BSc:EnglishForAcademicPurposesI

English for Academic Purposes I

• Course name: English for Academic Purposes-1
• Course number: N/A
• Subject area: English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

What subject area does your course (discipline) belong to?

English for Specific Purposes, English for Academic Purposes, Academic Writing

Key concepts of the class

• Academic discourse
• Argumentation in higher education

What is the purpose of this course?

EAP is a 1-year core course in English for Academic Purposes. This balanced course is tailored to meet the English language needs of first-year undergraduate students at the Department of Computer Science (CS) and equip them with the necessary knowledge and communication skills for better performance in CS subjects. This is achieved through enhancing students’ academic reading and writing comprehension skills as well as teaching them to express and support their viewpoints orally and in writing in the manner appropriate in the academic environment.

- What should a student remember at the end of the course?

By the end of the course, the students should be able to remember and recognize

• Academic vocabulary
• Cohesive devices

- What should a student be able to understand at the end of the course?

By the end of the course the students will be able to:

In Reading Comprehension • Read, comprehend and annotate a popular scientific article, identifying main ideas and supporting details • Identify and articulate personal responses to what has been read

In Academic Writing • Select and utilize appropriate paragraph structure and wording for a particular purpose • Utilize tools to avoid plagiarism – paraphrasing, quoting, and citing • Utilize in-text citation and organize a reference list according to a specified referencing style • Self-edit and peer review an academic piece of writing and effectively manage the writing process • Effectively rebuttal the against argument • Outline and write a coherent, concise and well-structured essay

In Verbal Communication • Express and support their points of view individually and as a group during classroom discussions and public speaking • Speak impromptu on a variety of topics • Anticipate questions upon utilizing effective listening skills to ask appropriate and relevant questions to the assigned topic • Efficiently deal with questions and provide well-supported and relevant answers to the audience • Analyze and give constructive feedback and suggestions on peer verbal performance.

- What should a student be able to apply at the end of the course?

By the end of the course, the students should be able to

• Read, comprehend and annotate a popular scientific article, identifying main ideas and supporting details
• Identify and articulate personal responses on what has been read
• Select and utilize appropriate paragraph structure and wording for a particular purpose
• Utilize tools to avoid plagiarism – paraphrasing, quoting, and citing
• Utilize in-text citation and organize a reference list according to a specified referencing style
• Self-edit and peer review of the written production and effectively manage the writing process
• Outline and write a coherent and concise 5 paragraph reading response essay
• Express and support their points of view in a paired and individual academic presentation
• Express and support their points of view in an academic discussion
• Give constructive feedback and suggestions on peer verbal and written performance

Course evaluation

Course grade breakdown

Task	Weight	Task Details
Assignment (1)	20%	Paragraph Writing
Assignment (2)	30%	Reading Response Essay Writing
Assignment (3)	25%	Group Presentation
Assignment (4)	15%	Timely Submission of Assignments throughout the Course
Assignment (5)	10%	Physical or Online* Attendance

Late Submission Policy

This policy will be strictly applied in this course. Should a personal emergency arise that affects your ability to turn in an assignment in a timely fashion, you must contact the course instructor BEFORE the deadline to get a “Late Submission Approval” from the course instructor. Documents that prove the urgency of your situation must be submitted to your instructor, e.g., health reports. Without the “Late Submission Approval”, submissions will be still accepted up to 48 hours late, but with a 15% penalty. No “Late Submission Approval” will be granted after the deadline. The policy applies to graded assignments only.

Cooperation Policy and Quotations

We encourage vigorous discussion and cooperation in this class. You should feel free to discuss any aspects of the class with any classmates. However, we insist that any written material that is not specifically designated as a Team Deliverable be done by you alone. This includes answers to reading questions, individual reports associated with assignments, and labs. We also insist that if you include verbatim text from any source, you clearly indicate it using standard conventions of quotation or indentation and a note to indicate the source.

Grades range

Course grading range

Grade	Default range	Proposed range
A. Excellent	90-100	86,25-100
B. Good	75-89	61,25-86,24
C. Satisfactory	60-74	36,25-61,24
D. Poor	0-59	0-36,24

Resources and reference material

Main textbook:

• The materials are designed from a variety of textbooks and authentic sources to meet the students’ own needs and interests.

Other reference material:

1. Cambridge Academic English Intermediate, Craig Thaine et al., CUP, 2012.

2. Cambridge Academic English Upper Intermediate, Martin Hewings et al., CUP, 2014.

3. Cambridge Academic English Advanced, Martin Hewings et al., CUP, 2012.

4. Academic Writing Skills 1, Peter Chin et al., CUP, 2014.

5. Academic Writing Skills 2, Peter Chin et al., CUP, 2012.

6. Skills for Effective Writing Level 4, CUP, 2013.

7. Skills for Effective Writing Level 3, CUP, 2013.

8. Final Draft Level 3, Andrew Aquino-Cutcher et al., CUP, 2016.

9. Final Draft Level 4, Wendy Asplin et al., CUP, 2016.

10. Writing Around the World: A Guide to Writing Across Cultures, Matthew McCool, 2009.

Course Sections

The main sections of the course and approximate hour distribution between them is as follows:

Course Sections

Section	Section Title	Teaching Hours
1	From sentence to paragraph	18
2	Reading-response essay	18
3	Group Presentation	12

Section 1

Section title:

From sentence to paragraph

Topics covered in this section:

• Sentence structure. Simple, complex and compound sentences
• Coherence and Cohesion. Cohesive devises within sentences
• Paragraph structure
• Writing Process
• Paragraph types - compare-contrast, cause-effect, persuasive paragraphs

What forms of evaluation were used to test students’ performance in this section?

Form	Yes/No
Development of individual parts of software product code	No
Homework and group projects	Yes
Midterm evaluation	Yes
Testing (written or computer based)	Yes
Reports	No
Essays	No
Oral polls	No
Discussions	No

Typical questions for ongoing performance evaluation within this section

1. Write sentences of a particular structure and type
2. Identify and name cohesive devises
3. Outline paragraph. Provide relevant details to support your claim
4. Write paragraphs of particular structure and type, with relevant supporting details

Typical questions for seminar classes (labs) within this section

1. On a quiz, demonstrate your knowledge of paragraph structure and types
2. Write impromptu a well-structured paragraph of a particular type within limited time, using appropriate cohesive devices and providing relevant supporting details.
3. Perform self-editing
4. Perform peer review and provide peer feedback for a piece of writing
5. Elaborate on your personal strategy for improving your writing
6. Write a second draft of your text based on peer and mentor’s feedback

Test questions for final assessment in this section

1. Paragraph Writing

Type: Individual, in-class, and paper/computer-based assignment

Length: 2 paragraphs of different types

Rationale: This task requires you to demonstrate your understanding of the effective paragraph structure (the paragraph head, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence). In addition, you have to show your ability to develop your paragraph with sufficient explanations and details. Finally, this task will demonstrate your ability to self-edit and revise your own work.

Instructions: Provide two types of paragraphs (to be announced) on the topic. Know the assignment grading scheme. Refer to the relevant Moodle materials. Consider time for revising and editing your work. Your sentence subjects and verbs should be effective. Make sure that your paragraphs are unified and follow the "known-new contract". Follow the principles of academic writing style and avoid ineffective nominalization, ineffective passive, overgeneralization, wordiness and redundancies.

Duration: 90 minutes

Weight: 20%

What forms of evaluation are used to test students’ performance in this section?

Form	Yes/No
Development of individual parts of software product code	0
Homework and group projects	1
Midterm evaluation	0
Testing (written or computer based)	1
Reports	0
Essays	0
Oral polls	0
Discussions	0

Typical questions for ongoing performance evaluation within this section

1. Read and understand an article
2. Annotate an article
3. Identify academic vocabulary

Typical questions for seminar classes (labs) within this section

1. In a group discussion, express your opinion on what has been read, and provide relevant support
2. Identify and utilize academic vocabulary in speech

Test questions for final assessment in this section

1. On a quiz, demonstrate your skill of understanding and utilization of academic vocabulary

Section 2

Section title:

Reading-response essay

Topics covered in this section:

• Structure of a basic 5 paragraph essay. Coherence and cohesion between paragraphs
• Plagiarism. Strategies to avoid plagiarism
• IEEE referencing style

What forms of evaluation were used to test students’ performance in this section?

Form	Yes/No
Development of individual parts of software product code	No
Homework and group projects	Yes
Midterm evaluation	Yes
Testing (written or computer based)	No
Reports	No
Essays	Yes
Oral polls	No		Discussions	No

Typical questions for ongoing performance evaluation within this section

1. Outline an essay. Articulate clear thesis statement with two claims, and provide relevant support for those claims
2. Write introductory, body and concluding paragraphs of the essay.
3. Use paraphrasing, summarising and citations as strategies to avoid plagiarism
4. Use APA referencing style

Typical questions for seminar classes (labs) within this section

1. Write introductory, body and concluding paragraphs of the essay
2. Perform peer review of a piece pf writing and provide feedback
3. Perform self-editing of a piece of writing
4. Elaborate on your personal strategies to improve you writing, base on self- peer- and mentor feedback

Test questions for final assessment in this section

1. Write a well-structured and concise 5 paragraphs essay with a reference list, providing relevant supporting details and avoiding plagiarism. Use APA referencing style.

Section 4

Section title:

Academic public talk

Topics covered in this section:

• Academic public talk structure
• Public speech vocabulary
• Dealing with QA

What forms of evaluation are used to test students’ performance in this section?

Form	Yes/No
Development of individual parts of software product code	0
Homework and group projects	1
Midterm evaluation	0
Testing (written or computer based)	0
Reports	0
Essays	0
Oral polls	0
Public talk	1

Typical questions for ongoing performance evaluation within this section

1. Outline your public talk
2. Anticipate questions for QA session
3. Practice your public talk and use appropriate transitional expressions and vocabulary Avoid plagiarism

Typical questions for seminar classes (labs) within this section

1. Practice your public talk and QA session.
2. Perform peer review of a public talk and provide constructive feedback
3. Perform self-evaluation of your video-recorded public talk
4. Elaborate on your personal strategies for improving your public speaking skills

Test questions for final assessment in this section

1. Perform a well-structured public talk, articulating and supporting your point of view with relevant details. Avoid plagiarism. Answer your audience questions.

Assessment Task (2): Paragraph Writing

Type:

Individual, in-class, and paper/computer-based assignment

Length:

2 paragraphs, each paragraph different type, each paragraph 70-130 words

Rationale:

This task prepares you to demonstrate your understanding of the structure of an effective paragraph; the topic sentence, supporting ideas, and concluding sentence. In addition, you have to demonstrate your ability to develop your paragraph with sufficient explanations, details and examples. Furthermore, this task will help you self-edit and revise your own work, and provide peer-feedback on your colleagues’ work.

Instructions:

Provide two types of paragraphs (descriptive and comparative) on the same topic. Familiarize yourself with the assignment grading scheme. Refer to the Moodle materials that are relevant to the paragraph module. Consider time for revising and editing your work.

Duration:

90 minutes

Weight:

20 %

Criterion	A	B	C	D
Task Response (25%)	Fully responds to all parts of the task, and develops relevant to the purpose, concise, clear and well supported paragraphs.	Addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others; presents relevant main ideas but some may be unclear and /or repetitive.	Addresses the task only partly; although presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail and redundant words.	Does not adequately address any part of the task; irrelevant to the purpose; presents few ideas which are largely undeveloped or irrelevant
Topic and Concluding Sentences Quality (15%)	In both paragraphs: original topic sentence, reflecting thought and insight; focused on one main idea; appropriate and summative concluding sentence that elaborates the controlling idea of the topic and effectively indicates the closure of the paragraph.	In both paragraphs: clearly stated topic sentence presents one main idea; a concluding sentence that refers to the controlling idea of the topic and/or summaries most ideas, a good indication of the closure of the paragraph	In both paragraphs: acceptable topic sentence presents one idea; acceptable concluding that attempts to refer to the controlling idea of the topic and/or summaries some ideas, an attempt to indicate the closure of the paragraph.	In both paragraphs: poorly attempts to state the topic sentence to present one idea poorly attempts to state the concluding sentence with no clear reference to the controlling idea of the topic, with no indication to the main ideas, poorly attempts to indicate the closure of the paragraph.
Sentences (15%)	In both paragraphs: concrete and descriptive examples and persuasive and original supporting details with thorough, relevant and qualitative explanations.	In both paragraphs: examples and details relate to the topic and some explanation is included. Good quality, but not sufficient support.	In both paragraphs: examples and details poorly support the topic. The quality of examples and explanations is superficial.	In both paragraphs: lack of/irrelevant examples and details, no attempts made to provide any support.
Coherence and Cohesion (15%)	In both paragraphs: sequences information and ideas logically; there is a clear progression throughout; uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately.	In both paragraphs: arranges information and ideas coherently; uses cohesive devices effectively but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical; may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately.	In both paragraphs: presents information with some organization but there may be a lack of referencing and substitution.	In both paragraphs: does not organize ideas logically; poor usage of cohesive devices and those used may not indicate a logical relationship between ideas.
Lexical Resource (15%)	In both paragraphs: uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and efficiently to convey precise meanings; produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation.	In both paragraphs: uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences; may make frequent and grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors may cause some difficulty for the reader.	In both paragraphs: uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task; may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that can cause some difficulty for the reader.	In both paragraphs: uses only basic vocabulary and a limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling; errors cause strain for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy (15%)	In both paragraphs: uses a variety of complex structures; the majority of sentences are error free; has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors.	In both paragraphs: uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms; makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication.	In both paragraphs: uses only a limited range of structures; attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences; may make frequent and grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.	In both paragraphs: uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses; some structures are accurate, but errors predominate and distort the meaning; punctuation is mostly faulty.

Adapted from: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/2018-01/IELTS_task_2_Writing_band_descriptors.pdf

Assessment Task (4): Reading Response Essay (RRE)

Type:

Individual & in-class and paper/computer-based assignment

Length:

5/6-paragraph essay - 450 words minimum

Rationale:

This task prepares you to demonstrate your clear understanding of the RRE structure in which you respond to articles you have read. RRE should cover the following:

• Introductory paragraph with data from the original source (the title of the article and author), background information on the topic and your opinion (Thesis statement) on the author’s ideas;
• Summary paragraph, containing the main ideas of the original article, examples and supporting information, in the order they appear in the source, without any personal comments;
• Body/Response paragraphs, 2-3 paragraphs, explaining your opinion/reaction/feelings to the ideas of the original article. Provide evidence upon defending your opinion and reference the sources you refer to by using the agreed upon (APA/IEEE) citation style; Support your ideas with sufficient explanation, details and examples.
• Concluding sentence, where you give credit to the author of the article, restate your thesis statement, and write a final thought sentence. This task will help you self-edit and revise your own work, and provide peer-feedback on your colleagues’ work.

Instructions:

Familiarize yourself with the assignment grading scheme. Refer to the Moodle materials that are relevant to the RRE module. Consider time for revising and editing your work.

Duration:

2 hours

Weight:

30 %

Criterion	A	B	C	D
Task Response 35%	The essay has all the five paragraphs in accordance with the RRE structure, with clear Introductory and Concluding paragraphs. The RRE summary clearly identifies the author’s thesis and paraphrases the major points in the author’s argument very well and shows a sophisticated analysis of the author’s ideas. The response offers clear and concise reasons why the writer may agree or disagree with the author or how this article has increased the writer’s understanding of the topic. The essay contains a Works Cited list, which includes all the sources mentioned in the essay.	The essay may not strictly follow the five-paragraph structure of a RRE essay but the writing may have some flows and not have very clear logic at times. Minor elements of the Introductory and Concluding paragraphs are missing. The RRE summary identifies the author’s thesis and outlines most of the article(s) but may be missing a portion of the argument; analysis of the ideas is not very sophisticated and includes some of the primary evidence that the author has utilized to prove the thesis but may leave out other examples for exploring the thesis. The response develops one or two points very well. The works cited list has minor mistakes.	The essay follows the five-paragraph structure of a RRE essay but there is an imbalance between the paragraphs. In addition, the writing has flows of organization and does not have very clear logic at times. Elements of the Introductory and Concluding paragraphs are missing. The RRE summary identifies quite well the author’s thesis and outlines most of the article(s) but may be missing some of the argument; analysis of the ideas is somehow superficial and includes some of the primary evidence that the author has utilized to prove the thesis but leaves out other examples for exploring the thesis. The response develops one or two points well. The works cited list has a few mistakes.	The essay does not follow the five- paragraph structure of a RRE essay, but even if it does, there is a great imbalance between the paragraphs. The writing has big flows of organization and its logic is difficult to follow. Introductory and Concluding paragraphs are poorly developed with a lot of essential information missing. The RRE summary does not identify the author’s thesis and does not outline most of the article(s) lack of clarity of arguments and very simple language; analysis of the ideas is very superficial and includes poor evidence of what the author has utilized to prove the thesis. Despite the presence of a Works Cited List, the essay lacks essential elements and cannot be classified as a RRE.
Coherence 15%	Logically organizes information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout where ideas are concise and to the point. There are clearly defined 5 paragraphs.	Arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression, but ideas are not always presented in a concise manner.	Presents information with some organization but there may be a lack of overall progression and in terms of conciseness, the essay is much more descriptive than concise.	Presents information and ideas but these are not arranged coherently and there is no clear progression in the response. Logic of the essay is very superficial.
Cohesion 15%	Uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately. Presents a clear central topic within each paragraph.	Uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical	Makes inadequate, inaccurate or over- use of cohesive devices. May be repetitive because of the lack of referencing and substitution.	Uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be inaccurate or repetitive. May not write in paragraphs or their use may be confusing.
Use of language 15%	Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary and less common, but academic lexical items with some awareness of flexibility in word formation and use of collocation. Uses a variety of complex sentence structures, produces frequent error- free sentences. Has good control of grammar and punctuation.	Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy. Makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication. Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce overall communication	Uses a limited range of vocabulary, and it is sometimes irrelevant to the task. May make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause difficulty for the reader in comprehending the text. Uses a limited range of sentence structures, attempts to write complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences. May make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.	Uses only basic/limited vocabulary which may be used repetitively, or which may be inappropriate for the task. Has limited control of word formation and/or spelling and errors may cause strain for the reader. Uses a very limited range of sentence structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses. Some structures are accurate, grammatical errors are predominant, and punctuation is often faulty.
Avoiding Plagiarism Strategies 10%	Student has excellent paraphrasing of the information from the article analyzed. Any information coming directly from the source is clearly quoted, there are in-text referencing and author tagging.	Student has done very good to paraphrasing of the information coming from the original text. In case of using original text information, it is properly quoted in most cases, there are good in- text referencing and author tags.	Student has tried to paraphrase the information necessary to sustain his/her ideas but is not always successful. In-text referencing is not very well done, quotation do not include the full quote and author tags and mainly missing.	Student has plagiarized a lot, poor efforts to paraphrase the information, poor in- text citations, few or no author tags.
Referencing 10%	Student shows a consistent and appropriate referencing style throughout the essay and in the reference list.	Student shows a consistent and appropriate referencing style in most of the essay and the reference list.	Student is quite consistent in using the appropriate referencing style in his/her the essay, the reference list might be missing.	Student is unclear on the proper referencing style to be applied in his/her the essay, the reference list is missing.

Assessment Task (5): : Oral Presentation – Expressing your opinion on what has been read

Type:

Paired public talk

Rationale:

This task prepares you to express and support your opinion on what you have read, work collaboratively, manage your time effectively, and respond to what you have read critically by providing evidence.

Instructions:

Select one of the given topics, read critically, annotate and summarise, respond to what you have read, and structure your presentation by expressing your opinion and supporting your ideas with evidence. Dealing with the questions is a focal part of your presentation. Familiarize yourself with the assignment grading scheme. Refer to the Moodle materials that are relevant to the OP module.

Duration:

15 min including QA

Weight:

20 %

Criterion	A	B	C	D
Task Response- Effort - complexity of thought; in-depth preparation evidence 30%	The team has fully covered all the requirements of the task by: giving an effective public speech through which they demonstrate full comprehension of the already read article/s by showing clear signs of thorough understanding of the reference text/s.	The team has covered most of the requirements of the task by: giving a good public speech through which they demonstrate good comprehension of the already read article/s, showing signs of general understanding of the reference text/s. responding to ideas in the reading/s by expressing personal opinions and providing evidence that has supported most opinions. Evidence has been not reasonable enough to convince the listener.	The team has covered some of the requirements of the task by: giving a public speech through which they demonstrate fair comprehension of the already read article/s by showing no fully clear signs of understanding the reference text/s. partially responding to ideas in the reading/s by expressing personal opinions. the lack of evidence in most parts of the support and/or providing inappropriate evidence that does not contribute to the function of supporting opinions.	The student has not covered most of the requirements of the task, which are either missing or faulty. The students gives a public speech through which they demonstrate limited evidence of their comprehension of the already read article/s, the student poorly attempts to express personal opinion/s or reaction to an idea/s in the reading/s. the lack of evidence throughout the whole speech.
Referencing 15%	The sources are clearly and correctly referred to in both the verbal speech and the visuals (slides and/or handouts).	The sources are referred to and missed in either the verbal speech or the visuals (slides and/or handouts).	The sources are mentioned with faulty details in one/both of the verbal speech and the visuals (slides and/or handouts).	The lack of references in both the verbal speech and the visuals (slides and/or handouts).
Presentation -overall impression - structure, pace, voice, interaction with the audience, body language, visuals, time management 25%	The content is organized logically with smooth transitions throughout the presentation. The opinion on the article read is clear, logically analysed and properly supported with personal opinions /views on the subject. Moves through their speech at an appropriate pace. Makes pauses at the end of sentences or at significant moments. Speaks clearly and forcefully throughout their entire speech. Consistently maintains eye contact with the audience throughout their speech and with everybody presented in the room. Body language, gestures, and facial expressions add greatly to the message. Visual aids well-chosen and presented in support of the student’s personal reaction to a read text. Speech delivered within allotted time. Very good time management of the presentation and question time.	The organization of the content is congruent; transitions are smooth. Opinion on the text read is well expressed but supporting ideas are a bit broad. Usually moves through their speech at an appropriate pace. Makes most pauses at the end of sentences or at significant moments. Speaks clearly and forcefully throughout most of speech. Mostly maintains eye contact with the audience throughout their speech, but sometimes with only a part of the room. Body language, gestures, and facial expressions compliment message. Visual aids well-chosen and presented. Speech delivered within allotted time. Good time management of the presentation and question time.	The organization of the content shows some planning of personal opinion and support of it; but transitions are not smooth. Maintains appropriate pace only in some parts of their speech. Pauses at the end of sentences are much more for word search then for thought completion. Speaks relatively clearly and forcefully throughout some parts of their speech. Mostly maintains eye contact with the audience throughout their speech, but with limited sections of the room. Body language, gestures, and facial expressions compliment message. Minor problems with visual aids. Speech delivered within 30% of allotted time. Fair time management of the presentation and question time.	Shows little planning. Introduction, body, conclusion poorly organized. Moves through their speech too quickly or too slowly. Speech is either very soft or too loud for most of the presentation. As a result, lack of attention of the audience. Little or no eye contact. Body language, facial expressions and gestures lack variety and spontaneity. Significant problems with visual aids. Speech delivered within 20% of allotted time. Poor time management of the presentation and question time.
Dealing with questions (answering questions) 15%	Can respond effectively and spontaneously at normal speed. Can present a convincing argument and sustain his/her personal opinion or view.Responds accurately to all questions.	Can present a convincing argument and sustain an opinion or view. Responds to most questions but sometimes hesitates in his/her answers.	Can maintain a question-answer session with reasonable accuracy, even when not always finding the appropriate words.	Responds with short choppy answers which do not always correspond to question.
Use of language (vocabulary and grammar range and accuracy, pronunciation, fluency) 15%	IELTS band 6 and above: Is prepared and willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at times due to occasional repetition, self- correction or hesitation. Uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately. Has a wide enough vocabulary to explain and support their opinion at length and make meaning clear despite some inappropriate descriptions of ideas or personal opinion. Generally paraphrases successfully. Uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility. May make frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension problems. Uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control. Can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times.	IELTS band 5 and 5,5: Usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self-correction and/or slow speech to keep going. May over-use certain connectives and discourse markers. Produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems. Manages to present his/her opinion on the article read but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility. Attempts to use paraphrase but with mixed success. Produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy. Uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems.	IELTS band 4 and 4.5 : Cannot present his/her opinion without noticeable pauses and may speak slowly, with frequent repetition and self-correction. Links basic sentences but with repetitious use of simple connectives and some breakdowns in coherence. Is able to talk about the ideas in the article read but can only convey their basic meaning without clearly formulating an opinion on them. Makes frequent errors in word choice. Rarely attempts paraphrase. Produces basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences but subordinate structures are rare. Errors are frequent and may lead to misunderstanding. Uses a limited range of pronunciation features. Attempts to control features but lapses are frequent. Mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty for the listener.	IELTS band 3 and 3.5: Speaks with long pauses. Has limited ability to link simple sentences. Gives only simply formulated personal opinion and is frequently unable to provide adequate support of it. Uses simple vocabulary to convey the meaning of the read information. Attempts basic sentence forms but with limited success or relies on apparently memorised utterances. Makes numerous errors except in memorised expressions. Presentation is difficult to follow.

Criterion	A	B	C	D
Participation	Contributes often and voluntarily. Works well with others. Insightful comments.	Contributes readily, works well with others, makes useful comments.	Contributes occasionally voluntarily, works well with others, makes sensible comments.	Contributes reluctantly, does not always work well with others, comments sometimes irrelevant.
Attendance	80% +	70%+	50%+	50%-

Quizes	A	B	C	D
Success rate	90% +	75%+	60%+	59%-

Criterion	A	B	C	D
Timely submission	90% +	70%+	50%+	30%-