ESL 064/065
Prerequisite: ESL 054/055 or ESL Placement
Prof. Pat Ishill
Office: Room 405E Phone: (908) 659-5140
Office hours: Mondays, Wednesdays: 2:00 - 3:00,
Thursdays: 10:00 - 11:00, or by appointment.
Email: Ishill@ucc.edu
Website: http://.faculty.ucc.edu/english-ishill
Course Description:
ESL 064/065 is a full-semester advanced academic course designed for students whose native language is not English. ESL 064/065 meets twice a week (6 hours), for 15 weeks, including exam week. The general objective of this level is to raise the English language and cultural competence of non-native speakers so that they can succeed in credit courses and/or work effectively in jobs requiring native-like English skills. ESL 064/065 serves as a support course for Level Six reading and writing classes and includes instruction and practice in areas such as academic listening and note-taking, study skills and strategies, and grammar and editing skills needed for clarity in writing.
Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes:
· To demonstrate cultural awareness and knowledge of American education with emphasis on the U.S. college system, as well as familiarity with career choices, current events, and politics.
· To understand academic lectures and react to the content by applying the information, expressing opinions, and asking appropriate questions
· To take detailed notes and summarize the main points of a lecture
· To participate in academic discussions and give reports with good control of syntax and vocabulary in expressing the message.
· To summarize and paraphrase academic passages and videos through writing activities
· To identify and correct errors in written texts using a variety of editing strategies
· To apply academic study skills, including time management, organizing assignments, test-taking, and goal setting
· To access a variety of advanced ESL software and internet sites and apply CALL strategies
· To manage e-mail with attachments
Course Content
This course will consist of three main topics. First, the students will be introduced to a variety of study strategies and time management skills in order to be better prepared for academic college courses. In addition, students will improve their note-taking skills through authentic listening and academic lectures. The grammar discussed will be divided into two parts: verb tenses and a variety of techniques used to combine sentences. Finally, editing of students’ papers in the Level 6 classes (ESL 064/065, ESL 082, and ESL 092).
Information Literacy
By the conclusion of the semester, all students who pass this course will demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of research in at least one project, either oral or written. This will include locating research sources and incorporating them into the project without plagiarism.
Resources:
Text: Writing to Communicate by Pollock
Notebook with Filler Paper
Folder for Writing and Reading Assignments
English Dictionary - Optional in class
Flash Drive (Memory Stick) or Floppy Disk
All students must buy the text and bring it to every class meeting.
Using cell phones in class is not permitted.
Attendance:
Class will meet for 15 weeks. Attendance is an essential part of the class. Students are required to attend all classes and to participate in all class activities; a portion of your final grade will include class participation. In addition, tests are ONLY given on the scheduled dates, and there are no make-ups. When a student is absent, he misses instruction, group work, and assignments. If a student is absent during the semester, it is his responsibility to find out about missed assignments. Excessive absences will seriously hinder your ability to pass the class.
Assignments:
Homework will
be given for every class meeting. Please come to class prepared. In addition,
there will also be computer assignments and a short presentation at the end of
the semester using the Internet and/or library. Completion of all assignments
will also be included in the final grade. No assignments which are handed in
late will be accepted. All assignments must be handed in on filler paper.
Exams:
During the semester there will be both a final and a mid-term exam. In addition, there will be class tests after each lesson. There will be no make-ups for any missed exams. All exams will be announced; there will be no surprise tests. Any student who misses the final exam will not pass the course.
Final Grade:
For this course students will be given letter grades: A (100-94), B+ (93-88), B (87-83), C+ (82-77), C (76-71), D+ (70-68), D (67-65), and F (64 and less).
The final grade will be calculated according to the following:
Final Grade - 25%
Mid-term - 20%
Class tests - 25%
Assignments - 20%
Class Participation - 10%
Visit the Academic Learning Center in Room 316 for additional computer practice and free tutoring.
Please refer to the Student Handbook for the college’s policy on cheating and plagiarism.
Any student with a disability should contact the Disability Counselor in Cranford at: (908) 709-7164.
Good Luck! Have a successful semester!