English 4 is the fifth integrated-skills course of the Basic Cycle in the Academic Purposes Support Program (AESP). At this level, students work on their development of the four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), and acquire essential grammar structures and vocabulary that will allow them to succeed in academic and social settings. In an attempt to empower students to cope with their most immediate academic need, and similar to the previous and subsequent courses in the Basic Cycle, this course aims to develop a stronger set of reading skills in comparison to the other skills of the language. Moreover, critical thinking skills are taught and practiced, requiring students’ reflection and analysis rather than simple recall. In English 4, all language activities are framed within various academic topics, namely health, technology, culture and tradition, and nature.
