Course Description:  ESL 13 is a five-credit course which will help you improve your basic writing skills.  It includes individualized and group work as well as teacher conferences and class discussions.  Your increased awareness of good grammar, spelling, and punctuation will lead you to better sentence, paragraph, and essay construction.

 Objectives:  By the end of this course, you should be able to write a multi-paragraph composition which

• has an introductory paragraph, at least two body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph
• is focused on one main idea which is stated in the thesis statement
• has body paragraphs, each with a topic sentence and adequate specific supporting information
• has sentences which are clear and free from sentence structure problems such as comma splices, run-ons, and fragments
• is relatively free of language errors
• is relatively free of errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling

Textbooks:  Langan, Sentence Skills, Form B

Supplies:   One floppy disk--3 1/2 formatted, high density

Attendance:  Regular class attendance is required.  If you miss class for more than two consecutive days,  be sure to notify Instructor.  Students who do not attend class for two weeks may be withdrawn from the course unless arrangements have been made with the Instructor.  After the last day to withdraw without grade penalty, students who stop attending without notifying the Instructor will receive a grade of "U".

Classroom Schedule:  To facilitate the optimum learning environment for all students, the Monday classes will be divided into three sections as follows:

                     Conference A                9:30-11:15  (half of the students attend)

                     Classroom Lecture        11:30-12:15  (all students attend)

                     Conference B                12:30 – 2:00 PM  (half of the students attend)

In advance, you will choose to attend either Conference A or Conference B on a regular basis.  All students will come each week for the classroom lecture session from 11:30-12:15. Therefore your weekly schedule will be one of the following:

                     Conference A plus classroom lecture:    9:30-12:15 pm

                                                             or

                     Conference B plus classroom lecture:    11:30-2:00 pm

 You may always come to class during the conference time you have not chosen if you want to work on grammar, take tests, use the computers, etc.  However, I will only be conferencing with those students signed up for a specific conference time.  You must attend the entire class day when In-Class writing is assigned. 

Course Requirements:  This course is divided into two components: grammar and writing/reading.  To complete this course with a satisfactory grade, you must pass each component.  On writing assignments, "P" indicates that your assignment has met expected  criteria.  On grammar tests, a 70% is considered passing.  Any assignment which is not passed must be redone until a passing grade is achieved.
You also will collect four essays of your choice for a separate portfolio which will be evaluated by a portfolio committee.  (See below for guidelines for portfolio assessment.)  If your written portfolio is not considered satisfactory by the committee, you will need to repeat the course.

Homework Assignments:  All written assignments are due in final form (typed) at the beginning of class unless otherwise specified.  Failure to submit all assigned papers and/or take all assigned grammar tests will result in failure of the course.

Papers:  You must word process all final copies of papers, stapling all drafts behind the most recent copy.  Computers are available in the Writing Center and Computer Lab.
 

  Grading:         Grading is as follows:

                 S =    Satisfactory.  Student has met the course requirements.  Student has
passed every grammar test with a grade of 70% or higher and every writing assignment with a grade of “P.”  Student’s attendance and class
participation are satisfactory.  Student may enroll in English 111/9.

                 R =   Re-enroll.  Student is making satisfactory progress toward meeting the course requirements but needs more time to finish the work.  Student must register for ESL 13 again.

                 U =   Fail.  Student has excessive absences and/or work is unacceptable.  Student must re-register for ESL 13.

                 W =  Withdrawal.
 

Multi-paragraph Essays:  Because writing is the key to improving writing, you will do some writing or revising every class period.  Sometimes the revising will be collaborative.  To allow you to find your writing "voice", you may write more than one of any type essay assigned in order to generate a paper of your liking for the portfolio.
NOTE:  All prewriting and rough drafts must be stapled to your finished products which are submitted in the portfolio.
 

Computer Lab:  As a class you will be introduced to the campus computer lab, so that you will have access to writing/revising your papers on the computer.  You may use the computer lab any time it is open to complete work outside of class.
 

Writing Center:  The Writing Center is open five days a week to provide free one-on-one consultations about your writing.  The consultants can offer you an additional opinion about your writing by pointing out problem areas and helping you learn how to fix them or answering specific questions about your work.  Hours are posted on the door of the Center.
 

Other Information:

• At the first class meeting, you will be informed of emergency procedures in case of fire.
• If you have a disability of which I need to be aware (for class and/or testing accommodations), please meet with me privately to discuss the issue.
• Pagers and cellular telephones must be turned off during class.

Last revised:  January 15, 2009
e-mail:  jheiges@nvcc.edu