Advanced

Syllabus
Course Description
This course is intended for the highest level ESL students. We will focus on using English in a variety of authentic situations
integrating speaking, reading, writing, and listening. The course focuses on academic preparations with a strong emphasis on
academic reading, writing and critical thinking. In addition, advanced level grammar and some review will be occasionally
incorporated when minor mistakes occur. We will use a variety of authentic college-level materials throughout the course
including newspaper articles, TV shows, music, movies, lectures, podcasts, and literature. Students are encouraged to conduct
independent studies and share their professions or interests with the class.

Objective
The objective of this course is to prepare students getting ready for college studies or other academic environment. Students
are expected to read college course readings in different fields; listen to lecture or other podcasts with ease; express opinions
with solid and supportive arguments in different topics of discussions; and write essays, opinion writing, or other academic
writing utilizing strategies and organization. After completing this course, students will be ready to enroll in a higher education
institute with more confidence in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and critical thinking.
In addition, culture acclimation is valued and students will get to know history, culture, community of San Francisco and the US
through this level of study by monthly fieldtrips and volunteer project.

Course Information
Length of the Course: 234 hours
Sequence and Frequency of Lessons or Class Sessions:
Classes meet 18 hours per week, Monday through Thursday, for 13 weeks.
Time: 9:00 am - 1:30 pm OR 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm, Monday through Thursday; 9:00 am – 6:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday OR
Wednesday and Thursday.
Classroom: 204

Textbook Books: Gardner P. S., (2005). American English File 5 (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press 2014.

Instructional Mode or Method

Direct Classroom Instruction with Communicative Language Teaching approach

Course Outline and Skills to be learned

Skills Skills to be covered *SWBAT=Student Will Be Able To

 SWBAT to understand lectures, podcasts, or conversations in encounters with native speakers

Listening without repetition or rewording.
 SWBAT understand full content of descriptions and narrations of factual and technical
material from different types of media.
 SWBAT to initiate, sustain, and conclude conversations and discussions on a wide variety of
topics of personal, social, and academic interest.
Speaking
 SWBAT communicate orally, using advanced structure of English grammar, discourse
markers, and pronunciation with the accuracy necessary for continued success in academic
pursuits or at work.
  SWBAT develop abilities to read a variety of authentic materials on familiar or unfamiliar
Reading topics using different reading strategies to interpret the texts.
 SWBAT summarize the main ideas from a reading passage and make inference to underlining
meaning of the texts.
 SWBAT write a well-structured and cohesive passage/letter of application, statement of
Writing
purpose, or complaint with a logical sequence using supporting ideas and reasonable
arguments, making only minor errors.
Communication  SWBAT use English in a variety of authentic situations integrating speaking, reading, writing,
and listening competences.

Assessment
Students in this course will be evaluated by their instructor in their progress and class participation. During this quarter,
students will be provided with quizzes on the chapters in American English File. At the middle and end of the quarter, students
will take a quarterly-end exam.
Student’s academic performance and progress is graded by percentages, and evaluated with multiple assessment
elements, as follows.
Proficiency
Class Participation Total
Assessment Exams
Attendance
Engagement/ Quizzes/
Midterm Quarterly- Presentations/
Exam End Exam Projects Promptness Assignments

10% 30% 30% 10% 10% 10% 100%

The purpose of the final grade is to determine if the students have learned enough to go up to the next level. Students must
score 80% on the final grade to go to the next level. Students who do not meet the advancement requirement may be allowed
to advance to a higher level, through an appeal to seek a school approval.

Attendance Policy
All students on an F-1 Student Visa must attend 18 hours per week. Students must maintain a minimum of 80% attendance.
Students who do not attend class risk losing the benefits of vacation and extensions, and can result in the termination of their
I-20.
If a student at any point falls below 60% over the course of one month will result in the termination of their I-20 regardless of
whether it is the first, second, or third warning letter.
Students must arrive to class ON TIME. Students who arrive more than 15 minutes late for class will not be allowed to enter
until break time. After break, the rule is the same. If you have a special reason why you will be late, please tell your teacher
BEFORE that day.

Class Rules
 All students must come to class regularly and on time
 Students must come to class prepared, e.g. with completed homework, pencils/pens, paper, dictionaries, and the
textbook
 Turn off all cellphones and no texting in class
 Participate in all activities in class and outside of class
 Students should make an effort to sit next to students who do not speak their same languages and to speak English
often
 Have fun and make friends!

Monthly Volunteer Project

Every month, on the third Thursday, Advance English Academy has a school volunteer project. Past volunteer projects have
included; gardening at Golden Gate Park; beach clean-up at Ocean Beach; and organizing food donations at the Food Bank;
restoration on Alcatraz and islands . Students are given classroom credit for their participation.

Monthly Field Trip

Students will be able to utilize English outside of class by joining our exciting monthly field trip. The instructor takes the class
out to visit places in San Francisco and interact with local communities. Field trips like vising museums; such as SFMOMA, De
Young museum, and etc., for free admission during the first week of each month; interviewing San Franciscans to learn about
local culture and communities; and exploring touristic attractions in SF to learn local culture and history in English.

Quarterly Project
There is a class project throughout the quarter, and students can discuss the project ideas with the instructor. Projects
including poster or PowerPoint presentations, cook books with recipes and pictures, picture books, news reports are highly
recommended. Presentations are oral and are often presented using multimedia available at school. C ultural, personal, and
learning differences are valued so that students can benefit from conducting group and/or independent work in class and after
class and exchanging information.

Top 10 homework and supplemental ideas outside of the classroom for students
1. More learning resources for American English File 5!
Chttps://elt.oup.com/student/americanenglishfile/level5?cc=gb&selLanguage=en
2. Be a blogger!
Keeping a journal is a good way to express feelings and share ideas. If students feel comfortable, feel free to share the
blog/journal with the instructor for correction or communication.
3. Speak English as much as you can!
Practice speaking English, only English, for the entire day (set goals for yourself), find a conversation partner to practice
speaking or chat with friends in English online. The more you speak, the more you feel confident in speaking English. It is
important to build your fluency and confidence in speaking. Do not worry about the mistakes; no one is perfect!
4. More listening input
If you are an audio learner, you might like to learn by ears. Try listen to the radio, music and talk on the phone with your
friends for more listening practice. Students will be able to adjust to different accents in English and reduce
communication breakdown while listening or talking on the phone.
5. Read more
Buy a magazine which matches your hobbies or interests in English from time to time. For example, if fashion, gossip,
sports are your interests, you will be able to read articles and learn new words in English easily because you already have a
lot of knowledge about the topics you like. In addition, there are many books in English, both fiction and non-fiction,
available at Advance’s library in the Teacher’s room or local public libraries. Check-out books to practice more reading.
6. Follow a drama, TV series or seeing movies
Watching TV series or going to the movies are good ways to learn idioms, slang, and colloquial usages in English which are
difficult to learn from the textbook. Talking about the TV shows you watch is also a great way to start conversations with
native speakers.
7. Explore San Francisco or take a vacation
San Francisco is a fascinating city that you will never learn enough. Check out FunCheapSF for local events, performance,
and city guide here. http://sf.funcheap.com/
Otherwise, go on a vacation to different places in the US and students will be able to explore new things and interact with
native speakers throughout the US. Don’t just stay home and be a coach potato!
8. Go on a trip with Advance
Advance constantly hosts trips to various places. Students can learn more about local culture and history and create
irreplaceable memory during the study at Advance. Join the trip and meet more students from other classes
9. Coffee break
Ask your teacher to grab a coffee (if they agree and are available). It is a good way to build teacher and student rapport, ask
detail questions, and know your instructor better.
10. Go Karaoke
Learn a new song and go karaoke with friends to sing songs in English. Students will be able to have fun; meanwhile, learn
the lyrics, rhythm, and pronunciation in English.

Find the best way to continue learning English outside of school!