ENGLISH 001/01M:  Preparing for College Writing I

L. Casal
Office Phone:  (703) 257-6692;  e-mail  lcasal@nvcc.edu or e-mail lc645@yahoo.com
Office Hours: M/W  7:30-8:00, 10:00-11:00, 12:15-12:30, 1:45-2:00; W  6-7

Course Description
English 001 is designed to help you overcome basic difficulties in sentence construction, grammar, paragraph composition, reading, and vocabulary.  These areas will be developed within the writing process.  Therefore, you will brainstorm, outline, write, revise, and evaluate your writing.  You will write several essays, work with fellow classmates on various projects, and develop a portfolio of your work for final evaluation.

Course Objectives
English 001 is a course designed to help you begin to develop and demonstrate writing skills necessary for college work.  These skills include a working knowledge of the writing process and of basic English grammar.  The major emphasis is on learning to compose a written passage which displays the following characteristics:
 Written with fluency and purpose
 Expresses a main idea
 Supports the main idea with relevant details
 Uses standard English

Major Topics to be Covered
A.  Introduction to the Writing Process
 1. Prewriting Strategies for the beginning Writer
 2. Developing a Sense of Audience   
 3. Basic Revision Strategies
 4. Developing Fluency as a Beginning Writer
 5. Basic Proofreading and Editing Strategies
 6. Understanding Basic Grammar and Function

B.  Composing Written Passages with Main Idea and Supporting    Details 

Course Prerequisite
English language skills at the level required for admission to the college.  The reading and writing placement tests used for assessment are required for proper placement into English 001.

Course Requirements
Refer to the portfolio handout for further information on the required portfolio pieces.  You will this semester be asked to: complete the Pre-Test  in-class;
    complete a Life-line essay;
    complete a group essay;
    complete a comparison/contrast essay;
    complete a response essay;
    complete a movie review;
    write a portfolio letter;
    complete in-class assignments;
    participate in group work; and
    complete all reading assignments.

Grading
A letter grade will be given at the end of the semester.  Four symbols will be used for the final grade:
P  (Pass Satisfactorily) - You have completed all course require satisfactorily.  You will be advised to proceed into either English 003 or English 111 (with or without English 099).

R  (Re-enroll) - You need more time and practice with several of the objectives that re-enrolling in this course will provide.

U  (Unsatisfactorily) - Requirements not met.

Attendance
Success in this course depends, in part, on your participation in class activities and discussions.  Therefore, attendance is imperative, and will directly affect your grade.  In fact, you will fail the course automatically if you miss more than 20% of the classes.  In addition, tardiness is not acceptable on a regular basis.  More than five instances of tardiness will result in a 50% grade penalty in the class participation portion of the 
your grade.

Plagiarism
To plagiarize is to copy or claim as your own the work of another. DON'T DO IT!  If you do plagiarize, you will receive an automatic F for the particular plagiarized paper.  More than one plagiarized paper will result in an automatic F in the course.

Late Papers
Late papers will be penalized an entire grade for each day delay from the due date.  However, papers more than a week late will not be accepted, resulting in an F for the paper.  Exceptions will be granted only after a consultation with me before the due date.

Please note the following:
1.  Inappropriate classroom behavior will not be tolerated.  Politeness and respect are required.  Refer to the student handbook for further information.

2. You are responsible for securing your enrollment in this class.  Please be sure you are properly enrolled and tuition is paid.

3. If you have special needs or considerations, please see me or a counselor.

4. Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, and other electronic noise items while in class.  Thank you.
 

CLASS SCHEDULE:

1/14  Student Data; Introduction to the Course  
 
1/16  Pre-Test Writing Assessment (Part I) 

1/21  No Class
      
1/23  Pre-Test Writing Assessment (Part II)  

1/28  Group Work:  What is Good Writing?
  What are the Components of the Essay? 
  Group Work: Evaluating the Pre-Test
  (According to Student-Developed Checklist)
  The Writing Process

1/30  Model Paper – Putting it all together

2/4  Group Paper

2/6  Group Paper

2/11  Group Review of Group Paper

2/13  Life-Line
Selecting a Topic
(In-Class Writing)  
  
2/18  Reading to Write
DUE:   Reading Assignment I :  The Narrative Essay  
    
2/20  Group: The Life-Line Essay
DUE:  Life-Line Essay  
  
  Conference Appt. ________________________________
  (Bring the Life-line Essay)   
    
2/25  Conference Appt. ________________________________
  (Bring the Life-line Essay)
         
2/27  The Sentence: Variety is the Spice of Composition!
  In-Class Worksheet
  DUE:  Sample sentences – Good & Bad!  
    
3/4  Introduction to the Comparison Contrast
  Reading to Write
  DUE:  Reading Assignment II 

   
3/6  Topics & Outlines for Comparison/Contrast Essay
      
3/11,13  Spring Break     (No Classes)
3/18  Comparison/Contrast Work
  DUE:  The Comparison/Contrast Essay   
           
3/20  Conference Appt. ________________________________
  (Bring the Life-line Essay)
                                                      3/20  
3/25  Movie (In-Class)  
   
3/27  Movie (In-Class)  
  
4/1  Review & Discussion

4/3  Conference Appt. ________________________________
  (Bring the Movie Review)
  
4/8  Introduction to Response Essay
              
4/10  Reading to Write
  Due:  Reading Assignment III 
      
4/15   Response Essay/Library Visit
  DUE:  Magazine or Newspaper for Response Essay
                                                
4/17  Response Essay: Group Work
  DUE:  The Response Essay 

4/22  Letter
  Portfolio Preparation  
    
4/24  Post-Test (Part One)

4/29  Post-Test (Part Two)
   
5/1  Student Conferences & Final Evaluations    
          
    
NOTE:  Failure to attend the portfolio evaluation conference will result in an automatic incomplete in the course.