Advanced

ESL Conversation, Spring 2016 CLP

Community Language Program

Spring 2016

Teachers College, Columbia

University

Instructors: Christopher Mueller

&
Allison Orr
Email:
cjm2227@tc.columbia.edu
amo2151@tc.columbia.edu
Class day: Tuesdays and Fridays
Class time: 11:30am-1:00pm
Classroom: Horace Mann (HM) 431 (NOTE: 2/26 and 4/22 HM 332)

Course Description:

The Advanced Conversational English course is designed for students with advanced level
proficiency. It provides students with an opportunity to strengthen speaking and listening skills
needed in both formal and informal encounters. Through presentations, interactive tasks, roleplays, and discussions, students will practice fluency, accuracy, and appropriateness in a range
of communicative situations.

About the CLP:

The Community Language Program (CLP) is a unique and integral part of the TESOL and
Applied Linguistics Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University. It provides English as
a second language and foreign language instruction to adult learners of diverse nationalities and
backgrounds. In addition, the CLP serves as an on- site language education lab in which
TESOL and Applied Linguistics faculty and students enrolled in the programs teach the courses
and use the CLP as a setting for empirical inquiry. Here at Teachers College we believe that
observation and classroom research are the best way to learn about how we teach and gain
insights into how teaching might take place. Thus, we encourage observation and classroom
research and want people to use it as a tool for learning. Ongoing assessment and program
evaluation allow us to make the CLP a better program.




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Important dates:
Week 1

Tuesday, February 9

First day of classes

Friday, February 12
Week 2

Week 10

Wednesday, February 17

Last day for transfers

Last day for refunds

Monday-Friday, March 14-18

Spring break: No classes

Tuesday, April 19

Final exam

Friday, April 22

Last day of classes

Course Materials:
There are no required books for this course. Course materials will be provided by the
teachers.

Course Objectives:
At the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Engage in conversations, discussions, and presentations on a wide range of topics, including

abstract topics and current events.
2. Interact with fluency and spontaneity using appropriate conversational structures.
3. Adapt their speech production and interactions to formal and informal situations as well as
socially sensitive interactions such as requests and complaints.
Course Requirements:
Midterm: 30%
Final test: 30%
Attendance and Participation: 30%
Homework: 10%

Attendance Policy:
If a student misses 3 or more classes, s/he cannot pass the course.
If a student is late for 5 or more classes, s/he cannot pass the course.

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Grading:

A+/-
B+/-
C+/-
Fail/Repeat
W

Excellent
A+ 97 100%
A 94 96%
A- 90 93%
Good
B+ 87 89%
B 84 86%
B- 80 83%
Satisfactory
C+ 77 79%
C 73 76%
C- 70 72%
(pass)
Poor (no pass)
69% or Below
D 63 66%
D- 60 62%
Withdrawal (With permission from the teacher and the Director,
the student withdrew from the course due to extenuating
circumstances)

APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE

Week

Theme

Conversational
Strategies
Asking/Answering
personal questions

Meeting New
People

Language in Use

Test Dates

Question formation: Whquestions, Yes/No

questions

Engaging in small talk Politeness and

appropriateness

Interacting with new

acquaintances
2

NY Art &
Culture

Common greetings,
getting-to-know-you
questions
Present Simple and
Continuous

Describing images

Talking about
hypothetical
situations

Expressing interest

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Unreal Conditionals and

modal verbs

Intonation (rising and

falling), filler words

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3

Travel &
Exploration

Past experiences

Perfect Tenses

Future aspirations,
Past regrets

Third conditional, Wish

and Hope

Health &
Healthcare

Midterm:
Friday,
March 11

Asking for further

information

Question tags

Expressing cause and

effect

Conjunctions, dependent
prepositions

Conceding,
Concessive clauses
appreciating difference
5

Politics & the

US System

Engaging in formal
and informal debates

Linking phrases,
organizational adverbs

Taking a stance and

Modals of probability

forming an argument
6

World News &

International
Events

Family &
Relationships

Agreeing and
disagreeing

Hedging, formal and

informal language

News-speak,
discussing current
events

Passive structures

Describing people,
identifying
characteristics

Using embedded/reduced
relative clauses

Mitigating expressions
Expressing personal
opinions and attitudes

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Business &
Career

Engaging in formal
and informal
negotiation

Time-to-think phrases, If
sentences

Interrupting politely,
interjections

Apologies, register and tone

Food, Drink, &

Dining

Expressing
Would, quantifiers
preferences (likes and & qualifiers

dislikes)

Giving examples

10

Prepositional phrases, fixed

expressions
Final Exam:
Apr 19

Program Policies:
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.
Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Services for Individuals with
Disabilities (OASID) for information about registering with the office. You can reach OASID by
email at oasid@tc.columbia.edu, stop by 163 Thorndike Hall or call 212-678-3689. Services are
available only to students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation. As your
instructor,
I
am
happy
to
discuss
specific
needs
with
you
as
well.

It is the policy of Teachers College to respect its members observance of their major religious
holidays. Students should notify instructors at the beginning of the semester about their wishes to
observe holidays on days when class sessions are scheduled. Where academic scheduling conflicts
prove unavoidable, no student will be penalized for absence due to religious reasons, and
alternative means will be sought for satisfying the academic requirements involved. If a suitable
arrangement cannot be worked out between the student and the instructor, students and instructors
should consult the Program Director. If an additional appeal is needed, it may be taken to the
Provost.

Sexual Harassment and Violence Reporting: Teachers College is committed to maintaining a safe
environment for students. Because of this commitment and because of federal and state
regulations, we must advise you that if you tell any of your instructors about sexual harassment or

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gender-based misconduct involving a member of the campus community, your instructor is

required to report this information to the Title IX Coordinator, Janice Robinson. She will treat this
information as private, but will need to follow up with you and possibly look into the matter. The
Ombuds officer for Gender-Based Misconduct is a confidential resource available for students,
staff, and faculty. Gender-based misconduct includes sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment,
dating violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and gender-based harassment. For more
information, see http://sexualrespect.columbia.edu/gender-based-misconduct-policy-students.

Have a great semester!

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