American Culture Track
American Culture track courses offer language instruction using the context of the study of American culture, history, society, and community.
Language skills addressed include: listening, fluency development, oral intelligibility, reading, grammar, writing, and vocabulary development. Special activities and travel support classroom study.
American Culture Track courses include:
- English through Music (Listening/Speaking, Level IV, V) develops listening and speaking skills through an examination of the development of music in the United States. It is intended for high intermediate and advanced level students. Learner outcomes include improved listening and speaking skills; vocabulary development, especially the language and idioms of songs; and an understanding of current American culture. Materials include ESL pronunciation texts, recordings and videos, and guest musicians from the local music “scene”. Activites include out-of-class interviews, discussions, concerts, and visits to sound studios and music stores.
- English Through Stories (Listening/Speaking, Level V) focuses on improving student listening comprehension and speaking skills. It is intended for advanced speakers. Learner outcomes include vocabulary development including improved understanding of reduced and rapid native speech; improved speaking fluency and accuracy; and development of reporting and narration skills. Materials include an ESL pronunciation text, authentic recorded stories from master American storytellers, films, and ballads. Activities include listening to stories, telling stories, conducting and participating in discussions, and interviewing native speakers and reporting results.
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English through Broadway Musicals (Levels V and VI) improves listening, speaking, and vocabulary skills through the unique medium of the Broadway musical theatre. It is intended for advanced students. Learner outcomes include listening comprehension development, improved pronunciation and communication skills, vocabulary development, and cultural knowledge of musical theater. Materials include an ESL pronunciation text, Broadway musical lyrics, and videos. Course activities include intensive study of three or four Broadway musical plays, song-based listening exercises, discussions, out-of-class interviews, short presentations, role-plays, and a course trip to New York City to see a live musical performance.
- English through the 1960's (Listening/Speaking, Level VI)develops students’ listening and speaking skills as well as their knowledge of American history, cultural issues, and events in the decade of the 1960s. Learner outcomes include improved comprehension of native speaker speech, speaking fluency and accuracy, note-taking skills, and vocabulary development and knowledge of American culture. Materials include movies, music, authentic texts, documentary films, and an ESL pronunciation text. A wide range of activities is offered including interviews, discussions, oral reports, and songs.
- English Through Drama (Listening/Speaking) (Level VI) develops speaking and listening skills in a variety of settings and is intended for high-advanced level students who plan to use in English in public professional, academic or dramatic situations. Learner outcomes for this course include improved fluency and oral intelligibility listening comprehension, and development of public speaking skills and vocabulary. Skills are developed through drama techniques and activities such as improvisations, skits, story telling, dramatic readings, and short plays. Materials include an ESL pronunciation text, and scripts and texts provided by the instructor. Students also learn from guest story tellers, speakers and actors and from material the students have created themselves. A performance presented to the ELI community may be a final project for the course.
- English as an International Language (Listening/Speaking) (Level VI) improves language skills while developing understanding of a variety of spoken “Englishes” and communication styles from diverse cultures. It is intended for high-advanced-level students who expect to use spoken English in an intercultural context. Learner outcomes include improved listening comprehension of natural speech, speaking fluency and accuracy; advanced vocabulary acquisition; and an understanding of international communication and negotiation strategies. Materials include an ESL pronunciation text, the internet, on-line listening, videos, and talk shows. Activities include oral journals, discussions, listening tasks, note-taking practice, presentations, student-generated vocabulary exercises, course discussions, and role plays.
- Read It! Watch It! Books and Their Film Versions (Reading/Writing) (Level V) develops students’ reading and writing skills by exploring similarities and differences between written expression (books, short stories, etc.) and their visual interpretation (film, plays, etc.). The course is designed for advanced level students. Learner outcomes include improved reading comprehension, essay and creative writing skills; vocabulary development; and understanding of grammar. Materials include authentic readings (children’s literature, short stories, and novels) and an ESL grammar text. Films are based on the reading texts and viewed at the completion of each story. Sample activities include written exercises such as compositions, book and film reviews, creative writing, scene writing and acting.
- English through the News (Listening/Speaking, Level IV, V) uses radio and television news broadcasts to develop students'
listening comprehension of rapid native speech and complex discourse. Students
will work on their spoken English skills through class discussion of current
events. Oral intelligibility instruction focuses on pronunciation, suprasegmentals,
and fluency.
