
         2. Concessive clauses
            1. “Though,” “although,” “even though,” while,” “unless”
         3. Cause and effect
            1. “Since,” “due to”
      4. Reporting clauses
         1. With and without passive

Analysis and Sentence Structure

1. Construct simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences
2. Identify parts of speech, clauses, and correct versus incorrect sentence structures
3. Correct errors on learned and prerequisite grammar points
4. Identify when to change tense based on time reference
5. Combine multiple verb sentences in a single narrative
6. Use indirect questions (“Where is Jack?” -> “I was wondering if you know where Jack is?”) and reported speech

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), phrasal verbs and idioms (to be late / running behind schedule) on a variety of topics
   2. Various word forms (nominal, verbal, adjectival, adverbial)
   3. Words, phrases, collocations, phrasal verbs (and their synonyms), and idioms in everyday and functional life skill contexts as well as academic contexts
   4. Specialized vocabulary (technical, academic, operative)
   5. Connotative meaning of words (expensive vs. cheap)
   6. Figurative meaning of words from context (flooded with calls)
   7. Meaning of metaphors and similes in context
   8. Words changed by less common prefixes and suffixes (anti-, dis-, -ize, -ization)
   9. Standard and non-standard forms appropriately (“going to” vs “gonna,” “water” vs “wader”)
   10. Unfamiliar vocabulary using contextual clues
   11. Language of argument and persuasion
   12. Types of criticism
   13. Small talk
   14. Media, arts, and culture
   15. Current events and news
   16. Style and taste
   17. Issues associated with technology
   18. Beliefs, norms, lifestyles, world views, and values
   19. Effective communication strategies
   20. Historical events and figures
   21. Academic skills and essay writing

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

1. Demonstrate ability to function in life tasks such as finding, applying for, interviewing, and performing in a job; writing a five-paragraph essay; discussing current events, news, and politics; discussing topical issues; analyzing multiple sides of an issue; and speaking with native English speakers
2. Discuss the past, the recent past, repeated activities in the past, ongoing activities, current conditions, and future plans in a connected narrative, text, or dialogue
3. Engage in extended social exchanges and conversation
4. Express more complex states, attitudes, feelings, opinions, ideas, desires, preferences, and abilities
5. Express agreement or disagreement, complaint, accusation, defense, compromise, 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 detailed reasons
9. Support statements, opinions, and ideas with examples, descriptions, and facts
10. Deliver a presentation (4-8 minutes)
11. Complete more complex forms (rental application, government forms, accident reports)
12. Compare and contrast people, places, outcomes, past possibility, hypotheticals, future possibility, and other functional life topics
13. Compare, contrast, and analyze various cultures, customs, and traditions
14. Analyze and apply strategies for finding and obtaining a desired career
15. Analyze information and situations with hypothetical outcomes to find solutions, make informed decisions, and reduce risk
16. Describe actions based on expectations, assumptions, false assumptions, and conditions
17. Understand and engage with native speakers and American media
18. Participate in extended telephone conversations
19. Summarize and paraphrase non-interactive communications
20. Give detailed instructions, explanations, and directions
21. Ask for and give advice, possibilities, suggestions, or commands dependent upon appropriate context
22. Make assumptions based on experience, analysis, and knowledge
23. Express imaginary and hypothetical situations
24. Relate expectations, intentions, hopes, and wishes
25. Reflect on past events by offering alternatives and multiple outcomes based on altering past decisions
26. 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. Demonstrate comprehension of moderately complex texts (course descriptions, community newspapers, common workplace materials, young adult or simplified English literature, insurance) and basic comprehension of more complex texts intended for native English speakers (newspaper, magazine, and internet articles; technical materials; literature)
2. Determine the sequence of events in a narrative with multiple verb tenses and complex sentences
3. Restate simple, compound, and complex sentence meaning
4. Interpret and explain information in charts, tables, maps, diagrams, and graphs (schedules, pie charts, country and city maps, line graph, bar graph)
5. Use signal words and time phrases as clues to the sequence, organization, and content of a text
6. Compare related information from various sources
7. Identify the main idea of a medium-length text (4-6 paragraphs) and individual paragraphs
8. Identify declarations and the supporting details of a medium length text (4-6 paragraphs) and individual paragraphs
9. Interpret analogies in familiar contexts

Reference materials

1. Use an ESL and standard 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 longer text (6-10 paragraphs)
4. Scan signal words to quickly find a sequence
5. Surmise the meaning of new 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. Identify and critique the supporting details of a statement, position, or argument
8. Increase reading speed, accuracy, and fluency
9. Annotate a text with notes of inference and summary
10. Make inferences and draw conclusions from a complex text
11. Identify the introductory and concluding paragraphs of a text or essay
12. Paraphrase and summarize information
13. Differentiate fact from opinion
14. Identify cause and effect
15. Use punctuation as a clue to meaning
16. Identify the writer, audience, and purpose of a text
17. Determine a writer’s point of view
18. Recognize and interpret how word formation effects word meaning (verb endings and tenses, prefixes and suffixes, comparatives forms, participial adjectives, word forms, causatives)

WRITING

Spelling and Mechanics

1. Use commas in introductory phrases, between compound sentences, with dependent clauses, and with appositives
2. Use colons and quotation marks
3. Use and spell modifications including conjugations, prefixes and suffixes, comparatives forms, participial adjectives, 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 competency of correct syntax versus incorrect syntax
   1. Write complete simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences
      1. Avoid fragments, run-ons, and comma splices
3. Use a variety of sentence structures to add variety

Organization

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

Writing Functions

1. Write a five-paragraph essay (introductory level) focused on a main idea with
   1. An introduction and thesis statement
   2. Body paragraphs with supporting details
   3. A conclusion
2. Write texts with varying organizational and methodological structures and content
   1. Persuasion, compare-and-contrast, summary, expository, narrative, argumentative
3. Complete complex forms (rental application, taxes filings, job application, police report)
4. Write detailed instructions (workplace procedures, operating instructions, how-to reports)
5. Write more complex texts (5 paragraph essays, reports, magazine articles, technical materials)
6. Write explanations and detailed descriptions (reference information)
7. Write informational materials (brochures, advertisements)
8. Write personal texts (journal entries, reminders)
9. Write extended functional texts (letters, postcards, e-mail, notes, lists)
10. Write the sequence of events in a complex narrative
11. Write expository texts

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, summaries, paraphrasing)
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. Use graphic organizers to present information
9. Paraphrase and summarize information and texts
10. Present information logically using introductions, thesis sentences, topic sentences, body paragraphs, supporting details, and conclusions
11. Use transition words to connect content and show relationships
12. Identify and apply strategies used to influence audiences (Pathos, logos, ethos)

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
3. Use reduced forms in high-frequency expressions (Where’d, Where’ve, When’d-ju, Why’s-e)
4. Use sentence stress and intonation patterns
   1. In complex sentences with various clauses and appositives
5. Use pronunciation, stress, and intonation and rhythm patterns 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

Speaking Functions

1. Give an extended (4-8 minute) presentation
2. Engage in extended social exchanges and conversation
3. Restate extended (2-4 minutes) non face-to-face communication (messages, talks, announcements)
4. Use format and structure suitable for purpose and audience
5. Perform in rehearsed and impromptu conversation
6. Use speech to persuade, argue, report, analyze, advise, compromise, and emphasize
7. Express a variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes
8. Use abbreviated and reduced forms of speech
9. Convey multi-step instructions and directions
10. Ask and answer informational requests
11. Relate a narrative with the passive voice, repeated actions in a variety of time frames, and past and future possibilities
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. Restate main points
3. Emphasize key points to guide listeners in following important ideas
4. Give examples, experiences, descriptions, facts, and evidence 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
13. Imply subtle or indirect messages

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
3. Demonstrate comprehension of reduced forms in high-frequency expressions (Where’d, Where’ve, When’d-ju, Why’s-e)
4. Identify sentence stress and intonation patterns
   1. In complex sentences with various clauses and appositives
5. Identify and interpret pronunciation, stress, and intonation and rhythm patterns 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. Extended (4-8 minute) presentations
   2. Extended social exchanges and conversations
   3. Extended (2-4 minutes) non face-to-face communication (messages, talks, announcements)
   4. Format and structure suitable for purpose and audience
   5. Rehearsed and impromptu conversations
   6. Speech used to persuade, argue, report, analyze, advise, compromise, and emphasize
   7. A variety of moods, emotions, and attitudes
   8. Abbreviated and reduced forms of speech
   9. Multi-step instructions and directions
   10. Informational requests
   11. Narratives with the passive voice, repeated actions in a variety of time frames, and past and future possibilities
   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