Intensive English Program Northwest College ESOL 0353 Advanced Reading for Foreign Speakers CRN 61237- Spring2012 Room 709 12:30-2:30p.m. Mon. Wed. 3 hours lecture / 2 hours lab / 80 hours per semester/16 weeks Class Dates: 1/17/2012-5/9/2012 Instructor: Natalia Petrova Instructor Contact Information: e-mail: Natalia.petrova@hccs.edu Office location and hours: Spring Branch Center, by appointment Prerequisites A passing grade in ESOL 0350 or, for incoming students, placement exam cut-offs Course Description A continuation of ESOL 0350, this course is designed to further develop reading skills for college-bound students. The skills gained in ESOL 0350 are further refined to guide students towards mastery of deduction, inference and figurative language. Course Statement of Purpose This course seeks to prepare students for college-level academic or workforce study by accomplishing the following objectives: Students become able to read moderate-length texts (2,000-3,000 words) and decode rhetorical structures such as causation, comparison and contrast, definition, classification, and favored v. unfavored opinions. Students read extensively from authentic academic sources as well as high-schoollevel literature and popular publications; Students are introduced to a vocabulary of approximately 2,000-3,000 words, taken largely from authentic academic English sources; Students develop their skills in critical research, using the Internet and college libraries. Student Learning Outcomes After completing this course, students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate familiarity with a challenging academic target vocabulary; 2. Distinguish between main ideas and supporting details in a moderate-length reading passage on an academic subject; 3. Read and understand a large volume of level-appropriate text (extensive reading); 1
4. Read and summarize a work of English-language fiction; 5. Collect and evaluate academic sources. Learning Objectives leading to the Outcomes above Students will: 1.1 Recognize the meaning of words from a target vocabulary of 2,000-3,000 words, based on the General Service List (cf. http://bauman.com/gsl/html) and the Academic Word List (http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/awl-headwords.aspx); 1.2 Identify synonyms and antonyms of target vocabulary words; 1.3 Identify vocabulary words derived from known words by modifying the word form of the target word. 2.1 Understand important details from a passage of 1,000-1,500 words; 2.2 Identify the main idea of the passage and restate it in the student s own words; 2.3 Identify specific details and supporting facts in the text. 3.1a Select advanced-level readings from Department s collection or list of guided reading books or passages; 3.1b Alternatively, read a common book selected by the instructor for the entire class or for a group within the class; 3.2 Summarize content of reading passages in a reading log; 3.3 Evaluate the significance, clarity and interest of the selected reading passages. 4.1 Read a work of short fiction of 10-30 pages by a recognized English-language author; 4.2 Summarize the main ideas and significant details of the story in a reader s log. 5.1 Identify at least 10 academic sources from a library or online source related to a specific topic selected by students or assigned by the instructor; 5.2 Evaluate the sources for their pertinence to the topic; 5.3 Evaluate the sources for their credibility as sources of information. Instructional Methods Instruction on the process of academic reading Instruction on strategies for reading and vocabulary study and comprehension Marking reading passages Taking notes from reading passages Paraphrasing and summarizing reading passages Reading from other sources on topics in the textbook Academic vocabulary study Online research Student assignments Homework from the textbook and from related topics Weekly vocabulary notebooks Book reports Extended reading 2
Internet Research Projects Assessments Reading/vocabulary Quizzes Unit Examinations Extended reading (Reading Lab) Final Examination Instructional Materials Making Connections, 2 nd edition, Pakenham (Cambridge University Press) ISBN: 0521542847 English-English dictionary: Oxford Advanced Learner s Dictionary OR Longman Dictionary of American English A 3-ring binder, dividers, Highlighter, and lined paper A notebook or cards for vocabulary A computer flash drive 4. GRADE BREAKDOWN: Your grade will be calculated as follows: Total- 100% Quizzes -20%, Class/ Home work- 40% Presentations/ researches 20% Final examination-20% 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 69% or below IP or F Important Dates and Holidays Martin Luther King Day (HCC is closed) January 16 IEP classes begin January 17 Presidents Day Holiday (HCC is closed) February 20 HCC Spring Break (HCC is closed) March 12-18 3
Last Day for Administrative/Student Withdrawals March 29 at 4:30 PM HCC Spring Holiday (HCC is closed) April 6-8 Last day of classes May 3 Final Examinations May 7-9 CLASS POLICIES CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: Please switch off your cell phones during the lesson. This can be very disruptive to other students. Talking can also be disruptive. Listen carefully and ask relevant questions. As a student wanting to learn about the field of education, it is your responsibility to read the textbook, submit assignments on the due dates, study for the exams, participate in classroom activities, attend class, and enjoy yourself while experiencing the real world of education. ATTENDANCE: You must come to class. HCCS has a very strict attendance policy. If you are absent for 8 hours you may be dropped from this class. There are NO excused classes. Tell me if you know you are going to be absent. LATENESS: You must be on time for class and lab. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you will be marked absent for that class. MAKEUP TESTS / LATE HOMEWORK: You will know when a test or a quiz is being given. If you know that you will be absent for the test or quiz, please let me know before hand. ACADEMIC HONESTY / CHEATING: Any form of copying, cheating, or plagiarism will result in a 0 for the assignment. See the HCCS Student Handbook for further information. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: HCCS POLICIES: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychological, vision, hearing etc.) who needs reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. For questions, contact Donna Price at 713 718 5165 or the Disability Counselor. To visit the ADA Web site, log on to www.hccs.edu, click Future Students, scroll down the page and click on the words Disability Information. SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY: Sexual harassment in any form is not tolerated at Houston Community College. See the HCCS Student Handbook for further information. 4
PROBLEMS: If you have a problem in class, please speak to me after class and I will try and help you. You may ask me for extra help during office hours. You can also e-mail me. Natalia.petrova@hccs.edu REPEATING STUDENTS: Students who repeat a course three or more times will face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, talk with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available. After failing a class for the second time. a student will receive an F grade for that class WITHDRAWLS: A student may drop this course for any reason up to January 18. A student may also be dropped for excessive absences. READING PROJECT/BOOK REPORT and LAB: You will also be required to read 400 pages of library books to obtain an A grade. Write a short report when you finish a book. SCHEDULE NOTE: This schedule is tentative and may be changed to cover the required material in the course. Week Dates Topics Greeting, Information about the course, Syllabus 1. January18 Unit 1 World Health in the Twenty- First Century. Unit 1 Skills and Strategies 1: Continuing ideas. Skill Practice1,2,3 2. January 23,25 Reading 1 Reading 2 p.12-17 Skills and strategies 2: Cause and Effect 5
3. January 30, February 1 Unit1,Cause and Effect Connecting Expressions and Markers Practice p.19-21 Reading 3 p.23 4. February 6,8 Internet research p.28, Discussion 5 February 13,15 Reading 4 p.29-32 Vocabulary study, Synonyms.32 Skills and Strategies 3 : Passive Sentences 6. February 20,22 Main Reading Better Health for Everyone p.41 7. February27,29 8. March 5,7 Unit 2 Living in a Multicultural Society Main Ideas,, Skills and Strategies 5: Unfavored and Favored Views View, Contrast, and Assessment Markers 9. March 19,21 10. March 26,28 April 2,4 11,12. April 9,11 April16,18 13.14 April 23,25 15 April30,May 2 Reading 3, Comprehension - Vocabulary, Synonyms, words in context p.81-83 Reading 4, p.86 Skills and strategies 6: Reduced Relative Clauses p.91 Practice Mai Reading Research, Discussion p.107 Unit3, Aspects of Language Tables and Illustrations, Comparison and Contrast. Skills and Strategies 7 Definition and Classification, p.112 The language of definition and classification, Practice Reading 1, p.116 Reading 2, Vocabulary, Synonyms, Practice Research and Discussion, p.127 Skills ad strategies 8, Reading 3: Phonology 6
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