Pre-intermediate English Course
We recommend this language teaching program for so called false-beginners, that is people who at some point in their lives did attend a classroom based English language course but need to brush up the knowledge they acquired there.
The aim of the training is to activate the learners’ passive knowledge of English and revisit the most basic English vocabulary. It also serves as a basis for the grammar skills taught in the Business English e-learning curriculum.
The target group of the curriculum
We recommend this language teaching program for so called false-beginners, that is people who at some point in their lives did attend a classroom based English language course but need to brush up the knowledge they acquired there.
The aim of the training
The aim of the training is to activate the learners' passive knowledge of English and revisit the most basic English vocabulary. It also serves as a basis for the grammar skills taught in the Business English e-learning curriculum.
Content and structure of the curriculum
- the curriculum consists of 12 + 1 units
- there is a placement test at the beginning and at the end of the course
- there is a Revision Test at the end of every 3rd unit
- the course starts at the "beginner" level and covers the vocabulary and grammar required by the Entrance Placement Test of the Business English e-course developed by Eduweb
The training process begins with a so called introductory module, which summarizes and revisits in a concise way the grammar and vocabulary required at a beginner level and prepares the users for the entrance placement test. After the taking of the entrance placement test, users begin learning the 12-unit material. Each unit consists of 2 lessons. The lessons are built in such a way as to make use of and consider the specificities of the average person's concentration capabilities and attention spans. Each lesson begins with a short, warmer type output (output = learners use the language actively) activity which is followed by 2 or 3 input-output (input = learners observe and learn the language use) sequences and variations of the same. At the end of each lesson there are short exercises to help embed what has been learnt and a glossary containing the vocabulary included in the given lesson can be printed out.
The course ends with a final placement test, which helps the learner get an objective assessment of her/his achievement.
The vocabulary and grammar content of the course, starting from an elementary level, encompasses all those topics that the Business English course is based on, so the continuity of learning is guaranteed. Such topics include basic communication functions such as introductions, greetings, phoning (making appointments, taking and leaving messages), traveling and organizing travel (e.g. booking a room, ordering a taxi), socializing, the basic language of meetings, everyday office communication. The grammar elements of the curriculum include the tenses, the conditionals, comparisons, the passive, as well as relative clauses and the most common linking words and phrases. At this level, in order to facilitate comprehension, the instructions and explanations are in Hungarian.
In the practicing part the authors included traditional, drill-like exercises as well as listening comprehension and productive exercises which enhance the creative use of the language. The whole of the curriculum is supported by a talking dictionary, which enables learners to listen to the authentic pronunciation of the words and expressions learnt.
