Christopher J. Armstrong
Office: Building 14, Rm. 224
Telephone: 6224 / 052-835-7378
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 2nd period (Rm. 224) or by appointment
Course Description:
Students in this course will learn about the history and culture of the United States from the colonial period until the late 20th century. Audio-visual presentations will supplement class lectures. The final weeks of the course will focus on contemporary culture and media in the US. All lectures will be given in English.
Course Objectives:
In this class, you will
1. improve your listening and reading skills
2. expand your vocabulary
3. learn about the cultural history of the United States
4. practice skills useful for the TOEFL test
Textbook and Teaching Materials:
Bryn O’Callaghan. An Illustrated History of the United States. Longman, 2003.
American Studies Homepage: http://www.chukyoeibei.org/ias
Course Evaluation:
Tests 70%
Final Exam 30%
Important Information:
1. Regular attendance is important. You cannot miss more than 3 classes.
2. Each week, there will be about 4 pages of reading from the textbook. There will be a short test on the reading. The tests will focus on important facts and ideas in the readings as well as your understanding of the information. Missed tests cannot be made up later.
3. There will be one special TOEFL-style reading, listening and writing listening test.
4. For the final exam, you will write a short essay based on a choice of essay topics. Details will be available later in the semester.
Download the Course Description and Schedule for 2019 (PDF, 90 KB)