Elementary Level Syllabus for Beginning English Courses

This syllabus was written for teachers of false beginners in a business English setting. The focus here is therefore mainly on the workplace. However, the basic structures that are introduced should be the same for any type of class. You can vary the content of your lessons to make sure they fit your and your students learning objectives. Syllabus: Lesson 1 Theme: Introductions Your first lesson focuses on the verb to be, which will help students to begin discussing basic questions. Possessive adjectives such as her and his will encourage students to discuss what they learn from other students, and learning nations and national adjectives can help them talk about their own countries. The revised language items will include: The verb to beRevision of possessive adjectives: my, your, her, hisBasic greetings The new language items introduced will include: The use of names of countriesExpansion of lexical set: basic greetingsExpressions including countries and nationalities Syllabus: Lesson 2 Theme: The World Around Me This lesson focuses on objects that can be found both in and out of the classroom. It might be a good idea to take the class on a short walk around your school to help them become familiar with the concept of here/there, this/that. Working on basic adjectives in opposite pairs (big/small, cheap/expensive, etc.) will help students begin describing their world.   The revised language items will include: Spelling skillsRevision of letters of the alphabet The new language items introduced will include: The use of questions and negatives with the verb to beThe use of determiners: this, that, those and theseThe use of articles: a and anExpansion of lexical set: everyday objects (singular and plural)Expressions including basic opposite adjectives Syllabus: Lesson 3 Theme: My Friends and I This lesson helps students begin discussing schedules, meetings, and other responsibilities. The focus is on numbers, time, marital status, and other personal items that require students to give information involving numbers and spelling.   The revised language items will include: Singular and plural nounsNumbers 1–100, phone numbersThe use of the verb to be for giving personal information The new language items introduced will include: Giving personal information: name, marital status, phone number, address, ageAsking for and telling the time, prepositions used for telling the time at, past, toExpansion of lexical set: jobs Syllabus: Lesson 4 Theme: A Day in the Life of†¦ The big focus in this lesson is the use of the simple present tense to speak about routines, habits, and other daily tasks. Make sure to help students learn the differences between the verb to be and all other verbs. This will require a special focus on the helping verb to do in questions and negative sentences.   The revised language items will include: Times of the day, the 12-hour clock—a.m. and p.m.Revision of basic verbs used to describe daily routines The new language items introduced will include: The use of the present simple (1)The use of the first, second, and third-person singular in the present simpleExpansion of lexical set: daily routinesExpressions including verbs and nouns that go together, prepositions used for times of the day—in the morning, afternoon, evening/at night Syllabus: Lesson 5 Theme: The Workplace In this lesson, you will expand on the present simple by introducing adverbs of frequency such as usually, sometimes, seldom, etc. Move from discussions focusing on I to talking about others with he, she, we, etc. Its a good idea to ask students to write up questions, interview other students, and report back to class to help students recognize and begin using different pronouns. The revised language items will include: Continuation of the present simple (2)Revision of basic verbs used to describe work tasks The new language items introduced will include: The use of negative and question forms in the present simpleThe use of the first, second, and third-person plural in the present simpleThe use of adverbs of frequencyPrepositions of place and movement: to, in, atExpansion of lexical set: daily work routinesExpressions including asking for help and asking someone to repeat Syllabus: Lesson 6 Theme: Talking about Work Continue exploring the work world while discussing a larger time frame when introducing days of the week, months, and seasons to the class. Have students discuss typical activities for each time of the year, day of the week, or month.   The revised language items will include: Greetings and informal discussion about work tasksRevision of seasons, months, and days of the week The new language items introduced will include: Expansion of lexical set: means of communicationExpressions including terms used for talking about the relationships between people in an office Syllabus: Lesson 7 Theme: The Ideal Office Drill down into the office world by focusing on office equipment. Ask students to discover what other students workplaces look like by working with any and some (i.e., Are there any tables in your office?, We have some copiers in our office, etc.). The revised language items will include: Revision of lexical set: things in the officeRevision of daily work tasks The new language items introduced will include: The use of there is and there are for descriptive purposes and in the interrogative formThe use of some and any in the positive, negative, and interrogative formExpansion of lexical set: furniture to include items commonly found in an officeExpressions including prepositions of place including: on, in, near, next to, in front of, and between Syllabus: Lesson 8 Theme: The Interview Finish up this first section of the syllabus by expanding students vocabulary skills with common workplace collocations. Use mock interviews to introduce the modal can to speak about abilities. The revised language items will include: Verbs expressing skills and abilitiesRevision of expressions used for asking and giving personal information The new language items introduced will include: The use of can to express abilityThe use of to haveExpansion of lexical set: skills and abilitiesExpressions including verb-noun collocations (words that go together) Syllabus: Lesson 9, Check Module I The revised language items will include: introductions, numbers and letters, skills and abilities, telling the time, describing your daily work routine, numbers and letters, means of communicationGrammar Revised: The use of the verb to be in the present simple, possessive adjectives, the use of the present simple, the use of articles, singular and plural nouns, the use of basic prepositions of movement and place, the use of some and any, the use of there is and there are, the use of adverbs of frequency, the use of can to express abilities, the use of to have, the use of determinersVocabulary Revised: Countries and nationalities, telling the time, jobs, work routines, objects in an office, months, seasons, and days of the week, asking for help and repeating, relationships at work At this point, its a good idea to assess students comprehension with a quiz. The test should not be long but should include each element of the first eight lessons.