English 370Monday – Thursday

10:00 – 11:50Melissa Gunby

Welcome!O This is English 370, English Fundamentals.

English 370 is a “skills” course which will focus on the development of various analytical, critical, mechanical and grammatical skills and techniques. Throughout this course you will read and write a variety of paragraphs and essays and other materials to develop these skills in preparation for English 1. By the end of the semester you should be able to read critically and synthesize information from a text, as well as write to expose your ideas and information.

Questions?O Before I begin going through the

course requirements and the syllabus, what questions do you have for me?

Books

Course RequirementsHow You’re Going to Pass This Class

3 ThingsO LabO CMEO Class

LabO All 370 students must also enroll in the 370

Lab. This lab will allow you to work one on one with an instructor to work through the writing process, as well as some critical thinking and reading skills through a guided lesson.

O You will need to purchase a green lab folder.O The lab requires 4 hours a week.O The lab for this class meets from 8:30-9:45

am Monday - Thursday

Important noteO Please note: failure to complete the

lab automatically results in a grade of No Pass for this class.

O You MUST complete the lab to get credit for the course.

CMEO The CME is the Composition Mastery

Exam, and is given at the end of every semester. Students in 370 must earn a score of 8 or higher to qualify for English 1.

O We will be doing some activities with practice exams throughout the semester.

O We will be taking the exam in class on Thursday, July 25.

The ClassO This is a pass/no pass class.O However, you must earn the equivalent of a C

(70%) to earn a passing grade.O Grades will be calculated thusly:

O In-class activities (participation): 35%O Homework: 10%O Weekly vocabulary journals: 10%O Tests and quizzes: 15%O Essays and writing assignments: 30%

O If you do not earn 70% you will not earn a passing grade, even if you complete the lab and pass the CME.

What We’ll Be Doing in ClassO Essays (4):

O Is the Internet Changing Our Social LivesO What Does Freedom of Speech Really

Mean?O The Princess BrideO Reflections on the American Psyche:

Advertising and Popular CultureO Reflective MemoO All Essays and Drafts will need to be

submitted online to turnitin.com

Class Novel: The Princess Bride

O As a class we will be reading The Princess Bride

O There are a few assignments you will be completing:O Weekly vocabularyO Reading response journalsO Vocab and reading quizzesO Other activities in class to reinforce

our reading and discussion

Other HomeworkO Besides reading from The Princess

Bride, there will also be assigned readings with questions from the textbook What Matters in America.

Quizzes and ExamsO There are vocabulary and reading

quizzes scheduled in the syllabusO There will be two mid-term exams

(see syllabus; these will be practice CMEs)

O There will be one final exam (CME)

Questions?

Activity!O Each of you has a secret identity taped to

your back.O Asking only Yes or No questions of your

classmates, try to figure out who you are.O Once you’ve figured out your identity, seek

out your partner. O When you’ve found your partner, sit together

and introduce your real self to each other. O Be prepared to introduce your partner to the

class.

Introductions

And finally tonight….

Writing DiagnosticO I want you each to write me a short

essay. The purpose of this is twofold.O 1. I want to get a quick grasp on what

skills, etc. we may need to go over this semester and this gives me a good baseline.

O 2. one of your last assignments will be a reflective memo, looking back over your progress. This essay will serve as the “before” picture for that assignment.

WriteO You may leave when you are

finished.

O Homework (see syllabus for more detail):O "MySpace, Facebook, and Other Social

Networking Sites: hot Today, Gone Tomorrow?" pg 24-29.

O The Princess Bride: IntroductionO Set up Turnitin.com account

O See syllabus for password and class ID