Placement Test & Course Allocation 

 OCMT has a standardized computerized Placement Test. It is administered to all newly admitted students. The test takes into consideration the level of proficiency in English of Arab high school graduates, in addition to the prototype international tests like TOEFL, ILETS, and Michigan Test.

Student English Proficiency level allocation is done according to his scores on the placement test (PT):

Structure of the Foundation Program

The FP is offered in two levels. Level (I) for beginners, and takes students to the low intermediate level of English. It comprises computer skills, too. Level (II) is for intermediate students and takes them from low intermediate level of English up to the intermediate level. It comprises study skills and mathematics, too. 

 Each level of FP provides class instruction, practice, training, lab sessions, testing and evaluation for (18 or 21) hours a week over a sixteen-week semester.

Who is Exempted?

The following categories of students are exempted from the foundation program, and can register directly in the program of choice:

Students with a minimum score of 450 on the TOEFL

Students with a band 4 minimum score on the IELTS

Students with a minimum score of 50/100 on the Michigan Test

Students who hold the Cambridge certificate in English

Students who score a minimum of 65 on the Placement Test

Structure of the Foundation Program

The FP is offered in two levels. Level I for beginners, and takes students to the low intermediate level. Level II is for intermediate students and takes them from low intermediate up to the intermediate level (cf the Introduction to New Interchange Student’s Book 1 and New Interchange Student’s Book 2)

Each level of FP provides tuition (class instruction, practice, training, testing and evaluation) for (21) hours a week over a sixteen-week semester (a total of 336) as outlined below:

*    For students who failed FP Level 1 in the first semester, and for new students.

** For students who failed FP Level 2 in the first semester, new students, and students who passed FPL1.

Course Components

 FP Level 1 is made up of the following components

         i. Course books and one workbooks:

Richards, Jack C., Hull, Jonathan, and Proctor, Susan.  New Interchange: English for International Communication student’s Book 1– Core Material.

Richards, Jack C., Hull, Jonathan, and Proctor, Susan. New Interchange: English for International communication Workbook 1 – Core Material.

Smith, Lorraine & Mare, Nancy N. Insights for Today - Reading.

Blanchard, Karen & Root, Christine. Get Ready to Write -

      Writing.

Foley, Barbara H. Now Hear This - Listening & Speaking.

         ii. A class audio programme (available on cassette or CD).

iii. A student’s audio programme.

iv. The Video Activity Book.

v. A CD-ROM.

vi. Study skills principles & practice.

vii. ICDL Program ( Module III ).

viii. An academic calendar.

FP Level 2 is made up of the following components

i. Course books and workbooks:

Richards, Jack C., Hull, Jonathan, and Proctor, Susan.  New Interchange: English for International Communication Student’s Book 2 – Core Material.

Richards, Jack C., Hull, Jonathan, and Proctor, Susan. New Interchange: English for International communication Workbook 2 – Core Material.

Smith, Lorraine & Mare, Nancy N. Issues for Today/ Student’s Book 2 - Reading.

Blanchard, Karen & Root, Christine. Ready to Write - Writing.

 Frazier, Laurie & Mills, Robin. North Star –Listening & Speaking.

            ii. A class audio programme (on cassette or CD)

iii. A student’s audio programme

iv. The Video Activity Book

v. A CD-ROM

vi. New Maths CBSC.

vii. An academic calendar

4. Course Assessment

 The breakdown of course assessment and allocation of marks is as follows:

On – Going Assessment                           50 marks

End – of – Course Assessment                50 Marks

The breakdown of on-going assessment is as follows:

·         Two progress tests in weeks 6 and 12      20 marks each

·         Homework assignments and class participation      10 marks

A different but equivalent form of the Placement Test will be used as the end-of-course final examination.

5. The Academic Calendar for the Program

The material to be covered in each unit should be as stated in “the plan of the book”, pp. vi-ix.

Although the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing are usually integrated into communicative English multi-genre texts, it is both desirable and necessary to further develop them by providing the students with additional intensive practice. It is also important that functional grammar and vocabulary development receive due attention.

       Each unit of  New Interchange 1 (the textbook prescribed for FP Level 1 together with its workbook, CDs, and CD-ROMs), and New Interchange 2 should be covered in one week. The allocation of class hours (per week) to topics in each unit should be as Follows:

The cut-off dates for tests and the final examination should be as follows:

- The first progress test               by the end of week 6

                         - The second progress test      by the end of week 12

- The final examination Placement Test      by the end of week 16