Sana’a University English Proficiency Program
(Local TOEFL)
I – Program Objectives
The English Proficiency Certificate program aims to offer students a solid foundation of English language skills and a solid preparation for academic study at the university degree level. It attempts to ensure that students have a high level of English to sufficiently help them in their undergraduate study, provide them with an awareness of the cultural context in which they study, and introduce them to the various academic norms and requirements for study in higher education institutions. This is achieved through the following:
Ensuring that students have the English language skills to succeed in an undergraduate program of study (minimum B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (henceforth referred to as CEFR).
Providing an environment in which students can gain essential study skills and learn how to achieve learning outcomes through their assessed work.
Enabling students to improve their skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English so that they can cope effectively with academic demands in university and the professional needs of the labor market.
Facilitating understanding of international cultures and societies and helping students to integrate into the Higher Education system.
Introducing students to a wide range of teaching and learning experiences to enable them to proceed confidently to study at various study levels.
II – Target Group:
English Proficiency courses are designed for:
Students who have very limited knowledge and inefficient skills in the English language and want to develop their language proficiency skills.
Pre-intermediate students who want to develop their communication skills orally and in writing
Intermediate students who are able to communicate but in need of more practice.
Students who studied English some years ago but want to activate their language skills.
Students of advanced levels who need English for their professional careers.
Postgraduate students in various academic disciplines.
Students who want to develop their linguistic competence in general and specialized English such as commercial, medical, administrative, and scientific fields of study.
This is very important to students who want to cope with the new development and to use the English language at work or elsewhere.
III – Program Intended Learning Outcomes
A. Knowledge and Understanding:
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
A1 | Demonstrate awareness and a systematic understanding of the key linguistic features essential for academic writing, the mechanics of writing, and the various forms of paragraphs and essays. |
A2 | Demonstrate awareness and a systematic understanding of the key linguistic features essential for academic reading and the main strategies of reading and active comprehension. |
A3 | Show an awareness of basic elements of English grammar and recognize parts of speech, grammatical categories, and structures (verb tenses and forms, adverbs, articles, modal auxiliaries, comparatives and superlatives, count and uncountable nouns, expressions of quantity …) |
A4 | Discuss with understanding the basic forms of communication and identify the proper functions of language in different situations. |
A5 | Demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which words and sentences are related to each other and how they combine to create texts of different types. |
A6 | Display a considerable knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary and basic technical terms related to the field of their study and identify a range of common affixes and roots that are used to extend and generate new vocabulary. |
B. Cognitive Skills:
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
B1 | Critically judge and evaluate evidence, especially on the basis of a detailed analysis of the use of language in a variety of modes, genres, and contexts, in different types of texts |
B2 | Demonstrate an ability to extract information from various types of texts and conversations using different reading comprehension strategies such as scanning, skimming, etc. |
B3 | Adopt critical thinking within the subject paradigm, encompassing close reading of texts |
B4 | Identify, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and employ information resources and/or other forms of supporting evidence appropriate to the discipline in which they are studying. |
B5 | Apply critical, analytical, and evaluative thinking to their own writing, through drafting, revising, and/or editing processes appropriate to the discipline in which they are studying. |
B6 | Revise writing for clarity of content and edit for correct use of language, sentence formation, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling as part of the writing process. |
C. Practical Skills:
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
C1 | Apply a range of conceptual tools and skills learned to enhance their ability and efficiency in handling language-based tasks, and in communicating effectively in English both orally and in writing. |
C2 | Respond to varying demands of audience, task, purpose, genre and discipline by listening, reading, writing and speaking with awareness of self, others and context, and adapting their communication skills to their discipline of study. |
C3 | Effectively use a variety of reading strategies for analyzing multiple kinds of texts and read independently and intensively, texts of a considerable length, in a variety of genres. |
C4 | Apply communication skills in appropriate contexts, including the ability to present sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments cogently and coherently. |
C5 | Successfully apply strategies to analyze and critically examine diverse forms of texts. |
C6 | To use technology and digital media strategically and capably to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening and language use. |
D. General Transferable Skills:
On successful completion of the program, students should be able to:
D1 | Take responsibility for personal and professional learning and development |
D2 | Manage time and prioritize workloads, think and perform under pressure and work to deadlines |
D3 | Work creatively and flexibly in collaboration with others and as part of a team. |
D4 | Use a range of Information Technology skills effectively, such as word processing text with footnotes, basic formatting, email, searching databases and navigating the world wide web. |
D5 | Communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing. |
IV – Program Structure and Study Plan:
Supplementary materials/activities | Textbooks of Level (Units) | Number of hours | Level |
Stories+SRA+Activities+ListeningCycle | Venture 1(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Access A (AA) |
Venture 1(7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Access B (AB) | |
American English File Starter (1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Basic A (BA) | |
American English File Starter (7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Basic B (BB) | |
American English File 1(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 1A | |
American English File 1(7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 1B | |
Writing SkillsWeaving it Together | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Elective 1 | |
American English File 2(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 2A | |
American English File 2( 7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 2B | |
American English File 3(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 3A | |
American English File 3(7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 3B | |
Listening & SpeakingSpeak Now | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Elective 2 | |
American English File 4(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 4A | |
American English File 4(7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 4B | |
Writing SkillsAcademic Writing | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Elective 3 | |
American English File 5(1-6) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 5A | |
American English File 5(7-12) | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | Level 5B | |
IBT TOEFL/ PBT | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | TOEFL 1 | |
IBT TOEFL/ PBT | 50 Hours/5 weeks/10 hours a week | TOEFL 2 |
V- Admission and Registration
Placement Test
Fresh students who want to join the program need to take the Placement Test.
It consists of 100 questions in three sections:
– Grammar (multiple choice questions)
– Vocabulary (multiple choice questions)
– Writing (short essay writing)
– Oral Test (interview)
Registration
Based on the results of the Placement Test, students will be registered in the courses
VI – Teaching and Learning Strategies:
Students are exposed to a variety of recent teaching and learning methods which may be new and challenging for them, including lectures, tutorials, self-learning, group work and presentations, projects/presentations, Lab sessions/training, Cooperative Learning, Problem-solving, brainstorming, reflective portfolios and the use of a virtual learning environment.
VII – Assessment Methods:
Students’ proficiency levels are assessed through a variety of methods including:
A- Methods of Assessing Courses:
1- Written examinations
2- Assignments
3- Presentations
4- Quizzes
5- Oral assessment and feedback
6- Report writing/ projects/
practical lab sessions
7- coursework activities
B- English Proficiency Test (Local TOEFL):
It is a paper-based test designed to assess students’ proficiency in English in the four language skills in light of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The test aims to assess participants’ skills in:
Listening to various general and specific dialogues and talks in order to successfully get the main ideas and details.
Speaking fluently and intelligibly in various contexts, including professional and academic settings.
Reading various general and specific texts in order to get the main ideas and details.
Grammar and written expression
C- Test components:
Component One: Listening and speaking.
Component Two: Writing and grammar.
Component Three: Reading Comprehension
D-Test Scoring System:
In its scoring system, it follows the benchmarks of standard international tests such as TOEFL ITP. The Score for the Test Ranges from 677 (the highest) to 310 (the lowest) and is based on three sub-scores:
Listening (31- 68).
Structure (31- 68).
Reading (31- 67).
The test includes a total score and three sub-scores – one for each section. Each section counts equally toward the total score. Only the number of correct answers is counted in each section. The results are called raw scores. The raw scores are then converted into scaled scores.
The scaled scores in each section are added together, multiplied by 10, and divided by 3 to get the total score as follows:
Scaled Section 1 Section 2 Section 3
Scores 49 + 58 + 55 = 162
Total score
(162 × 10) = 1620 ÷ 3 = 540
VIII – Criteria for Admission
The program is open to any student who is interested in obtaining a certificate of proficiency in the English language.
No pre-requisite courses or previous academic degree is required to join the program.
Students have to take a placement test before joining the program.
The duration of each course is 50 hours over 5 weeks.
To join the TOEFL preparation program (iBT or PBT), the student has to pass 7 levels in English language study.
The total compulsory credit hours of the program are 800 hours.
Elective courses can be taken by students who are interested in improving their skills and enhance their proficiency.
IX – Facilities & equipment required to achieve the Program Objectives:
Students from a wide range of cities and villages are welcomed onto the program, ensuring an interesting and diverse range of backgrounds, beliefs and attitudes.
A. Learning Resources:
* The books and references required in each course
* The University Central Library
* The Center/Department Library
* The University/Center On-Line Library
B. Laboratories, Facilities, Equipment and Learning Devices:
* Computer Lab.
* Audio-visual Lab.
* Smart Boards
* LED Screens
* Head-over Projectors and Data-Shows
* High-speed wireless internet connection
C. Other Remarks:
All courses at CCTLT start and finish at a unified time, known as term system.
Classrooms are well-equipped with the most recent audio-visual aids and furniture.
A stimulating learning atmosphere to encourage learning is created through arranging various curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Following a very effective assessment system for the students and the teaching staff performance.
IX- Methods of Assessing Achievement of Program Objectives & Learning Outcomes:
TARGETED/ EVALUATED | EVALUATION STRATEGY | SAMPLES |
Final Semester Students | InterviewsQuestionnaires | All candidates |
Graduates | InterviewsQuestionnairesMeetings | All candidates |
Employers | SurveyQuestionnaires | As many as possible |
Council of Accreditation and Quality Assurance | ReportsObservationsVisits | Experts from CAQA, Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research |
External Experts and Specialists | ReportsVisits | Experts and Specialists invited by the Center for Self-assessment |