English for Practical Purposes—Fall 2002
實用英文

Jo (A210, Tu 2-5 or by appointment)


This course is designed for those advanced students who are preparing to enter the job-market, or at least getting ready to face the complex realities of daily life as adult professionals. The English skills we will be practicing in this course will be centered upon those areas of expertise that may come in handy when job-seeking or problem-solving on the job. Students will learn to construct their own personal profiles for profession-related purposes, write letters of explanation/complaint/negotiation, and practice presentation skills. Reference materials are to be located on the net as specified, and will be discussed in great detail in class. Students will be required to turn in written work weekly, shape up their professional image, and make respectable presentations in class.

 


Tentative schedule—

   
09-13

 intro to the course
homework career planning for yourself, bring in job descriptions, want-ads

 

 


09-20

 understanding the job market and the need for professionalism
homework look over resume tips

 

09-27

 anatomy of a resume

in class Tips for Creating a Concise Resume
How to Decide on Resume Length
Put Your Education to Work

homework construct your own resume

 

 

 


10-04

 strategizing/packaging your image

in class Breaking Tradition with a Functional Resume
Common Resume Blunders
Job Description Power Verbs
Resume samples

homework modify resume

 

 

 

 


10-11

 constructing your CV

in class Anatomy of a Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter
Sample Cover Letter

homework finalize your personal resume or profile

 

 

 


10-18

 presentations of finalized personal resumes or CV

in class what is a statement of purpose?
what do colleges look for in a statement of purpose?
statement of purpose--sample 1
statement of purpose--sample 2
statement of purpose--sample 3

homework practice CV

 

 

 


10-25

 writing study plans

in class A Few Tips on How to Write a Letter of Recommendation
letters of recommendation 
recommendation letter--sample 1
recommendation letter--sample 2
recommendation letter--sample 3

homework begin working on SoP 

 

 


11-01 wrap-up resume, CV, statement of purpose
in class student resume sample: English Teacher-1pdf
student resume sample: English Teacher-2pdf
student resume sample: English Teacher-3pdf
student resume sample: Educatorpdf
student resume sample: Editing Assistantpdf
student resume sample: Tour Guide-1pdf
student resume sample: Tour Guide-2pdf
student resume sample: Secretarypdf
student resume sample: Flight Attendant & Ground Staffpdf
student resume sample: Marketingpdf
student resume sample: Acoustic Producerpdf

 homework prepare for interviews

 

 


11-08

job interviews

in class Is your Body Language on Your Side?
Having a Successful Job Interview
應徵注意事項(剪報)

homework prepare for interviews

 

 

 


11-15
 job interviews: team up and dress up for mock interview
in class  want-ad sample: English Teacher 
 want-ad sample: Tour Guides
 want-ad sample: Editors
 want-ad sample: Convention Organizer
 want-ad sample: Dell computers
 want-ad sample: Admissions
 
 homework  rethinking interview techniques
 

 

 


11-22

 more job interviews

homework writing letters for specific purposes

 

11-29

 letter-writing for problem-solving

in class Letter of inquiry
Letter of request
Letter of complaint
Sample letters

homework thinking about work ethic

 

 


12-06

 work ethic in the modern workplace

in class Ethics--Avoid Discrimination of Gays
Ethics--Coming Out at Work
Ethics--Danger of office romance
Ethics--Love at Work
Ethics--Love Conquers All Workplaces
Ethics--Mixing Work and Romance
Ethics--Workplace for Gays and Lesbians Romance
無尾熊男人


homework
  prepare powerpoint presentations

 

 

 

 


 
12-13  no class (teacher at Cultural Studies Conference in Taichung)

12-20

professional presentations
student demonstrations of using the powerpoint
homework gathering up personal profile

 

 


12-27

presentation of self-profile (oral presentation and paper profile)

 

01-10  turn in electronic personal profile as final project