Lower Intermediate Reading and Writing for students of English as a Second Language

Reading Skills

1. To follow the ideas and information in readings
   • Follow written assignment instructions
   • Use pre-reading techniques to prepare for a reading task
   • Recognize topic, main ideas, key details
   • Follow sequence of information and ideas
   • Scan for specific information
   • Identify and distinguish between facts and opinions
   • Describe events and characters in short stories
   • Comprehend simple graphs and tables accompanying reading materials
   • Recognize the differences between supported and unsupported opinions
2. To determine meanings of unfamiliar words in course materials
   • Use an English-English dictionary
   • Use prefixes to determine meanings and suffixes to identify grammatical uses
   • Use simple context clues such as definitions, synonyms and punctuation
3. To find materials in the library
   • Use both digital and print resources  
4. To use study skills
   • Take notes: mark and label text to make margin notes
   • Explain visual text material
   • Prepare for tests: T/F, completion, matching, multiple choice, and short answer
   • Learn content from text/class materials

Writing Skills

1. To write informally
   • Write reflectively about personal experience and readings
   • Write messages and simple letters
   • Outline main ideas in own words
2. To write paragraphs using the following strategies:
   • generate ideas from personal experience and readings
   • select and narrow topics
   • create paragraph frameworks
   • write topic sentences
   • develop unified, specific support
   • create coherence using logical order and transitions
   • revise with peer and instructor feedback
   • follow format instructions
   • edit and proofread
   • demonstrate an understanding of plagiarism by using own words and referring to sources
   • write with grammatical competence, coherence, clarity and conciseness

Accuracy

1. For explicit instruction and evaluation
   • Correctly forms and uses verb tense and time markers to describe, to explain and to narrate(simple present, simple past, present continuous, simple future)
   • Demonstrates and applies knowledge of basic parts of speech and basic sentence parts for editing
   • Correctly forms simple sentences, compound sentences (using “and, but, or, so”) and complex sentences (using “because, before, after, when, who which, that”)
2. Items to work on as need arises
   • Correctly forms and uses modal verb forms for polite questions, requests, permission and ability
   • Corrects number errors on plural nouns and verb phrase errors (helping verb/main verb/forms)
   • Correctly uses frequently-used time and place prepositions
   • Consistently and correctly spells irregular past verbs and applies word-ending spelling rules for  tenses (s, ed, ing)
   • Consistently and correctly applies capitalization rules to sentences, proper nouns and titles

Classroom Skills

1. Takes responsibility for the following:
   • attendance and punctuality
   • class work and assignments
   • participation and teamwork, collaboration in groups and decision-making
2. Follows instructions, communicates with peers and instructors and asks for clarification
3. Shows an awareness of cultural differences and general features of their culture and the world