Course Requirements

AustinCommunity College

ACADEMIC ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAM

ESOL 0380/COMX 3080: Introduction to WRITING & GRAMMAR

Course Description and Syllabus

Semester:  Fall 2010

Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Room 4212

 

Instructor:Shannon Bailey   

Office:     NRG 4105                  

Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:45-1:45, Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-             3:30, and by appointment.    

Phone:      223-4014

E-mail:     sbailey@austincc.edu                           

 

TEXTS:

Basic English Grammar 3rd ed., Azar, B.& Hagen, S. Also buy the workbook!

Fundamentals of Academic Writing, Butler, Linda.

 

Academic ESL Program Goals: The main goal of ACC’s Academic ESL Program is to prepare ESL students to handle the listening, speaking, reading and writing assignments required in higher education. To accomplish this purpose, the ESL faculty have adopted a communicative approach that integrates these four macroskills with crucial subsidiary skills. Although the focus of each class is on a particular set of skills, activities involving the other skill areas are incorporated at all levels; students are taught microskills and strategies that will prepare them to become independent learners. 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: 

ESOL 0380: Introduction to Writing and Grammar emphasizes using standard English grammar in writing sentences and paragraphs.  Students learn pre-writing strategies and the development of a paragraph, beginning with a topic sentence and supporting sentences, and ending with a conclusion sentence. By the end of the course, students will be able to write narrative and descriptive paragraphs on a variety of topics. Emphasis is placed on syntax, proper use of punctuation and mechanics, and word forms. An introduction to present, past, and future tenses, irregular verbs and question formation is given. This is the first course in a series designed to prepare ESL students to handle the writing tasks they will encounter in college-level credit courses and the workplace, and to pass the THEA. Required laboratory work will supplement classroom instruction. This course may be repeated for up to six hours of credit. Upon successful completion of this course, students should register for ESOL 0381: High Beginning Writing and Grammar

 

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS/PREREQUISITES:

Placement in the course is by ESL Assessment or the COMPASS Test.

 

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to do the following:

        write accurate simple and compound sentences using the                grammatical structures studied in the course; apply the structures            to their own writing;

        generate ideas and prepare to write using simple prewriting strategies;       write effective paragraphs using the modes of               description and narration in supporting their ideas;

        identify and use basic syntax using simple and progressive tenses;

        identify the eight parts of speech.

            

EVALUATION:

The following categories and percentages represent how your final grade will be determined.

 

Participation/Homework/Preparation.20%

Chapter Quizzes....................20%

Paragraphs/Compositions............20%

Midterms ..........................20%

Finals.............................20%

 

GRADES:

      A=100%-90%

      B=80%-89%

      C=70%-79%

      D=65%-69%

      F=below 65%

 

 

REQUIREMENTS/RESPONSIBILITIES:

ATTENDANCE  POLICY:

It is very important that you attend all of your classes. ACC policy states the following:

            A student at Austin Community College is expected to attend classes in order to progress satisfactorily toward completion of course objectives. . . A student who is not meeting course objectives may be withdrawn from the course at the discretion of the instructor (ACC Catalog 2004-2005, p. 33).

 

If you must be absent from class, it is your responsibility to find out what work you missed in class, as well as any homework assignments and announcements about tests.  

 

If you are taking this course to comply with the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) requirements*, Texas law requires the following:

      1.    If you are not "continually in attendance," and "making progress" in this course, you should be withdrawn from the course by your instructor;

      2.    If you withdraw yourself or are withdrawn by your instructor, you will be automatically withdrawn from all of your other college courses if this is the only THEA-mandated course you are taking.

      *     If you are unsure whether or not this warning applies to you, see an ACC advisor immediately.     

 

EXAMS/QUIZZES: 

These will be given on the days indicated on the syllabus.  You need to be present for all exams.  Generally, no make up exams will be given.  Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the instructor.

 

PARAGRAPHS/COMPOSITIONS:

Your work must be your own.  Paragraphs and compositions written by anyone other than you will not be corrected and will receive an F. 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Tardies of 10 minutes or more will count as an absences; I may withdraw you if you have more than three unexcused absences. I generally do NOT accept late work but will discuss this issue on a case by case basis, as emergencies do arise.

 

                     

Course Schedule  (Subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.)

 

The following is a general schedule of assignments.  Specific homework assignments will be made on a daily basis and written on the blackboard.  Daily assignments must be prepared before coming to class!

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Azar =  BASIC ENGLISH GRAMMAR

              FAW  =  FUNDAMENTALS OF ACADEMIC WRITING

 

 

WEEK #           

 

 

1. Introduction to the Course.  Diagnostic Exams.                           Aug. 23/25                   

Grammar: Azar  Ch. 1: Using BE

FAW: Getting Started; Ch 1; Chapter 2 Part 1

 

1. Azar:  Ch. 1 continued                                                              

FAW: Ch. 2 continued                                                               Aug. 30/Sept. 1

Grammar Quiz  Chapter 1: Using BE

                        Writing Assignment 1

 

1. Azar: Ch 2: Using BE and HAVE                                              Sept. 6 holiday

FAW: Finish Ch. 2                                                                     Sept. 8

 

 

1. Azar: Ch 2: Using BE and HAVE                                                         

FAW: Chapter 3                                                                        Sept. 13/15

Grammar Quiz Chapter 2: Using Be and Have

                        Writing Assignment 2

 

1. Azar: Ch. 3: Using the Simple Present                                        Sept. 20/22         

FAW: Chapter 4

 

1. Azar: Ch 3: Using the Simple Present                                         Sept. 27/29                   

FAW: Chapter 4, continued

Grammar Quiz Chapter 3: Using the Simple Present

 

1. Azar: Ch. 4: Using the Present Progressive                                 Oct. 4/6           

FAW: Chapter 6

Writing Assignment 3

 

1. Azar:  Ch. 4: Using the Present Progressive                                Oct. 11/13        

FAW: Chapter 6, continued                                                       

Mid Term Exams:  Grammar: Azar Chs. 1-4; Writing: TBA

 

1. Azar: Ch. 5: Talking about the Present                                        Oct. 18/20                    

FAW:  Chapter 5

Grammar Chapter Quiz 4: Using the present progressive and talking about the present

                       

 

 

1. Azar: Chapter 5 (continued)                                                       Oct. 25/27

Begin Ch. 6: Nouns and Pronouns                                                         

FAW: Chapter 5, continued

 

           

1. Azar: Ch. 7: Count and Noncount Nouns                                     Nov. 1/3

FAW: Chapter 7

                        Writing Assignment 4

                        Grammar Quiz Chapter 6: Nouns and Pronouns

 

1. Azar: Ch. 7: Count and Noncount Nouns                                     Nov. 8/10                     

FAW: Chapter 7 continued

Grammar Quiz Chapter 7: Count and Noncount Nouns

 

1. Azar:  Ch. 8: Expressing Past Time                                            Nov. 15/17                   

FAW: Chapter 8

Writing Assignment 5

                                                                                                                                   

14                     Azar: Ch 8: Expressing Past Time                                              Nov. 22/24                   

                        FAW: Chapter 8 continued

                        Grammar Quiz Chapter 8: Expressing Past Time

 

15                     Azar Ch 10: Expressing Future Time: 10-1 through 10-5 only        Nov. 29/Dec. 1                                     Azar Ch: 16: Making Comparisons: 16-1 through 16-4 only

            FAW: Chapter 9

Grammar Quiz Chapter 10: TBA

 

16                     Review                                                                                                Dec. 6 & 8

FAW: Finish Chapter 9

Final Exams                           

 

 

 

 

Readings

Course Subjects

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives