PART II : COURSES OF STUDIES ENGLISH
This is a two-year syllabus for classes IX and X, for which the Board's teaching materials comprise a course entitled Interact in English.
Aims
Interact in English
The overall aims of the course are : a) to enable the learner to communicate effectively and appropriately in real-life situations,
b) to use English effectively for study purposes across the curriculum,
c) to develop and integrate the use of the four language skills, i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing,
d) to develop an interest in and appreciation of literature,
e) to recycle and reinforce structures already learnt,
Apart from helping students to achieve these overall aims, the teacher has an important role to play in improving the linguistic competence of the students. The underlying principles of course design, which help towards this end, are :
Creativity :
Self-monitoring :
Liberal education :
READING
By the end of the course, students should be able to : 1. read silently at varying speed depending on the purpose of reading.*
2. adopt different strategies for different types of text, both literary and non- literary.
3. recognise the organization of a text.
4. identify the main points of a text.
5. understand relations between different parts of a text through lexical and grammatical cohesion devices.
6. anticipate and predict what will come next in a text.*
7. deduce the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items in a given context.
8. consult a dictionary to obtain information on the meaning and use of lexical items.*
9. analyse, interpret, infer (and evaluate*) the ideas in a text.
* Objectives which will not be tested in a formal examination.
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10. select and extract from a text information -required for a specific purpose (and record it in note form*)
11. transcode information from verbal to diagrammatic form.
12. retrieve and synthesise information from a range of reference materials using study skills such as skimming and scanning.*
13. interpret texts by relating them to other material on the same theme (and to own experience and knowledge*)
14. read extensively for pleasure.*
WRITING
By the end of the course, students should be able to 1. express ideas in clear and grammatically correct English, using appropriate punctuation and cohesion devices.
2. write in a style appropriate for communicative purposes.
3. plan, organise and present ideas coherently by introducing, developing and concluding a topic.
4. write a clear description (e.g. of a place, a person, an object or a system).
5. write a clear account of events (e.g. a process, a narrative, a trend or a cause- effect relationship).
6. compare and contrast ideas and arrive at conclusions.
7. present an argument, supporting it with appropriate examples.
8. use an appropriate style and format to write letters (formal and informal), postcards, telegrams, notices, messages, reports, articles and diary entries.
9. monitor, check and revise written work.*
10. transcode information from diagrammatic to, verbal form.
11. expand notes into a piece of writing.
12. reduce a given text into a summary (or note form*).
13. recode information from one text type to another (e.g. diary entry to letter, advertisement to report).
**LISTENING
By the end of course, students should be able to 1. adopt different strategies according to the purpose of listening (e.g. for pleasure, for general interest, for specific information).
2. use linguistic and non-linguistic features of the context as clues to understanding and interpreting what is heard (e.g. cohesion devices, key words, intonation, gesture, background noises).
3. listen to a talk or conversation and understand the topic and main points.
4. listen for information required for a specific purpose, e.g. in radio broadcast, commentaries, airport announcements.
5. distinguish main points from supporting details, and relevant from irrelevant information.
6. understand and interpret messages conveyed in person or. by telephone.
** These objectives will not be tested in a formal examination, but will be included for Continuous Assessment in Class IX.
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7. understand and respond appropriately to directive language, e.g. instructions, advice, requests and warnings.
8. understand and interpret spontaneous spoken discourse in familiar social situations.
**SPEAKING
By the end of the course, students should be able to 1. speak intelligibly using appropriate word stress, sentence stress and intonation patterns.
2. adopt different strategies to convey ideas effectively according to purpose, topic and audience (including the appropriate use of polite expressions).
3. narrate incidents and events, real or imaginary, in a logical sequence.
4. present oral reports or summaries and make announcements clearly and confidently.
5. express and argue a point of view clearly and effectively.
6. take an active part in group discussions, showing an ability to express agreement or disagreement, to summarise ideas, to elicit the views of others, and to present own ideas.
7. express and respond to personal feelings, opinions and attitudes.
8. convey messages effectively in person or by telephone.
9. frame questions so as to elicit the desired response, and respond appropriately to questions.
10. participate in spontaneous spoken discourse in familiar social situations.
GRAMMAR By the end of the course, students should be able to use the following accurately and appropriately in context
1. Verb forms Tenses :
present/past forms simple/continuous forms perfect forms future time reference
Modals
Active and Passive voice Subject-verb concord *Non-finite verb forms (infinitive and participles)
2. Sentence Structure Connectors
Types of sentence :
affirmative/interrogative sentences. negation exclamations
** These objectives will not be tested in a formal examination, but will be included for Continuous Assessment in Class IX.
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*Sentence connection
finite and non-finite subordinate clauses noun clauses and phrases adjective clauses and phrases adverb clauses and phrases
Indirect speech
*Comparison *Nominalisation
3. Other Areas Determiners Pronouns Prepositions
LITERATURE By the end of the course, students should be able to understand, interpret, evaluate and respond to the following features in a literary text
1 Character, as revealed through appearance and distinguishing features, socioeconomic background, action/events, direct expression of feelings, speech and dialogues.
2 Plot/Story/Theme, emerging through main events, progression of events and links between them; sequence of events denoting theme.
3 Setting, as seen through time and place, socioeconomic and cultural background, people, beliefs and attitudes
4. Form rhyme rhythm simile metaphor alliteration pun repetition
EXAMINATION SPECIFICATIONS
CLASS IX
One Paper 3 hours 100 marks
SECTION A: READING 30 marks 63 pds.
Three unseen passages with a variety of comprehension questions including 5 marks for word-attack skills such as word formation and inferring meaning.
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1) 150-250 words in length 8 marks
2) 200-300 words in length 8 marks
3) 500-600 words in length 14 marks
The total length of the three passages will be between 900 and 1100 words. The passages
will include one of each of the following
Factual passage, e.g. instructions, description, report.
Discursive passage involving opinion, e.g. argumentative, persuasive or interpretative text.
Literary passage, eg. extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay or biography. In the case
of a poetry extract, the text may be shorter than 150 words.
SECTION B : WRITING 30 marks 63 pds.
Four writing tasks as indicated below :
1) Linguistically controlled, where a student builds up a short composition with guidance.
5 marks
2) Short composition of not more than 50 words, e.g. a note, or notice, message,
telegram, short postcard.
5 marks
3) Composition based on a verbal stimulus such as an advertisement, notice, newspaper
cutting, table, diary extract, notes, letter or other forms of correspondence.
10 marks
4) Composition based on a visual stimulus such as a diagram, picture, graph, map,
cartoon, or flow chart.
10 marks
One of the longer (10 marks) compositions will draw on the thematic content of the
Main Coursebook.
At least one task will involve the production of a form of correspondence, eg. a letter,
postcard, note or notice.
One task will involve the production of a discursive text in which the student is required
to express his/her point of view on the topic given.
SECTION C : GRAMMAR 15 marks 32 pds.
A variety of short questions involving the use of particular structures within a context (ie.
not in isolated sentences). Test types used will include, for example, cloze, gap-filling, sentence
completion, sentence reordering, editing, dialogue completion and sentence transformation.
The grammar syllabus will be sampled each year, with marks allotted for
verb forms
sentence structures
other areas
SECTION D : LITERATURE 25 marks 52 pds.
1) Two extracts from different poems from the prescribed reader, each followed by two
or three questions to test local and global comprehension of the set text. Each extract
will carry 3-5 marks.
8 marks
2) One or two questions based on one of the drama texts from the prescribed reader, to
test local and global comprehension of the set text. An extract may or may not be used.
5 marks
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3) One question based on one of the prose texts from the prescribed reader, to test global
comprehension and extrapolation beyond the set text.
4 marks
4) One extended question based on one of the prose texts from the prescribed reader,
to test global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the set text.
8 marks
Questions will test comprehension at different levels, literal, inferential and evaluative.
Prescribed Books/Materials
1. Interact in English - IX Main Coursebook Published by
2. Interact in English - IX Literature Reader CBSE
3. Interact in English - IX Workbook Delhi-110 092.
4. Interact in English - IX Audio Cassette Produced by CBSE Delhi
OVERALL ASSESSMENT POLICY FOR CLASS IX
(including Continuous Assessment)
The new English curriculum for Course A aims at the harmonious development of the four
language skills, and thus of the learners' communicative capacity. Teaching/testing objectives have
been set for each of these skills, indicating. the level of achievement expected of the learners.
However, although it is possible to assess these skills and sub-skills, it is not possible to test all
of them through a formal, time-bound examination. It is, therefore, essential to measure the level
of attainment in these skills through continuous assessment, in addition to the formal examination.
The overall pattern of the two modes of assessment at Class IX is as follows :
1. Continuous Assessment 60%
a) Conversation skills 20%
b) Assignments 20%
c) Formal testing 20%
2. Final Examination 40%