El siguiente proyecto es una guía y sílabo para el instructor de un curso de inglés de nivel intermedio. Dado que diseñé el curso para una asignatura universitaria real decidí dejarlo en inglés además de agregar mayor información enfocada en aspectos de pensamiento crítico-creativo. El proyecto pretende ilustrar de forma práctica algunas estrategias curriculares, filosóficas y pedagógicas del pensamiento reflexivo y la Educación para la Comprensión.

INSTRUCTOR GUIDE AND SYLLABUS DESCRIPTION FOR AN INTERMEDIATE CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH COURSE

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide you with the language tools required to develop competencies in the English language at an upper intermediate level.

II. COURSE RATIONALE

Acquiring operational fluency in English has become a key element nowadays. Therefore, this course provides real opportunities for a sequenced, coherent acquisition of the language using comprehension, reflection and critical thinking through meaningful, functional contexts.  This course embraces a macrological approach (Richhart and Perkins, 2004) where students need to apply a variety of skills to understand, organize, infer, discriminate and construct their creative, critical thinking aimed at acquiring English as a foreign language.  Critical thinking and the Education for Comprehension are, therefore, key motivational aspects of the course to lead students to engage with developing learning objects (Gacía Aretio, 2001).

The following video resource will give both the instructor and the students an introduction to critical thinking ina learning context.  it can be used for class discussion and to help set the tone for the choice of generative topics.

 III. GENERATIVE TOPICS

This section suggests departure points to discuss in class where students will be asked and encouraged to offer their own ideas and topics they consider relevant or interesting as they relate to the contents of the syllabus.  After a few examples offered by the teacher students will be encouraged to consider new connections, approaches and perspectives to become new generative topics.

·      Globalization

·      Analysis and description of ads

·      Pros and cons of new gadgets and technology

IV. UNDERSTANDING GOALS

As the instructor gets ready to present understanding goals it may be a good idea to refresh the basics of critical thinking, this will again assist both the students and the instructor to sync students thinking aimed at acquiring the goals the instructor has in mind.

Students will understand the importance of acquiring,

Communicational, social and technological goals:

·      Getting their point across when engaging in a conversation on topics such as globalization, advertising, technology and protesters using the correct language skills and multiple approaches to the acquisition of their language abilities added to social, technological aspects in their practice of reasoning.  By motivating students to make their class theirs to the point of giving them the (guided) chance to choose their understanding goals we have the certainty they will analyze, compare, reason and criticize the information that will eventually become their language competences and the skills that will eventually lead to critical thinking.

Ethical goal:

·      Being tolerant and open minded when being exposed to different points of view

Cultural, Intellectual humbleness and point of view and reference work frame goals:

·      Being culturally sensitive when discussing topics such as fashion, gossip, language learning and housing

V. TEACHING METHODOLOGY

The approach “Teaching for Understanding” will be applied. According to this approach, “understanding” means the ability to think and act flexibly with what one knows. That is, in order to “understand” the English language, we have to use the language in an environment that will foster critical-creative thinking. (Blythe, )

Classes will be student-centered, and students are expected to participate actively, and take responsibility for their learning process. Structures and vocabulary will be presented in meaningful, contextual ways. The four skills (listening with evidence of understanding, speaking with evidence of competence to produce, grammar with evidence of appropriate construction and writing with evidence in expressing and delving ideas accurately) will be emphasized through the use of a variety of educational objects (textbooks, laboratory, DVD’s, CD’s, Videos, lectures, slide presentations).

The ongoing assessment dates will NOT be announced.

The following video can be presented to the students as an additional educational tool to boost students´emotional component as they face the stress of feeling under the scrutiny of a teacher or their peers.

VI. GRAMMATICAL AND LINGUISTIC CONTENTS

·      The passive voice

•        Present perfect

•     First and second conditional
Used to
Speculating about present and past events

• Reported statements

VII.CHRONOGRAM

Week	Contents
1	Unit 7
2	Unit 7  Followed by performance of Understanding
3	Unit 8
4	Unit 8 Followed by performance of Understanding
5	Unit 9
6	Unit 9 Followed by performance of Understanding
7	Midterm Interview
8	Unit 10
9	Unit 10 Followed by performance of Understanding
10	Unit 11
11	Unit 11 Followed by performance of Understanding
12	Unit 12
13	Unit 12 Followed by performance of Understanding
14	Final Interview
15	Wrap Up

 The ongoing assessment dates will NOT be announced.

VIII. ASSESSMENT

Criteria	Percentage
First oral interview	10
Final oral interview	15
Homework (preparation for written, field trips, videos, readings, games, lectures, theater plays, movies, documentaries, tours, etc.)	5
Assessment of intermediate performances of understanding (speeches, field trips, games, lectures, dramas, simulations, tours, book reports, debates)	50
Final performance of understanding (ideally chosen by the students with instructor guidance).	20
TOTAL	100

Suggested Intermediate performances of understanding

These performances may be changed, adapted, redesigned and rethought by the students with a proactive direction by the instructor.  The atmosphere created in class and beyond can be compared to fertile sold where high intellectual thinking will help students thrive as they learn.

Performance 1 (pairs): Oral presentation: Describing a process (10%)


·      Performance 2 (individual): Oral presentation: A gadget’s pros and cons (10%)

·      Performance 3 (groups of 3): Debate (pick a topic related to the ones studied) (10%)

·      Performance 4: (individual) A speech (10%)

·      Performance 5: Book report (individual) (10%)


·      Final performance of understanding: Professor’s choice (20%)

IX. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jones, C. and Goldstein, B. (2011). New American Framework 2B. Richmond: London

X. RUBRICS

BOOK REPORT RUBRIC

A book report is a summary of important facts about a book, it should also include students critical opinion and perspective.   The student should demonstrate a higher thinking level beyond the simple description of the setting or the plot.

Elements that you should include in your book report are: title, author, type of book (fantasy, humor, science fiction, mystery, biography, non-fiction), main characters and their descriptions, plot (what happens in the story), time and place of story, and your personal impressions (lessons learned, cultural discoveries, analogies and contrasts with your own culture, the ethics applied to values and principles, the causes and consequences)  and conclusions.

Class time will be devoted to visit the library and browse through the reading the books available.   During the visits students will choose a book and take notes about it, then students will decide how they will present the book to their partners. Submitting a document to the professor will be proof of student’s personal construction and elaboration rather than falling on the temptation of plagiarism.

 Total pts: 20

Score: _______

Oral presentation of book report	1 Presentation is neither creative nor coherent	2 Presentation is somehow creative and coherent	3 Presentation is creative and coherent	Total
Original ideas and opinions	Plagiarism is demonstrated	Ideas are original; does not include enough own opinions about piece	Ideas are original; own opinions about the piece are expressed
Grammar structures	Communication is hindered because of grammar mistakes	Many mistakes that do not hinder communication	Some mistakes that do not hinder communication
Pronunciation	Communication is hindered because of pronunciation mistakes	Many mistakes that do not hinder communication	Some mistakes that do not hinder communication
Fluency	Reads during presentation or uses Spanish	Reads from notes at times	Does not read
Use of English during all stages of process	Constantly uses Spanish	Uses Spanish at times	Uses English as often as possible depending on level

http://www.abcteach.com/free/b/bookreport_generalfiction.pdf

ORAL PRESENTATION RUBRIC

Students will be assigned oral presentations at least once during the term.

Instructions:

Oral presentations are not to be read, under any circumstances.
The length of an oral presentation will be determined by each professor, according to topic and the content relevance. Oral presentations should be prepared in groups depending on each professor’s criteria; team collaboration is a highly appreciated aspect of the adopted educational philosophy.

Total pts: 20/16

Pts. Obtained: _________

	1	2	3	4	T
Organization and visuals	Does not show organization; uses no visuals	Demonstrates some organization, but visuals are not appropriate or lack creativity	Demonstrates some organization; visuals are appropriate	Excellent organization and creative visuals
Comment
Fluency	Reads during presentation	Often reads from notes and this affects fluency	Sometimes reads from notes but fluency is appropriate	Does not read from notes; fluency is appropriate for level
Comment
Grammar	Grammar mistakes hinder communication	Many grammar mistakes that do not hinder meaning	Some grammar mistakes expected at level that do not hinder meaning	Very few or no grammar mistakes
Comment
Pronunciation	Pronunciation mistakes hinder communication	Many pronunciation mistakes that do not hinder meaning	Some pronunciation mistakes expected at level that do not hinder meaning	Very few or no pronunciation mistakes
Comment
Stand organization	Stand lacks planning and creativity	Stand shows some planning and creativity	Stand shows planning and creativity	Stand shows outstanding creativity, planning, thought and group work
Comment

DEBATE RUBRIC

Subject of Debate:____________________________________ Pro or Con___________

Total pts: 20

Score: ______

	1	2	3	4	T
Organization Team successfully presents opening statements. Rebuttal is specific to the arguments made in the opposite team’s opening statement.	Does not show organization or coherence in the sequence and/or presentation of arguments	Demonstrates some organization, but rebuttal needs improvement	Demonstrates some organization	Excellent organization
Comment
Fluency	Reads during presentation	Often reads from notes and this affects fluency	Sometimes reads from notes but fluency is appropriate	Does not read from notes; fluency is appropriate for level
Comment
Grammar	Grammar mistakes hinder communication	Many grammar mistakes that do not hinder meaning	Some grammar mistakes expected at level that do not hinder meaning	Very few or no grammar mistakes
Comment
Pronunciation	Pronunciation mistakes hinder communication	Many pronunciation mistakes that do not hinder meaning	Some pronunciation mistakes expected at level that do not hinder meaning	Very few or no pronunciation mistakes
Comment
Interaction: Appropriate answers to audience questions. Shows respect and tolerance to opposing arguments. Respectful of allotted time.	Does not participate actively and/OR shows a disrespectful attitude (lacks attentive listening or tolerance)	Does not participate actively OR lacks tolerance at times	Interacts appropriately although participation lacks enthusiasm	Interacts appropriately during debate and audience questions
Comment

How to organize a debate:

1.            Professor organizes two groups: pro and con sides of an issue. Sometimes you might be 
debating positions opposite to your beliefs. This is an important skill for you to learn. 


2.            Begin the debate with the pro side speaking first. There are 5-7 minutes of uninterrupted time to explain the 
pro- position. 


3.            Continue the debate with the con side speaking second. There are 5-7 minutes of uninterrupted time to 
explain the pro- position. 


4.            Both sides have about three minutes to confer and prepare for their rebuttal. 


5.            Begin the rebuttals with the con side. There are three minutes to speak. Each member of the con side should 
speak. 


6.            Finish the rebuttals with the pro side. There are three minutes to speak. Each member of the pro side should 
speak. 


Final words

 Intellectual activity where an ecosystem of thoughts, learning objects, learning styles and methods are combined with emotions, culture, perseverance, practice, reasoning, comparison and contrast will inevitably produce critical thinkers who can apply learned skills and competences to any other area in their lives and activities.  This course has the ambition of exposing students to the intricate relationships between thinking, learning as they discover their own mental capabilities beyond the application of traditional educational tools.

REFERENCES

Blythe, T. (1999) Enseñanza Para La Comprensión, Guía para el Docente. Buenos Aires.Paidós.

García Aretio, L. (2013): MOOC. Objetos de aprendizaje. Contextos Universitarios Mediados, no 13,19 (ISSN: 2340-552X)

King, P. & Kitchener, K. (1994). Fostering reflective judgment in the college years. Developing reflective judgment: Understanding and promoting intellectual growth and critical thinking in adolescents and adults (pp. 222-257). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Traducido al español.


Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2005). Una guía para los educadores en los estándares de competencia para el pensamiento crítico: Estándares, principios, desempeño, indicadores y resultados, con una rúbrica maestra en el pensamiento crítico. (pp. 1-66). California: Fundación para el Pensamiento Crítico.


Richhart R. and Perkins D. (2004) Learning to Think, The Challenges of Teaching Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.ronritchhart.com/Papers_files/Learning%20to%20Think%20CH04.pdf


Pocket Vacations. (2012, October). How to Think Critically and Learn Anything. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/ruu2U3YoZ2Y


Procon. (2013, June 3). Critical Thinking Explained. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/GzV1pNQUX5s?t=153 explian


Khan Academy. (2014, August 19). You Can Learn Anything. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/JC82Il2cjqA motivate