Support Material for the Diary Entry "Self-study Technology (2)"

EXAMPLES OF GOALS & OBJECTIVES
SPECIFIC vs GENERAL

GOALS

1. Improve my English skills because I need English in my life.
2. Improve my English.
3. Improve understanding of language in daily-life situations (talk shows, interviews, movies, magazines)
4. to improve my speaking skills to a native speaker-like level
5. to improve my writing skills from poor to good
6. to improve my listening skills in understanding unstressed words in a fluent speech

OBJECTIVES
Listening

1. I can understand native speakers
2. I can understand when someone speaks very slowly to me and articulates carefully, with long pauses for me to assimilate meaning.
3. I can understand simple directions how to get from X to Y, by foot or public transport.
4. I can understand most radio documentaries delivered in standard language and can identify the speaker’s mood, tone etc.
5. I can understand TV documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and the majority of films in standard dialect.
6. I can understand every word I hear

Reading

1. I can understand the main points in short newspaper articles about current and familiar topics.
2. I can understand everything I read.
3. I can understand parts dealing with events, feelings and wishes in private letters well enough to correspond regularly with a pen friend.
4. I can understand books.
5. I can extract information, ideas and opinions from highly specialised texts in my own field, for example research reports.
6. I can understand long complex instructions, for example for the use of a new piece of equipment, even if these are not related to my job or field of interest, provided I have enough time to reread them.

Speaking

1. I can use the language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of general, professional or academic topics.
2. I can use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage.
3. I can understand native speakers and they can understand me.
4. I can speak without any mistake.
5. I can express and respond to feelings such as surprise, happiness, sadness, interest and indifference.
6. I can deal with most situations likely to arise when making travel arrangements through an agent or when actually travelling.

Writing

1. I can give a detailed description of experiences, feelings and events in a personal letter.
2. I can write essays
3. I can express myself in writing on a wide range of general or professional topics in a clear and user friendly manner.
4. I can write without mistakes
5. I can express in a personal letter different feelings and attitudes and can report the news of the day making clear what – in my opinion – are the important aspects of an event.
6. I can write summaries of articles on topics of general interest.
7. I can reply in written form to advertisements and ask for more complete or more specific information about products (for example a car or an academic course).