English @ AMI Melbourne

General English
- Course outline
IELTS (Academic & General Modules)
- Course outline
EAP (English for Academic Purposes)
- Course outline

IELTS

IELTS PREPARATION OUTLINE

LENGTH OF COURSE: 5 weeks

OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the course is to prepare students for taking the IELTS test by teaching strategies necessary for this exam. It also familiarises students with the structure of the test and what tasks they may be expected to complete.

OUTCOMES:
At the end of five weeks study of IELTS Preparation students should be able to:

Listening
Extract relevant information from four audio passages and answer 40 questions.
30 minutes

Reading
Extract relevant information from three reading passages and answer 40 questions.
One hour

Writing
Interpret and describe graphical information (in 20 minutes and 150 words)
Or
Write a letter responding to a given situation (in 20 minutes and 150 words)
and
Write a discursive or argumentative essay (in 40 minutes and 250 words)
A total of one hour

Speaking
Participate in a speaking test consisting of three parts:
1. an interview
2. a long turn/ a description
3. a two way conversation
10-15 minutes

Note: The listening and speaking sections are the same for the General and Academic modules.

Week 1	Course Content
Listening	Anticipating the text - Using picture/graphic clues Predicting from questions Identifying how many speakers Identifying relationships between speakers Predicting language according to relationships/topics Identifying reason/purpose of conversation Task: Identify the differences between spoken and written language Listening for Specific Information- Predicting the required words Identifying key words Identifying word classification Dates, times, numbers, names etc. Task: Form filling
Reading	Orientation to the Text- Using the text to make predictions about content Headings, titles; bold, underlined, italic words etc Using pictures, graphics, tables, graphs etc Identifying genre Identifying the audience Understanding paragraphs Task: Identify topic sentences
Writing	Describing facts and figures- Bar and pie charts tables Describing trends- Line graphs Examining axis
Speaking	Introducing oneself- Focus on fluency Linking ideas Predicting topics/familiar situations Providing personal information Task: Part 1 of speaking test

Week 2	Course Content
Listening	Listening for detail Identifying key words Identifying when there is a need to listen Predicting possible context of the language Task: multiple choice and pictures Listening for the main ideas Separating main ideas from supporting detail Identifying main ideas Recognising introductory phrases Developing the main idea Task: Multiple choice
Reading	Scanning for specific information and details- Understanding the layout Getting an idea of where information might be Increasing reading speed Getting the gist Checking predictions Task: Form filling and chart/table completion
Writing	Summarising data In a table- Selecting important information Comparing data Grouping information Describing a process- Cohesion Sequencing Essay structure
Speaking	Planning a talk- Explaining how you feel or felt in the past Giving short answers to follow up questions Task: Part 2 of speaking

Week 3	Course Content
Listening	Interpreting meaning- Understanding the speaker's attitudes Stress Interpreting intonation Prosodic features of speech including hesitations, repetitions, avoidance, tone, etc Task: multiple choice Identifying 'signposting' to aid understanding- Comparisons Contrasts or opposites Examples Cause/effect, result Additional information Framework or stages of a talk Task: note completion and labelling a diagram
Reading	Identifying main ideas and supporting ideas- Topics - the main idea Paragraphs Topic sentences in paragraphs Differentiating between main idea and supporting comments Organisation of paragraphs Locating specific information quickly Cohesion between and within paragraphs Paragraph headings Summarising paragraphs Task: multiple choice, note taking, matching paragraph headings
Writing	Approaching the task- Understanding instructions Forming ideas Organising ideas into paragraphs Structuring an argument
Speaking	Planning the talk- Approaching the topic Expanding ideas Signposts and cohesion Fluency Developing the main idea through sub-topics Task: Part 2 of speaking

Week 4	Course Content
Listening	Completing Gap-fill question types Identifying specific information Predicting the type of word(s) required Using the other written information as an aid Selecting key words Completing short answer question types Analysing the task Understanding requirements Note taking Summarising Identifying key words Specifying the topic
Reading	Understanding an argument Understanding the argument Making references Paraphrasing argument Separating fact and opinion Reading strategies - question types Short answer question types Sentence completion Completing a summary
Writing	Presenting an argument- The introduction Expressing views Making concessions Refuting an argument The conclusion
Speaking	Exploring the Theme Intonation Stress Prosodic features for "thinking time", hesitations Explaining how things work Expressing and justifying opinions Discussing advantages and disadvantages Task: Part 3 of speaking

Week 5	Course Content
Listening	Completing multiple choice question types Predicting text content Predicting possible answers Identifying obvious incorrect answers Identifying 'almost but not quite' correct answers Identifying key words/phrases Completing true/false question types Recognition of modifying words/phrases Unconditional or all-inclusive qualifying words Understanding instructions Identifying key words Identifying topic words
Reading	Recognising fact, opinion, claim, writer's attitude- Recognising the language of fact, opinion, claim Differentiating meaning Deduction Inferring Evaluating Information Task: Yes/No/ Not Given, Multiple choice
Writing	Essay Writing- Giving opinions Cause and effect
Speaking	Exploring the Theme- Fluency and cohesion Reasoned responses Justifying opinions Speculating Task: Parts 2 and 3 of speaking

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