Bunker Hill Community College

BSL 006 Reading & Writing II

Goal-Reading

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to read and comprehend high 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. 100-250 words) related to everyday English, workplace English or simple academic English, the student will be able to:

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

2. identify main ideas and supporting details

3. answer factual comprehension questions and draw inferences and conclusions

4. develop ability to answer critical thinking questions by analyzing and using prior knowledge

5. develop creative thinking skills when responding to a reading

6. identify different rhetorical styles including descriptive, narrative, process, compare/contrast, or cause/effect

7. identify simple, compound and complex sentences

8. note correct word order in sentences - Subject-Verb-Object-Place-Time (SVOPT)

9. locate parts of speech in a reading: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and begin to learn their functions

10. identify basic transition words and phrases

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

12. begin to identify active and passive voice and their uses

13. identify basic homonyms, synonyms and antonyms in sentences

14. begin to use context clues to determine word meanings

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

16. begin to use knowledge of some prefixes, suffixes and root words to determine word meanings

17. understand meanings of 750 most common words in English (list)

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

19. 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, process, compare/contrast, and cause/effect.

Objectives-Writing

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

1. write a paragraph or short composition

2. write in response to prompts based on readings

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

4. begin to write in the form of introduction-body-conclusion

5. write from general to specific

6. paraphrase a reading

7. compare/contrast two people, places or objects

8. make an outline from a reading

9. rewrite a composition after receiving feedback from the teacher

10. use topic sentences in paragraphs

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

12. use correct word order for sentences and questions

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

14. use punctuation marks: capitals, periods, commas, apostrophes

15. begin to use quotation marks

16. use a dictionary to correct spelling mistakes

Work-Related Objectives

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

1. summarize written job benefits, such as health benefits, vacation time, and sick days

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

3. summarize a company’s written policy on sexual harassment and discrimination

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

5. locate facts about a company in a company brochure, handbook, report, or article

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

7. complete a job application

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

9. study items 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, warning signs, and cautions around the workplace

13. recognize expiration dates

14. read ads for various products and identify the product, the purpose, the target audience, and other specific information

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

1. write a business letter: request or inquiry, adjustment or complaint

2. write a resume and cover letter

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

4. develop ability to write a 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, work experience, education, and qualifications in preparation for a role-play

7. complete a job application

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

9. study items 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 and future tenses

· present perfect tenses (introduce)

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

· parts of a sentence and word order (Subject-Verb-Object)

· simple, compound, complex sentences

· negative statements and question forms (review)

· capital letters

· punctuation: periods, commas, question marks, apostrophes, quotation marks

· adverbs of frequency

· adjectives-comparatives, superlatives

· count/non-count nouns

· infinitives and gerunds

· pronouns: subject, object, possessive, demonstrative

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

· transitions

· There is/are

· “It” as referential subject

· basic modals

· articles-definite and indefinite

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