Final Report

Student’s name: Diego Alexander Soto

Language: English
Yaroslav Makovskiy
Instructors: Sebastián Galarza
Alain Lauzon
Period of Assessment: September 2018 - February 2019
Initial Level: B2
Next Level: C1

The next B2 competencies were expected from you to have at the end of the term

I can understand extended speech and lectures and follow even complex lines of argument provided
the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. I
can understand the majority of films in standard dialect. I can understand standard spoken
language, live or broadcast, on both familiar and unfamiliar topics normally encountered in personal,
social, academic or vocational life. Only extreme background noise, inadequate discourse structure
and/or idiomatic usage influence the ability to understand. I can understand the main ideas of
propositionally and linguistically complex speech on both concrete and abstract topics delivered in a
standard dialect, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation.
LISTENING I can follow extended speech and complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably
familiar, and the direction of the talk is sign-posted by explicit markers.

I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt
particular stances or viewpoints. I can understand contemporary literary prose. I can read with a
large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes,
and using appropriate reference sources selectively. I have a broad active reading vocabulary, but
may experience some difficulty with low-frequency idioms.

READING

I can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native
speakers quite possible. I can take an active part in discussion in familiar contexts, accounting for
and sustaining my views. I can present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects
related to my field of interest. I can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and
disadvantages of various options.

SPEAKING

I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences. I can write clear,
detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests. I can write an essay or report,
passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view.

WRITING
Your Performance
GLOBAL GRADES:

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Final

4,23 4,42 4,15 4,49 4,31 4,32

Attendance: 100% Approval: Yes

Focus for the latter part of the course was on the ‘Pitch Presentation. To be delivered as a Group on February 27th
(end of the course). For this, students were to identify a problem and focus on a solution by developing said solution
and presenting in front of a group of their peers. The G4 presentation group (which was the 4 remaining students
that were not tasked to travel for work) chose a ‘REAL’ problem and developed a conceptual ‘app’ that would solve
the problem. Students researched other similar types of solutions by finding relevant sources in English. Students also
produced a ‘intro’ video to their pitch in which they needed to write a script and a ‘shot by shot’ scenario in order to
bring their idea to fruition. Students also wrote their ‘Pitch Presentation’ and it was edited several times by students to
reflect appropriate vocabulary and grammar. Students rehearsed said ‘Pitch Presentation’ in order to practice and
enhance diction as well as syllable stress and appropriate inflections. As mentioned, the Pitch’ was presented to a
group of their peers who in turn were judges for ‘most striking’ presentation. All instruction during said development
period was mostly relevant to the pitch theme. However, students also had some news article readings that were not
necessarily part of the final project but that helped them in keeping a flow of spoken English. It is to note that ALL of
the conversations to create all steps of the final project were totally in English.

86,00% completed:
Comments and Recommendations: Diego’s understanding has increased over the past two
months and seems to struggle less with more technical vocabulary.  The vocabulary exercises
done in the former part of this teacher’s time seem to have enhanced his understanding of the
speech because he replies with a more comprehensive context.  During the Pitch Presentation,
LISTENING Diego was quickly able to ‘jump in’ with contextual answers to complex questions .

89.00% completed:
Comments and Recommendations: Diego still tries to read a little fast for his current pronunciation.
He should follow his speaking and slow the rate down to concentrate on diction and accentuated
pronunciation.  It is believed that with a little more ‘stress’ exercises and grammatical correction of
pronunciation, Diego will understand the words that he is reading on a more global level as he is
READING reading

85.00% completed:
Comments and Recommendations: Diego has been losing his shyness with current instructor and
you can definitely tell this by the way he elaborates his speech. You can tell he has gained more
confidence and this improves his speech. His pronunciation has improved as well as his dictions.  He
slows down the pace of his speech and now starts to accentuate the proper syllables of given terms.
His vocabulary has increased as he always tries to get the ‘right’ word or expression for the given
SPEAKING situation. The ‘Pitch Presentation’ was a great outlet for him to practice his speaking in a subtly
more ‘dramatic’ way.

87.00% completed:
Comments and Recommendations: Given that he took to task of writing editing both Pitch
Presentation documents, Diego found himself correcting the documents BEFORE the software
suggested it.  He was also able to integrate some more contextual suggestions to enhance the
collaborative texts. His mind still thinks in Spanish but you can tell that he can now transfer context
WRITING to English with greater ease.
  Motivated

 Good vocabulary

 Confident in all aspects of English

STRENGTHS

 Lack of experience, particularly in listening and reading

 Grammar

 Punctuation
WEAKNESSES

 Study the workbook outside the classes and try to read, watch TV etc in English

 Review irregular verbs

RECOMMENDATION  www.esl-lab.com
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