ESL 054-055

Professor Khodabakhshi's Home page

ESL 054/055-004 Course Outline

Course Description

ESL 054/055 is part of the fifth level advanced academic sequence designed for students whose native language is not English. The courses cover high intermediate level structure skills with emphasis on the systems of the English language. Listening and speaking practice is based on academic contexts and study skills.

The general objective of the course is to raise students’ English language and cultural competence so they can succeed in credit courses and/or work effectively in jobs requiring native-like English skills. . Pre-requisite: ESL 045 or ESL Placement Test. Co-requisites: ESL 081 and ESL 091. 6 lecture hours per week. 3 credit hours each.

Course Objectives/ Student Learning Outcomes

· To demonstrate cultural awareness and knowledge of current events, politics, controversial topics, and issues related to biographies, novels, and other texts used in class.

· To understand media clips and short academic lectures and to answer referential and inferential questions about the topic and express opinions

· To take organized notes for oral and written response

· To participate in simple academic discussions and give reports with sufficient control of grammatical accuracy, fluency and pronunciation in expressing the message

· To comprehend and produce the items in the grammar/theme chart with accuracy and functional fluency in controlled personal and academic situations.

· To summarize and paraphrase simple academic passages and videos through writing activities

· To correct errors using a variety of editing strategies

· To access Level Five software and Internet sites and apply CALL strategies and use email and attachments with assistance

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.

Grammar Points to be covered

(statement, question, negative forms

Primary

Past perfect and continuous forms

Contrast of tenses

Passive with all tenses, modals and infinitives

Past modals

Gerunds and infinitives

Adverbial clauses

Introduced:

Coordinators

*Review of grammar points from previous levels

Required books/materials

The Star Ledger newspaper (Monday and Wed. morning edition) Bring to class beginning Monday, beginning Jan. 22, 2007.

Attendance and Assignment Policy

Regular, punctual and complete attendance is required. Students are responsible for all classwork, homework and exams. There will be no makeup tests or exams except for medically excused absences.

Students who register or start attending after the first day of class are required to complete any missed assignments.

Assignments are due on time. No work will be accepted later than ONE WEEK after the due date. Star-Ledger reports are due every Wednesday.

Note: If you are absent on the day of a test, you must contact me BEFORE THE NEXT CLASS MEETING to take a make-up test. Otherwise, you will not be able to take the test.

. All cell phones must be kept turned off during the entire class period. Any student whose cell phone disrupts the class will be penalized:

If the phone rings during any test, the student will receive

an automatic grade of F on the test.

Grades

Final grades in ESL 054/055 will be based on overall achievement as measured by class participation and preparation, quizzes, midterm, final exam, in-class and homework assignments. Grades will be determined as follows:

Final Exam 35%

Midterm 20%

Quizzes 20%

Star-Ledger reports/

Homework /Attendance/Class participation

25%

Final Grades: A= 90-100 points B+= 86-89 B= 80-85

C+ = 76-79 C = 70-75 D= 65--69

Below 65 or failure to submit all assignments by due dates = F (course must be repeated)

Student Work/Plagiarism Policy

Students must produce their own work. No credit will be given for assignments copied from another student or any other source. If two students submit identical work, both students will receive a grade of F for the assignment. Furthermore, no cheating on quizzes, exams or assignments will be tolerated. A first instance of cheating will result in an automatic grade of F on the test or assignment. A second instance of cheating will result in failure of the course. Cheating includes copying answers from classmates as well as supplying answers to classmates during a test.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you stop attending classes, you must go to the counseling office and officially withdraw. .