Student Learning Outcomes Chart

CONVERSATION 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Give one- or two-step instructions relating to familiar topics
  • Ask wh- questions about familiar topics to clarify meaning
  • Orally connect common phrases to describe events, experiences and plans
  • Express opinions and likes/dislikes on familiar topics using simple sentences.
  • Express lack of understanding using common phrases
  • Understand and follow simple instructions and directions addressed carefully and slowly
  • Recognize and respond to expressions indicating a lack of understanding
  • Recognize and respond to Wh- questions on familiar topics
  • Identify and react to conversation openers/closers and polite expressions

Level: High-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Retell a narrative by sequencing multi-step procedures or events
  • Orally compare and contrast facts, ideas, opinions and other information
  • Conduct a simple interview or gather oral information
  • Orally express simple opinions, (dis)agreement and (dis)satisfaction
  • Consistently use proper collocations with familiar words  
  • Orally explain heard or read information in a simple but clear way
  • Sequence visuals according to oral instruction
  • Catch and take note of the main point in clear messages and announcements
  • Can extract and take note of the essential information from short recorded passages and lectures relating to familiar matters
  • Identify and react to social cues, in conversations, used by native speakers

Level: Low-intermediate

CONVERSATION 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Express an opinion and use some degree of evidence to defend it
  • Orally compare/contrast pros & cons, points of view and other information heard in a lecture
  • Use and respond to common slang, idioms and other figurative language
  • Express needs and requests for information in informal or interpersonal situations
  • Provide directions and instructions with increasing detail
  • Use recently learned vocabulary words in multiple contexts or situations
  • Take notes on, and then follow, multi-step directions related to everyday matters
  • Generally follow and respond to the main points of authentic but clearly articulated native-speaker discussion
  • Identify and note down the main point of straightforward, clearly articulated short talks and broadcasts on familiar topics

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Use various sentence patterns and idioms in informal conversation
  • Tell anecdotal stories as part of conversations
  • Select or request increasingly complex specific information
  • Use a proper degree of formality in conversations and presentations
  • Infer meaning from the context in which a discussion, lecture or conversation is taking place
  • Understand much of an authentic conversation occurring between sympathetic native speakers
  • Follow and take notes on the essentials of lectures, talks, reports and other linguistically complex academic/professional presentations
  • Identify speaker viewpoints, attitudes, mood and tone in, as well as understand the content of, most recorded or broadcast material

Level: high-intermediate

CONVERSATION 003

003 Outcomes

  • Fully participate in a debate and fluently engage in an extended discussion on most general topics
  • Monitor his/her own speech and employ self-correction
  • Summarize and present information, such as news items, to the class in nuanced and complex detail
  • Ask for information or advice using indirect questions
  • Take notes on the main points, and orally demonstrate understanding of, key details of complex lectures, discussions and debates
  • Use and understand a variety of idiomatic expressions in spontaneous discourse
  • Use English flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage
  • Engage in an animated discussion between fluent English speakers

Level: low-advanced to advanced

WRITING 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Use a course management system, such as Brightspace or Canvas
  • Complete a sample form or application, such as job applications, school registration forms, medical forms, etc.
  • Write simple sentences and questions using correct word order
  • Use sight words and practiced vocabulary correctly in a written text
  • Employ proper basic mechanics of capitalization and punctuation
  • Write a simple paragraph of 3-5 sentences on a single topic, a personal opinion or an experience, following a model
  • Write a note of personal introduction with phrases or short sentences

Level: high-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Write simple sentences and questions, with consistently correct word order and mechanics
  • Begin using coordinating conjunctions to write compound sentences, albeit with some errors
  • Employ pre-writing strategies, including note-taking, outlines and graphic organizers, as part of the writing process
  • Write instructions or directions with some degree of detail, following a model
  • Write short formal and informal emails related to familiar, everyday matters
  • Write longer, more detailed paragraphs on a variety of familiar topics

Level: low-intermediate

WRITING 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Regularly employ a variety of sentence structures in his/her writing, including compound sentences, consistently
  • Begin using subordinating conjunctions to write complex sentences, albeit with some errors
  • Take notes from authentic discourse on a variety of familiar topics
  • Employ the various stages of the writing process to complete a properly organized paragraph with a single purpose
  • Complete a more complex and authentic form, such as a college application or a survey
  • Begin to employ self-editing strategies

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Regularly employ a variety of sentence structures with correct mechanics, allowing for some errors for complex sentences
  • Compose a variety of short texts for various, but specific audiences, such as poems, brochures, infographics, and PowerPoints
  • Write a short, simple report on a familiar topic that requires some degree of research
  • Connect sentences and paragraphs in a multi-paragraph text using transitions
  • Produce a text whose vocabulary, purpose and tone takes audience into account
  • Employ the various stages of the writing process to complete a properly organized written assignment
  • Complete short, TOEFL-style, on-demand/timed writing assignments in class
  • Use quoting and citation as a means to avoid plagiarism in his/her own written work

Level: high-intermediate

WRITING 003

003 Outcomes

  • Use conventional syntax to form, modify and expand basic clause patterns
  • Combine clauses correctly to form compound and complex sentences in writing
  • Use a variety of sentence types correctly and with intentional effect in writing
  • Coordinate and subordinate information correctly and appropriately in writing and speech
  • Interpret the relationships of coordinating and subordinating structures in written and spoken texts
  • Form parallel constructions correctly and use them with effect in writing and speech
  • Interpret and evaluate differences in meaning, tone and effect among grammatical choices
  • Use grammar and syntax to communicate appropriately and comprehensibly in a range of written and spoken registers
  • Recognize and correct grammatical missteps in response to feedback
  • Use self-editing strategies for structural grammar errors in writing

Level: low-advanced to advanced

READING 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Locate word, number, or item in an alphabetical or numeric list
  • Begin to use basic annotation strategies in order to engage with a simple text and its primary features
  • Predict the content of simpler informational material, such as charts or flyers, with visual support
  • Recognize high frequency words and differentiate their parts of speech in a simple reading
  • Follow short, simple written directions with help from the teacher
  • Answer simple content-related questions in oral and written format

Level: high-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Identify main ideas and some supporting details in a simple reading in both discussion-based and written tasks 
  • Use simple context and visual context clues (such as italics and commas) to derive meaning
  • Differentiate fact from opinion in simple readings using textual evidence
  • Put events described in a simple text into sequential order
  • Employ basic skimming and scanning techniques to support discussion points and content review

Level: low-intermediate

READING 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Independently skim and scan adapted and un-adapted readings for specific information and overall organization, for writing and discussion purposes
  • Identify type and genre of reading, such as fiction and non-fiction, prose and poetry, articles and excerpts
  • Apply a variety of strategies to ascertain meaning of vocabulary, such as using background knowledge and visual clues
  • Find and relate supporting ideas and examples for main ideas within increasingly complex texts
  • Make inferences from contextual clues within a text
  • Summarize a reading and express a personal connection to it in both writing and discussion

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Share personal and cultural information in the context of a text in writing and discussion
  • Identify and note unfamiliar vocabulary with greater ease by skimming and scanning
  • Distinguish between, and respond appropriately to, works of fiction and non-fiction, prose and poetry
  • Compare and contrast the ideas posited by multiple texts in writing and discussion
  • Recognize and respond to tone, such as irony, sarcasm, or humor
  • Summarize paragraphs as well as complete readings in both discussion and written responses
  • Interpret complicated charts and other graphic organizers in verbal and written form

Level: high-intermediate

READING 003

003 Outcomes

  • Skim and scan for main ideas and supporting points within in longer, complex texts for quick recall in discussion
  • Read correspondence relating to his/her field of interest and readily grasp the essential meaning
  • Use contextual clues and knowledge of connotation to infer meaning and tone in a dense reading with differing viewpoints
  • Quickly identify the content and relevance of news items, articles and reports on a range of professional topics
  • Understand lengthy, complex instructions, provided he/she can reread difficult sections
  • Keep up with an animated discussion related to a text, responding to questions and comments and answering complex lines of counter argument fluently
  • Keep up with a text-related debate, even on abstract, complex, unfamiliar topics

Level: low-advanced to advanced

GRAMMAR 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Begin to use simple present, simple past and present progressive in spoken/written, affirmative/negative statements and questions
  • Apply proper word order when using basic grammatical constructs in statements and questions in oral and written production
  • Regularly apply contraction, possession and pluralization rules in both oral and written production
  • Recognize and use appropriate subject/object pronouns and simple prepositions in oral and written production
  • Recognize and use simple frequency adverbs in oral and written production
  • Recognize and begin to use basic conjunctions to form compound sentences in oral and written production
  • Begin to use articles in spoken and written English, albeit with significant errors
  • Recognize and correctly use demonstrative adjectives and pronouns in oral and written production
  • Recognize and use there is/are in oral and written production, with frequency
  • Begin to use basic modal auxiliary verbs, such as “can,” “will” or “should,” albeit with errors
  • Understand and use the basics of a metalanguage, including parts of speech and other grammatical terminology

Level: high-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Consistently and with control use simple present, simple past and present progressive in spoken/written, affirmative/negative statements and questions
  • Consistently apply proper word order when using basic grammatical constructs in statements and questions in oral and written production
  • Use adverbs and prepositions more frequently in oral and written production
  • Use basic compound sentences in oral and written production with increasing frequency
  • Use the simple future tense in both spoken/written, affirmative/negative statements and questions
  • Begin to use the present perfect tense, especially in high frequency expressions
  • Use simple modals in affirmative and negative statements and questions with increasing frequency
  • Begin to use gerunds and infinities in spoken/written affirmative/negative statements and questions
  • Begin to use comparative and superlative adjectives in oral and written production

Level: low-intermediate

GRAMMAR 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Correctly use possessive pronouns, adjectives and nouns in oral and written production with increasing consistency
  • Consistently use tenses learned in GRM 001 in spoke/written affirmative/negative statements and questions, while demonstrating self-correction
  • Apply proper word order when using basic grammatical constructs in statements and questions in oral and written production with increased fluency and confidence
  • Use compound sentences in written and oral production with few errors
  • Begin to use common subordinating conjunctions in oral and written production, albeit with errors
  • Use the present real conditional sentences in oral and written production, albeit with errors
  • Differentiate purposes of all ten modals and begin using them in oral and written production
  • Begin to use the past habitual tense in oral and written production, with some errors
  • Use the present perfect tense in oral and written communication with frequency, when necessary
  • Begin to use the past continuous tense correctly in oral and written production, when appropriate
  • Correctly use reflexive pronouns in oral and written production

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Correctly use a variety of sentence types, including coordination and subordination, to enhance spoken and written expression
  • Begin to use modal perfects in affirmative and negative statements and questions
  • Begin to use the future real conditional sentences in oral and written production, albeit with some errors
  • Recognize and begin to use the passive voice correctly when appropriate, albeit with errors
  • Correctly use additions and responses, such as “so,” “to,” “neither,” “either,” “but,” as well as tag questions, in oral production
  • Recognize and use in oral and written production previously learned grammar in GRM 002 with increasing fluency

Level: high-intermediate

GRAMMAR 003

003 Outcomes

  • Correctly employ a variety of grammatical structures in speech and writing according to audience and purpose
  • Combine words, phrases and clauses correctly, intentionally and effectively
  • Differentiate spoken and written grammar and discern nuances in syntactical arrangement
  • Discriminate between coordinating and subordinating structures and the information those structures convey
  • Employ parallel forms, especially in written production
  • Formulate, modify and expand simple, compound and complex sentence patterns
  • Break down complicated sentences into their constituent forms for purposes of better understanding
  • Recognize and correct errors in writing and speech based on teacher, peer and self-induced feedback

Level: low-advanced to advanced

VOCABULARY 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Use a foreign language to English dictionary when reading or writing a simple text
  • Recognize and use sight words and other high frequency vocabulary
  • Identify and define basic compound words and understand their meaning based on their constituent parts
  • Recognize and use basic vocabulary used in the most common everyday interactions, such as introductions, self-description or likes/dislikes
  • Group basic words by certain criteria, such as food, transportation, the body, etc.
  • Recognize and use synonyms and antonyms for basic adjectives
  • Use basic metalanguage (terminology for parts of speech, parts of a sentence, etc.)
  • Recognize and use, appropriate classroom and test-taking vocabulary lass (e.g. fill in the blank, match, underline…, words in bold/in italics, choose the best…)
  • Understanding the meaning of the coordinating conjunctions “and” and “but” and correctly use them in written and oral production
  • Understand the meaning and use of the more common modals

Level: high-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Begin to use simple phrasal verbs and understand change(s) in meaning derived from the addition of the “adverbial particle” (continue to do this all the way through)
  • Recognize and use common, everyday idioms
  • Derive meaning from an unfamiliar word based on its root, prefix or suffix
  • Understand and use homonyms and homophones in oral and written production
  • Group words according to their lexical category, such as nouns or prepositions
  • Recognize and provide synonyms and antonyms for newly acquired vocabulary
  • Identify or differentiate vocabulary according to situations/contexts, e.g. formal vs. informal, or oral vs. written communication
  • Understanding the meaning of additional coordinating conjunctions and correctly use them in written and oral production
  • Use the constructs want, need, must/have to appropriately in written and oral production

Level: low-intermediate

VOCABULARY 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Use an English-English learners’ dictionary exclusively, such as the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
  • Infer meaning of more advanced words based on knowledge of prefixes, suffixes and roots
  • Recognize and use a wide variety of synonyms and antonyms beyond the most basic parts of speech (e.g. good/beneficial or go/head out) in oral and written production
  • Correctly use word family forms in oral and written production
  • Correctly use a growing repertoire of more complex idioms and phrasal verbs in oral and written production
  • Identify language-based false cognates and use them correctly, according to the student’s needs, in oral and written production
  • Recognize and begin to use basic vocabulary according to its connotative, in addition to its denotive, meaning in oral and written production
  • Use collocations in oral and written production.
  • Understand the function of commonly used subordinating conjunctions, such as “when,” “because,” “even though”

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Infer meaning of increasingly advanced academic words based on knowledge of prefixes, suffixes and roots
  • Recognize and use an increasingly wide variety of synonyms and antonyms, especially for academic vocabulary, in oral and written production
  • Correctly use a growing repertoire of more complex idioms and phrasal verbs with fluency and confidence in oral and written production
  • Recognize and use increasingly complex vocabulary according to its connotative, in addition to its denotive, meaning in oral and written production
  • Correctly use a wider variety of collocations in oral and written production.
  • Correctly use word family forms with confidence in oral and written production
  • Define and use modals appropriately according to register, in oral and written production
  • Use collocations with increasing frequency and fluency in oral and written production
  • Group vocabulary words according to increasingly unfamiliar, complex and abstract categories

Level: high-intermediate

VOCABULARY 003

003 Outcomes

  • Ascertain word meaning without a dictionary based on contextual, morphological and syntactical clues
  • Proficiently use a broad range of synonyms and antonyms in oral and written production
  • Recognize and use a broad range of vocabulary according to its connotative, in addition to its denotative, meaning
  • Recognize and use highly idiomatic language in both oral and written production with confidence and fluency
  • Recognize and use a broad range of phrasal verbs in oral and written production with fluency and confidence
  • Use a broad range of vocabulary and its accompanying collocations with fluence and confidence, while allowing for self-correction

Level: low-advanced to advanced

PRONUNCIATION 001

001-A Outcomes

  • Recognize and practice letter-sound associations (basic phonemes)
  • Recognize and practice one- and two-syllable word patterns
  • Recognize/reproduce patterns of intonation for very basic questions
  • Begin to clearly enunciate some word-endings, such as s-ending sounds
  • Correctly form, pronounce and use contractions for basic statements and questions

Level: high-beginner

001-B Outcomes

  • Recognize and practice chunks, or liaisons, and the linking of words together
  • Recognize/reproduce syllable stress of newly learned vocabulary
  • Recognize/reproduce s-ending sounds
  • Begin to use proper intonation patterns for simple yes/no and Wh- questions
  • Begin to consistently produce letter-sound associations for both vowels and consonants, allowing for errors
  • Begin to recognize and produce -ed endings
  • Naturally use contractions for most commonly heard statements

Level: low-intermediate

PRONUNCIATION 002

002-A Outcomes

  • Recognize and practice chunks, or liaisons, and the linking of words together with increasing fluency
  • Consistently recognize/reproduce s-ending sounds
  • Consistently use proper intonation patterns for yes/no and Wh- questions
  • Consistently produce letter-sound associations for both vowels and consonants, with some errors
  • Recognize and produce -ed endings with increasing fluency
  • Articulate difficult phoneme pairs
  • Correctly stress newly learned multi-syllabic vocabulary
  • Contrast/produce short and long vowel sounds (based on learners’ needs)

Level: mid-intermediate

002-B Outcomes

  • Recognize and correctly form and pronounce tag questions
  • Consistently contrast/produce intonation differences for questions and statements
  • Begin to recognize/reproduce the schwa sound used in unstressed syllables
  • Contrast/produce phonemes needed to enhance comprehensibility (e.g., based on learners’ needs -- /l/ vs /r/ or /th/ vs /t/)
  • Consistently articulate a broad range of word endings
  • Aurally distinguish and orally produce certain discreet phonemes, such as /R/-controlled vowels, the flapped /T/, the syllabic /N/ and the glottal /T/
  • Aurally identify and orally produce reduced forms, including tag questions
  • Begin to use reduced speech, in addition to contractions, with some regularity

Level: high-intermediate

PRONUNCIATION 003

003 Outcomes

  • Recognize/reproduce the schwa sound used in unstressed syllables with increasing confidence
  • Recognize/reproduce shifts in meaning when using different emphases in sentence stress
  • Distinguish between contrasting sounds
  • Recognize and produce a range of American English stress/intonation patterns
  • Utilize appropriate language rhythms
  • Correctly and regularly apply plural and past-tense word-ending sounds, albeit allowing for self-correction
  • Regularly and fluently use contractions and reduced speech
  • Employ thought groups in conversation
  • Competently produce various question types with correct intonation and stress patterns: (e.g. Yes/No, Information, Tag, Question Word)
  • Consistently use linking to enhance fluent speech

Level: low-advanced to advanced