Syllabus 0340
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| Course Description |
| ENGL 0340 English Grammar and Conversation for Foreign Speakers I
Credit: 3 ( 3 lecture, 1 lab) |
| Prerequisites |
| A satisfactory score on the CELSA. |
| This course is a grammar and conversation class for low-intermediate non-native English speakers. Students learn basic English to prepare for the next English class in the sequence, ENGL 0341. Many students are taking other college courses in addition to this ESL course and are working toward an academic degree. Therefore, emphasis is placed on establishing the language skills sufficient for successful college study. The course is also helpful for those students who want to improve their English for personal or professional reasons. |
| Instructor Information |
| Provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester. |
| Textbook Information |
| Focus on Grammar: An Intermediate Course for Reference and Practice, by Margorie Fuchs; 2nd ed. (Required) Focus on Grammar Workbook: An Intermediate Course for Reference and Practice, by Fuchs; 2nd ed. (Required) The Longman Dictionary of American English (Optional) |
| Lab Requirements (if any) |
| One of the four instructional hours per week is a lab hour, so called because this time is to be used for practice rather than instruction. This hour is typically spent on interactive, conversational activities in the classroom. In addition, a Learning Assistance Center (LAC) or computer lab is available at campuses where Academic ESL is offered. Instructors schedule time for a student orientation to the software designed for individualized tutorials. Some teachers take their classes to the LAC several times during the semester, but the lab is more widely used by students outside of class time. |
| Students with Disabilities |
| Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disabilities Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of the semester. |
| Academic Honesty |
| Houston Community College defines "scholastic dishonesty" as: cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Penalties for academic dishonesty at HCCS include, but are not limited to: a "0" on that test or assignment, a "W" in the course, or an "F" in the course. |
| Attendance and Withdrawal Policies |
| Students are required to attend classes regularly. However, they may miss up to 12.5% of class time if necessary. In ENGL 0340, no more than eight hours of absence are permitted. If students miss more than eight hours, the instructor may drop them and record a W as a final grade. |
| Course Requirements and Grading Policy |
| By the end of the semester, the student who passes with a final grade of C or better will have demonstrated: Reasonably accurate use of major English grammatical patterns in speech Improved English pronunciation Increased comprehension of informal spoken English Broader vocabulary and improved fluency Ability to use standard writing conventions (spelling, capitalization, punctuation) An average of 70% or higher on oral assignments and tests The following formula is used to calculate the student's final grade: |
| Testing |
| A diagnostic oral interview and written diagnostic test are given during the first week of the semester to confirm students' placement into ENGL 0340. In addition, there are four major tests on listening comprehension and the grammar covered in class. Instructors may also give short quizzes as needed. The Final Exam consists of a comprehensive, objective grammar test and an oral interview with the instructor. |
| Make-up policy |
| The make-up policy is determined by the instructor and included in the instructor's syllabus for this course. |
| Projects, Assignments, Portfolios, Service Learning, Internships, etc. |
| An instructor may choose to include projects or special assignments to reinforce the material covered in class. |
| Course Content |
| The course calendar includes units on: Simple present tense Present continuous Simple past Past continuous WH-questions Be Going to Present perfect Present perfect continuous Adjectives: equatives, comparatives, superlatives Adverbs: equatives, comparatives, superlatives Infinitives Modals: ability: can, could, be able to; permission: may, could, can, do you mind if....; requests: will, would, could, can, would you mind; suggestions: let's, how about, why don't...? preference: would prefer, would rather; necessity: must, have to, must not, don't have to; future possibility: may, might, could; assumptions: may, might, could, must, have to, can't Nouns and quantifiers |
| Course Calendar with Reading Assignments |
| ENGL 0340 GRAMMAR CALENDAR (This is a tentative schedule a ) Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 |
| Other Student Information (clubs, tutoring, web resources, etc.) |
| Tutoring is available for ESL students at each instructional site where Academic English as a Second Language is offered. Additional online resources for ESL students can be located through links found on the following HCCS departmental home pages: Central: http://ccollege.hccs.edu/instru/esl/eslcentral.html SW: http://swc2.hccs.edu/DEESL/ NW: http://nwc.hccs.edu/elearning/index.html NE: http://www.hccs.edu/necollege/esl/student_resources.html |
