Thursday, 4 June 2020

Syllabus



VISHNU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY :: BHIMAVARAM
 (AUTONOMOUS)
                                                                                 
Department of Basic Science

Year/Semester
I.B.Tech I Sem
L
T
P
C
Subject Code
Regulation Year
2019-20
3
0
3
2
19BS1T01
Name of the Subject
Communicative English
Branch
ECE, CE, ME & EEE


PROPOSED SYLLABUS
Introduction:
In view of the growing importance of English as a tool for global communication and the consequent emphasis on training the students to acquire communicative competence, the syllabus has been designed to develop linguistic and communicative competence of the students of Engineering.
As far as the detailed textbook is concerned, the focus should be on the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Thus the stress in the syllabus is primarily on the development of communicative skills and fostering of ideas.

Objectives:
·         Adopt activity based teaching-learning methods to ensure that the learners would be engaged in the use of language both in the classroom and the laboratory sessions.
·         Facilitate effective listening skills for better comprehension of academic lectures and English spoken by native speakers
·         Focus on appropriate reading strategies for comprehension of various academic texts and authentic materials
·         Help improve speaking skills through participation in activities such as role plays, discussions and structured talks/oral presentations
·         Impart effective strategies for good writing and demonstrate the same in summarizing, writing well organized essays, record and report useful information
·         Provide knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary and encourage their appropriate use in speech and writing

Methodology:
1. The class are to be learner-centered where the learners are to read the texts to get a comprehensive idea of those texts on their own with the help of the peer group and the teacher.
2. Integrated skill development methodology has to be adopted with focus on individual language skills as per the tasks/exercise.
3. The tasks/exercises at the end of each unit should be completed by the learners only and the teacher intervention is permitted as per the complexity of the task/exercise.
4. The teacher is expected to use supplementary material wherever necessary and also generate activities/tasks as per the requirement.
5. The teacher is permitted to use lecture method when a completely new concept is introduced in the class.

(R-19 Regulations)
Detailed Textbook:
Prescribed by JNTUK for Reading and Writing

Non-Detailed  Textbook:
Wings of Fire: APJ Abdul Kalam

Unit 1                                                                                                                          (10 periods)                        
Reading: Skimming to get the main idea of a text
Reading for Writing: Beginnings and endings of paragraphs - introducing the topic, summarizing the main idea and/or providing a transition to the next paragraph.

Grammar and Vocabulary : Nouns and Pronouns; textual words
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
·         employ suitable strategies for skimming to get the general idea of a text
·         recognize paragraph structure with beginnings/endings
·         using correct word forms of nouns and pronouns and textual words

Unit 2                                                                                                                          (10 periods)                       
Reading: Scanning to look for specific pieces of information.
Writing: Writing sentences with proper word order - Basic Sentence Structures
Grammar and Vocabulary: Verbs - tenses; use of synonyms
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
·         Employ suitable strategies for scanning to identify specific information from a text
·         Write accurately using proper grammatical structures

Unit 3                                                                                                                          (10 periods)                                                                                                        
Reading: Identifying sequence of ideas; recognizing verbal techniques that help to link the ideas in a paragraph together.
 Writing: Paragraph writing using suitable cohesive devices; mechanics of writing - punctuation, capital letters.
Grammar and Vocabulary: Cohesive devices - linkers, sign posts and transition signals; use of articles and zero article; prepositions; use of synonyms
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
      write well structured paragraphs
      understand the use of cohesive devices



Assignment-I: Each student is required to present a report on a problem faced by individuals or the society with analysis and possible solutions. He/she has to make an oral presentation of it in the class before the completion of MID-I Examination. It is mandatory for all students.  It is for Internal Assessment.  

Unit 4                                                                                                              (10 periods)    
 Reading: Note making; making notes from the text/material.
Writing: Types of Paragraph writing
Grammar and Vocabulary : Subject-verb agreement, Quantifying expressions - adjectives and adverbs; comparing and contrasting; degrees of comparison; use of antonyms

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
·         make notes of the important information of a text
·         understanding types of paragraphs
·         use language appropriate adjective and adverbs for descriptions

Unit 5                                                                                                                          (10 periods)                       
Reading: Reading for comprehension.
Writing: Summarizing - identifying main idea/s and rephrasing what is read; avoiding redundancies and repetitions.
Grammar and Vocabulary: direct and indirect speech, reporting verbs for academic purposes. Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
      write summaries based on global comprehension of reading/listening texts
      understand a paragraph

Unit 6                                                                                                                          (10 periods)                       
           
Reading: Studying the use of graphic elements in texts to convey information, reveal trends/patterns/relationships etc.

Writing: Information transfer; describe, compare, contrast, identify significance/trends based on information provided in figures/charts/graphs/tables.

Grammar and Vocabulary: Active Voice- Passive Voice; editing short texts – identifying and correcting common errors in grammar and usage (articles, prepositions, tenses, subject verb agreement)
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learners will be able to
      interprete data from the given charts/tables/graphs
      edit short texts by correcting common errors



Assignment-II: Each Student is required to present the information regarding one novel       prescribed in course. He/she has to make an oral presentation of it in the class before the completion of MID-II Examination. It is mandatory for all the students.  It is for Internal Assessment.
  Course Outcomes
            At the end of the course, the learners will be able to
      identify the context, topic, and pieces of specific information from social or transactional dialogues spoken by native speakers of English
      formulate sentences using proper grammatical structures and correct word forms
      speak clearly on a specific topic using suitable discourse markers in informal discussions
      write summaries based on global comprehension of reading/listening texts
      produce a coherent paragraph interpreting a figure/graph/chart/table
      take notes while listening to a talk/lecture to answer questions
Reference Books
       Bailey, Stephen. Academic writing: A handbook for international students. Routledge, 2014.
       Chase, Becky Tarver. Pathways: Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking. Heinley ELT; 2nd Edition, 2018. 
       Skillful Level 2 Reading & Writing Student's Book Pack (B1) Macmillan Educational.
       Hewings, Martin. Cambridge Academic English (B2). CUP, 2012.

Sample Web Resources

Grammar/Listening/Writing

Grammar/Vocabulary

Reading

Listening

Speaking

All Skills

Online Dictionaries




Paragraph Writing and Practice Questions

The essentials of good paragraph construction are:

(1) Unity

(2) A good topical sentence

(3) The logical sequence of thought

(4) Variety

(5) A full and rounded final sentence in the conclusion


Different Types of Paragraphs:

There are four types of paragraphs that you need to know about: descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive. A quick search around the internet will yield other types, but to keep this simple, it's a good idea to consider just these four.

The descriptive paragraph: This type of paragraph describes something and shows the reader what a thing or a person is like. The words chosen in the description often appeal to the five senses of touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste. Descriptive paragraphs can be artistic and may deviate from grammatical norms.

The narrative paragraph: This type of paragraph tells a story. There's a sequence of action or there's a clear beginning, middle, and end to the paragraph.

The expository paragraph: This type of paragraph explains something or provides instruction. It could also describe a process and move the reader step by step through a method. This type of paragraph often requires research, but it's possible that the writer is able to rely on his or her own knowledge and expertise.

The persuasive paragraph: This type of paragraph tries to get the reader to accept a particular point of view or understand the writer's position. This is the type of paragraph that many teachers focus on because it's useful when building an argument. It often requires the collection of facts and research.

It important to point out that many paragraphs are a combination of these four types, but for the purpose of instruction, let's consider some examples of each:

This is a descriptive paragraph:

   The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word . The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath; already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become from a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group, and then, excited with triumph, glide on through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.

This excerpt is taken from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this paragraph you can hear, see, and feel the setting in which the story takes place. When you practice writing a descriptive paragraph yourself, you should address all aspects of the physical world.

This is a narrative paragraph:

   It's been almost ten years since I first ran for political office. I was thirty-five at the time, four years out of law school, recently married, and generally impatient with life. A seat in the Illinois legislature had opened up, and several friends suggested that I run, thinking that my work as a civil rights lawyer, and contacts from my days as a community organizer, would make me a viable candidate. After discussing it with my wife, I entered the race and proceeded to do what every first-time candidate does: I talked to anyone who would listen. I went to block club meetings and church socials, beauty shops and barbershops. If two guys were standing on a corner, I would cross the street to hand them campaign literature. And everywhere I went, I'd get some version of the same two questions.

This opening paragraph from Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope tell and interesting story about how a man entered the arena of politics. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it raises the reader's curiosity about what will happen next.


This is an expository paragraph:

   All toilet flush tanks work about the same. When the toilet is flushed, the trip handle lifts the tank ball, opening the outlet and letting water flow into the bowl. When the tank is nearly empty, the ball falls back in place over the outlet. The float falls with the water level, opening the water-supply inlet valve just as the outlet is being closed, and the tank is refilled through the filler tube. Water also flows through the bowl refill tube into the overflow pipe to replenish trap-sealing water. As the water level in the tank nears the top of the overflow pipe, the float closes the inlet valve, completing the cycle.

This paragraph from Reader's Digest Complete Do-it-yourself Manual gives detailed information about how how the water moves through a toilet when it is flushed. It's instructive, and if you like this kind of thing, it may even be interesting.


This is a persuasive paragraph:

   Immigration contributes to the overall health of the American economy. Despite recent concerns related to the costs created by illegal and some legal immigration to the United States, this country has largely benefited from the skills, talents, and ambition that immigrants bring with them. American businesses gain from a good source of affordable labor, while town and cities are revitalized by immigrant families who strengthen communities through civic participation the generation of new economic activity. The United States must continue to welcome new arrivals and help those who already here; otherwise, the country will lose the advantages it has over other industrialized countries who compete against us in the global marketplace and seek to recruit from a vast pool of unskilled and skilled global workers.

This is the paragraph that appeared on the page describing what a paragraph is. Your teacher wrote it. I have an opinion about a particular topic, and in this paragraph I want the reader to accept or consider my position. The persuasive paragraph is, perhaps, the most difficult to write but there is a good method I can show you in order to be successful in writing one.

In the next four lessons, we will take a closer look at each of these types of paragraphs, starting with what I consider to be the easiest: the descriptive paragraph.

Example Paragraph Writing Questions 


§  The one holiday destination I ever dream of….

§  The incident that fetched me lots of pain and disappointment is….
§  Sunday is a day that I mostly spend my time in……
§  Should bikes be given to college students ?
§  My unforgettable moment that gave me lot of happiness is….
§  Government job or Private job – Which one is promising….
§  Government schooling or private schooling – Your take…
§  Should you become a prime minister, what changes do you bring upon….
§  Should one get a treatment in private hospitals or government hospitals.
§  Eating junk food in bakeries and parties are bad because…….
§  Should eating meat be banned or promoted…….
§  Should a murderer or rapist be hanged or punished…
§  War between countries is good or evil……
§  Are watching movies erupt psychotic behavior in youth…
§  Do Video Games enhance our skills or disgrace the life….
§  Is self affliction a solution for escaping adversities…
§  Borrowing money is a good practice or a bad practice…
§  Caging animals and birds in a zoo without freedom……..
§  Which season do you prefer rainy cold or summer? Why?
§  Is there a way to stop bribery…. Justify.
§  Should one do job abroad or ones own country…
§  Can artificial intelligence make human vulnerable and lazy…..
§  Do you prefer to live in a town or village or a city….
§  Pollution causes serious consequences in the future…Justify….
§  If you were given a chance to land on moon………..
§  If your teacher scolds you badly…..What is your experience..
§  The moment when teacher slapped you and why…..
§  The moment you thought of quitting school or college……
§  Earning money from internet; fake or real….
§  CCTV camera is a threat to privacy of an individual…
§  Online learning or Classroom learning; support your thought…
§  Should teachers allow smart phones to colleges and schools….
§  If I want to share a dream to all of you……
§  Online shopping or showroom shopping which is better…..
§  Will there be a cure ever for human not dying ….
§  The best gadget that I prefer to have always is…
§  Formals dress in schools and colleges are taking freedom away….
§  Public toilet or private toilet.. the menace….
§  The festival that brings in me goose bumps…..
§  The moment when I lost a precious thing or object….
§  Is ragging still a menace in a developed world…..
§  Getting an engineering degree or arts degree?
§  The 3 colors that I prefer to have on my shirt… Why…
§  Is there a fate or karma for human being…..
§  Gems and Rings give luck….do you agree…..
§  When 2 people are fighting; what will you do to stop….
§  If there is a fire burning out around; how do you respond ?
§  If I were to become an IAS what would I do…….
§  Are devils existing; Is it a superstition or real……
§  Should street dogs be taken away or keep them…..
§  Children should not watch Television because…
§  My goal in life is to become …..
§  Youth nowadays are taking to junk food…
§  I consider my mother/father as my role model because…
§  I think sharing things with others is good because…….however there are certain things I don’t like to share like……
§  I like eating out at restaurants now and then because……
§  I admire my brother/sister as……
§  I like/don’t like getting up early because….
§  These days many people are growing their own food because…
§  I like summer /winter/rainy season because….
§  For Swacch Bharat to be successful, we should all ….
§  I enjoy travelling to my university by bus because…
§  On my first day in the university I felt somewhat/very/quite…..
§   Discipline is not a dirty word….
§  Colour affects the way people feel…
§  Team sports are good because …
§  After completing my studies I want to….
§  Global warming/Environment pollution is my biggest concern because…
§  Technology can enable us to do a lot of things like….
§  Social media wastes a lot of ….
§  We cannot believe everything we read in the media because….
§  I lie sometimes to my friends/parents because….
§  The person who has been most influential in my life is….
§  It’s good to keep pets because….
§  Bad behaviour /manners in children should not be encouraged because….
§  Many people don’t like the idea of wearing a uniform because….
§  I don’t like/hate crowded places because….
§  I like to be around people who are happy and smiling because…
§  My favourite food is……
§  The historical buildings in our town/city should be maintained because….
§  I prefer street markets to supermarkets because…
§  I like travelling to new places because….
§  The things I do for maintaining physical fitness are….
§  I can’t understand why people throw rubbish in public places…
§  I feel senior citizens should be provided with special facilities for ….
§  The turning phase in my life came when I met/read/saw/learned …..
§  Diwali/Sankranti/Holi/Christmas/Ramzan is my favourite festival because….
§  The one place I would love to go as a tourist to is ….
§  I think reading/gardening/listening to music is a good hobby because….
§  I like to groom myself and dress smartly/fashionably because…..
§  A party I went to and enjoyed immensely was……
§  I like watching the night sky because……
§  My favourite movie star is…../I am a huge fan of ……because
§  I love to play /watch cricket because…..
§  I usually spend my weekends……..
§  Bike or Car or Train or Flight…Which journey is safest……
§  Should soft drinks be banned or kept………
§  The best teacher from whom I acquired a lot of knowledge is…
§  Whatsapp and Tiktok should be allowed only for elders…
§  Are using mobile apps good or bad….
§  If you are given 1 million; how do you spend….
§  Buying lotteries should be restricted and banned….
§  Get a free lunch or get a free travel… Why…
§  Should you put alone in an Island.. how would you live…
§  If God comes to you and ask for a wish, What would you wish…
§  What did experience teach you over all in your life….
§  If you are an author of a book. What would be a book name….
§  Usage of plastic and alluminium shoule be banned….
§  Cutting trees and damaging environment is a future menace….
§  Three things that I never want to do in my life…..
§  5 things that I wanted to do in my life…..
§  Should poor remain poorer and rich remain richer ?
§  Same family members entering into politics – good or bad…
§  Same family members getting movie chances – Right or wrong…
§  My desired sport and game is …….
§  Are ambulances coming in time to save victims….
§  What annoys you mostly about the present politics and government…
§  When did you get wet in rain the last time…..
§  When did you feel to fight with someone the last time…
§  Will technology do harm in the form of global warming…….