English Listening Class Introduction and Rules

 The purpose of this course is to improve your speaking and listening abilities. We will do this using the materials in your 新大學英語，視聽説教程1 textbooks. Expect to have many discussions in English. Your English WILL NOT IMPROVE if you SPEAK CHINESE, SO DON’T. Be active! If you’re not sure about anything, ASK. I’m here to help you learn. Its far better to ask than to sit there not knowing what to do.

My email: matthewloffman@outlook.com. You can also contact me via WeChat.

Scoring

10% - Participation

10% - Attendance (arrive on time!)

10% - Homework

40% - Quizzes (There will be 6 in-class quizzes throughout the semester, typically every other week).

30% - Final exam

In Class

Please come to class with the right materials:

·       Paper, Pen/pencil

·       Workbook

·       Notebook (Recommended for note taking, and other tasks there isn’t room for in the workbook)

·       Good attitude!

Please only use your phone for a dictionary

You are here to learn, not to play. That’s what the weekend is for!

Homework

Always due in one week after it’s given. Listen to at least 30 minutes of English outside of class each week. Submit a BRIEF WRITTEN SUMMARY of what you listened to EVERY OTHER CLASS, with the original title, WITHOUT COPYING WHAT IS ON THE WEBSITE OR APP YOU GOT IT FROM, to your class monitor. I will check you haven’t just copied text from the internet. Summarising is a very important skill you should practice. You may also share a link in the WeChat group for others to listen to the podcasts you find.

Always write: English & Chinese Names, Short class number, Student number

Sources for listening materials:

·       BBC 6 Minute English http://bbc.iyuba.com/BBCList_1.html

·       TED talks https://www.ted.com/

·       VOA http://www.51voa.com/VOA_Standard_English/

Absence

If you will miss class, you must email me before class begins (Not WeChat)

You are responsible to make up whatever you’ve missed & to hand in your homework on time. Take ownership of your own learning, you are an adult now. Repeated absences or tardiness will be reported to the university and could result in disciplinary action.

Choosing a Name in English

Be professional: don’t use food, cartoon character, animal, or weather-based names; or surnames (eg Smith) etc

Common names are best, people know them, can spell and pronounce them! Choose a name you can pronounce!

Remember:

·       You can only improve your English if you actually USE it. Please refrain from speaking any Chinese in class!

·       Be willing to laugh at yourself (don’t worry about face). Everyone makes mistakes, it’s normal!

·       Show mutual respect to one another. The more you participate, the better you’ll learn English.

·       I am always happy to help you, please ask questions whenever you’re not sure about something. You probably won’t be the only one who doesn’t know, just many people daren’t ask! Be brave and you’ll reap rewards.