ESL Fundamentals
School of Languages and ESL
• TESOL Standards Alignment: This course adheres to TESOL standards by incorporating learners' personal experiences, promoting a nonthreatening environment for risk-taking, and ensuring content is relevant to adult life.
• CEFR Descriptors:
◦ A1: Can interact in a simple way and ask/answer questions about personal details.
◦ A2: Can handle short social exchanges and talk about work and free time.
◦ B1: Can maintain interaction in various contexts and cope with problems in everyday life.
• Certification: TESOL-Aligned Certificate of Proficiency
• Duration: 8 weeks (2 hours/week)
This comprehensive package for ESL Fundamentals is designed as an action-oriented, real-world curriculum to move adult learners from basic survival English to confident professional interaction. Master everyday English convo from greetings to grocery runs—perfect for non-natives turning "hello" into hilarious storytelling sessions, with interactive role-plays that make grammar fun (yes, really).
• Goals & Measurable Outcomes: Learners will progress from identifying key phrases in simple texts to participating in extended professional discussions and negotiating complex workplace schedules. Outcomes are measured through "I can" descriptors, ensuring learners can perform specific social and occupational tasks.
• Methods: We utilize Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) for interaction, Task-Based Learning for real-world scenarios, and Scaffolding (visuals and sentence frames) to support acquisition.
ESL Course Outline
🟢 PHASE 1: A1 (Foundational Social English)
UNIT 1: Greetings & Introductions | CEFR: A1
• A. Overview: Focus on basic greetings and spelling names correctly to establish social contact.
• B. Topics: 1. Formal vs. Informal greetings; 2. The English Alphabet; 3. Personal information words (name, address).
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Visuals of various social settings; audio for name spelling.
◦ Infographic: Layout of a "First Interaction" flowchart with key phrases.
◦ Study Guide: Explanations of "To Be" in greetings and personal info.
◦ Assessments: MC quiz on greeting responses; oral spelling test.
• D. Activities: Group mingle activity to practice name exchanges.
• E. Homework: Fill out a mock immigration/hotel check-in form.
UNIT 2: Personal Info & Routines | CEFR: A1
• A. Overview: Describing daily habits and basic work routines using simple time expressions.
• B. Topics: 1. Telling time (analog/digital); 2. Daily verbs (work, eat, sleep); 3. Adverbs of frequency.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Interactive clocks; images of daily activities.
◦ Infographic: "A Day in the Life" timeline using simple present tense.
◦ Study Guide: Grammar focus on Subject-Verb Agreement.
◦ Assessments: Fill-in-the-blank on frequency adverbs; time-telling drill.
• D. Activities: "Find Someone Who" bingo regarding daily habits.
• E. Homework: Write 5 sentences about your family’s weekend routine.
UNIT 3: Family & Descriptions | CEFR: A1
• A. Overview: Describing family members and physical appearance using size, age, and color adjectives.
• B. Topics: 1. Family tree vocabulary; 2. Adjective order (size + color); 3. Facial features (glasses, beard).
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Photos of diverse people for description drills.
◦ Infographic: "The Adjective Order" pyramid (size, age, shape, color).
◦ Study Guide: Dialogues for "What does he look like?".
◦ Assessments: Short answer description of a classmate; matching family roles.
• D. Activities: "Guess Who" game—describe a person in class without naming them.
• E. Homework: Create a photo collage and write descriptions of three family members.
UNIT 4: Numbers & Time | CEFR: A1
• A. Overview: Mastering cardinal numbers 0-100 and basic numeracy for prices and measurements.
• B. Topics: 1. Numbers 0-100; 2. Money amounts ($/¢); 3. Measurable attributes (height, weight).
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Grocery store "Price Check" slides; weight/height charts.
◦ Infographic: US currency visual guide with total price formulas.
◦ Study Guide: Math and ESL integration—rounding decimals for budget.
◦ Assessments: Listening dictation of numbers; price calculation quiz.
• D. Activities: Role-play a grocery interaction—calculate total price and make change.
• E. Homework: Find three items at home and measure them in inches/centimeters.
UNIT 5: Shopping & Food | CEFR: A1→A2
• A. Overview: Transitioning from simple vocabulary to making requests and comparing prices.
• B. Topics: 1. Food/Drink vocabulary; 2. Countable vs. Uncountable nouns; 3. "I’d like..." vs. "Can I have...?".
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Menu items from a local café; grocery list visuals.
◦ Infographic: "At the Restaurant" cheat sheet for polite requests.
◦ Study Guide: Comparisons using "cheapest" and "most expensive".
◦ Assessments: Role-play assessment in a shop; fill-in "a/an/some" quiz.
• D. Activities: "Double the Recipe" math challenge—increase ingredients for a group.
• E. Homework: Write a grocery list for a specific budget ($50) using online flyers.
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🟡 PHASE 2: A2 (Routine Social & Community English)
UNIT 6: Directions & Transport | CEFR: A2
• A. Overview: Navigating community spaces and using public transportation schedules.
• B. Topics: 1. Prepositions of place/movement; 2. Giving multi-step directions; 3. Bus/train schedules.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Map of a local neighborhood with landmarks.
◦ Infographic: Directional markers (turn left, go straight).
◦ Study Guide: Imperative verb forms for instructions.
◦ Assessments: Map completion activity; listening task on route directions.
• D. Activities: "Mystery Tour"—students follow oral directions to find a hidden item.
• E. Homework: Write directions from the ESL school to your home.
UNIT 7: Health & Emergencies | CEFR: A2
• A. Overview: Identifying body parts, describing illnesses, and reporting emergencies.
• B. Topics: 1. Emergency calls (911); 2. Prescription labels; 3. Modal "Should" for advice.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Images of a gas leak, fire, and medical issues.
◦ Infographic: Emergency dialogue template (What/Where/Who).
◦ Study Guide: Explaining "Have to" for medical dosages.
◦ Assessments: Simulated 911 call; reading a medicine dosage chart.
• D. Activities: Role-play reporting a gas leak in the basement.
• E. Homework: Read a local news article about a community safety incident.
UNIT 8: Work & Jobs | CEFR: A2
• A. Overview: Identifying job roles, workplaces, and describing work duties.
• B. Topics: 1. Job/Workplace matching; 2. Present continuous for current tasks; 3. Expressing job likes/dislikes.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Slides showing nurses, pilots, and police officers in action.
◦ Infographic: "What do you do at work?" vocabulary bank (e.g., meet customers, do paperwork).
◦ Study Guide: Asking "What does your husband do?" vs. "Where does he work?".
◦ Assessments: Match jobs to locations; interview a classmate about their job.
• D. Activities: Classmate Job Survey—take notes on peers' professions and report back.
• E. Homework: Use an online career site to find two jobs of interest and their salaries.
UNIT 9: Past Events | CEFR: A2
• A. Overview: Recounting simple past experiences and personal events.
• B. Topics: 1. Simple Past of "To Be"; 2. Regular/Irregular past verbs; 3. Sequence markers (first, then, finally).
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: "My Last Vacation" photo story.
◦ Infographic: Past Tense timeline for storytelling.
◦ Study Guide: Common past tense errors (e.g., "I goed") and corrections.
◦ Assessments: Cloze exercise on a past trip; short paragraph about last weekend.
• D. Activities: "Truth or Lie"—students tell two past stories and peers guess which is false.
• E. Homework: Write three paragraphs describing your family’s activities last week.
UNIT 10: Hobbies & Opinions | CEFR: A2
• A. Overview: Expressing preferences for leisure activities and personal interests.
• B. Topics: 1. Hobbies (sports, music); 2. Verb + -ing (like/hate/love); 3. Expressing "I think so too".
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Diverse hobby images; "Opinion Scale" slides.
◦ Infographic: Likes/Dislikes emojis with corresponding verbs.
◦ Study Guide: Gerunds vs. Infinitives focus.
◦ Assessments: Short presentation on a hobby; opinion-matching quiz.
• D. Activities: "Paper Bag Speech"—students present 5 items that represent their interests.
• E. Homework: Watch a short video about a unique hobby and write three "I can" statements.
UNIT 11: Problem-Solving & Requests | CEFR: A2→B1
• A. Overview: Making, accepting, and declining requests in social and work contexts.
• B. Topics: 1. Polite modals (Can/Could/Would you mind?); 2. Accepting vs. Declining phrases; 3. Infinitives vs. -ing forms.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Scenarios requiring help (e.g., watering plants, feeding the cat).
◦ Infographic: "The Request Matrix"—Formal vs. Informal language.
◦ Study Guide: Transition markers for giving reasons.
◦ Assessments: Match requests to appropriate responses; role-play declining a favor.
• D. Activities: "Dragon's Den" mini-pitch—request help for a small community project.
• E. Homework: Email the teacher requesting a schedule change for a hypothetical conflict.
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🔵 PHASE 3: B1 (Professional & Academic English)
UNIT 12: Storytelling & Narratives | CEFR: B1
• A. Overview: Delivering detailed narratives with a beginning, middle, and end.
• B. Topics: 1. Past Continuous for background; 2. Past Perfect for sequence; 3. Describing feelings precisely.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Storyboarding a sequence of events.
◦ Infographic: "The Hero's Journey" narrative arc with B1 linkers.
◦ Study Guide: Using adjectives to describe complex emotions.
◦ Assessments: Oral report on a past event; written multi-paragraph narrative.
• D. Activities: Group story-building—each student adds a sentence to a class narrative.
• E. Homework: Read a short fable and write an objective summary.
UNIT 13: Plans & the Future | CEFR: B1
• A. Overview: Describing future hopes, plans, and predictions with various timeframes.
• B. Topics: 1. Future "Will" for prediction; 2. "Going to" for intentions; 3. Future Continuous for schedules.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: "Where will you be in 5 years?" goal-setting slides.
◦ Infographic: Future Tense contrast chart (Intent vs. Schedule).
◦ Study Guide: Conditional sentences for "What if?" scenarios.
◦ Assessments: Write a 1-month budget for a future goal; oral plans interview.
• D. Activities: Career exploration research—use websites to find future job pathways.
• E. Homework: Use an online spreadsheet to create a hypothetical future business budget.
UNIT 14: Workplace Etiquette & Networking | CEFR: B1
• A. Overview: Professional networking, exchanging business cards, and negotiating work schedules.
• B. Topics: 1. Introductions and greetings; 2. Exchanging cards; 3. Asking for favors and giving reasons.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Real-world networking dialogue clips; business card layout.
◦ Infographic: "Networking Do's & Don'ts" (e.g., eye contact, handshakes).
◦ Study Guide: Vocabulary for corporate roles (branch, associate, headquarters).
◦ Assessments: Mock networking event performance; fill-in-the-blank vocabulary quiz.
• D. Activities: Role-play a schedule negotiation—switch shifts with a coworker for a graduation.
• E. Homework: Create a draft resume following a professional model.
UNIT 15: Opinions & Disagreements | CEFR: B1
• A. Overview: Expressing agreement/disagreement and defending a point of view persuasively.
• B. Topics: 1. Polite vs. Direct disagreement; 2. Giving reasons/evidence; 3. Modals of deduction (Must/Can't be).
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: Discussion prompts on topical issues (e.g., workplace dress codes).
◦ Infographic: "Disagreement Softeners" (e.g., I see your point, but...).
◦ Study Guide: Contrast linkers (however, on the other hand).
◦ Assessments: Participating in a group debate; writing an opinion essay.
• D. Activities: "Dragon's Den" simulated meeting—pitch a product and respond to critiques.
• E. Homework: Read a blog entry on a current event and write a 5-sentence response with your view.
UNIT 16: Fluency Review & Exit Exam | CEFR: B1
• A. Overview: Synthesizing all learned skills through an integrated performance assessment.
• B. Topics: 1. Comprehensive Grammar Review; 2. Professional Portfolio check; 3. Presentation skills.
• C. Materials:
◦ PPT: "Success Stories" highlight reel.
◦ Infographic: "Your Journey from A1 to B1" progress map.
◦ Study Guide: Final exam preparation tips and self-assessment checklist.
◦ Assessments: Integrated Final Exam (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening).
• D. Activities: Class "Celebration of Learning"—students give a 3-minute speech on their progress.
• E. Homework: Complete a final self-directed study unit on an app like Duolingo or Quizlet.
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ASSESSMENT & CERT
• Formative Checks: Regular use of exit tickets, vocabulary logs, and "I can" self-assessments.
• Mid-Checks: Topic-based feedback forms assessing pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar (Level check out of 10).
• Final Integrated Exam: Assesses all four skills (Spoken Interaction, Production, Reading for Gist, Extended Writing) reflecting real-life communication.
• Rubrics/Pass Criteria: Candidates are graded on communicative effectiveness, interactive listening, language control, and delivery (Distinction, Merit, Pass, Fail).
INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
• Mixed-Level Strategies: Use flexible grouping (homogeneous for targeted practice, heterogeneous for peer support) and tiered questioning.
• Differentiation: Offer simplified texts for lower levels and open-ended research tasks for advanced learners.
• Cultural Notes: Learn students' proper names, recognize dietary restrictions (e.g., Ramadan), and get to know non-major holidays like Tet.
• Error Correction: Focus on meaning first, using positive reinforcement before corrective feedback; monitor "favorite mistakes" for later review.
OPTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS
• Apps/Tools: Integrate Duolingo, Quizlet for vocabulary, and Newsela for level-adjusted reading.
• AI Practice: Utilize AI-driven resources for personalized study paths and pronunciation drills.
• Community Ideas: Encourage students to join local online communities or participate in real-world meetings (e.g., college council) to report back.
• Learning Analogy: Think of this course as a personal career ladder. Each unit is a sturdy rung—starting from the ground (basic greetings) and climbing steadily toward the workplace balcony (professional networking)—designed to ensure you have the grip and balance to reach your goal safely.
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ESL Course Mind Map
