Bunker Hill Community College

ESL 088 ACADEMIC SPEAKING II w/(RWGXC)

w/reading, writing, and grammar across the curriculum

This high intermediate course focuses on reading skills and vocabulary development. Students will be asked to demonstrate an understanding of reading materials with comprehension questions and writing assignments. Grammar is taught in the context of reading materials and in student generated writing. This course must be completed with a “C” grade or better in order to take ESL 098.

GOAL
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to comprehend high-intermediate to advanced level reading materials of 500-750 words and demonstrate an understanding of the reading materials by answering comprehension questions, completing writing assignments, and citing sources.

OBJECTIVES
I. READING
A. READING SKILLS

1. use pre-reading/predicting strategies

2. identify main ideas

3. identify supporting details

4. draw inferences

5. distinguish fact/opinion

6. scan for specific information

7. skim for main ideas

8. find resources on specific topics

9. read out loud with comprehensibly

10. read texts of at least 500 words

B. READING COMPREHENSION

Prior to or after class, students will be assigned reading passages of 500-750 words related to the topic. Over the course of the semester, the length and difficulty of the reading passages should increase in order to challenge the students’ levels of academic literacy. In class activities and homework assignments over the course of the semester, students will repeatedly:

1. demonstrate at least 75% comprehension of the assigned readings of 500-750 words

2. relate the ideas of the reading passage to the discussion and vice versa

3. understand and use the master schedule

4. increase reading speed while maintaining comprehension

5. draw on critical and analytical thinking skills

6. activate prior knowledge

7. build common base knowledge

8. use college catalog

II. VOCABULARY/DISCOURSE

In the context of reading assignments, students should have many opportunities to:

1. use context clues

2. recognize prefixes and suffixes

3. expand academic vocabulary

4. expand knowledge of word forms

5. recognize reference words

6. recognize embedded clauses

7. recognize patterns of organization

8. use English dictionary primarily

9. learn antonyms and synonyms

10. recognize connectors

11. keep a record of vocabulary encountered in reading

III. WRITING

A. After reading articles on topics, students are expected to write summaries and/or personal reactions to the readings. In class activities and homework assignments over the course of the semester, students will demonstrate writing proficiency by doing the following:

1. write summary paragraphs of reading passages of at least 500-750 words both as in- class assessments and as homework

2. write an opinion paragraph in reaction to discussions of readings, relating one’s own ideas to those of others and reading passages

3. freely and frequently write journal entries on topics related to classroom activities

4. score at least 4.6 on the REEP rubric on an in class writing assignment by semester’s end

5. write a 2-3 page book review

6. write at least 3 drafts of the book review

7. fill in partial outlines of readings

IV. GRAMMAR/EDITING OBJECTIVES

In the context of the class discussions, readings, and student-generated writing, students will practice or review the following structures:

1. present real/unreal conditionals

2. adverb clauses: time reason, and condition

3. word forms, parts of speech

4. independent/dependent clauses

5. comparatives/superlatives

6. editing the errors in drafts of a report on a research based project

7. gerunds and infinitives

V. PROJECT-BASED LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will extend their knowledge of a topic related to class activities by doing research and writing a report. In doing so, students will:

1. use resources such as library, internet, and inteerviews to gather information

2. do an extended reading of at least 150 pages of literature

3. evaluate the usefulness of sources, relevance to one’s topic

4. revise at least two drafts before submitting a final draft

5. quote, paraphrase and cite sources

6. take notes on readings

7. base report on notes taken from readings

8. write a 2-3 page book review

RECOMMENDATIONS
A. RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS

1. Building Understanding, Baker-Gonzalez/Blau. Longman, 1995 ISBN 0-201-82528-7

2. Reading Matters 3, Wholey/Henein. Houghton Mifflin, 2001, ISBN 0-395-90428-5

3. an English dictionary, American Heritage ESL Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin. 1998. ISBN 0-395-873-7

4. Great American Stories 2, 3rd ed.Draper Longman, 2002 ISBN 0-13-030960-5

5. Between the Lines, 3rd ed. Zukowski/Faust, ITP ISBN 0-03-033994-4

6. Active Vocabulary, Olsen/Biley, 2002, Longman ISBN 0-13-111425-5

B. RECOMMENDED TEACHING PROCEDURES

1. Prior to class discussions, students should be given a reading passage of 500-750 words related to the topic as homework.

2. Students should have ample opportunities to discuss readings in pairs, small groups, and as a whole class.

3. Students should read out loud, outline readings, and take notes from readings periodically.

4. Students should write summaries and/or responses to the readings both in-class and as homework.

5. Students should write frequently about topics related to discussions and readings.

6. Students should revise and edit a t least one long, or several short writing assignments.

7. Students should be given 2-4 in-class writing assignments, which should be assessed w/the REEP writing Rubric.

C. RECOMMENDED PROJECTS

1. mini-research paper of 2-3 pages on topic related to class activities

2. read a book or ESL reader at a high intermediate level, write 2-3 page book report in preparation for 5 minute class presentation

D. RECOMMENDED GRADING SCHEME

1. Reading skills/vocabulary quizzes 15-25%

2. Reading summaries 20-40%

3. Journal 15-25%

4. Project 10-20%

5. In-class assessments 15-25%

6. Attendance and participation 10-20%

7. Homework 10-20%

E. RECOMMENDED EXIT CRITERIA

1. Write a summary of a reading passage of at least 500-750 words demonstrating at least 75% comprehension of the information presented.

2. In response to an open-ended question designed to elicit a reaction to a reading passage of at least 500-750 words, student relates own ideas to those of reading by writing at least a paragraph, which can be independently scored at least 4.6 on the REEP rubric.

3. Student can correctly answer in complete sentences 75% of comprehension questions based on a reading passage of at least 500-750 words.