Designed for students who have had previous experience in the four skills of the language (reading, listening, writing and speaking). It aims to develop the ability to use the language effectively for the purpose of practical communication outside the classroom.
The aims are to:
enable students to understand and respond appropriately to what they read
encourage students to enjoy and appreciate the variety of language
complement the students’ other areas of study by developing skills of a more general application (e.g., analysis, synthesis, drawing of inferences)
promote the students’ personal development and an understanding of themselves and others
enable students to communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in writing
Course content
The list of possible text types includes:
article, column
brochure, leaflet, pamphlet, flyer, advertisement
debate, speech, talk, presentation
essay
interview
news report
reasoned argument
report
review
Skills developed
Students learn how to employ a wide-ranging vocabulary, use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation, develop a personal style and an awareness of the audience being addressed. Students are encouraged to read wisely, both for their own enjoyment and in order to develop an appreciation of how writers achieve their effects.
Assessment
Even though only the written comprehension and the writing expressions are assessed in the examination, the four skills of the language (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) will be practiced through the study of literature, texts, audio-visual media, discussions and presentations.
paper 1 – written comprehension – 50%
comprehension questions on one text (25 marks); summary of another text (25 marks)
paper 2 – two compositions of 350–500 words each – 50%
discussion and argument (25 marks); description and narration (25 marks)