2009/3/11

Freshman English at Soochow University

From Past to Future

by Eleanor S. Leu

2009/3/11

Under English Department

1. ~ till 81 academic year (1992)

2. from 82 to 93 (1993- 2004)

3. from 94 to 95 (2005- 2006)

2009/3/11

Under Language Center

1. 96 academic year (2007)

2. 97 academic year (2008)

3. from 98 academic year till ~

2009/3/11

Curriculum Design

1. Core courses / Credits

2. Teaching Materials

3. Evaluation

2009/3/11

~ till 81 academic year

Required for all freshman students

Students from the same department made up a class ( 數一 英文 11 組 )

Reading 英文 : 4 hours / 4 credits (MOE) Listening 聽講實習 : 2 hours/ 1 credit (Soochow: by TA of Language Center)

2009/3/11

~ till 81 (1992) Reading materials: Freshman English Reader compiled by teachers Freshman English Workbook

Passages for Recitation and Useful Phrases

Outside Readings: Graded Readers

Writing Assignments: grammar exercises, sentence making, etc.

2009/3/11

~ till 81 (1992) Unified Mid-term & Final Exam (Saturday? – school day) Unified Grading Papers (from Monday to Wednesday) Types of Questions: Sentence making Recitation Multiple choice (outside readings), etc.

2009/3/11

From 82 to 93 academic year

FE is one of the required foreign languages ( 大一外文 ) -- students made their own choice from English, German, Japanese, Spanish or French

Different majors made up a class ( 校時段一 英文 11 組 , 溪時段一英文 13 組 , 城外文英文 52 組 ) fewer students / classes than before

2009/3/11

82 to 93

Reading & Listening

4 hours / 3 credits (Soochow)

(taught by the same teacher)

Reading materials: chosen by

individual teacher

Writing assignment: sentence making

2009/3/11

83-93 Supplementary Reading Materials

From 83 to 89: English Grammar Workbook From 91 to 93:

Soochow University Supplementary

English Reader: complied by

teachers

one lesson (self-study) included in both

midterm and final exams

two lessons for winter vacation

2009/3/11

82 to 93 academic year

Same Listening materials: Family Album, Atlas 2 & 3, True Colors 2 & 3 Unified mid-term & final listening 60% (30 questions) 40% made by individual teacher

Course grade: Reading 60% Listening 40%

2009/3/11

From 94 to 95 academic year

Freshmen except those who had passed 全民英檢中級初試 or 學測或指考達頂標 were required to take the two-year foreign language program -- Freshman English and Sophomore English.

All classes were conducted in labs.

2009/3/11

94 ~ 95Students who enrolled in the Freshman

English were placed into one of three levels (High, Mid, and Low) based on their scores from the English section of the JCEE.

More classes and more low-achievers on English proficiency – low level classes included 補救教學 ( on-line learning)

2009/3/11

94 ~ 95

Reading & Listening: 3 hours / 2 credits

Same Teaching Materials: 94: Soochow University English Reader True Colors Book 2 (video used for high level only) 95: Active Skills for Reading Book 3 (1st edition), True Colors Book 2

2009/3/11

94 ~95

Course grade: Reading 60%, Listening 40%

Unified Mid-term and Final exams: Same questions for all three levels of students

Reading – Saturday afternoon (80 minutes)

Listening – 40 questions, regular class time

Midterm: 30%, Final: 30%, others: 40%

2009/3/11

96 academic year (2007)

Freshman English was divided into two courses: Reading and Listening but basically taught by the same teacher.

Reading: 2 hours / 2 credits (regular classroom)

Listening: 2 hours / 1 credit (lab)

2009/3/11

96 academic year (2007)

Same teaching materials:

Reading – Active Skills for Reading Book 3, 2nd edition

Listening – Top Notch IUnified Mid-term & Final examsReading: 100 minutesListening: 80% unified, 20% individual

2009/3/11

97 academic year (2008-9)

Students who enroll in Freshman English have to pass SEPT, including reading & listening tests, equivalent to 全民英檢中級複試 , at the end of Sophomore English program.

Those who don’t pass have to take remedial classes in the third or even the fourth year.

2009/3/11

97 academic year (2008-9)

Students are placed into three levels, and teachers get different numbers of repeaters in different courses of one FE class.

Different reading & listening materials for each of three levels

Different question types on unified mid-term & final exams for each level (heavy workload on the level coordinator)

2009/3/11

97 academic year (2008-9)

Writing assignments: sentence making for low and mid, other more creative types for high

Evaluation: 70%--75% normal distribution placed between

High: 75 -- 85 Mid: 65 -- 75 Low: 50 -- 65

2009/3/11

97 academic year (2008-9)

Number of classes: Reading & Listening, each 75 (Day & Night) High level: 15 classes Mid level: 40 classes Low level: 20 classes

Number of students in each class: Reading: 62 (Mid) – 18 (High) Listening: 58 (Mid) – 18 (High)

2009/3/11

Future Prospects

1. How to collaborate with SE

2. How to design for the third (or the

fourth) year’s remedial program

3. Focus on EGP or ESP (high level)?