Course Syllabus

A1 Starter

Course length: 72 hours

COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course a learner will be able to:
Listening Reading Spoken Interaction Spoken production Writing

Write simple isolated

phrases and sentences.
Recognise familiar words Interact in a simple way provided the other Write a short, simple
Understand familiar
and very basic phrases person is prepared to repeat or rephrase postcard, for examples
names, words and very Use simple phrases and sentences
concerning myself, my family things at a slower rate of speech and help sending holiday greetings. I
simple sentences, for to describe where I live and people
and immediate concrete me formulate what I'm trying to say. I can can fill in forms with
example on notices and I know.
surroundings when people ask and answer simple questions in areas personal details, for
posters or in catalogues.
speak slowly and clearly. of immediate need or on very example entering my name,
familiar topics. nationality and address on a
hotel registration form.

STARTER A
Aim to cover the material in Units 1
1-8 (24 hours)

Topics and Intonation and Desired outcome competences: What

Language functions Grammar Points Sub-skills
Vocabulary Pronunciation learners will be able to do
 Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.

Understand very short, simple texts a

single phrase at a time, picking up familiar
names, words, and basic phrases and re-
Overall listening reading as required
comprehension.
Greeting people Interact in a simple way but communication
1. Greetings Overall reading is totally dependent on repetition at a
Numbers 0-10; Verb be (singular): I and you /h/, /aɪ/, and /iː/
Using numbers and Comprehension. slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
days of the week
days repair.
Spoken Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
interaction. and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.

Establish basic social contact by using the

simplest everyday polite forms of: greetings
and farewells; introductions; saying please,
thank you, sorry, etc.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.

Interact in a simple way but communication

is totally dependent on repetition at a
Overall listening slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
Talking about countries comprehension repair.
and nationalities Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
2. Where are you
Overall spoken and respond to simple statements in areas
from? Verb be (singular): he, she, it /l/, /əʊ/, /s/, and /ʃ/
Asking and telling where interaction of immediate need or on very familiar
Countries
something is. topics.
Information
exchange Understand questions and instructions
addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.
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 Ask and answer questions about
themselves and other people, where they
live, people they know, things they have.
Indicate time by such phrases as next
week, last Friday, in November, three
o’clock.

Follow speech that is very slow and

carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.
Overall listening
Expressing nationality comprehension Understand very short, simple texts a
single phrase at a time, picking up familiar
3. We aren’t English.
Asking about nationality Reading names, words, and basic phrases and re-
We’re American. Verb be (plural): we, you, they /ʤ/, /ʧ/, and /ʃ/
comprehension reading as required.
Nationalities
Goal-oriented Can understand questions and instructions
cooperation addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Can ask people for things, and give people
things.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.

Get an idea of the content of simpler

Overall listening informational material and short, simple
comprehension descriptions, especially if there is visual
support.
Having basic Reading for
4. What’s your phone Wh- and How questions with
conversations information and Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
number? be
argument Sentence rhythm and respond to simple statements in areas
Phone numbers;
Using Wh- questions of immediate need or on very familiar
numbers 11-100
Notes, messages topics.
and forms
Write numbers and dates, own name,
Creative writing nationality, address, age, date of birth, or
arrival in the country, etc.

Write simple phrases and sentences about

themselves and imaginary people, where
they live, and what they do.

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 Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.

Overall listening Interact in a simple way but communication

comprehension is totally dependent on repetition at a
5. Personal
Talking about slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
possessions
possessions Singular and plural nouns; a / Overall spoken /z/ and /s/; plural repair.
Small things
an interaction endings Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
Expressing plurals and respond to simple statements in areas
General linguistic of immediate need or on very familiar
range topics.

Have a very basic range of simple

expressions about personal details and
needs of a concrete type.
Understand very short, simple texts a
single phrase at a time, picking up familiar
Overall reading
names, words, and basic phrases and re-
comprehension
reading as required.
Transactions to
Asking about souvenirs Ask people for things, and give people
6. Souvenirs This / that / these / those obtain goods and /ð/ and /ə/
and cost things. Can handle numbers, quantities,
services
cost, and time.
Overall written
Write simple, isolated phrases and
production
sentences.

Follow speech that is very slow and

carefully articulated, with long pauses for
Overall listening
him / her to assimilate meaning.
comprehension
Get an idea of the content of simpler
Reading for
informational material and short, simple
information and
descriptions, especially if there is visual
argument
support.
7. Family and friends Talking about family Possessive adjectives; /ʌ/, /æ/ and the /ə/
People and family Expressing possession possessive’s Information sound
Understand questions and instructions
exchange
addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Orthographic
Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
control
and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
Coherence
topics.
Ask and answer questions about

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 themselves and other people, where they
live, people they know, things they have.
Indicate time by such phrases as next
week, last Friday, in November, three
o’clock.

Copy familiar words and short phrases, e.g.

simple signs or instructions, names of
everyday objects, names of shops, and set
phrases used regularly.
Spell his / her address, nationality, and
other personal details.

Link words or groups of words with very

basic linear connectors like ‘and’ or ‘then’.
Interact in a simple way but communication
is totally dependent on repetition at a
slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
repair.
Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.

Coherence. Make an introduction and use basic

Expressing colour, size, greeting and leave-taking expressions.
8. Colours and
etc. Conversation /uː/, /ɑː/, and /ɔː/; Ask how people are and react to news.
common adjectives Adjectives
linking Understand everyday expressions aimed at
Expressing preference Phonological the satisfaction of simple needs of a
control concrete type, delivered directly to him / her
in clear, slow, and repeated speech by a
sympathetic speaker.

Pronunciation of a very limited repertoire of

learnt words and phrases can be
understood with some effort by native
speakers used to dealing with speakers of
his / her language group.

STARTER B
Aim to cover the material in Units 9-16 (24 hours)
Talking about meal Overall reading Understand very short, simple texts a
Present simple + and - : I, you, Word stress; /ʧ/,
9. Food and drink habits comprehension single phrase at a time, picking up familiar
we, they /ʤ/, and /g/
names, words, and basic phrases and re-

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 Expressing likes and Overall spoken reading as required.
dislikes production
Interact in a simple way but communication
Overall written is totally dependent on repetition at a
production slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
repair.
Processing text Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.

Produce simple, mainly isolated phrases

about people and places.

Copy out single words and short texts

presented in standard printed format.

Follow speech that is very slow and

carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.

Understand very short, simple texts a

single phrase at a time, picking up familiar
names, words, and basic phrases and re-
Overall listening reading as required.
comprehension
Have a basic vocabulary repertoire of
10. A flight Overall reading /w/, /v/, and /ɒ/; isolated words and phrases related to
Basic conversations with Present simple ?: I, you, we,
Common verb comprehension sentence rhythm particular concrete situations.
Yes/No questions they
phrases and linking
Vocabulary range Manage very short, isolated, mainly
pre-packaged utterances, with much
Spoken fluency pausing to search for expressions, to
articulate less familiar words, and to repair
communication.

Talking about jobs and Reading for Get an idea of the content of simpler
places of work information and Third person –s; informational material and short, simple
11. Jobs and places of
Present simple: he, she, it /ɜː/; sentence descriptions, especially if there is visual
work argument
Asking about and giving rhythm support.
reasons

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Expressing frequency
12. A typical day
Talking about a typical
day
13. Free time Interviewing someone
Sports; common about sporting habits Word order in questions: be
verb phrases 2 and present simple
Talking about free time
Talking about film
14. Films genres Imperatives, object pronouns:
Kinds of films
Using the imperative
Goal-oriented Understand questions and instructions
cooperation addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Can ask people for things, and give people
Creative writing
things.
Orthographic Write simple phrases and sentences about
control themselves and imaginary people, where
they live, and what they do.
Get an idea of the content of simpler
informational material and short, simple
descriptions, especially if there is visual
Reading for support.
information and
argument Describe himself / herself, what he / she
/j/; sentence does, and where he / she lives.
Adverbs of frequency
Sustained rhythm
monologue: Copy familiar words and short phrases, e.g.
describing simple signs or instructions, names of
experience everyday objects, names of shops, and set
phrases used regularly.
Spell his / her address, nationality, and
other personal details.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
Overall listening him / her to assimilate meaning.
comprehension
Get an idea of the content of simpler
Reading for informational material and short, simple
information and descriptions, especially if there is visual
argument /w/, /h/, /eə/, /aʊ/; support.
sentence rhythm
Interviewing and Reply in an interview to simple direct
being interviewed questions spoken very slowly and clearly in
direct non-idiomatic speech about personal
Overall spoken details.
production
Produce simple, mainly isolated phrases
about people and places.
Overall listening Follow speech that is very slow and
comprehension Sentence rhythm carefully articulated, with long pauses for
me, him, etc. and intonation him / her to assimilate meaning.
Goal-oriented
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 cooperation Understand questions and instructions
addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
Vocabulary range and follow short, simple directions.
Ask people for things, and give people
things.

Have a basic vocabulary repertoire of

isolated words and phrases related to
particular concrete situations.

Make an introduction and use basic

greeting and leave-taking expressions.
Ask how people are and react to news.
Understand everyday expressions aimed at
the satisfaction of simple needs of a
concrete type, delivered directly to him / her
Conversation
in clear, slow, and repeated speech by a
sympathetic speaker
Overall spoken
production
Produce simple, mainly isolated phrases
Expressing permission about people and places.
Phonological /æ/, /ɑː/, /ə/;
15. Verb phrases and possibility Can / can’t
control sentence rhythm
Pronunciation of a very limited repertoire of
learnt words and phrases can be
Sociolinguistic
understood with some effort by native
appropriateness
speakers used to dealing with speakers of
his / her language group.

Establish basic social contact by using the

simplest everyday polite forms of: greetings
and farewells; introductions; saying please,
thank you, sorry, etc.

Understand short, simple messages on

Reading postcards.
correspondence
Expressing preferences Get an idea of the content of simpler
for typical activities: Reading for informational material and short, simple
/ʊ/, /uː/, and /ŋ/;
16. Activities loves, likes and hates Like / love / hate + verb + ing information and descriptions, especially if there is visual
sentence rhythm
argument support.

General linguistic Have a very basic range of simple

range expressions about personal details and
needs of a concrete type.

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 STARTER C
Aim to cover the material in Units 17-24 (24 hours)
Overall listening Follow speech that is very slow and
comprehension carefully articulated, with long pauses for
Sentence rhythm him / her to assimilate meaning.
Expressing actions
Sustained
occurring now
17. Common verb monologue: Describe himself / herself, what he / she
Present continuous
phrases describing does, and where he / she lives.
Expressing similarity
experience
and difference
Show only limited control of a few simple
Grammatical grammatical structures and sentence
accuracy patterns in a learnt repertoire.
Understand very short, simple texts a single
phrase at a time, picking up familiar names,
Overall reading words, and basic phrases and re-reading as
comprehension required.
Describing clothing and
18. Work Present continuous or present /ɜː/, /iː/, /e/, and
uniform Grammatical Show only limited control of a few simple
Clothes simple? /eə/
accuracy grammatical structures and sentence
patterns in a learnt repertoire.
Coherence
Link words or groups of words with very
basic linear connectors like ‘and’ or ‘then’.
Understand questions and instructions
addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple statements in areas
of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.
Information Ask and answer questions about
Talking about hotel exchange themselves and other people, where they
facilities live, people they know, things they have.
19. Hotels
There’s a… / there are some… General linguistic /eə/ and /ɪə/ Indicate time by such phrases as next
In, on, under
Expressing placement of range week, last Friday, in November, three
objects o’clock.
Spoken fluency
Have a very basic range of simple
expressions about personal details and
needs of a concrete type.

Manage very short, isolated, mainly pre-

packaged utterances, with much pausing to
search for expressions, to articulate less

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 familiar words, and to repair
communication.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
Overall listening
him / her to assimilate meaning.
comprehension
Expressing time and Produce simple, mainly isolated phrases
Overall spoken
place about people and places.
20. Famous People production Was and were;
Past simple: be
In, at, on sentence rhythm
Talking about famous Copy familiar words and short phrases, e.g.
Orthographic
people and past actions simple signs or instructions, names of
control
everyday objects, names of shops, and set
phrases used regularly.
Spell his / her address, nationality, and
other personal details.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.
Overall listening
Understand questions and instructions
comprehension
Talking about the past addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
21. Erasmus using regular verbs and follow short, simple directions.
Goal-oriented Regular past
experience Past simple: regular verbs Ask people for things, and give people
cooperation simple endings
Regular verbs Talking about Erasmus things.
and lifechanging events
Phonological
Pronunciation of a very limited repertoire of
control
learnt words and phrases can be
understood with some effort by native
speakers used to dealing with speakers of
his / her language group.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.
Overall listening
comprehension
Understand very short, simple texts a single
Expressing daily routine phrase at a time, picking up familiar names,
Overall reading
22. Daily routine words, and basic phrases and re-reading as
Past simple irregular verbs: do, comprehension
Verb phrases with Interviewing a partner Sentence rhythm required.
get, go, have
do, get, go, have
Overall spoken
Writing a blog post Interact in a simple way but communication
interaction
is totally dependent on repetition at a
slower rate of speech, rephrasing, and
Creative writing
repair.
Ask and answer simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple statements in areas

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 of immediate need or on very familiar
topics.

Write simple phrases and sentences about

themselves and imaginary people, where
they live, and what they do.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
Overall listening him / her to assimilate meaning.
comprehension
Understand very short, simple texts a single
Overall reading phrase at a time, picking up familiar names,
23. Strangers on a
Talking and asking comprehension words, and basic phrases and re-reading as
train Past simple, regular and
about the past using Irregular verbs required.
More irregular irregular verbs (revision)
irregular verbs Overall spoken
verbs
production Produce simple, mainly isolated phrases
about people and places.
General linguistic
range Has a very basic range of simple
expressions about personal details and
needs of a concrete type.
Follow speech that is very slow and
carefully articulated, with long pauses for
him / her to assimilate meaning.
Overall listening
comprehension
Understand very short, simple texts a single
phrase at a time, picking up familiar names,
Overall reading
24. A weekend away words, and basic phrases and re-reading as
Expressing future comprehension
Future time Present continuous for future The letters ea required.
arrangements
expressions
Goal-oriented
Understand questions and instructions
cooperation
addressed carefully and slowly to him / her
and follow short, simple directions.
Ask people for things, and give people
things.

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