Bunker Hill Community College

Goal—Reading

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to read and comprehend beginning reading materials and demonstrate an understanding of the reading materials by answering comprehension questions and by responding in short writings.

Objectives—Reading

Given a reading selection (approx. 75-150 words) related to everyday English or workplace English, the student will be able to:

1. learn to use prereading skills such as skimming and scanning to find specific information and learn to use prior knowledge to understand new reading material

2. identify main ideas and supporting details

3. answer simple factual comprehension questions and draw inferences and conclusions

4. learn to answer critical thinking questions

5. begin to use creative thinking skills when responding to a reading

6. identify different rhetorical styles including descriptive, narrative and process

7. begin to identify simple, compound and complex sentences

8. begin to note correct word order in sentences—Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

9. begin to locate parts of speech in a reading: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions

10. begin to identify basic transition words and phrases

11. identify verb tenses in readings: past, simple present, present continuous, and future (going to)

12. begin to distinguish active from passive voice in sentences

13. begin to identify basic homonyms, synonyms and antonyms in sentences

14. understand how context clues can aid in determining word meanings

15. begin to locate words in an English dictionary and understand simple definitions

16. understand how knowledge of prefixes, suffixes and root words can aid in determining word meanings

17. understand meanings of 500 most common words in English (list)

18. begin to understand simple charts, graphs, labels, signs, etc.

19. begin to understand basic written instructions, directions and diagrams

Goal—Writing

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to write paragraphs and short compositions, including descriptive, narrative, and process.

Objectives—Writing

In response to a reading selection related to everyday English or workplace English, or in response to a simple prompt, the student will be able to:

1. write a paragraph or short composition

2. write in response to simple prompts based on readings

3. begin to use process writing techniques: brainstorming, listing, and mapping

4. organize ideas in a paragraph or short composition

5. begin to write from general to specific

6. begin to paraphrase a reading

7. compare/contrast two people or places in simple terms

8. make a simple outline from a reading

9. rewrite a composition after receiving feedback from the teacher

10. use topic sentences in paragraphs

11. begin to use some coordinating and subordinating words in compound and complex sentences

12. begin to use correct word order for sentences and questions

13. begin to use a limited number of transition words in sentences and paragraphs

14. begin to use punctuation marks: capitals, periods, commas and apostrophes

15. understand some uses of quotation marks

16. begin to use a dictionary to correct spelling mistakes

Work-Related Objectives

Reading. After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. paraphrase written job benefits, including health benefits, vacation time, and sick days

2. paraphrase a company’s policies and regulations on attendance, behavior and dress code

3. paraphrase a company’s written policy on sexual harassment and other types of discrimination

4. paraphrase a company’s written mission statement and/or expectations for customer service

5. locate facts about a company in a company brochure or handbook

6. read a job advertisement and identify the job description, requirements and salary

7. complete a job application

8. demonstrate understanding of a paycheck stub by answering comprehension questions

9. study pictures from an inventory list and learn how to spell the words

10. answer comprehension questions about written safety and hygiene regulations for workforce in different workplaces such as hospitals, restaurants and offices.

11. understand labels and directions on various products

12. understand danger signs and warning signs around the workplace

13. recognize expiration dates

14. read ads for various products and identify the product and purpose of the ad 

Writing. After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. write a business letter: request or inquiry

2. write a resume and cover letter

3. write a letter of reference for a friend or coworker

4. begin to write a short business memo

5. read a job advertisement and paraphrase information on the job description, requirements and salary

6. write possible answers to interview questions about himself/herself and work experience in preparation for a role-play

7. complete a job application

8. describe some different positions at a workplace, including title and responsibilities

9. study pictures from an inventory list and learn how to spell the words

10. write a five-year timeline to identify career goals and plans to achieve them

Grammar and Mechanics

· past, present, future tenses

· parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions

· simple, compound and complex sentences

· negative statements and question forms

· word order

· simple adjectives

· adverbs of frequency

· count/non-count nouns

· pronouns: subject, object, possessive, demonstrative

· possessives (Bob’s house, Mary’s book, my car, your class, etc.)

· basic transition words/phrases

· basic modals (can, have to)

· There is/are

· “It” as referential subject

· punctuation: capital letters, periods, commas, apostrophes, quotation marks

· articles—definite and indefinite

Grammar Handout for BESL Courses—Grammar explanations from Focus on Grammar; exercises are available on computers in CSDL.