ESL 101/101L Reading II Syllabus

ESL 101/101L Reading II Syllabus

4 Credits Fall 2007

Instructor: Michele Anderson, Ph.D. Classroom: 121 Mannerheim

Office: 240 Wargelin Hours: MWF 3:30 – 4:25

Phone: 487-7381(office); 483-0822 (home) Lab (1 or more hours/week, arr.)

Email: andersm2@sbcglobal.net or mieander@mtu.edu

Office Hours: to be announced in class -- and by appointment

Textbook: Strategic Reading I: Building Effective Reading Skills, by Jack C. Richards and Samuela Eckstut-Didier

Assuming the chosen textbook is suitable for most or all of the students in this class, you may not need the second text in the Cambridge series, Strategic Reading II: Building Effective Reading Skills, until the Spring Semester. However, both books are available in North Wind Books this fall.

Objectives: Students will develop their English reading skills (including pre-reading; questioning; scanning and skimming; finding main and supporting ideas; understanding details; determining tone; guessing meaning from context; improving vocabulary; predicting; making inferences; and distinguishing fact from opinion) in preparation for the their successful completion of the ESL Reading sequence at the end of the Spring 2008 semester.

Pacing, Progress and Assignments: The class is designed for students with varied English abilities. Therefore, assignments and measurements of progress will be made on an individual basis for much, if not all of the Fall semester. Nonetheless, all students will participate in all assignments and activities. The goal is for every student to be well prepared for the Spring 2008 semester.

Attendance: Regular attendance and participation in class are necessary. If you miss a class or are late for a class, your final grade for the class will be lower. Please remember: when you miss class or when you come late to class, your classmates are affected! (If you must miss a class, or if you know that you will be late, call me, e-mail me, see me, or ask a classmate to tell me in advance.)

Assignments: Students will complete all assignments (including laboratory assignments) on time and to the best of their abilities. Some reading assignments will be prepared at home in preparation for the class. Others will be done in class. Follow-up reading or writing assignments may also be given for completion outside of class. The consequences of late or missed assignments will be explained in class.

Lab: At least one hour of lab is required per week. This may take the form of meeting with a tutor in the Teaching Learning Center, doing supplementary reading in the library or reading Internet articles on subjects related to class discussion and possibly writing about them in English for posting on a class blog/Web site (now in planning stage). Occasionally a class field trip may substitute as a lab activity. In this case students may be asked to spend more than an hour in order to participate in the trip.*

* Some assignments and field trips may be done in conjunction with your other ESL classes (grammar and conversation).

Quizzes and Tests: A quiz will be given after each unit of 3 readings from the text. If necessary, a longer test may be given at mid-term and the last week of the semester. Do not miss a quiz or test. No make-ups will be given unless you have a serious illness and an excuse.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is stealing someone else’s words and/or ideas. We will talk more about plagiarism and cheating in class. For now, please understand that the consequences of plagiarism and cheating can be very serious, including getting a grade of F for the semester.

Electronic dictionaries: While these may be helpful for certain difficult vocabulary words or for assignments outside of class, students may be asked to do without them for certain assignments. They will not be allowed for quizzes.

ADA Statement: If you need special help because of any disability you have, please talk to the instructor as soon as possible.

Course Methods: Individual reading assignments in class and outside class, participation in discussion and other reading and vocabulary activities in class, weekly lab assignment (see Lab above), library assignments, Internet assignments, learning to read without depending on electronic dictionaries, learning practical use of dictionaries, possible participation in a blog-type class Web site.

Course Evaluation:

Attendance and class participation (includes preparing for reading before class, discussion, etc.): 25%

Individual assignments (reading comprehension and vocabulary exercises, library readings, etc.): 25%

Weekly lab activities: (may include participation in class Web site): 20%

Quizzes and Tests: 30%

Total: 100%

Grading: 94-100%=A (4.0)

90-93%=A- (3.7)

87-89%=B+(3.3)

84-86%=B (3.0)

80-83%=B- (2.7)

77-79%=C+(2.3)

74-76%=C (2.0)

70-73%=C- (1.7)

67-69%=D+(1.3)

64-66%=D (1.0)

60-63%=D- (0.7)

Below 60%=F (0.0)

Incomplete**=I

** Because of U.S. regulations about the status of international students, no grades of Incomplete will be given.