ESL
3 A Writing and Grammar
# 3237 SYLLABUS Spring 2013
Monday
and Wednesday 6:50 – 10:00 pm Start
Date: February 4, 2013
CSB
201
Instructor:
Kristin Jackson email:
ourcaptain@gmail.com
please
put “Mission College student” in the subject
Office
Hours: 35 minutes before each class, 6:15 – 6:50 in our classroom
if it is available, or right outside.
Course
Description: This course introduces students to lengthy
paragraphs and the short essay format. Students will also review and
learn intermediate grammar. This class requires college-level reading
and critical thinking. Reading, writing, and good note taking are
part of every class meeting.
Materials
Required: This course has one required book:
Writing Matters! Student Book: Introduction to Writing
and Grammar by Lorraine McClelland and Patricia Marcotte,
McGraw-Hill ELT publisher, 2002, ISBN-13: 9780072552799;
ISBN: 0072552794. (Do
not confuse this book with "Writing Matters" by Rebecca
Moore Howard. That is NOT our book. Ours has a green, blue, and
yellow cover.)
A bilingual or English-only dictionary is also
recommended. Bring plenty of 8 ½ x 11” notebook paper to
every class. Do all of your homework on this standard size as well.
Please always skip lines so that I have a place to write
corrections and comments.
Prerequisite:
Either successfully complete ESL 2A or be put into this level based
on the placement test for new students entering Mission College.
Grading
Policy: This class is a credit / no credit course.
No letter grade is given.
However, passing requires the equivalent of “C” or better
work. A “C” is 70%. In order to pass this class, you must
write seven (7) high quality, in-class short essays and a final exam
short essay to demonstrate understanding and use of the information
from class. You must show your ability to write a well-organized,
college-level, three-paragraph short essay on a given topic, using
correct English and appropriate vocabulary. In addition, you must do
reading and writing at home. We will check these together in class.
Of course, you must be in class. See the attendance section for more
information.
During the semester, we
will write eight (8) in-class short essays. Each essay will receive a
score of 1 – 10. As the semester goes on, you will need to show
improved writing skills with each essay. I will throw out the lowest
score, so only seven (7) of the in-class essays count toward your
grade. This way, everyone can have one bad night—or be absent-- and
it will not affect your grade. I will not accept essays brought from
home as a substitute for in-class essays, nor may you do one at a
later date. If you miss the in-class essay, you receive a zero (0) on
it. Please be good about your attendance.
Grading:
Seven (7) in-class short essays = 10 % each = 70% of the final
grade.
Final
short essay exam = 30% of the final grade.
Your
Responsibility: If you are absent, it is your responsibility to
get the class notes from a classmate. Also, you must do the
homework even if you missed class. Do not fall behind. Poor
attendance will hurt you. If you must miss class, arrive late,
or leave early, you will miss information and opportunities. It is
your responsibility to get all of the information you missed.
Exchange contact information with several classmates just in case you
miss any information. Remember, you may not do in-class essays
outside of class or on a later date.
Academic
Honesty: All work must be your own. Do not copy your
homework or test answers from any outside source. Do not copy from
our book, the Internet, any magazine, book, newspaper, dictionary, or
another student. Plagiarism, claiming someone else's work as
your own, is a serious offense in all schools. If you submit any work
that is not your own, you will automatically receive a zero on
that assignment. Plagiarism on the final essay will result in an
automatic FAILURE
of the course.
Classroom
Rules: Please do not bring food into the class. Water or coffee
is acceptable, but you must clean up when you leave. Do not leave
any containers, gum wrappers, etc. behind. Please put your phone on
silent during class. Remember, we have a large class, so a
little noise from everyone makes a big noise in the class. Everyone
needs to hear the instruction, and the instructor needs to hear you.
Please be courteous to your classmates and instructor, and of course,
pay attention. Please do not talk when the instructor is talking.
Phone calls, text messages, web surfing, etc. can be done before and
after class or during the break.
Special
Needs: If you have any special needs, such as difficulty seeing
or hearing so that you need to sit near the front, or have any
learning disabilities so that you need extra time for a test, feel
free to let me know. Special seating arrangements are no problem.
Also, if you wish to contact the Disabled Students Programs and
Services on campus, they can be very helpful, especially if you
require extra time for a test. Refer to the schedule of classes for
more information.
Final
Exam: Our final exam will be on Monday, June 4 th, from 8 to
10 pm. If you cannot attend, you must inform me before that
time.If you do not take the final, you cannot pass the class. Your
final must be written in a large size bluebook, available in the
campus bookstore.
Attendance
Reminder: Attendance is critical. If you are not here, you will
miss the instruction that you need to pass the class. If you are
often late, leave early, or miss class altogether, do not expect to
pass the course. Important: If you miss three days of class, I
will drop you from the course on the night of your third absence.
School policy allows you to miss only (six) 6 hours of this class.
I will generously not drop you after a second absence, but the third.
On your third absence, I will drop you. Arriving late or
leaving early will also count as hours missed. If you miss more than
six (6) hours, you will be excluded from the class. Refunds,
financial aid, drop dates, etc. are your responsibility. I believe
that the last day to drop with a refund is February 18, and the last
day for you to drop the class with a “W” is May 3. Please see
the Schedule of Classes for full details.
IMPORTANT:
You may attempt a class only three (3) times. A "W" is
an attempt. Again, please see the Schedule of Classes for full
details.
No
School: Mission College is closed on: President's Day February
15-18; Spring Break March 29- April 5; Memorial Day May 27. Classes
end May 25, so our last day of instruction will be Wednesday, May 22.
Our final is scheduled for Monday June 4 at 8 pm. Please see the
Schedule of Classes for full details.
Class
Schedule. I will distribute a
full class schedule by the end of the second week of class. This will
have more details about dates for book work and in-class writing.
STUDENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO)
Students
need to demonstrate competency with all four objectives to pass this
course.
#1) Upon
completion of this course the student will analyze a writing prompt
and organize thoughts in a simple outline.
#2) Upon
completion of this course the student will produce a cohesive
paragraph which has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a
conclusion.
#3) Upon
completion of this course the student will utilize a variety of
sentences which effectively communicate ideas.
#4) Upon
completion of this course the student will evaluate and edit writing
for logic, cohesion, and grammar.
If
you need help or feedback while
you are working on your assignments, visit The Learning Center,
located on the 1st floor of the Library building. Tutors
there will assist you in many areas: writing, reading, research, and
homework assignments. The Learning Center is free for all
students. 818-364-7754
I
appreciate your dedication and hard work.
