Expected level: B1 / Christmas Term (14 Weeks) / Teacher:
Week / Topic / Skill / Grammar / Exam area / Recommended extra material
1 / Introduction to the IELTS course as a whole and an overview of the exam modules.
Topics & Vocabulary: You and Your Family
Language: Adverbs of Frequency.
Adjectives
Likes and dislikes
Comparatives and Superlatives / Students will be introduced to the IELTS course as a whole and the requirements of each exam skill.
Students will sit a full IELTS exam on arrival and be allocated to the correct class that can address their level and needs.
Exam skill focus: Speaking about personal information.
Expressing habits. / Students are encouraged to read newspapers (online or hard copy) so they begin to form a wider range of interests and challenge their vocabulary.
2 / Introduction to the reading module.
Topics & Vocabulary: Tourism & Technology
Language: Used to / didn’t use to be…
Past tenses / Students will look at methods of reading (scanning, skimming, etc.).
Exam skill focus: Reading for specific information / Chapters from travel novels i.e. Bill Bryson.
3 / Introduction to the Listening module.
Topics & Vocabulary: Design & Technology
Language: Future tenses
1st & 2nd Conditional
Expressing opinions / Students will look at methods of listening
(Specifics information, identifying main ideas, detail etc.)
Exam skill focus: Listening for detail / Watch/ read technology programmes, YouTube clips to build vocabulary.
4 / Introduction to the Writing module.
Topics & Vocabulary: Globalisation
Language: Conjunctions (and, but, although etc.)
Signposts (Firstly, finally)
Passives / Students will look at methods of writing (for and against, discussion, linking words etc.)
Exam skill focus: Writing a basic structure / Use of the Oxford iWriter Dictionary to illustrate essay formations.
5 / Speaking module continued.
Topics & Vocabulary: Hobbies and sports
Language: Conjunctions (and, but, although etc.)
Present tenses / Exam skills focus: Expressing and justifying views
6 / Assessment Week / Assessment Week / Assessment Week
7 / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES
8 / Writing module continued.
Topics & Vocabulary: Business
Language: Phrasal verbs and statistic expressions
Interpreting graphs
Figures, number, percentages / Students will look at how to compare statistics and use alternative language in reports.
Exam skills focus: Writing comparisons / Use of the Oxford iWriter Dictionary to illustrate report writing formations
9 / Listening module continued.
Topics & Vocabulary: The Environment
Language: Gerung vs infinitive
3rd Conditional / Mixed conditional / Exam skill focus: Listening for mail ideas / Use YouTube or other internet resources to listen for gist
10 / Reading module continued.
Topics & Vocabulary: The Media
Language: Agreeing and disagreeing
Comparatives and Superlatives revision
Past and Present tense revision / Exam skills focus: Reading to paraphrase main ideas / Read film magazine articles or online reviews to build vocabulary
11 / Speaking module continued.
Topics & vocabulary: The Future
Language: Future Tenses revision
Synonyms and Antonyms to describe
Feelings / Exam Skills focus: Speaking about abstract issues.
Sustaining a long turn without supporting.
12 / Writing module continued.
Topics & Vocabulary: Youth / Teenagers
Language: Offering opinions
Linking word revision / Exam Skills focus: Writing a pros and cons essay / Oxford iWriter Advantages and Disadvantages essay format.
13 / Listening module continued
Topics & Vocabulary: Global problems
Language: Prefixes and Suffixes
Word transformations / Exam Skills focus: Listening for specifics information
14 / Revise and Review: All topics, vocabulary, exam skills
- Judgement of Teacher
- Needs of Students
End of term – Full IELTS mocks test, all skills.
Feedback from results. Students set study areas over the holidays
BSTG GENERAL ENGLISH COURSE 2017 - 2018 / Term: 2
Expected level: B1 / Easter Term (11 weeks) / Teacher:
Week / Topic / Skill / Grammar / Assessment criteria / Recommended extra material
1 / Revision of skills from previous term
Overview of the IELTS EXAM. Grading, criteria for specific universities under guidance from tutors. / Students will sit a full IELTS exam on return and be allocated to correct classes if required.
All skills assessed
2 / Combined Reading and Speaking
Topics & Vocabulary: Politics
Language: Agreeing and Disagreeing.
Asking for opinions
Interrupting / Exam skills focus: Reading for main ideas.
Exam skills focus: Expressing opinions and asking for clarification. / Reading newspaper and BBC World Service news
3 / Combined Reading and Writing
Topics & Vocabulary: Crime
Language: Language of statistics revision
Interpreting graphs
Summarizing information / Exam skills focus: Reading for specific detail
Exam skills focus: Writing a formal on information. / Use the Oxford iWriter Dictionary to illustrate essay formations
Watching podcasts regarding law.
4 / Combined Listening and Speaking
Topics & Vocabulary: The Economy
Language: Tense revision
Tag question / Exam skills focus: Listening for gist
Exam skills focus: Giving opinions. Organising and expressing ideas. / Listening to economy broadcast – Radio 4
5 / Assessment Week / Assessment Week / Assessment Week
6 / Half Term Holiday – No Classes / Half Term Holiday – No Classes / Half Term Holiday – No Classes
7 / Combined Listening and Writing
Topics & Vocabulary: Employment & Volunteering
Language: Third person
Pronouns
Article revision
Prepositions / Exam skills focus: Listening to a presentation and taking notes in order to summarise information / Reading job descriptions online or in the newspapers.
8 / Combined Reading & Speaking.
Topics & Vocabulary: News
Language: Direct speech vs Reported speech
Reporting verbs
Narrative structures / Exam skill focus: Reading news articles and playing devil’s advocate in order to formulate opinions. Justifying views / Reading newspaper. Watch news broadcast and replay to check details. BBC World Service online.
9 / Listening.
Topics & Vocabulary: Human & Animal Rights
Language: Prepositions
Tense review / Exam skills focus: Listening for specific detail. Use of life listening. Matching headings to paragraphs. / Watching video clips ref animal testing, Greenpeace activists etc.
10 / Writing module continued
Topics & Vocabulary: Health, Diet & Fitness
Language: Comparisons
Articles
Reading module continued
Topics & Vocabulary: Religion
Language: Signposts in language revision
Use of the passive revision / Exam skills focus: Analysing data and writing report the information displayed.
Exam skills focus: Reading for specifics detail. / Reading information smoking, drugs and alcohol statistics
11 / Full IELTS mock exam.
Results fed back to students and discussion with tutor reference strong and weak skills areas.
Homework set for the term break.
BSTG GENERAL ENGLISH COURSE 2017 - 2018 / Term 3
Expected level: B1 / Summer Term ( 11 Weeks) / Teacher:
Week / Topic / Skill / Grammar / Assessment Criteria / Recommended extra material
1 / Revision of skills from previous term
Overview of the IELTS exam. Grading, criteria for specific universities under guidance from tutors. / Students will sit a full IELTS exam on return and be allocated to correct classes if required.
All skills assessed.
Final term will be based ensuring vocabulary level are high and skills are practiced
2 / Topic: History / Reading: for detail – extracts about famous people.
Speaking: presenting short piece on the most influential person in history. Sustaining a long turn without support.
Listening: to other presentations and summarizing overall content and specific information.
Writing: a discussion essay “History is not subject that is important in schools. Discuss.” / BBC World Service Learn English.
BBC iPlayer podcasts.
3 / Topic: Inventions / Reading: articles about invention. Scan and skim
Speaking: presenting short piece on the most important invention ever.
Organising ideas and justifying views.
Listening: to other presentations and summarizing overall content and specific information.
Writing: a descriptive report on how something work. / Newspapers and magazines on technology.
Considerer your own technology
4 / Topic: Superstitions / Supernatural / Reading: The history of superstitions. Reading for detail.
Speaking: presenting short piece on culturally known superstitions.
Sustaining a long turn.
Listening: to recording – multiple choice task
Writing: a discussion essay “Superstitions are more popular than religious beliefs”. / Use of the Oxford iWriter Dictionary to illustrate essay formations.
5 / Topic: Childhood – Role of Men & Women / Reading: article about mortality rates in countries. Reading for detail.
Speaking: questions and answers regarding student’s childhood and memories. Talking about familiar habits and giving personal information.
Listening: to a teacher (live listening) describing a series of childhood events. Listening for specific information.
Writing: a report comparing the birth and death rates around the world / Notes about earliest memories, birthdays, holidays etc.
6 / Assessment Week / Assessment Week / Assessment Week
7 / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES / HALF TERM – NO CLASSES
8 / Topic: Crime and Punishment / Reading: articles about prison sentences around the world. Reading for opinion.
Speaking: Expressing opinions and entering discussions.
Listening: to news items about crime, identifying facts.
Writing: a discussion essay “Current punishment guidelines are not a deterrent for criminals”. / Read articles (online or hard copy). Political prisoners, crime statistics etc.
9 / Topic: Architecture & Buildings / Reading: information about architecture in an area. Reading for opinion.
Speaking: Discussing issues surrounding modern vs ancient architecture, grading language for and against arguments.
Listening: to documentary clips for specific detail. Multiple choice task.
Writing: a for against essay “Should old buildings be replaced by environmentally friendly modern constructions?” / Use of the Oxford iWriter Dictionary to illustrate essay formations.
10 / Topic: Arts & Advertising / Reading: article about artist. Reading for opinion.
Speaking: Talking about abstract work.
Listening: to a lecture. Understanding people’s opinions.
Writing: an essay comparing and contrasting. “Modern art is not as skillful as the art of centuries ago” / Look at images use in advertising, build vocabulary to describe them.
11 / Revise and Review: All topics, vocabulary, exam skills
- Judgement of Teacher
- Needs of Students
Full IELTS mock exams
Results fed back to students and discussion with tutor reference strong and weak skills areas.
Individual prep for exams.