Real English for Real People

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Real English for Real People

• Developing an English Curriculum
• for
• Georgia Community Colleges

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Dr. Barbara Matthies

• BA in German
• MA in Linguistics
• Ph.D. in Second Language Education
• 30 years of teaching and administration at Iowa
  State University

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Taught English worldwide

• Nis, Yugoslavia
• Kathmandu, Nepal
• Harari, Zimbabwe
• Kharkov, Ukraine
• Alexandria, Egypt

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Community colleges are coming to Georgia!

• A new institution needs
• a new curriculum
• Rational
• Useful
• Integrated

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Competencies in Curriculum

• General technical knowledge
• Quality orientation
• Initiative
• Innovation
• Cultural adaptability

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• Analysis judgment
• Planning
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Integrity
• Customer focus

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Certificate - Fall Semester

• Introduction to Microcomputing
• Human Relations
• Business and Professional English
• Interpersonal Communications
• Modern Business
• Environment and Sustainable Development

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Certificate - Spring Semester

• Microcomputing Applications
• Effective Business Writing
• Business and Professional English
• Career Planning Decision-making
• Small Business
• Business Math

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Students want a practical, useful course

• to get a good job
• to be successful and take pride in good work
• to continue learning and developing

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Project Administrators want to achieve success

• To attract support and resources
• To attract good students
• To attract the best instructors

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Instructors want to help students learn

• By using effective classroom methods
• By developing useful materials
• By documenting student progress

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Why English is a part of the new curriculum?

• World business uses English
• Most of the Internet uses English
• Technical manuals and reports mainly use English

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English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

• Workplace English
• Used in business and technology
• Practical, purposeful

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First year emphasizes Reading

• Scanning the visual layout
• Using prior knowledge
• Recognizing text organization
• Locating important information in a long text

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Explain and test in Georgian

• Saves time
• Ensures understanding
• Raises the comfort level

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Add Listening

• Reading texts can be recorded
• Practice listening to formal presentations
• Same recordings can be used in other courses

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Assumptions

• Language learning is cyclical, not in a straight
  line.
• So, the language curriculum must be cyclical.

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Assumptions about Students

• know the basic bits of English from school
• motivated to improve
• want to use English in real situations

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Assumptions about Instructors

• want students to expand their repertoires
• motivated to use techniques that succeed
• creative in using limited resources

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Summary of English Curriculum

• Read things written for a real audience
• Listen to things spoken by native English
  speakers
• Write in response to what was read or heard
• Speak about familiar work-related topics
• Choose topics from business and technology

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What about Grammar?

• Find examples in the readings.
• Also focus on word formation
• (prefixes, suffixes, common roots).
• Make exercises and tests on those points.

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Recommendations

• Test students knowledge of basic English before
  entrance.
• Give students knowledge of using English for the
  workplace.

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• Incorporate competencies into the English
  syllabus.
• Gain the cooperation of colleagues in other
  specialties.
• Test students knowledge of how to use workplace
  English before exit.

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Recommendations for Materials

• Always use authentic workplace materials.
• Consult with colleagues in other specialties to
  locate materials.
• Use Web sites, magazine articles, CD-ROMs,
  instruction manuals.
• Create lessons from what is in the materials.

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• Focus on reading.
• Add other skills later.
• Review grammar as necessary.

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Conclusions

• Developing a curriculum is time-consuming, but
  very rewarding.
• The first time is the hardest.
• Revise the syllabus as needed.