GENERAL COURSE POLICY

(Applied for all the language skills courses offered by Department 2, Faculty of ELT Education,
ULIS, VNU, Hanoi. Specific policies for each course are to be viewed in the individual course
guidelines)
1. Students are required to fully and actively participate in the lessons, prepare and finish home
assignment and continuous assessment tasks as required in the course guide and by the
teachers.
2. Students are supposed to have course books, cassettes, CDs and supplementary materials for
all of the subjects within the first week of each semester. Teachers reserve the right to cancel
the lessons in case (i) more than 50% of the students in class do not have the right course
books in week 1 and (ii) more than 10% of the students in class do not have them from week 2
onwards. These cancelled lessons would not be made up.
3. Students and teachers are to attend the class on time. Any students who is 15 minutes late or
who fail to do the assigned homework twice is considered to be absent from the lesson.
4. Any students who is absent from 20% of all the lessons (which is equal to 2 lessons) of any
subjects would not be allowed to take the final exams. This rule is applied to both the cases of
absence with permission and absence without permission.
5. Any students who lack any of the component grades of the skill subjects (including the grades
of progress tests, midterm tests and other assignments in the syllabus) would get mark zero
and would not be allowed to take the final exam.
6. Any students who fail to submit the assignments on the required dates have to ask for
extension from the teachers in charge and their scores would be deducted by 5% per extended
day.
7. When doing the written tests (applied to all of the tests during the school year: final tests,
midterm tests, mini-tests, etc.), students are required to follow these rules:
a. The papers or parts of the papers would not be marked if:
i. The papers are written with pencils or in more than one color or with more than
one kind of pens.
ii. The students’ names are written under any circumstances (for example:
signatures in a letter; self-introduction, etc.)
iii. Students do not follow the instructions (For example: writing Yes/No instead of
True/False, writing the full answers instead of A, B, C, composing an essay instead
of a paragraph)
iv. The answers are not written clearly; the answers are ambiguous; the answers are
written in both capital letters and normal letters ( For example: students write A
for one item and C for another item in the same exercise; the answers are not
clearly C or O; T or F)
b. Any students who discuss or copy the answers of others during the exams would have
their marks deducted by 10% for the first time warning and 50% for the second time.
 They would be marked zero for the third time. Any students who bring printed materials,
audio and visual devices, laptops or cell phones (in online mode) into the examination
room would be rejected and get mark zero for the paper.
c. Any students who do not respect the exam time limit would have his mark deducted by
10% of the total mark.

8. Students are required to follow the oral test procedure:

Before the exam:
 Students are informed about the time and places of the exam on the notice board.
 Students gather at the right time and in the right place as informed.
 Students gather in the waiting room until informed about the examining pairs
(Students need to be sure of who are their partners before leaving the gathering
place)
 When called, students need to move to the secretary desk to randomly pick the
exam tables (One of the two examinees is required to pick)
 Students check the places of their exam tables on the exam maps stuck on the
walls.
 When the bell rings, students need to move to their exam tables.
During the exam:
 Students show their student cards or identity cards to the examiners.
 Students sign in the examinee name list.
 Each pair of examinees has 10 minutes to prepare for and do their oral tests.
 Students are not allowed to write or draw on the exam papers.
After the exam:
 Students promptly leave the exam rooms for another pair.
 Students keep silent in the exam area.
 Students submit the test questions together with their test papers
 The marks are to be announced by the Department Officer –in-charge within
weeks after the exam.
* The secretary board and the teachers in charge have the right to refuse the students who do not
follow one of the rules above and these students would get mark zero.
Teachers and second year students need to strictly follow the rules above in order to ensure the
fairness to all students and the discipline in teaching and learning in the third and fourth
semesters.

Prepared by Approved by

Vu Thi Viet Huong Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung

Head Dean
Department 2 Faculty of ELT Education
 A. COURSE INTRODUCTION

1. Course objectives
Featuring authentic language input from passionate and inspiring TED Talks, Social English
2 brings different perspectives around the world to each classroom. By giving students
insights into life-changing stories of remarkable people, not only does the course provide
students chances to express their own thoughts but it also equips them with high-level
language (C1) to voice themselves proficiently. Social English 2 can also bring students a
sense of practicality with carefully-designed assignments set in different communicative
contexts. Upon the successful completion of those assignments, students are expected to
achieve good linguistic, sociolinguistic, pragmatic, and strategic competence.

2. Relationship between the Intended Learning Outcomes and Learning Activities,

Assessment Methods
Learning activities during the course include TED talk analysis, discussion, presentation,
authentic listening, vocabulary and grammar practice, which aims to develop students’
knowledge, skills and cultivate their attitudes.

 Listening test: This is a high-level test that measures students’ listening skills at
level 5 according to the Vietnamese Standardized Test of English Proficiency. The
test also aims to assess students’ ability to recognize different pronunciation
features, identify speakers’ opinions through tones, expressions in both
monologues and dialogues.

 Reading test: This is an advanced test that measures students’ reading skills at
level 5 according to the Vietnamese Standardized Test of English Proficiency. In
the test, students are supposed to understand the organization of reading texts,
writer’s arguments, differentiate between facts and opinions and make inference
from writers’ use of emotive language.

 Vlog assignment: students have to produce an engaging video blog expressing

their choice in a specific situations. In this mini speech, they are expected to
demonstrate their effective control of grammar, vocabulary items and
pronunciation features. The messages should be delivered in a proper register,
logical structure, sound argument, with the application of advanced presentation
techniques. In order to successfully complete this assignment, students need to be
familiar with different video editor applications and social media platforms.

 Writing portfolio: this assignment is intended to assess students’ ability to use

different language features to express themselves clearly in written documents.
This assignment also requires students to select an appropriate register for
different writing tasks, sequence information properly (2.4) and construct
 convincing arguments when evaluating the feasibility of tentative plans in a
proposal or critiquing a movie.

3. Assessment and grading

Form Skills tested Tasks Weighting

Midterm Mini test Listening – Multiple choice

(Paper-based) Reading True/False
Short answers

End-of-term test Listening – Multiple choice

(Paper-based) Reading True/False
Short answers

VLOG (video) and Speaking Students video their own presentation

Impromtu demonstrating viewpoints on key topics
of the course.

Writing portfolio Writing Students write

(paper-based)
Người học viết bài viết ngắn với đề tài
gắn liền với bối cảnh giao tiếp / làm
việc thực tế

4. Course materials
Mulanovic, P., Millin, S. and Harrison, M., 2016. Keynote Advanced. Hampshire (UK):
National Geographic Learning.
Social English 2 Team, 2022. Supplementary Work Book.
 B. COURSE SYLLABUS

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

(Speaking) (Reading) (Listening) (Writing)
Week 6 OFF (SV đang học Social 1) OFF (SV đang học Social 1) 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content:
 Course Orientation  Assignment
 Listening skill: instruction: Writing
TED talk: Less stuff, more Assignment
happiness (p.10 SB)  Writing 1: General
introduction on writing a
Understanding details
report on statistic
Note-taking
 Listening skills:
TED talk: Who am I? Think
again (p.19, 20 SB)
Authentic listening skills:
Dealing with accents

2. Homework:
 Extra Listening 1
(Supplementary Book)
 Extra Listening 2
(Supplementary Book)

Week 7 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content:

 Orientation:  Reading skill: Why  Listening skills: ● Writing 2: Reporting
Assignment instruction: do we sleep? (p.14, 15 SB) TED Talk: Making peace is statistic on a Line graph (1) +
Speaking Assignment Scanning: Finding specific a marathon (p.31, 32 SB) (2)
 Speaking skill: information & details Recognizing speech 2. Homework
Speaking 1 (Supplementary Implied meaning in reading organization: Discourse ● Writing Assignment
Book) questions markers 1: Line Graph
Hedging (p.17 SB)  Vocabulary: ● Listening skills:
 Pronunciation: The prefixes over- and TED Talk How I beat stage
Relaxed pronunciation (p.9 under- (p.14 SB) fright (p.41, 42 SB)
SB) Idioms and Collocations Collaborative listening
Vowel sounds at words related to “Sleep” (note taking and sharing)
boundaries (p.16 SB)  Reading skill: Image,
 Grammar: The identity and clothing (p.24,
2. Homework:
perfect aspect (p.12, 13 SB) 25 SB)  Extra Listening 3
Understanding main ideas: (Supplementary Book)
 Pronunciation: Matching headings  Extra Listening 4
Voiced and unvoiced Understanding details (Supplementary Book)
sounds (p.19 SB)  Vocabulary:
Weak “of” (p.23 SB) Describing clothes and
appearance (p.24 SB)
Stress and Intonation:
Sounding encouraging (p.26
SB) 2. Homework
 Grammar: Amounts  Extra Reading 1
and comparisons (p.22, 23 (Supplementary Book)
SB)  Workbook: p.8-11
 Speaking skill:  Extra Reading 2
(Supplementary Book)
Stating choices and giving
opinion in multiple in Workbook: p.18-21
 speaking task.

2. Homework:
 Speaking 1, 2
(Supplementary Book)
 Workbook: p.5-7
 Workbook: p15-17

Week 8 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content:

● Grammar: Cleft ● Reading: How  Listening Skill:
 Writing 3: Reporting
sentences (p.34, 35 SB) groupthink closed the ‘flying
TED Talk: I’m not your statistic on a Bar chart (1) &
● Pronunciation: bank’ (p.36, 37 SB) inspiration, thank you (2)
Sentence stress in cleft Understanding details/ key very much (p.53, 54 SB) 2. Homework
sentences (p.35 SB) ideas & text organization Authentic listening skills:  Writing Assignment
● Speaking skill: Guessing words from Elision 2: Bar chart
Stating choices and giving context  Listening Skill:  Submit Writing
opinion in multiple in ● Vocabulary: TED Talk: How to make Assignment 1 with peer
speaking task. (Sup.) Conformity and non- filthy water drinkable comments
● Grammar: conformity (p.36 SB) (p.63, 64 SB)
Approximation (p.44, 45 SB) ● Reading skill: One’s
Authentic listening skills:
● Pronunciation: man meat … (p.46, 47 SB)
Signposts
Sentence stress (identify Understanding Details
stressed words) (p.45, 49 Factual and Negative factual
SB) 2. Homework:
information
● Speaking skills:  Extra Listening 5
● Vocabulary:
Using approximations in (Supplementary Book)
Obstacles and opportunities
presenting data (p.45 SB)  Extra Listening 6
(p.46 SB)
(Supplementary Book)
 2. Homework
2. Homework:  Extra Reading 3
 Speaking 3, 4 (Supplementary Book)
(Supplementary Book)  Workbook: p.28-31
 Half of the class  Extra Reading 4
submit recording for (Supplementary Book)
Speaking topic 1 to 4  Workbook: p.38-41
 Workbook: p.25-27
 Workbook: p.35-37

Week 9 1. In-class content: Reading Mini-test Listening Mini-test 1. In-class content:

 Grammar:  Writing 4: Reporting
Structure expressing statistic on a Pie Chart (1) +
purpose (p.66, 67 SB) (2)
 Pronunciation: 2. Homework
Stress in content and  Writing Assignment
function words (p.70 SB) 3: Pie Chart
 Grammar: The  Submit Writing
continuous aspect (p.78, 79 Assignment 2 with peer
SB) comments
 Pronunciation: /ŋ/
sound (p.79 SB)
2. Homework:
 The rest of the class
submits recording topic 5-8
 Workbook: p.55-57
 Workbook: p.65-67
Week 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content:
10 Impromtu ½ class and  Vocabulary:  Listening skill:  Writing 5: Reporting
giving feedback Colloquial phrases in TED Talk: Taking statistic on a Flow Chart (1) +
expressing ideas imagination seriously (2)
 Reading skill: Eureka (p.75, 76 SB)  In-class writing
moments (p.58, 59 SB) Authentic listening skills: under time pressure: Flow
chart
Factual and Negative factual Inferring meaning from
information context 2. Homework
 Reading: The parable  Listening skill:  Submit Writing
of the stones (p.68, 69 SB) TED Talk: Build a tower, Assignment 3 with peer
Understand main ideas build a team (p.85, 86 SB) comments
Negative factual information Authentic listening skills:
 Vocabulary: Understanding contrastive
Solution collocation (p.68 stress
SB) Factual and Negative
Factual Information
2. Homework
 Extra Reading 6 3. Homework:
(Supplementary Book)  Extra Listening 7+8
 Workbook: p.48-51 (Supplementary Book)
 Extra Reading 7
(Supplementary Book)
 Workbook: p.58-61

Week 1. In-class content: 1. In-class content:

11 Impromtu ½ class and  Reading skill: Bad
giving feedback team building (p.90, 91 SB)
Understand main idea:
Generalize ideas
 Vocabulary:
Collocation: Teams and
teamwork (p.90 SB)
1. In-class content:
● Reading skill: Can
stress be good for you?
(p.102, 103 SB)
Guessing unknown words
● Vocabulary: Idioms
related to parts of the body
(p.102 SB)
 C. ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTION

I. SPEAKING ASSIGNMENT

1. Task Description
For one unit in the course book, students will make a two-minute talk about a
particular topic which is related to the theme of the lesson.
During the first half of the semester, each student is supposed to have at least TWO
talks recorded, which will be submitted to the teacher for assessment (50% of the
assignment).
In the seond half of the semester, each student will have ONE chance to give a 2-
minute impromtu speech without being informed about the topic in advanced. The
score of this impromtu speech will account for another 50% of the assignment.

2. Task Objectives

For the first half of the semester, the purpose of this task is for students to have a chance
to practice speaking outside class on a regular basis. Also, this task may hopefully
develop students’ autonomous learning by encouraging them to record themselves as
many times as possible to better their speaking performance. For the second half of the
semester, this task aims at provide student a chance to give an authentic talk without
preparation and by that, imrpove their ability of quick reaction in real communicative
context as well as confidence in difficult situtation.

Doing this task, students can recycle the language they study in each unit, learn how to
organize a talk, develop their pronunciation skills, and improve speaking fluency.

3. Task Completion

In the first half of the semester:

• For each unit from 1 to 8 , students will be given 2 theme-based situations, each of
which has 3 options.
• Student can choose one or both of the topics to be their recording topic.
• Prepare a 2-minute talk on the topic by making notes instead of writing the full
script. The talk is supposed to make it clear to the audience which options will be the
stusent’s best choice in the situation. (overlength and underlength for more than 10%
will be penalised).
• The talk is supposed to have strong reasoning to explain the choice clearly and
include all the language features (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation) of the unit.
• Students will record the talk in either audio or video format. Videos with careful and
attractive visual effects will be given bonus points. (maximum 5% of the total score)
• Audio / video will be assessed and given feedback in-class basing on the Speakinng
rubric and following the assignment timeline.

In the second half of the semester

 For each unit 10 from to 15, students will be called randomly to give a
2-minute impromtu speech without being informed about the topic in
advanced. The topic follows the theme of the week.

4. Submission

The whole class will be divided into 4 groups of submission.

Methods of Submission
 Students send their recordings to teacher via online platform agreed
The monitor then sends the shared link to the teacher via email.

Types and Names of Recording Files

 All the recordings must be in the following file types: .mp4, .wmv, .kmv, .mov, .avi
 The recording files has the following name format:

[Full Name] - Unit [#]. Recording [#]

E.g. Nguyen Thi Van Anh - Unit 1 - Recording 1
II. WRITING ASSIGNMENT

1. Task Description
From week 4 to 10, students are requires to write and revise at home with peer’s
comments then submit THREE writing entries in total. Teacher will choose randomly 1 of
the 3 submitted entries to give feedback and score.
In week 11, students are required to write 1 entry under time-pressure.
The overall purpose of this assignment is to enable the student to demonstrate to others
their “effort, progress and achievement” in learning as well as the ability to write under
time-pressure.

2. Task Completion
 The first 3 entries will be written at home and sumitted via online platform agreed
by teachers and students.
 Peer check and rewriting are homework and late submission is disadvantageous.
 The second drafts are considered the products to be assessed.
 The Assignment score is the average of one randomly chosen home-entry and
one in-class writing entry.
Scoring of students’ writing assignments will base on the rubrics in Appendix 2.

Types and Names of Writing Files

 All the writings must be in the following file types: .doc, .docx
 The recording files has the following name format:

[Full Name] - Unit [#]. Recording [#]

 APPENDIX 1: SPEAKING ASSIGNMENT MARKING RUBRIC

Score Grammar Lexical Resources Pronunciation Fluency Organization

10  flexibly and accurately  uses vocabulary with full  pronounces accurately  speaks fluently and natu-  develops ideas fully and
uses a wide variety of grammati- flexibility and precision in all topics with appropriate word stress and rally at length with only rare repeti- appropriately with suitable de-
cal structures  uses idiomatic language sentence stress tion and self-correction tails, examples and conclusions
 almost error-free naturally and accurately  flexibly manages intona-  any hesitation is content-  speaks coherently with
 uses paraphrases effec- tion to show different meaning and related rather than to find words or fully appropriate cohesive de-
tively attitude grammar vices
 has almost no slips or mi-
nor mistakes

9  flexibly and accurately  uses a wide vocabulary re-  pronounces accurately  speaks fluently and natu-  develops ideas thor-
uses a wide variety of grammati- source steadily and flexibly to convey with appropriate word stress and rally at length with only occasional oughly and appropriately with
cal structures precise meaning sentence stress repetition and self-correction suitable details, examples and
 makes some minor  uses less common and id-  frequently manages into-  hesitation is usually con- conclusions
mistakes iomatic vocabulary skillfully nation to show different meaning tent-related rather than to find  speaks coherently with
 uses paraphrases effec- and attitude words or grammar fully appropriate cohesive de-
tively, even though there are occa- vices
sional hesitations
 has some slips or minor
mistakes
8  flexibly and accurately  uses vocabulary resource  has clear pronunciation  speaks at length without  develops ideas easily
uses simple structures flexibly to discuss familiar topics that is natural and easy to under- noticeable efforts and appropriately with suitable
 uses a range of com-  generally paraphrases suc- stand  may demonstrate lan- details and examples.
plex structures cessfully  pronounces individual guage-related hesitation at times  speaks coherently with
 makes some mistakes  attempts to use less com- sounds clearly and accurately generally appropriate cohesive
but can immediately fix mon vocabulary items and idiomatic  has generally appropriate devices
expressions sentence stress and word stress
 shows some hesitation  shows strong attempts to
when choosing words and/or makes manage intonation
some minor word choice mistakes
7  flexibly and accurately  uses vocabulary resource  has clear pronunciation  speaks at length with oc-  develops ideas quite
uses simple structures flexibly to discuss familiar topics that is natural and easy to under- casional repetition and self-correc- easily and appropriately with
 uses a range of com-  attempts to paraphrase in stand tion suitable details and examples.
plex structures less familiar topics but with mixed  pronounces individual  may sometimes demon-  uses a range of cohe-
 makes some non-sys- success sounds clearly and accurately strate language-related hesitation, sive devices to show the connec-
tematic errors  shows some hesitation  has generally appropriate but the pauses are usually not very tion between ideas
when choosing words and/or makes sentence stress and word stress long
some minor word choice mistakes  shows frequent attempts
 to manage intonation
6  flexibly and accurately  uses vocabulary resource  has clear pronunciation  can communicate quite  develops ideas quite
uses simple structures flexibly to discuss familiar topics that is natural and easy to under- easily and fluently easily and appropriately with
 uses some complex  sometimes attempts to use stand  speaks at length but with suitable details and examples.
structures paraphrases in less familiar topics but  pronounces individual some non-systematic errors and  attempts to use a range
 makes frequent mis- with mixed success sounds quite clearly and accurately signs of self-correction of cohesive devices but some-
takes with complex sentences  makes some word form and despite some occasional slips  may sometimes demon- times fail to show the connection
but does not impede compre- word choice mistakes  has generally appropriate strate language-related hesitation, between ideas
hension sentence stress and word stress but the pauses are usually not very
 shows some attempts to long
manage intonation
5  accurately uses simple  uses vocabulary in familiar  has clear, intelligible pro-  usually maintains flow of  generally answer the
structures in familiar contexts topics but with limited flexibility nunciation of words and phrases, speech but uses repetition, self- questions and extend the an-
 makes frequent mis-  attempts to use vocabulary but still makes mistakes with some correction and/or slow speed to swers in the form of listing
takes but does not impede com- in less familiar topics but with mixed individual sounds keep going  attempts to develop
prehension accuracy  attempts to manage  speaks at length but with the answers but the ideas are
 attempts to use com- stress but with mixed success frequent errors and signs of self- usually unclear or repetitive.
plex structures but these usually correction  uses a range of simple
contain errors connectives.

4  accurately uses simple  uses vocabulary in familiar  has clear, intelligible pro-  can maintain a flow of  generally answer the
structures in familiar contexts topics but with limited flexibility nunciation of words and phrases, speech when the ideas are simple, questions with the attempt to ex-
 makes frequent mis-  attempts to use vocabulary but still makes mistakes with some but when the ideas are compli- tend the answers in the form of
takes but does not impede com- in less familiar topics but with very individual sounds cated, speaks with noticeable long listing
prehension limited accuracy  attempts to manage pauses and may speak slowly, with  links basic sentences
 rarely attempts to use stress but with limited success frequent repetition and self-correc- with repetitious use of connec-
complex structures tion tives

3  uses simple structures  uses vocabulary in familiar  has clear, intelligible pro-  can maintain a flow of  can answer the ques-
with mixed success. topics but usually has to repeat nunciation of words and phrases, speech when the ideas are simple tions but cannot extend the an-
 makes frequent mis- words but frequently makes mistakes with  cannot express compli- swers beyond the suggested
takes but still manages to ex- individual sounds and other pro- cated ideas words
press their ideas nunciation aspects  links basic sentences
with repetitious use of connec-
tives
2  uses simple structures  only uses vocabulary to talk  has quite clear pronunci-  only speaks with short,  gives only simple re-
with limited success. about very basic topics ation of simple words and phrases, simple sentences and usually has to sponses and is frequently unable
 makes frequent, sys- but sometimes may impede com- use slow speed and repetition to convey basic message
tematic mistakes but still man- prehension  links basic sentences
ages to express their ideas with only “and,” “but,” because”
1  uses only basic simple  only uses some isolated  speech is often unintelli-  only speaks with simple  no communication pos-
structures with limited success words or phrases to talk about very gible words or phrases or memorized sible
 makes numerous er- basic topics utterances  only uses simple linking
rors  pauses lengthily before words like “and” or “so”
most words
0  does not submit as-  does not assignment  does not assignment  does not assignment  does not assignment
signment

APPENDIX 2: WRITING ASSIGNMENT MARKING RUBRIC