Practical English: Learning and Teaching

Course for Aug-Nov 2016

Course Duration: around 5 months.


Prologue: Who should take this course?


ToEFL: Test of English as a Functional Language:
  • conducted on 30 Jul and 6 Aug,
  • next to be conducted at the beginning of the next semester.



    Module Zero: A primer for the main course (not an integral part of the course). Cursive Writing: Letters.
    Module Zero Sessions


    Practical English: Course Material

    Session Instruction Material Main Lecture Video Questions Tutorial/Practice Assignment and Sample Solutions Supplementary Material Teaching Notes
    00
    		Course Introduction. . . . Module Zero Sessions. General notes.
    For clarification of any doubt regarding the subject matter in the lesson, tutorial or assignment, one may send us a query through the Query form linked here.
    Interactive classroom sessions are held on Saturdays, 3-6 PM.
    Detailed Schedule: 27 Aug; 10, 24 Sep; 1, 8, 15, 22 Oct; 5, 12 Nov.
    Venue: L-9, LHC.
    2016
    (Aug-Nov)
    		 Public, open to all. Shared with registered participants only. Public.
    01
    		 Introduction. Lesson 1 Discussion. Assignment 1 (due on 5 Sep).
    Solution Samples: A report. A summary. A paraphrase. A critique.     		Class-work practice of composition.
    Tutorial video     		Notes.
    02
    		 Letters and writing style.
    Interpretation (Eng2CLL) technique: passage to interpret.     		Lesson 2 Discussion. Interpretation (Eng2CLL) practice on continuation passage. Assignment 2 (due on 5 Sep).
    A solution.     		Class-work practice of Interpretation.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    03
    		 Word families "cat", "car-ball", "bed-her", "big", "box", "cup".
    Expression (CLL2Eng) technique: passage to express.     		Lesson 3 Discussion. Expression (CLL2Eng) practice on continuation passage.
    Practice of words of the present families.     		Assignment 3 (due on 5 Sep).
    A solution.     		Practice of words of the present families.
    Class-work practice of Expression.
    Tutorial video (a)
    Tutorial video (b)     		Notes.
    04
    		 End-e effect.
    Simplest sentences.
    "go".     		Lesson 4 Discussion. Exercise on simple present, past and future with selected words from families "cat", "car-ball", "bed-her", "big", "box", "cup". Assignment 4 (due on 5 Sep).
    A solution.     		How to learn so much material?.
    Exercise on orders/instructions/requests.
    Exercise on simple present, past and future.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    05
    		 Word families "make", "five", "gene" & "tube", "home".
    "eat".
    Verbs List 1.     		Lesson 5 Discussion. Practice of words of the present families.
    Exercise on simple present with selected words from old families "cat", "car-ball", "bed-her", "big", "box", "cup".     		Assignment 5 (due on 5 Sep).
    A solution.     		Exercise on simple present.
    Practice of words of the present families.
    Speaking Session.
    Tutorial video (a).
    Tutorial video (b).     		Notes.
    06
    		 Mixed Words 1st List
    Verbs List 2
    "play".
    PPF triplets.
    Phrases and long sentences.     		Lesson 6 Discussion. Exercise on PPF triplets with selected words from families "make", "five", "gene" & "tube", "home". Assignment 6 (due on 20 Sep).
    A solution.     		Exercise on PPF triplets.
    A word game.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    07
    		 Word Family "baby-cry"
    "do": Support.
    P/N/I triplets.
    3 x 3 PPF P/N/I Sets.
    Objects and phrases: order.     		Lesson 7 Discussion. Practice of words from the present family.
    Exercise on 3 x 3 sets with selected words from old families "make", "five", "gene" & "tube", "home".     		Assignment 7 (due on 20 Sep).
    A solution.     		Practice of words from the present family.
    Exercise on 3 x 3 sets of sentences.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    08
    		 Word families "report-refer", "move"&"moon-book" and "green"
    Questions: Binary/Query.
    Wh-words and questions.
    P/N/I/I-Wh Quadruplets.     		Lesson 8 Discussion. Practice of words of the present families.
    Exercise on P/N/I/I-Wh Quadruplets with selected words from family "baby-cry".     		Assignment 8 (due on 20 Sep).
    A solution.     		Practice of words of the present families.
    Exercise on P/N/I/I-Wh Quadruplets.
    Exercise on predicate expansion with phrases.
    Etymologically connected words.
    Teaching practice.
    Tutorial video (a).
    Tutorial video (b).     		Notes.
    09
    		 14 Types, 18 Forms.
    Why is it necessary to know the meaning and usage of a lot of words?     		Lesson 9 Discussion. Exercise on sentences of 14 Types, 18 Forms with old word families "report-refer", "move"&"moon-book" and "green". Assignment 9 (due on 20 Sep).
    A solution.     		Exercise on sentences of 14 Types, 18 Forms.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    10
    		 Articles, Capitalization, Punctuation. Lesson 10 Discussion. Why do we advise breaking up of sentences during interpretation and expression? Assignment 10 (due on 20 Sep).
    A solution.     		Practice of punctuation, capitalization and use of articles.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    Module 1 Comprehensive Test Paper 10% weightage along with assignments etc.

    The Module 1 Comprehensive Test Paper is available now.
    Prepare your solution and send it in the form of a PDF attachment to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com positively before 11 a.m. on 22 Sep (Thu).
    Module 1 ends here.
    11
    		 Letters and writing style.
    Summary of Basic Word Families.
    Summary of "go", "eat", "play" and "do".
    Interpretation (Eng2CLL) of a small passage.
    Expression (CLL2Eng) of a small passage.
    Word family "beat-head-near".     		Lesson 11 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word family: predicate expansion (information enrichment). Assignment 11 (due on 3 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of words of the present families.
    Predicate expansion.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    12
    		 Revision of Verbs List 1 and List 2.
    Word Families "rain"&"serial".
    3rd forms and 5th forms of Verbs.     		Lesson 12 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word family.
    Revision of 14 Types, 18 Forms with old word family "beat-head-near".     		Assignment 12 (due on 3 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of words from the present word family.
    Practice of 3rd and 5th forms.
    Tutorial video (a) .
    Tutorial video (b) .     		Notes.
    13
    		 Word family "boat".
    Verbs List 3.
    Verb "be".     		Lesson 13 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of 3rd and 5th forms with old word family "rain"&"serial".
    Exercise of verb 'be'.     		Assignment 13 (due on 3 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of verb "be".
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    14
    		 Word Families "pause"&"dual".
    Adverbs, Nouns looking like verbs.
    Dummy Subject (through CLL2Eng).     		Lesson 14 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of sentences with dummy subjects and Noun forms of verbs with old word family "boat".     		Assignment 14 (due on 3 Oct).
    A solution.    		 Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of sentences with dummy subjects and Noun forms of verbs.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    15
    		 Word Families "law"&"day".
    Verbs List 4.
    be + 3rd form.
    Construction of sentences in passive voice.     		Lesson 15 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of passive voice (be + 3rd form) with old word family "pause"&"dual".     		Assignment 15 (due on 3 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of words from the present word family.
    Exercise of passive voice.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    16
         		Revision of Mixed Words 1st List.
    Mixed Words 2nd List.
    "tell".
    Active-Passive Conversion.     		Lesson 16 Discussion. Exercise of voice (active-passive) conversion with word families "law"&"day". Assignment 16 (due on 13 Oct).
    A solution.     		Sentence framing in passive voice.
    Exercise of voice (active-passive) conversion.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    17
         		Word families "field-die"&"being".
    Word families "toe"&"peon" and "euro".
    be + 5th form.
    Complements.     		Lesson 17 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word families.
    Exercise of continuous tense (be + 5th form).     		Assignment 17 (due on 13 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of words from the present word families.
    Exercise of continuous tense (be + 5th form).
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    18
         		Word family "due-cheque".
    Word families "new"&"key".
    "telling".
    "do" versus "be".     		Lesson 18 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word families.
    Exercise of active-passive conversion (same meaning) in continuous tense with old word families "field-die"&"being".     		Assignment 18 (due on 13 Oct).
    A solution.     		Practice of present word families.
    Sentence construction in continuous: active and passive.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    Basic build-up.
    19
         		"have".
    Verbs List 5.
    "call".
    46 types.     		Lesson 19 Discussion. Active-Passive conversion on different types of sentences with old word families "due-cheque" and "new"&"key".
    A solution.     		Assignment 19 (due on 13 Oct). Active-Passive conversion.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    Basic build-up.
    20
         		A hundred verbs.
    Objects: zero, one or two?
    Alternative meanings?     		Lesson 20 Discussion. Reading and summarising.
    Example: a novel of 232 pages.     		Assignment 20 (due on 13 Oct). Practice on verbs.
    Discussion on summarising and composition plans.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    Module 2 Comprehensive Test Paper. 10% weightage along with assignments etc.

    The Module 2 Comprehensive Test Paper is available now.
    Prepare your solution and send it in the form of a PDF attachment to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com positively before 11 a.m. on Friday, 14 Oct, 2016 .
    Module 2 ends here.
    21
         		Letters and writing style.
    Recapitulation: Words and Sentences.
    Verbs and More verbs
    Sentences in 46 types.
    Interpretation and Expression.     		Lesson 21 Discussion. Game between two teams on active to passive conversion and vice versa. Assignment 21(due on 26 Oct). Practice on verbs.
    Practice on 46 types.
    Tutorial video .     		Notes.
    22
         		Word families "boil" & "radio-lion".
    Word families "ruin" & "medium".
    Two objects.
    Special structures.     		Lesson 22 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word families,
    preferably using two objects or "have to"/"used to" structures.     		Assignment 22 (due on 26 Oct). Practice of present word families.
    Exercise on two objects.
    Exercise of have to / used to.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    23
         		Word Family "cloud-rough-four-group".
    Even more verbs.
    have + 3rd form.
    Phrases.     		Lesson 23 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word families.
    Exercise of perfect tense with old word families "boil" & "radio-lion" and "ruin" & "medium".     		Assignment 23 (due on 26 Oct). Practice of present word families.
    Exercise of perfect tense with phrases.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    24
         		Word Family "low-down".
    Word Family "boy" and small word-families.
    "get".
    Relation Markers.     		Lesson 24 Discussion. Practice of words from the present word families.
    Exercise on using relation markers and phrases with old word family "cloud-rough-four-group".     		Assignment 24 (due on 26 Oct). Practice of present word families.
    Exercise on using relation markers and phrases.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    25
         		Words club "SHUN".
    Another set of verbs.
    have been + 3rd form.
    Connections.     		Lesson 25 Discussion. Practice of words from the present words club.
    Exercise on active-passive conversion in perfect tense with old word families "low-down" and "boy".     		Assignment 25 (due on 26 Oct). Practice of "SHUN" club of words.
    Exercise on passive voice in perfect tense and compound sentences.
    Tutorial video.     		Notes.
    Every assignment is to be submitted as a PDF file attached to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com by the due date.
    [Even hand-written work scanned in PDF format is acceptable, but no other file formats like .doc, .rtf etc.]
    For clarification of any doubt regarding the subject matter in the lesson, tutorial or assignment, one may send us a query through the Query form linked here.
    26
         		Vowel-Rich Words.
    Summary of Vowel Sounds.
    Connecting Words and Connecting Patterns.     		Lesson 26 Discussion. Practice of Vowel-Rich Words.
    Exercise of connections with words of the SHUN club.     		Assignment 26 (due on 28 Nov). Exercises on connectors, compound sentences and complex sentences; continuity of content across sentences. Notes.
    27
         		Compound Words.
    Yet another set of verbs.
    have been + 5th form.
    Halts and Stops.     		Lesson 27 Discussion. Practice of compound words.
    Exercise of perfect continuous tense (have been + 5th form).     		Assignment 27 (due on 28 Nov). Practice of compound words and verbs.
    Exercises on perfect continuous tense.     		Notes.
    28
         		Hyphenated Words.
    Supporting Action of Special Verbs.
    Subject-Verb Agreement.
    Short versus Long Sentences.     		Lesson 28 Discussion. Practice of hyphenated words.
    Exercise of changing the subject 'under cover'.     		Assignment 28 (due on 28 Nov). Practice of compound/hyphenated/separated words.
    Caution of 'subject-verb agreement': identifying the subject.     		Notes.
    29
         		Summary of Special Verbs.
    Our final set of verbs.
    Major Forms of Sentences.     		Lesson 29 Discussion. Practice of Major Forms of Sentences.
    Study of defective verbs.     		Assignment 29 (due on 28 Nov). Practice on verbs,
    in particular special verbs.
    Exercise with the tense structure.     		Notes.
    30
         		EPP teaching scheme: more a teaching guide than a textbook.
    Quarter (Module) 4 will show further avenues.     		Lesson 30 Discussion. A brief history of EPP. Assignment 30 (due on 28 Nov). Composition exercise: Use of C-O-D-E-R.
    (Refer Lesson 20.)     		Notes.
    Every assignment is to be submitted as a PDF file attached to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com by the due date.
    [Even hand-written work scanned in PDF format is acceptable, but no other file formats like .doc, .rtf etc.]
    For clarification of any doubt regarding the subject matter in the lesson, tutorial or assignment, one may send us a query through the Query form linked here.
    Module 3 Comprehensive Test Paper. 10% weightage along with assignments etc.

    The Module 3 Comprehensive Test Paper is available now.
    Prepare your solution and send it in the form of a PDF attachment to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com positively before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, 30 Nov, 2016 .
    Module 3 ends here.
    31
    		 Some administrative issues.
    Revisiting Major Forms of sentences.     		Lesson 31 Discussion. Future potentials of EPP. Assignment 31 (due on 12 Dec). Expansion of tense seeds into families of sentences. Notes.
    32
    		 A word tree and its root, branches, fruits in a tub.
    Surgery on Sentences.     		Lesson 32. Discussion. Identification of sentences as simple, compound, complex, mixed etc: Examples. Assignment 32 (due on 12 Dec). Exercise of developing word trees.
    Exercise on clauses.     		Notes.
    33
    		 Another word tree.
    Careful about trees that are misleading.     		Lesson 33. Discussion. Practice on Parsing: Classification.
    Practice on etymologically connected words.     		Assignment 33 (due on 12 Dec). Practice on Parsing: Classification.
    Practice on etymologically connected words.     		Notes.
    34
         		Parsing of Simple Sentences.
    Text-based parsing.     		Lesson 34. Discussion. Games: A great contributor to 'learning'.
    Rules of a game of 5-letter words.     		Assignment 34 (due on 12 Dec). Further practice on parsing.
    Synthesis of sentences.     		Notes.
    35
    		 Words in multiple roles.
    Parsing of Compound Sentences.
    Clauses and Phrases: Interchangeability.     		Lesson 35. Discussion. Exercise on Parsing. Assignment 35 (due on 12 Dec). Oral practice on use of words as different parts of speech.
    Group practice on Parsing.     		Notes.
    Submission of assignments 1 to 35 will not be accepted any more.
    Every assignment is to be submitted as a PDF file attached to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com by the due date.
    [Even hand-written work scanned in PDF format is acceptable, but no other file formats like .doc, .rtf etc.]
    For clarification of any doubt regarding the subject matter in the lesson, tutorial or assignment, one may send us a query through the Query form linked here.
    36
    		 Suffixes and Prefixes.
    Parsing of Complex Sentences.     		Lesson 36 Discussion. Test of English as a Functional Language. Assignment 36 (due on 20 Dec). Use of prefixes and suffixes to build word-tress.
    Practice on analysis of complex sentences.     		Notes.
    37
    		Phrasal Verbs.
    Parsing of Mixed Sentences.     		Lesson 37 Discussion. A discussion on Module Zero. Assignment 37 (due on 20 Dec). Practice on phrasal verbs.
    Practice on analysis and synthesis of sentences.     		Notes.
    38
    		 Design and Rephrasing of sentences.
    Direct and Indirect Narration.     		Lesson 38 Discussion. Games in learning.
    A word-guessing game that involves syntax too!     		Assignment 38 (due on 20 Dec). Practice on change of narration. Notes.
    Every assignment is to be submitted as a PDF file attached to an email to epp.iitkanpur@gmail.com by the due date.
    [Even hand-written work scanned in PDF format is acceptable, but no other file formats like .doc, .rtf etc.]
    For clarification of any doubt regarding the subject matter in the lesson, tutorial or assignment, one may send us a query through the Query form linked here.
    39
    		 Paragraph Structure.
    Vocabulary Building.     		Lesson 39 Discussion. A brief update on the history of EPP. Assignment 39 (due on 5 Jan). Practice on organisation of paragraphs. Notes.
    40
    		 What was achieved? Lesson 40 Discussion. What next? Assignment 40 (due on 5 Jan). An open discussion with participants on the course. Notes.
    Sources of passages. Additional exercise for teachers.
    There will be no comprehensive test on Module 4.
    Test of English as a Functional Language (ToEFL) on 7 Jan 2017 (Sat) will be taken as the shortlisting test for the final examination.
    Module 4 ends here.

    Final examination carrying 50% weightage.
    Test of English as a Functional Language (ToEFL) on 7 Jan 2017 (Sat) will be taken as the shortlisting test for the final examination.


    - Bhaskar Dasgupta