Friday, August 26, 2016

Syllabus

READ 097-6
College of Arts & Sciences Syllabus
Fall 2016:  August 26 – December 12
MWF 8:30-9:20 am, LWH 2005

Catalogue course description: Designed to meet the needs of those students who have advanced English language proficiency and wish to further develop their reading comprehension. Advanced reading skills such as interpretation, inference, critical analysis, evaluation, application, author style and tone, and technical and literary terminology are emphasized in order to comprehend more complex literary genres, including content-specific materials. Registration by permit only. 

Course Prerequisites: Placement exam or permit.

FACULTY INFORMATION
Instructor:                  Mrs. Carol Ruth Kimmel
Office Location:        LWH 2046
Office Hours:             Friday   9:35 – 10:35 a.m.
            or by appointment
Phone:                        (773) 442-5488 (please leave a message)
E-mail:                        C-kimmel@neiu.edu


COURSE MATERIALS

Bridging the Gap: College Reading, 11th ed., by Brenda D. Smith and Leeann Morris
Boston: Pearson, 2014.

Powers (paperback) by Ursula LeGuin. Boston and New York: published by

                                       Graphia, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007

(You may want to purchase a print dictionary to bring to class, such as the American Heritage Dictionary or the New Oxford American DictionaryWe will not use online dictionaries or any other online sources during class, though you may use them when you work on assignments at home or in the computer lab. )

Other Recommended Materials:
a notebook for hand-written notes taken in class, loose 8 ½ x 11 lined paper, pocket folder(s) – to keep all your work organized, a special folder for your Concept Preps (see below), a flash drive, paper clips, a small stapler, pencil, eraser, and pen

Students will take class notes by hand.  Use of laptops, tablets, and (smart) phones in class is not permitted unless the student has a documented disability registered with the university, a disability that requires using these items in class.


COURSE OBJECTIVES / STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Successful students enrolled in Reading 097 should be able to:
·         Comprehend academic text passages at the literal, critical, and inferential levels.
·         Identify stated and implied main ideas.
·         Distinguish between major and minor ideas in academic text.
·         Develop and apply effective and efficient strategies to analyze unknown words, including contextual analysis and dictionary use.
·         Utilize prior knowledge to understand text, predict outcomes and draw conclusions.
·         Evaluate academic text material through oral discussions and in writing.
·         Recognize, analyze and evaluate arguments.
·         Define inductive and deductive reasoning.
·         Assess personal strengths and weaknesses as a college reader.



STUDENT TASKS / ASSIGNMENTS / REQUIREMENTS

Course Outline and Assignments:  The following course outline includes topics in bold face print; a schedule of assignments and due dates along with the dates for quizzes and final exam.  All assignments are to be completed as scheduled unless notified by the instructor.  It is your responsibility to check this schedule daily in order to be prepared for class.

Tentative Schedule

Week                          TopicsAssignmentsDue Dates
                                    Notice will be given through D2L of any changes to this schedule. 
Also, be sure to follow the class curriculum blog at   http://wabmago.blogspot.com

Week 1                        Course introduction and expectations
                                    Syllabus review
                                    Scientific American article (handout)
                                    Active Learning
                                    Bridging the Gap (text assignment=TA) Chapter 1 pages 18-26
                                                            Answer the exercises in the book

Week 2                        Successful Academic Behaviors – small group/class discussion
                                    Bridging the Gap (text assignment=TA) pages 11 to 17 
                                                            Note “Reader’s Tip” page 17
                                    Bridging the Gap (text assignment=TA) pages 2-5
                                                            Small group discussion


Week 3                        Cognitive Styles and Demands of College Study
                                    Bridging the Gap (text assignment=TA)
                                                            Chapter 1 pages 6-11
                                                            Chapter 6 pages 270-272
                                                                        a. Complete learning styles inventory
                                                                        and multiple intelligences
                                                  www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html/
                                                                        b. Write an assessment of the results using your
                                                                        scores and the information from the chapters and
                                                                        and from class (30 points)**
                                    TA review “Summary Points” page 26
                                    New York Times article handout

Week 4                        **Quiz   Chapter 1 (60 points)**
                                    Strategic Reading and Study          
                                    Bridging the Gap (text assignment=TA)
                                                            Read and complete Selection 1, pp. 28-34
                                                            Read chapter 3, pages 94-100
                                                            Read pages 100-110, exercises 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 in book
                                    Bring to class Powers, the novel by Ursula LeGuin
                                                            Read chapters 1 and 2 by week 5

Week 5                        Bridging the Gap  (TA=text assignment) Selection #3, pages 126-133
                                    **Complete on paper – page 130 “Write about the selection”  (30 points)
                                    One day this week may be a catch-up day, depending on progress
                                    Organizing Textbook Information
                                    Bridging the Gap  (TA=text assignment) Read Ch. 6, pp 272-290
                                                Using the selection on page 285, complete:
                                                            Annotating      (30 points)**
                                                            Note-taking     (30 points)**
                                                            Outlining   (30 points)**
                                                            Mapping    (30 points)**
                                                Each one separately for the same selection    

Week 6                        Main Idea   Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)  Chapter 4
                                    Begin taking Cornell notes (CN) pages 141-150  --  exercises in book         
                                    In class activities, covering various topics:
                                                Textbook information
                                                Cornell note-taking
                                                Main idea
                                    Bring Powers to class – read chapters 3 and 4 by Week 7

Week 7                        Main Idea   Bridging the Gap            (TA=text assignment) pp 162-171
                                                Exercises in book
                                                Also in-class exercises, with partners
                                    Bridging the Gap        (TA=text assignment) pp 171-180
                                                Exercises in book
                                                Cornell notes (CN) to be turned in  (30 points)**

Week 8                        Bridging the Gap  (TA=text assignment) 
                                                read/complete Selection 2   192 – 201 
                                                Answer the questions pages 198-201
                                                            “Skill development” and “Check your comprehension”
                                                Do the assignment “Write about the selection” from page 198
                                                            Type on paper and hand in  (30 points)

Week 9                        Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Pp 58-69  exercises in book
                                                Vocabulary exercises in class
                                    Bring Powers to class – “reader response” concept explained
                                    Preliminary “reader response” to novel (as far as you’ve read)
                                                Class discussion
                                    Bring Powers to class – read chapters 5 -7 by Week 10

Week 10                      Quiz    Chapter 2   (30 points)**
                                    Patterns of Organization
                                     Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment) Ch. 5  pp. 215-219
                                                In-class writing exercise – topic to be announced (30 points)**

Week 11                      Patterns of Organization
                                     Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                pp. 220-236 ex. 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 in book
                                     Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Chapter 7  (assigned reading given in class…CN Cornell Notes)
                                    Bring Powers to class – read chapters 8-10 by week 12
                                    Discussion of Inference

Week 12                      Inference practice in class
                                    Powers   in class --  small group discussion and reader response
                                               



     

Week 13                      Quiz – Chapter 7  Inference   (30 points)**
                                    Point of View
                                    Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Chapter 8    CN Cornell Notes  pp. 388-395  exercises in book
                                    Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Pp 396-400, exercises in book
                                    Bring Powers to class – read chapters 11-13 by week 14

Week 14                      Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Continuing CN Cornell Notes pp. 400-413
                                    Bring Powers to class – read chapters 14 and 15 by week 15

Week 15                      Critical Thinking
                                    Bridging the Gap (TA=text assignment)
                                                Chapter 9  pp 442-446 and 464-465  (CN not assigned)
                                    (Possible catch-up day, if necessary)
                                    Study guide for final exam

                                    Final Exam                                       
                                   
                                               
                       

(1)   Reader's Journal
Beginning Wednesday of Week 5 and continuing for ten consecutive weeks you will turn in a short journal entry to document your reading and thinking on your book, suggestions given in Bridging the Gap , pp. 585-591.  (10 points each)    As part of our class, you will be required to read the novel, Powers, by Ursula LeGuin, and keep a journal.
a.       Your journal entries are not expected to be lengthy (about 300 words each; about one page typed, double spaced) or to take away from your reading enjoyment. They are designed to give you practice reflecting on what you read and to give you practice making real-world connections as well as connections with your own personal background knowledge (schema), while you build on your schema.
b.      You will have one vocabulary list for all the journal entries. You should select 3 to 5 words for each entry, for a total of 30 to 50 words for the entire vocabulary list. When you select a word, please copy the sentence in which the word was used.  Then look the word up in an online dictionary of your choice and copy the relevant information. 



(2)   Concept Preps
Throughout your textbook, ten short Concept Preps are included to introduce you to key concepts in different academic areas. You will be responsible for reading six of these independently throughout the semester and completing the questions which follow. (Choose the topics that interest you.)  You will keep your written answers to the Concept Preps in your folder/portfolio. Your folder will be turned in two weeks before the end of the semester.

(3)   Vocabulary Booster Quizzes
Vocabulary Boosters will be introduced for ten weeks, dates to be announced. You should complete the exercises in your book for practice during the week. Quizzes will be given the following week.

(4)   Homework
There are a total of 27 selections in our textbook, usually 3 after each chapter.  We will cover most selections: some you will do individually, some in pairs, and some we will cover together as a class. You should have access to those answers in class for our discussions, so I recommend that you enter your answers into the textbook.  Many will may not be graded, but it is essential that you completely.  Among the ones that are graded, you should have at least 75% on comprehension and vocabulary quizzes to receive a passing grade and you must complete all the assigned selections. However, I will drop two of your lowest scores when averaging your results.

(5)   In-Class Comprehension and Vocabulary Quizzes for Selections
I will have unannounced quizzes in which you will be answering questions in class regarding the assigned selections from your textbook. You will be allowed to use your textbook on the questions, but you will only be given 10-15 minutes to complete the questions, so you must be sure that you have carefully read the selections before you come to class. There are no makeups for these grades. However, the highest grades, minus two of the lowest, will be averaged, so you can be absent for two of these without having a zero.
(6 ) Final Exam – Wednesday, December 14, 2016   8:00 to 9:50
The final is a multiple choice exam.  
The exam will consist of three parts: demonstrating mastery of the material covered in the chapters,  application of reading skills (identifying main ideas, major and minor details, inferences, figures of speech, logical fallacies, etc. in short passages), and demonstrating mastery of the words covered in vocabulary boosters.



If necessary, additional quizzes will be given as well as Chapter Quizzes, Comprehension and Vocabulary Quizzes.




GRADING

Your final grade is based on the following aspects of the class (this is subject to revision):
Attendance/Participation                    10 points per class
Textbook Assignments                       30 points per assignment        
Powers by Ursula Leguin                   30 points per assignment
Concept Preps (6)                               10 points each
Quizzes                                               30 or 60 points per quiz
Final Exam                                          120 points

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

 If you receive a D as your final grade, you will have to repeat the class.



COURSE POLICIES AND STATEMENTS
Absence Policy:
·         Attendance is mandatory. I Successful students attend class regularly.  This is a skills-based course, and like all skills, improvement is based on regular practice.  In order to fully participate in the process of learning, you must be present.  In order to fully participate and improve, you must be punctual.  If you arrive after the beginning of class, you are tardy.  [Two (2) tardies will equal one (1) unexcused absence.]  Three absences will lower your grade.

·         Participation is essential to learning. Being physically present in class is not enough. Learning is not a passive process; it is an active one. You must take part in class discussions and always do your share in partner or group work. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; they are a part of learning and they also help your instructors to understand what you need. Don’t wait to be called on; that’s not participation. Ask questions when you don’t understand and offer your opinions when it is appropriate. It is only asked that you remember to be as much an active listener as an active participant; that is, give others a chance to participate, too.

·         Late work: Late work is strongly discouraged. Turning in work late can impair your chances of success in the course. This late work policy applies to all graded assessments (including the final examination) in the course. I understand that unexpected things can come up, so the late-work policy for our course is outlined below.

·         Assignments are always due as assigned. The syllabus is our tentative schedule and we will try to adhere to it. Even if you aren’t completely sure how to complete your homework, try to finish it the best you can. Incomplete work will be reduced in grade. Late assignments will not be accepted! However, you may request an extension on an assignment, but please request approval BEFORE the final deadline.

·         You are responsible for assignments whether or not you are in class the day they are assigned or the day they are due. If you are going to miss class for any reason and wish to receive credit for the assignment due that day, you must get the assignment to me at the beginning of class the day it is due. It is not my responsibility to remind you to turn your work in if you were absent or late on the day it was due.

·         Assignments will be accepted late only if you have a serious emergency. Serious emergencies include things like serious illness, accidents, natural disasters, and university server outages. E-mail me the information about your emergency and request approval to make up the assignment, quiz, or exam. If you receive approval, make up the work according to the plan we agreed on. If you wait until the next class period to explain your absence, you will not be allowed to turn in late work.

·         If homework solutions are shared with the class, I reserve the right to decline to accept late work after the sharing of the solutions. Only one unexcused, non-emergency late submission will be allowed per student per course.

·         Finding out about missed work: Check my curriculum blog daily.  In addition, I suggest you exchange phone numbers and/or email addresses with a reliable classmate who can pick up handouts for you and explain homework assignments to you if you are absent. You may also see me during my office hours to get handouts and assignments. I may also post some handouts on D2L. However, I will not bring handouts to class the next class period for students who have been absent.


·         Academic Integrity Policy:
By enrolling in this course, you are bound by the NEIU Student Code of Conduct: http://www.neiu.edu/university-life/student-rights-and-responsibilities/student-code-conduct. All assignments are expected to be your own work. This is not a research class, so you are not expected to cite any sources. (If for some reason you are using someone else’s words, quotations and citations must be properly referenced.) Any work that is not your own but has been copied from any other source (e.g., a book, a magazine, the Internet, or even a classmate)—will receive an immediate failing grade without question. If necessary, additional steps will be taken; please be aware that the university’s policy on academic integrity states that a student may be expelled for plagiarism.

Desire to Learn ( D2L)
·         Information will be posted on D2L for this class. It is your responsibility to check D2L for materials and assignments regularly.

Insecure Media and Grades
·         I will not discuss or report student grades via email following federal privacy laws and university policy.  Please come to see me during my office hour  (room 2016, on Friday, from 9:35 to 10:35) if you have any questions about your grades. You may also schedule an appointment at a time convenient for both of us in order to discuss your grades.




Submission of Materials
Course activities and written assignments will be submitted in hard copy, not online.  Be sure to keep a copy of any assignment you submit.  Any student work submitted that does not meet the requirements listed will not be graded. Please ensure that files are
         appropriately named (last name-Document title-course name and section),
         submitted in Microsoft-Office format (e.g., .docx, .xlsx., .pptx),* and
         Times New Roman font, margins of 1 inch, point 12 font size
While you are not required to use Microsoft Office products, please ensure your productivity applications are able to import/export into the compatible file formats.

SUPPORT SERVICES
You should see a tutor if you are struggling with the class material. Please keep your appointments. Working with a tutor will only help you to learn easier.

Learning Support Center:  Academic labs (math, writing, study skills and subject-specific courses) are housed on the fourth floor of the Ronald Williams library. You can also visit them on the web at  www.neiu.edu/lsc. To make an appointment to see the reading, writing or learning specialist, call 773-442-4568. 
Student who have special needs or who require academic tutoring in their course may also receive help from the TRIO Student Support Center (http://www.neiu.edu/university-life/trio-student-support-services).

Counseling Office:  The Counseling office provides psychological counseling and support for students. The office is located at D-024; they can be reached at (773) 442-4650 or visit them on the web at http://homepages.neiu.edu/~saffairs/services/SHCS/counseling/index.php

ADA Statement:
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Student Disability Services to develop an accommodation plan. You may contact the Student Disability Services in person in D-104, via phone at (773) 442-4595 or at http://homepages.neiu.edu/~saffairs/services/SDS/index.php if you would like more information about the services available.

Campus Safety:
Web links to Campus Safety: Emergency Procedures and Safety Information can be found on NEIUport on the MyNEIU tab or as follows: http://homepages.neiu.edu/~neiutemp/Emergency_Procedures/MainCampus/




LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

No comments:

Post a Comment