I.D.

Bilkent University School of English Language Faculty Academic English Program 2022-2023 Spring Semester
MYTHS
WEEK Objectives Materials In-class Activities and Student
Responsibilities
Free Will
Week 1 Introducing the course through the syllabus and 14- Syllabus and 14-week plan The syllabus and 14-week plan are
week plan: course description, goals and objectives, reviewed with students.
Jan. 30- grading, and course requirements. Students complete a diagnostic
Feb. 3 Objectively analyzing one’s own performance and Evolution Redux reading activity.
setting meaningful, realistic targets (Goal G)
Understanding that communication is a social act and
behaving accordingly (Goal E) Student Learning Outcomes
Utilizing own experience and ideas generated during
focused discussions of texts / ideas (Goal B)

Week 2 Identifying purpose, intended audience, register, style, ESSAY I TEXT: “The Myth of Students read and analyze the
and genre of a piece of discourse (Goal A) Freedom” by Harari articles, and complete the analysis
Feb. 6 - Identifying the main and supporting points in input ESSAY I TEXT: “There is no such tables individually, in small groups
10 (Goal A) thing as free will” by Cave and as a whole class.
Accurately citing sources (Goal D) Essay I task assigned.
Utilizing strategies to decode meaning (Goal A) ASCR TEXT: “Life without Free Will”
Evaluating the strength and validity of an author’s by Harris
argument (Goal A) Academic Summary and Critical
Making text annotations / notes for future use (Goal A) Response task input and practice.

Week 3 Utilizing strategies to decode meaning (Goal A) ESSAY I TEXT: “Do you have free Students read and analyze the
Categorizing, selecting, organizing arguments, will?” by Tierney articles.
Feb. 13- evidence, and information by reviewing sources and ESSAY I TEXT: “The World without Students complete the analysis
17 notes (Goal B) Free Will” by Shariff and Vohs tables.
Utilizing own experience and ideas generated during ESSAY I TEXT: “Freewill vs. Students submit ASCR task (10%).
focused discussions of texts, ideas and arguments Determinism” by McLeod
(Goal B)
Week 4 Taking a stance and constructing one’s own argument Essay input: thesis statement, topic Essay I brainstorming and
to support it through use of evidence and sentences, use of sources, academic outlining in class.
Feb. 20 - counterargument (Goal B) language.
24 Clearly indicating a specific focus and maintaining that Feedback on Essay I outline
focus throughout the essay (Goal C)
Structuring an argument that is coherent and
cohesive, at both paragraph and essay level (Goal C)
Incorporating external evidence in order to support
and strengthen one’s own argument (Goal C)

Economic Inequality
Week 5 Structuring an argument that is coherent and ESSAY I in-class writing Essay I first draft written in class.
cohesive, at both paragraph and essay level (Goal C) Students submit the typed and
Feb. 27- Incorporating external evidence in order to support TED Talk: “How inequality harms formatted first draft of their first
Mar. 3 and strengthen one’s own argument (Goal C) societies” by Richard Wilkinson essay.
Taking a stance and constructing one’s own argument Students critically listen to the
to support it through use of evidence and ESSAY II TEXT: “Greater Equality” by video/read the article to identify the
counterargument (Goal B) Wilkinson and Pickett arguments about inequality.
Analyzing the vocabulary in the lecture with a view to
identifying language related terms (Goal F)
Utilizing strategies to decode meaning (Goal A)
Identifying the main/supporting points in arguments
(Goal A)
Categorizing and selecting information by determining
its relevance / usefulness (for a given purpose) (Goal
A)
Taking task requirements and audience needs into
consideration in order to address the essay question
(Goal B)
Week 6 Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way (No classes on Monday, Tuesday and Students read the article and
(Goal E) Wednesday) complete the worksheet.
Mar. 6 - Actively and critically listening in order to identify ESSAY II TEXT: “Is inequality
10 arguments for immediate response (Goal E) natural?” by Fuentes
Understanding that communication is a social act and
behaving accordingly (Goal E)
 Questioning another’s position in a critical, but
respectful manner (Goal E)
Monitoring and meeting emerging audience needs
(Goal E)
Identifying the main/supporting points in arguments
(Goal A)
Understanding their own and others’ perspectives and
cultural bias (Goal A)
Making text annotations /notes for future use (Goal A)
Week 7 Objectively analyzing one’s own performance and ESSAY II TEXT: “Are we about to Students prepare for and participate
setting meaningful, realistic targets (Goal G) witness the most unequal societies in in tutorials.
Mar. 13 - Objectively analyzing own performance according to history?” by Harari Students complete the worksheet.
17 set criteria (Goal G) Essay II task assigned.
Critically evaluating and incorporating feedback in Discussion input and practice
order to improve the product (essay) (Goal G) Tutorials for Essay I
Acknowledging / exploiting alternative
perspectives and / or counter points to support and
strengthen the argument (Goal C)
Week 8 Taking a stance and constructing one’s own argument ESSAY II TEXT: “Americans want to Students prepare for the student-led
to support it through use of evidence and live in a much more equal society” by discussion by analyzing articles and
Mar 20 - counterargument (Goal B) Ariely (G1) formulating questions.
24 Structuring an argument that is coherent and ESSAY II TEXT: “The Science of
cohesive, at both paragraph and essay level (Goal C) Inequality” by Starmans, Sheskin and Students hand in the final draft of
Incorporating external evidence in order to support Bloom (G2) their first essay.
and strengthen one’s own argument (Goal C) ESSAY II TEXT: “Inequality: is it rising .
and can we reverse it?” by Partington Withdraw deadline: Mar. 22
(G1)
ESSAY II TEXT: “There will always be
dysfunctional inequality” by Sherman
(G2)
Tutorials for Essay I

Student-Led Discussion Groups 1 and

2
Week 9 Taking a stance and constructing one’s own argument Brainstorming for Essay II Essay II brainstorming.
Mar. 27 - to support it through use of evidence and
31 counterargument (Goal B) Feedback on Essay I
Clearly indicating a specific focus and maintaining that Feedback on Essay II outline
focus throughout the essay (Goal C) Self-progress reflection task input
Structuring an argument that is coherent and
cohesive, at both paragraph and essay level (Goal C)
Incorporating external evidence in order to support
and strengthen one’s own argument (Goal C)
Week 10 Structuring an argument that is coherent and Essay II in class writing Students complete and submit the
cohesive, at both paragraph and essay level (Goal C) self-progress reflection task (along
Apr. 3 - Incorporating external evidence in order to support with their MLA-formatted Essay II).
7 and strengthen one’s own argument (Goal C)
Taking a stance and constructing one’s own argument
to support it through use of evidence and
counterargument (Goal B)

Human Nature
Week 11 Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way Talk: “What explains the rise of Students analyze TED talks and
(Goal E) humans” by Harari (G3) articles to prepare for the discussion.
Apr. 10 - Actively and critically listening in order to identify DISCUSSION TEXT: “Romantic
14 arguments for immediate response (Goal E) Illusion of the Noble Savage” by The
Understanding that communication is a social act and Irish Times (G3)
behaving accordingly (Goal E) DISCUSSION TEXT: “Noble Savage
Questioning another’s position in a critical, but Myth Covers up Truth” by Deming
respectful manner (Goal E) (G3)
Monitoring and meeting emerging audience needs
(Goal E) Talk: “Dreams from Endangered
Identifying the main/supporting points in arguments Cultures” by Davis (G4)
(Goal A) DISCUSSION TEXT: “The Myth of the
Understanding their own and others’ perspectives and Noble Savage” (G4) by Gardner
cultural bias (Goal A) DISCUSSION TEXT: “Was Civilization
Making text annotations /notes for future use (Goal A) the Cure for Primordial Human
Violence?” by Horgan (G4)
Week 12 Acknowledging / exploiting alternative perspectives No classes on Thursday and Friday Students prepare for the upcoming
and / or counter points to support and strengthen the student-led discussion.
Apr. 17 - argument (Goal C) Talk: Steven Pinker on the Myth of
21 Categorizing and selecting information by determining Violence (G5)
its relevance / usefulness for a given purpose (Goal A) DISCUSSION TEXT: “Bones reveal Students analyze the articles and
Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way some truth in ‘noble savage’ myth” by brainstorm about the differences
(Goal E) Lucentini (G5) between modern and ancient
Actively and critically listening in order to identify DISCUSSION TEXT: “Nasty, Brutish humans.
arguments for immediate response (Goal E) and Short: Are Humans DNA-Wired to
Understanding that communication is a social act and Kill?” by Gabbatis (G5)
behaving accordingly (Goal E)
Questioning another’s position in a critical, but
respectful manner (Goal E)
Monitoring and meeting emerging audience needs
(Goal E)
Week 13 Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way Students prepare for the upcoming
(Goal E) Student-led Discussion Groups 3, 4 presentation in line with the
Apr. 24 - Using voice to communicate successfully (Goal E) and 5 presentation worksheet.
28 Structuring and timing the communication act in
accordance with worksheet requirements (Goal E) Presentation Input
Using non-verbal techniques to enhance
communication (Goal E)
Using visual aids (Goal E)

Week 14 Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day Students prepare for the upcoming
(Goal E) Holiday presentation in line with the
May 1 - Using voice to communicate successfully (Goal E) Individual Presentations (8%) presentation worksheet.
5 Structuring and timing the communication act in Students make individual
accordance with worksheet requirements (Goal E) presentations and critically evaluate
Using non-verbal techniques to enhance other students’ presentations.
communication (Goal E) Students interview presenters.
Using visual aids (Goal E)
Week 15 Communicating ideas in a coherent and cohesive way Individual Presentations (8%) Students make individual
(Goal E) presentations and critically evaluate
May 8 - Using voice to communicate successfully (Goal E) other students’ presentations.
12 Structuring and timing the communication act in Students interview presenters.
accordance with worksheet requirements (Goal E)
Using non-verbal techniques to enhance
communication (Goal E)
Using visual aids (Goal E)
Week 16 SLOs revisited
May 15 Final Exam input

Week 16 FINAL EXAM

May 16 -