1. A study guide for students.
Using Northstar
A study guide for students.

2. Communication courses and northstar
Our department’s communication courses are designed to offer students English language practice time and integrate cultural content with the language instruction.
The NorthStar series was selected to provide an overall topic or theme for our weekly classes and targeted English study outside of the classroom.
Targeted English study?

3. Targeted TOEIC Help
TOEIC scores are needed both for graduation and employment.
The NorthStar series helps mainly with the Speaking/LC sections of TOEIC.
Speaking Vocabulary development and structured responses
LC Listening exercises (also targeted for TOEFL learners)

4. What is Toeic all about? What does it prove?
What are the important goals to prepare for TOEIC study?
Time management
Consistency
These also help prepare you for TOEIC speaking

5. How to use the northstar chapters
1 Focus on the topic: This is a TOEIC speaking exercise
2 Focus on listening: An introduction to chapter vocabulary
Preview (speaking)
Main Ideas (LC)
Details (LC)
Make inferences (LC)
Express Opinions (speaking)
Listening Two (LC)
Vocabulary (RC)
Comprehension (LC)
Listening Skill (LC and speaking)
Connecting the Listening (LC)

6. How to use the northstar chapters
3 Focus on Speaking
Vocabulary Review (speaking)
Expand (speaking and RC)
Grammar (all)
Pronunciation (speaking, listening)
Speaking skill (speaking)
Final speaking skill (speaking)
Unit Project (speaking)

7. At home… or in class? LC exercises (at home) Grammar (at home)
Speaking and Pronunciation (in class)
Speaking exercises in textbook VS. free conversation time

8. Free conversation time
Unstructured
Partner/group discussions are an opportunity to have English conversation. Don’t worry too much about accuracy, just enjoy the chance to talk with classmates.
Pub Quiz, “in the news”, expression of the day… these are also free conversation. Being comfortable talking on a variety of topics and learning about English language culture are the goals here… NOT accuracy. Just use English!

9. Speaking Exercises in the textbook
Structured
In this new edition of NorthStar, the textbook writers have added and improved their TOEIC SPEAKING practice exercises.
Each chapter covers a section of the TOEIC speaking test, though not always in the same order the questions are presented on the TOEIC speaking test.
In class, your focus on these exercises should be on accuracy and consistency.

10. Accuracy & Consistency
Quizzes and exams will grade you on these two areas.

11. How?
For TOEIC SPEAKING-style exercises, plan your answer and write it down.
Ask for help to get feedback on your response (time permitting).
Volunteer your responses.
With practice you will not need to spend as much time writing what you will say.
The end goal (after finished Advanced Communication)… not need to write at all!

12. What’s expected?
Again, accuracy means that you can use target vocabulary and grammar in the way the question asks.
Consistency is the ability to provide a quality answer over and over again.

13. Manage your expectations…
For beginning communication…
You are making the transition from first to second year…
First “real” communication course
Being able to provide accurate and consistent responses will take time.
Use class time to practice and receive feedback.
For intermediate communication…
It’s been one year (or more) since your last communication course…
Soon to take the TOEIC exams

14. Example of a response:

15. From now until mid-term…
Practice using English…
Improving our understanding of culture…
Learning the basics of structuring accurate and consistency speaking responses…

16. After mid-term…
Continue using and leaning about the English language and culture…
Improve our structured speaking responses with more focus on pronunciation and improving overall quality of responses.

17. Quizzes and exams
On quizzes and exams you will provide WRITTEN structured responses.
Write a description for a picture…
Use textbook vocabulary and grammar to provide a written response.
Example:
Q: In two sentences, express agreement for the following statement: “I think multitasking is a bad habit.”
A: I’m with you. I think that rather than multitasking, students should focus on one subject deeply.
How is this graded?

18. Tips
This might seem like a lot BUT… content and questions for quizzes and exams will come from the textbook. Make sure to complete the activities and ask questions!
Get help: Speaking Lab  bring your written responses and get feedback
Use each other: Do you notice that your partner creates better responses than you? Ask them for help! If you and your partners cannot produce good responses, consider working with different people.
Don’t just read the textbook activities. DO THEM!

19. Questions?
Let’s get to it!