English 090: Basic English Skills Section 5269Cuyamaca CollegeSpring 2014Class meeting times and places:

Instructor: John D. RallE-mail: john.rall@gcccd.eduOffice Hours: M/W 10:00-11:00 and other times by appointment Student Resources: www.professorrall.com

Welcome Students, While many of you are a bit timid and fearful of English, this course will hopefully dispel those fears. Learning a language is both difficult and rewarding. Practice is central to learning, so this class will focus on practices where we communicate with each other about elements of English. It is important to recognize that your classmates all have different experiences and are at varying levels of proficiency with English. Recognizing this will allow you to see that we are all on different stairs on the staircase of English. We can help one another up, but it is wrong to push another down. I hope that we can create a community of learners in the class where each student is a resource for another. When we study grammar, many minds are better than one, so I encourage collaboration in analysis of grammar. I hope that we can create a team atmosphere to develop synergistic learning. To that end, we will have an embedded tutor who is dedicated to helping us in class weekly, and we have a great writing center available for more assistance. I recommend that you visit the Writing Center multiple times throughout the semester. The Writing Center is located in B-167 and the phone number is 619-660-4463. I look forward to seeing all of you gain experience and knowledge in English. Catalog DescriptionEnglish 90 is designed to teach basic English skills through lecture, small group and individualized instruction, while promoting

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Recognize and use the parts of speech (nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions) in their own writing and the writing of others.

2. Articulate an understanding of what the parts of speech are used for and why each is critical to clear writing.

3. Compose effective simple, compound complex, and compound-complex sentences.

4. Recognize and correct commonly misspelled words.5. Recognize and correct sentences containing basic

errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and usage (e.g., plurals, possessives, agreement, and capitalization problems).

6. Select vocabulary words that expand their written language skills.

7. Follow a highly structured paragraph outline provided in class to produce a coherent paragraph on a single topic.

8. Compose at least one short paragraph with a less structured outline which is substantially free of major spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage errors.

9. Utilize the writing process (prewriting, writing, revision, and proofreading) to improve quality of written product.

10. Demonstrate writing for multiple purposes including, but not limited to, expressing their feelings, expanding their understanding of a topic, responding to a reading, and demonstrating their knowledge of a topic to others.

M 07:00AM 08:50AM B 172

W (lab) 07:00AM 07:50AM B 268

W 08:00AM 08:50AM B 172

knowledge of spelling, vocabulary and grammar. Students will demonstrate their knowledge by writing sentences and short paragraphs.

In this course, we will be exploring the basics of English. We will work on basic English skills from grammar and spelling to sentence and paragraph structure. We will practice and develop skills in basic grammar usage. In addition, we will read and analyze writing to enhance our writing abilities. You should be prepared to devote at least eight hours a week to this course. To achieve success in this course please utilize time management skills, do all assigned reading and writing, utilize the tutoring center, and come to class prepared and ready to learn.

Required Texts/Materials

1. Langan, John. Sentence Skills with Readings 5th ed. 2. Erwin, Paul R. The Winston Grammar Program: Basic Workbook Package. 2nd ed. 3. Access to a computer with internet capabilities to receive handouts from

www.professorrall.com4. Desk Dictionary with “Etymologies”- You can also find etymologies online at http://www.etymonline.com5. A writing journal6. Highlighters (pink, yellow, blue)

Policies:

Late Work Policy You may turn in paragraph assignments late, but the assignment will be reduced one letter grade for every day it is late past the due date. Homework will not be accepted late unless an extension was granted.

Attendance and Participation: A student shall be dropped if no longer participating in the course, except if there are extenuating circumstances.  ‘No longer participating’ includes, but is not limited to, excessive unexcused absences.  ‘Extenuating circumstances’ are verified cases of accidents, illness, other circumstances beyond the control of the student. If a student misses more than 4 classes, they will be considered ineligible to pass the course. It is the student’s responsibility to drop classes in which he/she is no longer attending.

 A student, through a combination of substandard grades (D or F) and withdrawals on their student record, may only take a class three times.

Academic Integrity, Cheating and plagiarism (using as one’s own ideas writings, materials, or images of someone else without acknowledgement or permission) can result in any one of a variety of sanctions. Such penalties may range from an F grade on the particular exam, paper, project, or assignment (all of which may lead to a failing grade in the course) to, under certain conditions, suspension or expulsion from a class, program or the college.  For further clarification and information on these issues, please consult with your instructor or contact the office of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

All paragraph assignments must be submitted to SafeAssign through Blackboard and will not be accepted without report of submission attached. When your work is submitted to SafeAssign, it is compared to a nationwide database and your work will be added to that data base.

It is very important to be respectful towards your fellow classmates and myself. Being rude in the classroom, for any reason, but particularly for reasons of gender, race, religion, and sexual preference, is unacceptable to me. In addition, it is expected that you pay respectful and appropriate attention when others in the class are speaking. If you behave rudely, you can expect me to bring it forcefully and promptly to your attention.

Cell phones are a distraction to learning. Do not have them on in class! If I find that your phone is distracting you in class, I will ask you to leave and mark you absent. On the third warning, I will drop you from the class.

Communication I am more than willing and happy to meet with you during my office hours or by appointment. If you have questions concerning your writing or an assignment, please contact me. I check my e-mail several times a week and will return your e-mail within 24 hours M-F. Please do not expect an e-mail response on weekends or during holiday breaks. If you are registered with Disabled Student Services and require some accommodations to be made for your learning, I am delighted to work with you. Please contact me during the first week of the course, so I can make the necessary accommodations.

Course Requirements and Grade Breakdown:

Assignment Description Points Possible Your Points

Paragraph 1 100

Paragraph 1 Revision 60

Paragraph #2 100

LAB: In-Class Writing 8 80

In-Class Winston Grammar Work 4 40

Reading Response Journal 8 80

Tutor Meetings (4 @ 10pts) 40

Exams (2 @ 100 pts.) 200

Reflection 50

Final (Objective & Timed Writing) 100

Total 850

Class Contacts

All class activities and assignments will be listed on the course calendar, and/or discussed in class. I will not answer any emails asking what was missed in class; however, I am more than willing to answer any questions regarding the clarification of an assignment. Therefore, you will need to get the contact information from your fellow classmates in the event of an absence.

Classmate Name:______________________________________________Contact Info:__________________________________________________

Classmate Name:_______________________________________________Contact Info:______________________________________________

Tentative ScheduleNote: The schedule is subject to change.

M: 1/27 W: 1/29

Week 1

Attendance

Introduction to Course

Class Vision Statement

LAB:

- Introduction to LAB

- Sentence Skills Diagnostic Test

HW:

- Read Langan Ch. 1

M: 2/3 W: 2/5

Week 2

Why do we write?

WG 1: Articles and NounsIntroduction to Nouns and Pronouns Review Pronouns

WG 2 & 3: Common and Proper Nouns

HW:

- Langan pp.71-75, Nouns & Pronouns

- GH#1 Practice 1-3

LAB:

In-Class Writing #1

WG 4: Personal Pronouns

Introduction to Verbs

SQ3R Lesson on Annotation

- read Langan p. 545 “Do It Better”

M: 2/10 (CENSUS) W: 2/12

Week 3Reading Response Journal

- SQ3R

Lab

In-Class Writing #2

- WG 5: Review articles and nouns

- What is a verb?

- Introduction to verbs

- HW: Complete sentences 5-10 on each Worksheet WG 1-5

- Review Homework: What is a verb?

- WG 6,

HW:

- Langan pp.76-78, Verbs

- GH#2 Practice 4-6

M: 2/17 W: 2/19

Week 4

Holiday: President’s day Review Verbs

-WG 7 & 8 (24)

Review Subject Verbs

-HW Langan Subj. Verbs pp. 85-91

-HW Read and Journal-Langan-pp. 571-573 and exercises “All Good Things”

M: 2/24 M: 2/6

Week 5

Reading Response Journal

In-class Complete WG 6, 7, & 8 sentences 5-10

Introduce Adjectives and Adverbs

HW -Read Langan,

Prepositions, Adjectives, Adverbs pp.78-80

-HW Langan pp.247-252 Adjectives and Adverbs

Lab:

-In-Class Writing

Review WG- 11,12, 13

Prepositions:

WG 15

-HW Langan pp. 257-271 -Modification

- (Langan 76-78)

M: 3/3 W:3/5

Week 6

In Class:

In-class Complete WG 11, 12, & 13 sentences 5-10

WG 14 Modification

WG 9 Contractions

-HW- WG 17

Lab:

- In-Class Writing

Review Subject and verbs

Introduce Sentences & Interrogative s

- WG10

-HW Langan Sentences pp. 141-149

M: 3/10 W: 3/12

Week 7

In Class:

In-class Complete WG 9,10, 14,

Review for Midterm Exam

-Review Sentences

WG 18

Practice sentence/ paragraph writing

LAB

-In-class-writing #3

WG

Mid-term Exam

- HW Langan Commas pp. 362-369 and exercises

M: 3/17 W:3/19

Week 8

In Class:

- - Review sentences and commas

Introduce Paragraph

- Topic Sentences

- HW – Langan Paragraph pp.11-14

Lab:

In-class writing #4

Review paragraphs

Introduce Direct and Indirect Objects

WG 25& 26

-HW Langan Paragraphs pp.14-34

M: 3/24 W: 3/26

Week 9

In Class:

- Review paragraphs

- Assign Paragraph 1

- Practice Paragraph Writing

- Review WG: direct and Indirect objects

Exam

-HW Langan pp.578-580 “Responsibility and exercises “

M: 3/31 W: 4/2

Week 10 In Class:

Due:Reading Response Journal

- Review Homework: Fragments

-HW Langan pp.97-108 “Fragments”

Lab:

- In-Class Writing #5

Review Fragments and Sentences pp.141-149

Class activity

M: 4/7 W:4/9

Week 11 Peer Review Workshop

- 4 Rough Draft Copies of Paragraph&17

Paragraph 1 Presentations

- Group 1 meets 7:00-7:50 pm

- Group 2 meets 8:00 – 8:50 pm

Final Draft of Paragraph 1

M: 4/14 W:4/16

Spring Break Spring Break

M: 4/21 W:4/23

Week 12 In Class:

- Review Homework: Run-Ons

- Review Homework: Sentence Variety I

Lab:

- In-Class Writing #6

M: 4/28 W: 4/30

Week 13 In Class:

- Assign Revision Paragraph

- Revision Process

- Review Homework: Subject-Verb Agreement

- Review WG: Subjects

- WG 8: 22-23

Due: Final Draft of Revision

Review paragraphs

Outlining exercise

Exercises and Review Tests

- Study for Exam 2

M: 5/5 W:5/7

Week 14 In Class:

- Exam 2

Lab

in-class writing #7

- Assign Paragraph 2

- Review Homework:

- Review WG: Direct and Indirect Objects

- WG 9

-HW – rough draft Paragraph 2

Rough Draft workshop

Review-Topic sentence

M: 5/12 W:5/14

Week 15 In Class:

- Peer Review Workshop #2

- 4 Rough Draft Copies of Paragraph 2

In Class Writing #8

Review nouns, verbs, subjects, prepositions, sentences, punctuation, paragraph

M: 5/19 W: 5/21

Week 16 In Class:

- Final Exam

Class Party

In Class:

-Paper Due

M: 5/26 Final Exams Week W: 5/28

Week 16 Due:

Final Draft of Paragraph and Reflection Letter