Course Description: This course is designed for students whose first language is not English. It enhances students’ abilities to approach academic reading and writing tasks efficiently. Particular attention is given to improving coherence and style in multi-paragraph compositions. Grammatical features and editing exercises will focus on individual needs.

Skills such as analyzing literature, writing reports, summarizing, researching and documenting opinions from primary and secondary sources will be developed through integrated reading and writing activities about cross-cultural topics from various academic disciplines. Students will practice adapting reading and writing rate for various purposes.

Successful completion of this course and a passing score on the Final Writing Sample will allow a student to enroll in English 151.

This course will explore in-depth the general education attributes to communicate effectively, to learn independently and collaboratively, and think critically and creatively.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to:

1. Understand the reading and writing processes and their relationship

2. Understand audience, purpose, and tone as a reader and writer and select appropriate choices for different audiences and purposes

3. Locate, evaluate, and synthesize material from diverse sources and points of view

4. Construct logical and coherent arguments

5. Employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic disciplines and the professional world

6. Utilize technologies in an efficient manner

7. Effectively use authority, point-of-view, and individual voice and style in their writing

8. Analyze and synthesize various views on the same subject

9. Evaluate language variation in determining the significance and purpose of varying levels of information

10. Develop the ability to analyze and discover patterns such as cause-effect and comparison-contrast relationships

11. Utilize a variety of idea-generating strategies

12. Recognize the various values and differences in style and grammar used in creative writing and writing for other purposes: business, academic, and reporting

13. Identify logical problems in arguments

14. Share and delegate responsibility in the planning process and follow it to ensure completion of language tasks

15. Take and give effective feedback, using internal and external feedback, and develop a plan to meet language deficits and identify solutions to effectively achieve this goal

16. Demonstrate self-initiative and self-discipline, which assist them in the follow through of writing and reading tasks

17. Evaluate background knowledge and integrate new information with current knowledge

Required Texts and Materials:

· Blueprints 2: Composition Skills for Academic Writing by Folse, Mahnke, Solomon, Williams

· Reader’s Choice (3rd Ed.) by Margaret Baudoin, Ellen S. Bober, Mark A. Clark, Barbara K. Dobson, and Sandra Silberstein

· Vocabulary for Advanced Reading Comprehension: The Keyword Approach by John T. Crow (I will supply copies of this to you)

Course Requirements/Information:

1. Attendance: Regular attendance is expected. Your final grade will be lowered by 2.5% for each absence (excused or unexcused).

2. Writing assignments: There will be four essay writing assignments, each requiring at least two drafts. These assignments will vary in length and rhetorical structure in order to teach you various methods of organizing written academic text.

3. Timed, in-class compositions: You will be asked to complete three timed writings during the semester. These writings will simulate the kinds of writing you will be required to perform for the Final Writing Sample at the end of the semester. You must attend class on the day of the Exit Writing Test. You cannot take the test on a different day. If you do not take the Exit Test on the scheduled day, you must repeat the class.

4. Reading Quizzes: Short quizzes will be given for each reading homework assignment.

5. Homework: Homework is to be completed before the beginning of the class for which it was assigned. Late homework will not be accepted. Any assignments not completed when due will receive a grade of “0.”

6. Grades: Homework/Participation 10%; Tests/Quizzes 20%; Timed Essays 30%; Compositions 40% [Final Writing Sample 50% - this 50% can only be subtracted from your final class grade if you fail to pass the exam. It CANNOT add to your final class grade even if you pass the exam.]

7. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will NOT be tolerated in any form in this course. This includes cheating on tests, copying an author’s words, sentences, and/or paragraphs and putting them in your essays, claiming the words as your own. The first instance of plagiarism will result in 0% given to the assignment. A second offense will result in a grade of “F” for the course.

8. Withdrawal Policy: The last day to officially withdraw from the class is March 29 (with no refund). To withdraw from a class, you will need to go to the counselor’s office to fill out the appropriate paperwork. The telephone number for Counseling is: 248-232-5490.

Grading Scale: 100-95% = A (Excellent Achievement, pass w/credit); 94-90% = A-; 89-87% = B+; 86-84% = B (Good Achievement, pass w/credit); 83-80% = B-; 79-77% = C+; 76-74% = C (Average Achievement, pass w/credit); 73-70% = C-; 69-67% = D+; 66-64% =D (Below Average Achievement, pass w/no credit); 63% and below = F (Poor Achievement, fail w/no credit)

ELLIS Computer Program: ELLIS is a computer program which provides ESL students opportunity for individual pronunciation practice. ESL students may also use this computerized program for individual grammar practice and to increase in American cultural knowledge, as well as to increase knowledge in other areas. ELLIS is available at the following public libraries: Auburn Hills, 248-370-9466; Farmington Community, 248-553-0300; Madison Heights, 248-588-7763; Oak Park, 248-691-7480; Orion Township, 248-693-3000; Pontiac, 248-857-7667; Rochester Hills, 248-656-2900; Southfield, 248-948-0460; Waterford Township, 248-674-4831; West Bloomfield, 248-682-2120; Wixom, 248-624-2512. Please contact the individual libraries about their specific use policies.

Tutoring: This is a free service to enrolled ESL OCC students. If you would like to request an ESL tutor, you may initiate your request in the PASS office. A specific tutor will be arranged for you. Our ESL tutors are specifically trained in teaching ESL students. Many students have found individual tutoring to be beneficial.

Academic Support Center (ASC): In the ASC, students may also receive individual help, and there are computerized grammar programs that may be used. There is also a "Study Skills" class offered to students, as well as other classes to help students be successful in college.

ESL 2520 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Writing and Reading for Academic Purposes IV

DATE		Blueprints and Essays		Reader’s Choice	Voc. for Adv. R C
1/10		Class Introduction and Initial Writing Sample
1/17		Unit 1		Chapter 6	Chapter 1
1/24		Unit 2		Chapter 6 Summary 1 Due	Chapter 1
1/31		Unit 2 Classification Essay rough draft due		Chapter 7	Chapter 1
2/7		Unit 2		Chapter 8	Vocabulary Test 1
2/14		Unit 4 Classification Essay final draft due		Chapter 8	Chapter 3
2/21		Unit 4 Comparison/Contrast Essay rough draft due		Chapter 9 Summary 2 Due	Chapter 3
	2-28		MID-WINTER RECESS!!! HAVE A GREAT BREAK!!!
3/6		Unit 5 Comparison/Contrast final draft due		Chapter 10	Vocabulary Test 2
3/13		ESSAY SAMPLE #1 Cause/Effect Essay Rough Draft Due		Chapter 10	Chapter 6
3/20		Unit 5		Chapter 11 Summary 3 Due	Chapter 6
3/27		ESSAY SAMPLE #2 Cause/Effect Essay Final Draft Due Unit7		Chapter 12	Chapter 6
4/3		Argumentative Essay Rough Draft Due Unit 7		Chapter 12	Vocabulary Test 3
4/10		ESSAY SAMPLE # 3		Chapter 13 Summary 4 Due	Slang and Idioms
4/17		EXIT WRITING TEST Argumentative Essay Final Draft Due		Chapter 13	Slang and Idioms
4/24		INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES AND GRADES