Office Hours

I welcome discussion and questions. I invite you to come talk with me in my office whenever you have a concern, suggestion, question, etc. I am available during my drop-in office hours, or at other times by appointment.

· Drop-in office hours: Mondays 11:30-1:30

· Tuesday / Thursday evening, by appointment

SYLLABUS

Course Overview. EL 102 is the second course for American English Language Program (AELP) students in a sequence of four courses designed to teach academic writing of American English. In this class, we will focus on analyzing and writing a variety of sentence structures, using complex verb forms, and writing sentences and paragraphs. This course is 5 hours each week and is three credits. This course is not applicable to a degree or certificate, and it may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Course Objectives

In this class, we will focus on building your grammar and composition skills. By the end of this course, you should be able to:

· Plan and organize your writing.

· Write an effective, meaningful paragraph of 10-15 sentences that contains a topic sentence, supporting details, transition words, and a concluding sentence.

· Use a variety of simple, compound, and complex sentences to show relationships between ideas.

· Use verb forms and tenses correctly, including common irregular verbs.

· Proofread your writing. Identify and correct errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and composition.

Course Requirements

To pass this course, you must:

· Pass both parts of the final exam (paragraph and grammar) with 70% or higher.

· Have a good attendance record. See the section on Attendance, below.

· Satisfactorily complete all assigned work and revisions.

· Successfully complete the assignments in the Learning Lab.

· Contribute to class performance as an effective member of the team.

· At the end of the semester, submit all graded work in two MC folders. One folder must contain your Verb practices and tests. The other folder must hold three drafts of each writing assignment.

Textbook, Supplies, and Computers

You are expected to bring the textbook and these supplies to every class. They are available at the Campus Book Store.

Textbooks:

· Winkler, Anthony and Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell Writing Talk: Sentences and Paragraphs with Readings. (Required)

· Adkins, The PH Grammar Workbook, and Roget’s Thesaurus (wrapped with Writing Talk)

· An English-only dictionary. The College recommends the American Heritage Dictionary.

Supplies

· Lined loose-leaf paper. Use white, wide ruled paper, NOT narrow ruled or college ruled paper.

· Pocket folder or a 3-ring binder for class notes and handouts.

· A #2 pencil (sharpened before class),

· A blue or black pen

· A blue or black transparency marker (not a permanent marker!)

· Two overhead transparencies, plus one damp and one dry paper towel

· Stapler. All papers must be stapled together. NO paper clips or folded corners!

· One formatted floppy disk. You will use it to save copies of your paragraphs and to record your work in the Learning Lab.

· Two MC English folders. Label one Paragraph Writing. Label the other Verbs.

Computer equipment. You will need to have access to a computer for this class. This is extremely important. You will need to use a computer to communicate with your professor and other students, check spelling, type and turn in paragraphs, and occasionally do research on assigned topics. If you don’t have a computer at home, there are four locations on campus where you can find computers. All four locations have printers you can use.. The ones with asterisks (*) also have email and Internet:

· Resource Center library*

· lnformation Science Pavilion, Room 101, 301/650-1457*

· Student Technical Center at 8561 Fenton Street, Suite 210. 301/650-1657*

· Student Commons, Room 250*

· Resource Center Learning Lab

Grading

Course Grades

The Midterm and Final exams have two parts: a grammar test and a timed, in-class writing assignment. To pass the course, you must pass BOTH parts of the final exam.

The midterm grade will be Pass/Fail, to indicate whether your performance to date is acceptable. It will be based on your graded assignments, classwork, and the two parts of the Midterm exam. However, a P or F midterm grade does not guarantee that you will pass or fail the course.

At the end of the course, your final grade will be A, B, C, D, or F. The grades you have earned during the semester will be weighted in these proportions:

Midterm exam score 33.3%

Final exams 33.3%

Other tests, paragraphs, and homework 33.3%

Grade equivalents:

A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60%-69% F=below 60%

Students who earn a D or F are required to repeat the course.

Homework and Writing Assignments

Paragraph Writing. Drafts of paragraphs must be typed and follow standard format. If possible, type your paper on a computer and save your work onto a diskette.

Late Assignments. Paragraphs or other homework turned in late will receive an “F”. However, at the end of the course, your lowest grade for one assignment will be dropped in averaging your final grade. If you are absent from class, you should have someone deliver it to my office or email your paragraph to me on the day it is due.

Missed Tests and Quizzes. There are no makeup tests and quizzes. Missed tests will be averaged in as an “F”. If you know you are going to be absent for a test, notify me at once, preferably before the day of the test.

Homework and Writing Assignments

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out the homework assignment for the next class. Exchange phone numbers with at least three other students in the class. If you miss a class, call them to learn what you missed.

Name:___________________________ Phone: ____________________

Classroom Policies

Behavior

Every student is unique and an important part of the community of learners in this class. Active participation is an effective, proven way to learn. Active participation involves asking questions, answering questions, and doing your share in paired work and team tasks. It also involves trying new things, making guesses, and taking risks. It also involves working well with others and respecting other students’ rights.

To be sure that this class is a welcoming and comfortable place for every student:

· During class discussions, raise your hand and wait to be called on before speaking out. This gives everyone a more equal chance to participate.

• Come to class on time. Coming in late is disruptive to the class activity.

· Respect everyone’s right to learn. A disruptive student will be asked to leave the class. That student will be required to meet with me before the next class..

• To avoid distracting yourself and others, turn off your cell phone before class.

• Do not eat or drink in the classroom.

Attendance

Like a job, it is important to come to every class and to be on time. And, like a job, attendance is part of how you are evaluated. The class moves quickly, and whenever you are absent or late, you miss the opportunity to gain important skills and information.

• If you have more than 3 unexcused absences, you may be dropped from the class.

· Be in your seat, ready to begin BEFORE class starts.

· Arriving late twice equals one unexcused absence.

Reminder: You’ve paid for this class time, teacher attention, and the college resources. Don’t waste this opportunity!

A note about homework: [j1]

You will be busy and work hard in this class—you will have a minimum of 10 hours of homework plus 5 class hours—for a total of a 15 hours per week. Keep that in mind when you take on additional responsibilities such as other classes and jobs. If you are not interested in working hard, you will not be satisfied with how you do in this class. Remember it is your responsibility to get the work done and to learn. Ask questions when you have questions. Please make an appointment to meet with me if you are having any problems or difficulties--don't just let them go or hope they will go away. Don’t be shy! I am here to help you as much as possible, but the work is your responsibility.

Homework is an important component of this class. If you are not prepared (have not done your homework), it is a disservice not only to yourself but also to your classmates. It slows the entire class down which makes is difficult for everyone to achieve the goals and objectives of this course. Be aware that if you come to class unprepared, you may be asked to leave, which will count as a class absence. If you are absent from class for some reason, you are still responsible for the homework.

Academic Honesty

Common examples of academic dishonesty and misconduct can be found in the Student Code of Conduct, Section IV. One form of academic dishonesty, called plagiarism, happens when a student copies work that was written or created by someone else and then pretends that the work is his/her own. Montgomery College considers this a serious offense. As professor, I will be strict in following the procedures for Academic dishonesty as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Both the person who copies and the person who lets his/her work be copied will be held responsible.

Support Services

A student who may need an accommodation due to a disability should make an appointment to see the professor. A letter from Disability Support Services (DSS) authorizing your accommodations will be needed. Any student who may need assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation must report to the Disability Support Services Office. The DSS office is located in CAB122, telephone 302/279-5058 or TTY 301/294-9672.

Bad Weather and School Closings

Occasionally schools are closed because of bad weather or other emergencies. Check these TV and radio stations for announcements. Announcements about Montgomery County Public Schools do not apply to Montgomery College!

· •For a recorded announcement, call 301/ 217-8800 or 301/279-5310

· Check the college website: http:/www.clark.net.pub/mc50

· •Radio WAMU (88.5 FM), WWDC (101.1 FM), WASH (97.1 FM), WGAY (103.5 FM)

· •TV Channels: 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 51.

Important Collegewide Dates for Fall 2003

Sept 8 Deadline for dropping the class with tuition refund

Sept 9 A $10 change of schedule fee begins

Oct 13 Columbus Day: This is NOT a holiday for Montgomery College. Classes meet. Buses and other public transportation run on weekend schedule.

Oct 14-20 Mid-term Week

Oct 26 Daylight savings ends. Turn clocks back one hour when you go to bed Saturday night.

Nov 4 Election Day. This is NOT a holiday for Montgomery College.

Nov 11 Veteran’s Day This is NOT a holiday for Montgomery College. CLASSES MEET! Buses and other public transportation run on weekend schedule.

Nov 17 Last day to drop classes with a grade of W. (Reminder: If you just stop coming to class, you receive an F as a final grade. It is your responsibility to complete and take the Change of Schedule Form to the Admissions Office.)

Nov 26-11/30 COLLEGE IS CLOSED for Thanksgiving.

Dec 15 -21 Final Exam Week (Students only attend class on the scheduled exam day)