Key features that facilitate rapid gains in oral proficiency.
| Objectives are clear. |
A major reason why some students do not succeed in English
classes is because they are never really sure why they are learning:
They are studying lots of English and doing lots of activities,
but for what purpose? In Encounters, every unit begins
with a clear statement of behavioural/functional objectives and
content. Learners are never unclear about the direction in which
they are heading. |
| All elements of the text support the unit
objectives. |
Encounters is not a random collection of communicative
activities. Rather, every activity, exercise and language point
in some way supports the main unit objective. Activities are
sequenced to slowly support learners as they move toward increasingly
longer and more complex conversations. The grammar support sections
provide an analytical aspect to the learning to help students
improve their linguistic accuracy when speaking. The special
expressions and communication points that are explicitly taught
relate directly to what students need for appropriate oral communication. |
| Learners are given support and explanation
in the right places. |
In the early stages of each unit, learners are given a great
deal of support. There are many explanations about what they
need to do to communicate appropriately, and there is plenty
of new language. Moreover, key points and new language items
are written in Japanese. This is a departure from the current
trend in communicative language texts, which typically do not
give explanations about difficult language points, and do not
use Japanese language support. |
| Each student has their own CD to use for
independent study. |
The enclosed CD that comes with every copy of Encounters
serves as an important resource to students. With it, students
can work on their pronunciation, listening and speaking skills
outside of the classroom, and at their own pace. This is particularly
important for students who may not like to speak out in class,
but who wish to practice in the privacy of their own homes. |
| Assessment is oral. |
Assessment is an important part of the language class in
most university contexts. In fact, it is what drives the way
that many students learn and study. Taking advantage of this
"washback" phenomenon, Encounters makes oral
testing a fundamental part of each unit. Students know that they
will be evaluated on their spoken performance, and they study
and practice accordingly. |
| Assessment is criterion referenced. |
All oral assessment in Encounters is criterion referenced.
That is, students are told exactly what they must be able to
do to pass the oral examinations. This is done in the form of
a checklist at the end of every unit that corresponds to the
major points taught. In addition to demystifying what students
need to study to be successful, the criterion-referenced nature
of the assessment means that students can take an oral exam repeatedly
until they succeed. This way, it is possible for all students
to get an "A" score. Teachers can use this assessment
page directly in oral exams, or they can use the modified assessment
and assessment support sheets available in the Teacher Zone of
this support site. |
