Beginner

Locations Newcastle (Callaghan Campus)
Sydney CBD
Duration 10 weeks
Contact hours 25 hours per week (Monday - Friday)
Overview The Beginner English program focuses on the development of basic English language skills for students with little or no previous experience learning English.
Entry requirements There are no pre-requisites to enter the Beginner English Course. Students are placed in the course based on their results in the class placement test given on entry to the Language Centre.
Expected outcomes Reading

Understand short written narratives
Answer comprehension questions: true/ false
Use top-down / bottom-up reading strategies

Writing

Write brief personal information
Describe a picture: person/ object
Write a daily routine
Write a recount

Listening

Understand simple conversations
Understand the gist of longer narrative texts
Recognise contracted forms
Recognise vowel sounds: phonetic chart

Speaking

Conduct introductions and greetings
Discuss personal information/ family
Contribute to small group discussions
Perform short role plays
Course content

The course has an integrated syllabus which is predominantly skills-based, with grammar and culture components, and is organized into ten weeks with themes and grammar points. There is a greater emphasis on grammar skills in the Beginner course than the other levels.

Reading
  • Predicting from headings, pictures and prior knowledge
  • Inferring
  • Skimming
  • Scanning
  • Chunking
  • Understanding vocabulary in context
  • Developing speed in reading
Writing
  • Vocabulary extension
  • Simple sentences
  • Asking questions
  • Form filling
  • Simple descriptions
  • Short narrative
Listening
  • Listening for gist
  • Listening for detail
  • Inferring
  • Predicting
  • Listing for key information
Speaking
  • Discussion in small groups on personal topics
  • Questions and answers
  • Role-play
  • Pronunciation and stress
Grammar
  • Words: verbs, nouns (countable & uncountable), adverbs, adjectives, prepositions
  • Tenses: present (simple & continuous), past simple, future
  • Comparing
  • Demonstratives
  • Possessive form
Assessment There is no formal end of course examination. Weekly tests are given on: spelling, dictation, grammar and writing or reading.

Passing the course

All students who complete the Beginner English course are eligible to progress to the Elementary English course.