0305 syllabus spring 2011

8/7/2019 0305 Syllabus Spring 2011

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SPRING 2011

SYLLABUSfor

L. FOSTER-EASONS

Developmental Writing II - ENGL 0305 s01(20776. 201120)



Developmental Writing II - ENGL 0305 s04

(24926. 201120)--Do not buy textbooks or other supplies until after the first class session has met.--


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GENERIC SYLLABUS VERSUS THIS SUPPLEMENT

Generic syllabi for all Developmental Writing courses are available through the Syllabus Depot ( http://iws.collin.edu/syllabus/ ).These generic syllabi offer brief descriptions of a course, its basic requirements, and pertinent college policies. This supplementdoes, too, but it is more specifically related to the class section in which youre enrolled. In addition to providing a courseoverview, it also attempts to familiarize you with my policies and the assignments Ill be making. Also included is a coursecalendar and information on how grades will be determined. I suggest you print it off and keep a copy for future reference.Students will be asked to sign a statement, acknowledging that they have been told how to access the syllabus online, have beenadvised to read it, and will be held accountable to its policies.

The details" for all assignments will be dealt with during class: this is an important point to note because, if you don't come toclass regularly, you're not likely to understand what's expected of you, and this document probably won't do much to clarify things.Before any assignment is due, strategies and hints will be given, instructions will be reviewed, questions will be answered, andexamples will be discussed. You are strongly encouraged to visit me during my office hours and otherwise take advantage of theopportunities that will be afforded you to "conference" about works in progress. You are further encouraged to regularly visit myweb site ( http://iws.collin.edu/lfoster ) for important course documents, reading assignments, assignment instructions, and updates.

GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE TEACHER

Your instructor is Laura Foster-Eason. (me!) I office in D246 at the Spring Creek Campus. My phone number is 972.377.1036.My e-mail address is [email protected] Office hours and web page information are noted below. In addition, Ive outlined theconditions for submitting assignments via the computer.

OFFICE HOURS

10:00a - 11:00a Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 2:30p 4:00p Tuesdays/Thursdays by appointment

WEB PAGE http://iws.collin.edu/lfoster

Check the web page regularly for important course documents, reading assignments, instructions, extra examples,practice activities, and updates! (Students without home computers may access the web page via PCs in thecolleges libraries and computer labs.)


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LEARNING OUTCOMES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE

LEARNING OBJECTIVE : Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to use advancedmethods of paragraph development and produce well organized essays that demonstrate readiness to beginthe next level of the writing program.

CREDIT HOURS: Lecture Hours (3), Required Lab Hours (1) This course may not be used to satisfy therequirements for an associate degree.

PREREQUISITE: Assessment and/or successful completion of English 0300.

COLLEGE REPEAT POLICY: Developmental courses may be taken for a combined total of no more than 27credit hours.

E-MAIL ADDRESS [email protected]

Send e-mails from your CougarMail account, listing your course and section number in the messages subject line.Mail from other sources may not be opened or even get through the colleges spam filtering system! A link on myweb page explains how the CougarMail system is accessed.

Students have the option to e-submit most completed assignments. However, e-mailed work must be submitted as aMicrosoft Word attachment or as a pdf document. Please note that it will be held to the same strict deadlines asassignments presented in person and will not be accepted if submitted late (even by a few minutes). Also note thatthe student bears responsibility for lost e-mails, rejected deliveries, faulty attachments, or any other e-difficulties thatinterfere with the timely submission of e-assignments .

Although I generally respond to all student e-mails (2-business-day turnaround) and will verify that assignments werereceived, I do not address grade questions via e-mail. Instead, any student wishing to discuss his or her progress ismore than welcome to set up a conference. Similarly, a student should not send e-mails following absences,inquiring after what was missed in class. A more appropriate tact is to schedule an appointment and/or check theweb page for updates.


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COURSE DELIVERY METHOD : Lectures, class discussion, small group discussions, computer-assistedinstruction, library orientation, audio/visual materials, oral presentations, and personal conferences.

While the above official course description is accurate, I will add that my overriding purpose is to help students improve their writing. And while the focus is on paragraph and essay development, better sentences and vocabulary building are alsoemphasized. Punctuation, grammar, and sentence construction are presented on a review basis. (Students might be interestedto know that a separate, intensive grammar course is offered for those who need for more instruction in these areas.)

INITIAL ASSESSMENT (HOW DID I END UP IN A DEVELOPMENTAL CLASS?)

Developmental Education classes are closely connected to the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), a state law that impacts nearly allcollege students in Texas, so a good starting point in this discussion is to review the law itself:

The Texas Success Initiative was mandated by the 78 th Texas Legislature. It is designed to measure competency inreading, writing, and mathematics and to provide developmental courses in areas identified as deficiencies.

Collins developmental courses are designed to promote student success and to ensure college readiness, especially whenstudents complete the required developmental course(s) early in their college careers. In accordance with state policy,then, individuals who have failed the writing section of the Texas Higher Education Assessment (or other state-approvedtest) are, depending on their scores, placed in the appropriate-level Developmental English class. Once in adevelopmental writing class, students advance on the basis of their performance on the departmental final that isadministered toward the end of each course.

HOW THE CLASS IS STRUCTURED

Per departmental policy, Developmental Writing classes are designed to rely on a combination of lecture, class discussions, groupactivities, and individual conferences. Furthermore, the Developmental Writing faculty has established the following basicrequirements for this course:


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must approve. (Please note that if a student does not make him- or herself available to sign the form before final gradereports are submitted, he or she will be assigned a failing grade.)

4. While grades in developmental courses are excluded from grade point calculations, they do appear on studenttranscripts. Moreover, they typically "count" for purposes of financial aid as well as scholarship and tuitionreimbursement programs.

GRADES IN THIS CLASS

I employ a grade-less grading system wherein assignments are not given traditional grades. I will explain this somewhat unusualsystem in class and address any questions you might have, but the chart below summarizes the concept and provides a tableoutlining how final grades are determined.

Grade-less Grading Attendance Participation Dept Final Grade

Basic Concept:

Students will be assigned exercises, asked to write papers, and giventests. However, all of these assignments are strictly voluntary, andnone will be formally graded. This is not to say that feedback will not

be offered or that students arent expected to complete work; its justthat a students final grade will not derive from scores on completedassignments. Instead, a student will earn his or her course gradebased solely upon three factors: attendance, participation, and his or her performance on a departmental final, an essay administeredtoward the end of semester. Progress report documents and

Good Good Pass A

Good Good Fail IP

Good Fair Pass B

Good Fair Fail F

Good Poor Pass C


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Good Poor Fail F conference opportunities will be provided as ways for individuals toascertain how well they are doing in the class.

Note regarding Attendance and Participation:

For long terms, good attendance means zero or one absence only,fair attendance means only two to three absences, and poorattendance means four or more absences. Every two tardies (or earlydepartures) will count as an absence. Summer and express termsare adjusted accordingly.

Good participation means one regularly turns in assignments, joinsin class discussions, seeks out feedback with a positive attitude, andappears to be making a genuine effort to improve. Fair participationis for those who turn in only some of the voluntary assignments, areless involved in class discussions, and whose effort seems average.Poor participation is those who rarely or never do the assignedprojects and exercises and/or do not engage themselves in classdiscussions or conferences. Their effort and interest in the classcomes across as minimal.

Note regarding IPs and Fs :

Per college policy, it is not possible to pass this class without alsopassing the departmental final; however, it is possible to pass the test

Fair Good Pass B

Fair Good Fail F

Fair Fair Pass C

Fair Fair Fail F

Fair Poor Pass C

Fair Poor Fail F

Poor Good Pass C

Poor Good Fail F

Poor Fair Pass C

Poor Fair Fail F

Poor Poor Pass C


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1. REQUIRED TEXTS: y For 0300/0305:

o Foster-Eason, Laura et al. ENGL 0300/ENGL 0305 Writing Textbook. 4th

Ed. Houghton Mifflin. 2007.ISBN # 978-0-618-97401-6.

2. RECOMMENDED TEXTS: y For 0300/0305:

o Biays and Wershoven. Along These Lines, 5 th Edition. Pearson. 2004. ISBN # 978-0-131-94830-3. (Thepublisher of this book maintains a web site that presents much helpful instructional material related togrammar and writing principles.)

o instructional study aides (English Simplified and/or Writing Simplified)o a collegiate dictionary (Please note: electronic dictionaries and translators are fine for in-class use but are

disallowed in the Testing Center.)

3. pen and paper (for note-taking purposes)

4. folders w/ pockets (for web print-outs, handouts, returned assignments, and works in progress)

5. a flash drive (or any other dependable means for backing up work)(Students in the computer classroom should bring thedevice to classlabeled!)

6. copies (that is, the ability to make them)

7. calendar (or some other reliable system to keep up with due dates)

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ASSIGNMENTS

TThh oo uu gg hh yyoo uu wwiillll r r ee ccee iivvee ss ee pp aa r r aa ttee iinn ss ttr r uu cc ttiioo nnss f f oo r r ss pp ee cciif f iicc aa ss ss iiggnn mmee nn ttss ,, tthh iiss hh aa nndd oo uu tt iinn cclluu dd ee ss aa cc oo uur r ss ee ccaa llee nn ddaa r r tthhaa tt ss pp ee llllss oo uu tt wwhh aa tt iiss dd uu ee aa nn dd wwhh ee nn .. FF oo r r hh ee r r ee ,, II cc aa nn ss uu mm mm aa r r iizzee bb yy ss aa yyiinngg tthh ee cc oo uu r r ss ee wwoo r r kk cc oo nn ss iiss ttss oo f f aa vvoo cc aa bb uu llaa r r yy pp r r oo j jee cc tt,, ttee ss ttss aa nn dd ee xxee r r cc iiss ee ss oo vvee r r aa vvaa r r iiee ttyy oo f f wwr r iittiinn gg ss kkiillllss ,, aa nn dd nn uu mmee r r oo uu ss wwr r iittiinn gg aa ss ss iiggnn mmee nn ttss ((pp aa r r aa gg r r aa pp hh ss aa nn dd ee ss ss aa yyss )).. TThh ee llaa bb wwoo r r kk wwiillll iinnvvoollvvee ss ttuu dd ee nntt--ttee aa cchh ee r r ccoo nn f f ee r r ee nn cc ee ss aa nn dd gg r r aa mm mm aa r r iinn ss ttr r uu cc ttiioo nn ..


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All these requirementsalong with the additional requirements of passing the departmental final and maintaining satisfactory

attendance--help prepare you for college-level English. They expose you to the conventions of good writing, allow you to re-familiarize yourself with punctuation and grammar rules, provide you with practice at implementing effective writing strategies,encourage you toward good study habits, and echo the expectations future professors and employers will likely have of you.

HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL FINAL WORKS

Although not technically a part of the course work or lab work, the departmental final is, as has been mentioned, a course

requirement. It is not graded, but it does contribute significantly to your grade in the sense that the pass-fail essay must bepassed in order for students to receive a passing grade in the class. It is designed to test your mastery of the skills this courseteaches, and it is your performance on this essay (along with your TSI status) that determines which English class you should takenext. Needless to say, one of the goals of the class is to prepare you to do the best you can on this test. You complete the testtoward the end of the semester, but Ill get you the specific information on the when and where of the tests administration at alater juncture in the semester.

WHERE TO GO FOR THE LAB

Dont get confused about this. The lab isnt a place. Its just a series of exercises and activities an instructor assigns tocomplement the concepts being taught in the course. In this class, the lab work emphasizes grammar and punctuation rules andwill involve both student-teacher conferences and a series of quizzes.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular, prompt attendance is both required and appreciated. (Research also suggests that its practically a necessity for academic success.) In any case, attendance will be recorded, and students should understand that excessive absences havesevere negative consequences and may cause an individual to fail the course. Students enrolled in regular course sections arelimited to 4 absences; students in express or summer sections, two.


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that, as much as you can stand, but Ive built in other ways for you to show you are interested and attentive. Its also prettycommon for students to be a bit nervous at the start of the semester, especially if they are weak in a subject matter or if the

assignments sound hard. But dont panic! Ill get a lot more specific about all the various assignments long before you arerequired to complete any. And well review examples and easy-to-follow strategies.

My hope is that youll like the course, but, even if youre never particularly into writing, youll learn to be much better at it by theend by the end of the semesterand thatll feel good! The day is yours! Make the most of it! Good luck and good writing!

FOR QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED BY THIS HANDOUT

Glance over the handout again. (It really does answer most questions.) If any confusion remains, I am always available tostudents to discuss any concern.


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0305 syllabus spring 2011

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