İstanbul Okan Üniversitesi

PACE
The PACE program is an academically based program designed to provide a learning experience for students who need to improve their listening, speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension skills in English to continue their education in their Freshman year successfully.

The program was internationally approved for quality assurance by the independent quality assurance organization ‘Pearson Assured’ in the year 2019.

WHAT IS PEARSON ASSURED

PACE Courses
The purpose of the course is to build on and strengthens students’ language skills and help students to apply them in a range of different academic contexts. Other than that, PACE is committed to:

• Assisting students to learn and refine their knowledge through personal assessment.
• Encouraging our learners to be more engaged in their education both inside and outside the classroom through technological tools.
• Supporting learner autonomy and life-long learning.
• Contributing to the success and prestige of Istanbul Okan University at the national and international levels.
• Instructing an English education through the most modern means that our learners are familiar with. This includes the use of the latest approaches, self-evaluation, technology, and up-to-date topics.
• Guiding our learners to acquire vital English skills specified for their future. Our learners are channeled to an appropriate course based on their studies.
• Empowering our learners to reach a higher understanding of English both in practice and in culture.
• Establishing the most effective learning and teaching environment.
• Assisting students to learn and refine their knowledge through personal assessment.
• Encouraging our learners to be more engaged in their education both inside and outside the classroom through technological tools.
• Supporting learner autonomy and life-long learning.
• Contributing to the success and prestige of Istanbul Okan University at the national and international levels.
• Instructing an English education through the most modern means that our learners are familiar with. This includes the use of the latest approaches, self-evaluation, technology, and up-to-date topics.
• Guiding our learners to acquire vital English skills specified for their future. Our learners are channeled to an appropriate course based on their studies.
• Empowering our learners to reach a higher understanding of English both in practice and in culture.
• Establishing the most effective learning and teaching environment.

• PACE101GR Orta Düzey Dilbilgisi Bu kurs, dilbilgisine bağlam içinde yaklaşımıyla tasarlanmıştır ve temel düzeyden orta düzeye kadar İngilizce dilbilgisine odaklanır. Öğrenciler, konuşma ve yazılı İngilizce iletişimini kurmak için temel yapıların yanı sıra öz değerlendirme ve çevrimiçi etkinlikler aracılığıyla dili uygular.
• PACE101R Okuma Bu kurs, öğrencileri temel okuma becerileriyle donatır; bunlar arasında hızlı okuma, tarama, ön okuma ve bağlamda kelime tahmin etme yer alır. Ayrıca, sözcük türlerini tanıma, gerçekleri görüşlerden ayırma ve çıkarım yapma üzerine de odaklanır. Ön ve sınıf içi etkinliklerle, öğrenciler kısa metinleri açıkça anlamayı ve belirli bilgileri bulmayı öğrenir.
• PACE101W Yazma Bu kurs, öğrencilerin yazılı iletişimde yetkinlik geliştirmelerine yardımcı olur; bunu da doğru ve özlü akademik yazma pratiği yaparak sağlar. Sınıfta öğrenciler, iyi düzenlenmiş denemeler üretmek için cümle kalıplarını, bağlayıcı kelimeleri, geçişleri ve noktalama işaretlerini etkili bir şekilde nasıl kullanacaklarını öğrenirler.
• PACE101LS Orta Düzey Dinleme ve Konuşma Bu kurs, öğrencilerin dinleme ve konuşma becerilerini geliştirmelerine yardımcı olur. İnsanları etkili bir şekilde dinleme ve anlama stratejileri sunar, öğrencilerin not almalarını ve fikirlerini organize etmelerini teşvik eder. Ayrıca, kendine güveni artırarak yeni kelimeler öğrenmelerine, tartışmalara katılmalarına ve konuşmada kabul edilebilir bir doğrulukla kendilerini ifade etmelerine yardımcı olur.
• PACE101EP Pratik İngilizce Bu kurs, öğrencilerin bilgilerini pratiğe dökmesine ve dili güvenle kullanmasına olanak tanır. Sınıf içi simülasyonlar ve tartışmalar aracılığıyla İngilizceyi kapsamlı ve yapılandırılmış bir şekilde pratik yapma imkanı sunar.
• PACE103GR Orta Düzey Dilbilgisi I Bu kurs, öğrencilerin dilbilgisi becerilerini orta düzeyden üst-orta düzeye geliştirmelerine yardımcı olur. Dilbilgisi pratiği yaparak, öğrencileri akademik paragraflar veya denemeler yazmaya, bilgilerini test etmeye ve daha karmaşık dilbilgisel yapıları konuşma ve tartışmalarda anlamaya teşvik eder. Ayrıca, çeşitli zamanları ve İngilizce'deki kullanımını ayırt etmelerine yardımcı olmak için çevrimiçi etkinlikler ve öz değerlendirme sağlar.
• PACE103RW Okuma ve Yazma I Bu kurs, okuma ve yazma becerilerini geliştirir ve tarih, kültür, bilim ve sağlık alanlarından seçilen çeşitli makaleler aracılığıyla İngilizce kelime dağarcığını genişletir.
• PACE103LS Orta Düzey Dinleme ve Konuşma I Bu kurs, öğrencilerin dersleri anlamalarına ve bileşenlerini analiz etmelerine yardımcı olur; orta düzey ve üstü düzeylerde uygundur. Öğrencilere not alma becerilerini öğretir ve dinleme görevleri sırasında bu becerileri uygulama fırsatı sunar. Ayrıca, tartışmalara ve sınıf içi etkinliklere katılmalarını teşvik eder. Öğrenciler geniş bir İngilizce kelime dağarcığı, deyimler ve yapılarla tanışır ve bunları fikirlerini ifade ederken kullanmaları beklenir. Kurs ayrıca, grafikler, tablolar ve diyagramlar hakkında tanımlama yapmayı da içerir.
• PACE103EP Pratik İngilizce II Bu kurs, İngilizce öğrenmenin temel alanlarına odaklanır ve öğrenciler için bolca pratik sağlar. Öğrencilerin daha karmaşık yapıları kullanmalarını ve bu yapılar konusunda yetkin ve kendine güvenen olmalarını amaçlar. Ayrıca, öğrencilerin anlama becerilerini geliştirmelerine ve kelime dağarcıklarını artırmalarına yardımcı olur.
• PACE103ESP Özel Amaçlar İçin İngilizce I Bu kurs, bilim, iş, mühendislik, tıp, bilgi teknolojisi, beslenme, diyetetik gibi belirli alanlarda yabancı dil geliştirmesi gereken öğrencileri hedefler ve temel kurs terimolojisi sağlar. Ayrıca, öğrencilere ESP (Özel Amaçlı İngilizce) öğretim stratejilerini, materyal uyarlama, geliştirme ve değerlendirme konularını tanıtır; dinleme kayıtları, metin okuma, kısa paragraf yazma ve fikirleri iletme gibi çeşitli etkinlikler içerir.
• PACE104GR Orta Düzey Dilbilgisi II Bu kurs, öğrencilerin dilbilgisi becerilerini geliştirmelerini ve B2 (CEFR) seviyesinde ilerlemelerini amaçlar. Öğrenciler dilbilgisi bilgilerini bağlamlarda uygular. Daha karmaşık ve sofistike dilbilgisi kullanımı, özellikle iyi organize edilmiş denemeler yazma konusunda odaklanır. Çevrimiçi dilbilgisi öz-testleri aracılığıyla öğrenciler ilerlemelerini değerlendirme fırsatı bulurlar.
• PACE104RW Okuma ve Yazma II Bu kurs, öğrencilerin okuma ve yazma becerilerini geliştirmelerine ve B2 (CEFR) seviyesinde kelime dağarcıklarını genişletmelerine yardımcı olur. Tarih, kültür, bilim, sağlık vb. gibi çeşitli makaleler sunar ve öğrencileri entegre denemeler yazmaya teşvik eder. Kurs, eleştirel okuma, uzun okuma etkinliklerine katılma, analiz (argümanlar) ve değerlendirme, ardından iyi organize edilmiş denemeler yazma (görüş, tanımlayıcı, neden-sonuç vb.) ve farklı grafikler/tabloların tanımlanmasını içerir.
• PACE104LS Orta Düzey Dinleme ve Konuşma II Bu kurs, öğrencilerin post-orta düzeyde akademik dersleri anlamalarına ve bileşenlerini analiz etmelerine yardımcı olur. Sanat, bilim, teknoloji, edebiyat, iş dünyası gibi konularda uzun sesli veya video dersler içerir. Öğrencilere not alma becerilerini öğretir ve bu becerileri 'önce, dinlerken ve sonra dinleme' görevlerinde uygulama fırsatı sunar. Tartışmalara ve sınıf içi etkinliklere katılmayı teşvik eder, geniş bir İngilizce kelime dağarcığı, deyimler, ifadeler ve yapıları kullanarak fikirlerini ifade etmelerine yardımcı olur. Ayrıca, grafikler, tablolar ve diyagramlar hakkında tanımlama yapmayı içerir.
• PACE104EP Pratik İngilizce III Bu kurs, B2 seviyesinde Dilbilgisi, Beceriler ve Günlük Yaşam İngilizcesine odaklanır. Ayrıca, öğrencilerin ifadeler, phrasal verb’ler ve deyimleri öğrenmelerini teşvik eder ve öğrenmeyi pratik görevler ve düşündürücü konular aracılığıyla başarılabilir hale getirir. Son olarak, sesli ve video tabanlı derslerdeki tartışmalar aracılığıyla, öğrencilerin fikirlerini paylaşmalarına veya açık ve iyi yapılandırılmış metinler yazmalarına yardımcı olur.
• PACE104ESP Özel Amaçlar İçin İngilizce II Bu kurs, bilim, iş, mühendislik, tıp, bilgi teknolojisi, beslenme, diyetetik gibi belirli alanlarda yabancı dil geliştirmesi gereken öğrencileri hedefler. Öğrencilere bu alanlarda kurs terimolojisini kullanarak cümlelerde kullanabilecekleri okuma metinleri sağlar. Ayrıca, ESP öğretim stratejilerini, materyal uyarlama ve geliştirmeyi, ve değerlendirmeyi (öz değerlendirme, çevrimiçi) tanıtır. Kurs, kayıtları dinleme, dersleri izleme, metin okuma, kısa paragraflar yazma ve fikirleri iletme gibi çeşitli etkinlikleri içerir.

PACE Route System PACE implements a semester system comprising of 2 semesters for 2 Routes. Each semester lasts 18 weeks. Our Fall Route 1 students have 18 weeks of Elementary through Pre-Intermediate in the first semester and move on to Spring Route 2 as the next step. Spring Route 2 students have 18 weeks of instruction staring at Intermediate and ending the academic year with upper-Intermediate. PACE’s Fall Route 2 students have 18 weeks of beginning Pre-Intermediate ending with Intermediate. Students have the opportunity to take our mid-year proficiency exam and move on to their departments depending on Istanbul Okan’s regulations. Spring Route 3 students continue through with Intermediate and end in upper-Intermediate. In addition, all of our Route 2 students are introduced to English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which is solely aimed at their faculty’s language. All of PACE’s Routes have a detailed syllabus that follows an integrated approach to the teaching of academic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). In PACE, our students are geared with academic skills provided by their lecturers and content. Students are driven to reach a CEFR B2 exit level through a variety of departmental related topics so that they can use the language taught in all four areas with enthusiasm. Our assessment and evaluation system is also prepared in coordination with our education system both in-class and online.

Fall Route 1 Goals: In Route 1, our students are introduced to general & academic English initially. Academic skills are then introduced towards the end of the Elementary Route and throughout the remainder of the program. Students are taught to begin critical thinking on a variety of academic friendly topics so that they can use the language taught in all four areas. Our assessment and evaluation system is also prepared in coordination with our education system both in-class and online. Students are inspired to work from home through the EcoSystem (online) to study and for self-evaluation from the comfort of any location.

Elementary: The Elementary stage is designed to enable learners to build upon their basic language skills. At this time, students learn general English from a stock of topics. We aim to develop students’ vocabulary, grammar, and basic language skills through a main coursebook specified for Turkey’s Prep Courses backed up by a pool of extra support from our Material Officers in collaboration with GSE. In the last 2 weeks of this stage, Route 1 appropriate academic skills are introduced such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Throughout the Elementary stage, students use our Eco-System for additional practice and progress evaluation. Before the Pre-Intermediate Stage begins, students are assessed through a series of online quizzes and an in-class quiz to assess this stage’s objectives.

Pre-Intermediate: At this stage, students have begun to learn academic English. The pre-intermediate stage aims for them to acquire the skills of listening and note-taking, various writing types, reading and understanding an academic text, and actively participating in a discussion, all of which will be used in their academic life. In this stage, they receive an education that will enable them to actively use the internet and library resources, access and read short academic articles, make presentations and do basic research. By the end of Route 1, they will have learned how to identify the gist/main idea and comprehend specific information of reading and listening texts specific for their Route and on various genres. Students will be able to “take short notes and answer questions” in addition to “while listening” question formats. In addition, they will have demonstrated their command of appropriate grammar and vocabulary in forming coherent and cohesive different paragraph types and in their speech. Students are also assessed through a midterm and final.

Fall Route 2 Goals: Fall semester Route 2 students begin with Pre-Intermediate and have a full 18 weeks of instruction which ends the semester with Intermediate. Students are rooted with a main course to help build up on their education of English. Afterward, they are introduced to academic skills to gear them for their department courses in their freshmen year. Along with the introduction of academic skills, these students have ESP courses. They have a unique outlook of what language they expect to see and know in their freshmen courses. These students hold the opportunity to pass Istanbul Okan University’s Mid-Year Proficiency for Academic English at the end of the Fall Semester.

Pre-Intermediate: The pre-intermediate intensive stage is designed to enable learners to enhance their basic language skills. At this time, students learn general English from a stock of topics. We aim to develop students’ vocabulary, grammar, and basic language skills through a main coursebook specified for Turkey’s Prep Courses backed up by a pool of extra support from our Material Officers in collaboration with GSE. In the last 2 weeks of this stage, Route 2 appropriate academic skills are introduced such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At this stage, students begin to learn academic English. The pre-intermediate stage aims for them to acquire the skills of listening and note-taking, various writing types, reading and understanding an academic text, and actively participating in a discussion, all of which will be used in their academic life. In this stage, they receive an education that will enable them to actively use the internet and library resources, access and read short academic articles, make presentations and do basic research. By the end of Route 2, they will have learned how to identify the gist/main idea and comprehend specific information of reading and listening texts specific for their Route and on various genres. Students will be able to “take short notes and answer questions” in addition to “while listening” question formats. In addition, they will have demonstrated their command of appropriate grammar and vocabulary in forming coherent and cohesive different paragraph to essay types and in their speech. Students are assessed through a series of online quizzes and an in-class quiz to assess this stage’s objectives.

Intermediate: Intermediate students are expected to build up on what they have learned in the previous stage and develop new academic skills. As for listening, they especially practice to improve their note-taking skills through listening to longer and more academic lectures and also continue to practice listening for specific information through “while listening” exercises. As for writing, they begin to work on various mixed-type essays. In reading classes, students are trained on how to read long academic texts and pull out appropriate information from a text. They practice basic reading strategies that they have learned before through reading longer and more complex texts. This is the stage where they start to make inferences, reflect on the arguments in the text, and support their ideas with evidence from the text. As we always integrate these skills, to meet writing objectives in our midterms and finals, we do provide them with topic similarity in listening and reading texts to get them to reflect their ideas and recall evidence, to support their point of views when possible and refute the opposing ideas while they are utilizing their writing skills in an exam. Overall, we want intermediate students to be critical thinkers and able to express themselves clearly and coherently. At the end of the Intermediate stage, students may take Istanbul Okan University’s Mid-Year Proficiency of Academic English.

Spring Route 2 Goals: Fall Route 1 students automatically begin the Spring semester as Spring Route 2 students. Here, they will see an array of new academic topics and focus on the sub-skills of academic English. In this stage, they begin Intermediate and end with Upper Intermediate after 18 weeks. At the same time, they attend ESP lessons and attend real freshmen department courses.

Intermediate: Intermediate students are expected to build up on what they have learned in the previous stage and develop new academic skills. As for listening, they especially practice to improve their note-taking skills through listening to longer and more academic lectures and also continue to practice listening for specific information through “while listening” exercises. As for writing, they begin to work on responding to various essay tasks. In reading classes, students are trained on how to read long academic texts and pull out appropriate information from a text. They practice basic reading strategies that they have learned before through reading longer and more complex texts. This is the stage where they start to make inferences, reflect on the arguments in the text, and support their ideas with evidence from the text. As we always integrate these skills, to meet writing objectives in our midterms and finals, we do provide them with topic similarity in listening and reading texts to get them to reflect on the texts, to support their point of views and refute the opposing ideas while they are utilizing their writing skills when possible. Overall, we want intermediate students to be critical thinkers and able to express themselves clearly and coherently.

Upper-Intermediate: The Upper-Intermediate stage’s students obtain faculty-setting lessons. In Upper students, continue building their reading, analytical, and discussion skills by being exposed to real academic texts, listening and note-taking excerpts from real freshmen lectures. Students are also expected to extensively develop their academic research skills through the process of topic selection for self-study practice and express their analytical skills based on their findings. Successful completion of all Upper components sets forth success at Istanbul Okan University.

Spring Route 3 Goals: Route 3 students obtain a uniquely driven course specialized to enhance the skills and language taught in Fall Route 2. These students focus on challenging themselves to have higher control of academic English. In their main course, they will go through a variety of scenarios such as a formal meeting to taking part in a debate.

Upper-Intermediate: The Upper-Intermediate stage’s students obtain faculty-setting lessons. Students continue building their reading, analytical, and discussion skills by being exposed to real academic texts, listening, and note-taking excerpts from real lectures. Students are also expected to extensively develop their academic research skills through the process of topic selection for self-study practice and express their analytical skills based on their findings. Successful completion of all Upper components ensures success at Istanbul Okan University.

PACE Course Assessment & Success Criteria
The purpose of the course assessment is to gather relevant information about student performance or progress and to determine student interests to make judgments about their learning process. The course consists of the formative assessment that provides continuous feedback about the learning and teaching process and summative assessment that is used to evaluate student’s learning at the end of the semester by comparing it against the CEFR standards and the department requirements in language control.

The course success is based upon attendance and their success rate in the assessments conducted throughout the year in addition to the performance in OPAE (English Proficiency Academic Exam).

Okan Proficiency Academic Exam and Other Exemption Certificates
OPAE determines whether the student is certified for English proficiency required by his/her department or not.

OPAE consists of four parts (Listening, Reading, Writing, and speaking) and developed to test a student’s academic skills in English. In order to become successful from the PACE program, a student needs to get 80% in the OPAE, which corresponds to B2 level in Common European Framework of Reference. OPAE is held three times per academic year: the beginning of the academic year, mid-year and end of the academic year. For the detailed dates, a student is required to keep track of the announcements on the website.

• Proficiency Exam (Sample - Turkish)
• Proficiency Exam (Sample - English)
• Sample ALAT Reading Comprehension
• Sample ALAT Language Comprehension
  
• Sample ALAT Answer Keys
  

Click to view Course Contents.

Students who meet the requirements and/or hold the certificates below with the acceptable score become exempt from the PACE program.

PACE Course Duration
The PACE program is designed for one academic year with the opportunity to enter the Mid-Year Proficiency exam and become successful in the program in the middle of the academic year. If a student meets the OPAE score requirements, s/he no longer needs to attend PACE classes and can move on with his/her academic education.

PACE 2021-2022 passing criteria
All students are bounded to the following exemption criteria:

• OPAE success of 80% or above.
• Commercialized exemption exams with validity (TOEFL, PTE, YDS, E-YDS, CAE, CPE etc…)

All PACE students must complete their Route 2 semester (either in Fall or Spring) with 70% academic semester/year success to enter the OPAE.
Fall Route 1 students will not be allowed to enter the mid-year OPAE as they have not met the necessary educational level to attempt the exam
Fall Route 2 students must enter the mid-year OPAE.
If a Fall Route 2 student fails the mid-year OPAE, s/he will re-take Route 2 again in Spring semester.

• Fall grades will be null/void.
• S/he will have to re-do all assessment requirements from scratch.

The flow of a PACE student:

Attendance Policy
Regular attendance is essential to ensure uninterrupted progress and to enable students to extend their potential. We encourage students to attend and to put in place appropriate procedures to support this. According to Istanbul Okan University FLD regulations, a student has to be present 80% of the course time. Exceeding the absenteeism limitations leads to losing the opportunity to enter exit OPAE at the end of the course, which risks the academic success in the course.