University of North Alabama CELL

Spring 2006-1^st Term

Reading 3 Syllabus

Instructor: Stephanie C. Brown                                                        Office Phone: 765-6719

Classroom: 222 Powers Hall                                                              Web Page:http://alabama-hills.com/esl.htm

Office: 229 Powers Hall                                                                      Email: scbrown1@una.edu

                                                                                                                 steph@alabama-hills.com (I prefer                  

                                                                                                                 this one.)

Office Hours:  Tuesdays: 8:00 – 9:00;

                          Wednesdays and Thursdays: 2:00 – 3:30             

                          By appointment

Course Textbooks: Tens steps to Building College Reading Skills    4^th edition   John Langan

Class Materials:

Paper and pencil/pen/eraser,

Notebook for reading journal, textbook, dictionary

Grading Policy:

Daily (homework, pop quizzes,

and  class participation)                                      15

Reading Journal (100 pages a week)                 25

Test Grades                                                           60

Grade Scale:

A – 100-90                                                             D – 69-60

B – 89-80                                                                F – 59 & below

C – 79-70

Attendance Policy: 

In order to obtain optimal benefit from the educational experience, it is incumbent upon students to attend and to be well-prepared for all classes. Accordingly, all students are encouraged to attend all classes, participate actively, and lead their lives in a way that they are prepared well to benefit by instruction and class interactions.  The associated self-discipline will also help to establish a solid foundation of behavior for your future.

Your attendance will affect your final grade in the UNA CELL program and your official college transcript if you are receiving academic credit for your CELL classes. In accordance with the university policy, any student who misses 25% of any class (excused or unexcused) will fail and/or not receive credit for that class. When extended absences are caused by illness or similar extraordinary conditions, any student who is receiving academic credit for his/her class has recourse to the official withdrawal procedure and the W option provided therein; otherwise, the grade reported will be F.

The only excused absences are those with a written excuse from a doctor or a case of extreme emergency, as determined by the director of the CELL program.  An excused absence means that you can make up any work missed, but the absence still counts as an absence.  It is the student’s responsibility to see the teacher and ask about any missed work.  Any work missed due to unexcused absences cannot be made up, and you will receive a zero for this work. 

Ø       15% of individual classes missed = the student will be given a verbal warning by the teacher of the individual class

Ø       15% of total classes (includes computer lab class) missed = the student will be required to meet with the Director of  CELL or the CELL Curriculum Coordinator

Ø       20% of total classes (includes computer lab class) missed  = warning letter sent to student, Director of ISS, Director of CELL and recruiting agency, if applicable, and placed in permanent file

Ø       25% of total classes (includes computer lab class) missed = student will be dismissed from the program

• .

Reading 3 Goals and Objectives:

Goals:                     The student will improve his/her reading skills by gaining the ability to recognize various aspects of writing, locate information, infer when the text is not explicit and employ several tactics towards discovering the meanings of unknown words and phrases. 

Objectives:            The student will be able to:

·         Use a standard dictionary to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.

·         Use the context of a passage to recognize the intended meaning of words or phrases that may have multiple meanings with 80% accuracy.

·         Use specific root words and twenty common prefixes and suffixes to determine the meanings of unknown vocabulary words.

·        Distinguish between fact and opinion in four out of five simple, persuasive texts.

·         Distinguish between two different phrases and two similar phrases where one is simply restating the other. (synonyms, circumlocution)

·         Locate information through table of contents, indices, glossaries, menus, headings and titles 80% of the time.

·         Recognize transition relationships four out of five times.

·         Show 80% accuracy in paraphrasing main points of a simple story. 

·         Define, with 80% accuracy, twenty new vocabulary words a week from their level three book, standard dictionary and/or levels five and six of the University Word List.

·         Read 100 pages each week written on a 3.5 to 4.0 grade reading level and produce a written and/or oral report on each selection.

Reading Journal:

Every student will read 100 pages of outside reading a week.  This reading may come from books, newspapers, magazines articles, etc.  Use a notebook for your journal with nothing else in it.  I suggest a small notebook. EVERY time you read anything, make an entry in your journal.  Your entry should include the date you reading, number of pages, the source (book title, newspaper, etc.) at least 20 new vocabulary words and definitions, and interesting facts and a brief summary or your reaction to the reading.  The outside reading does NOT include class textbooks.  The books you read should be on your reading level.  Your grade on the reading journal will count 25% of your class grade.  I will take up your reading journal every Monday and grade it, and then I will return it by Wednesday. 

Class rules:

• Sleeping in class is not allowed.  How can you learn if you are asleep? If you feel sleepy, I suggest you stand up and stretch!  If this is a frequent problem with you, go to bed earlier.
• You may raise your hand to speak if you want to raise your hand.  I prefer that you simply answer. In other words, you may answer questions or speak without raising your hand. (Please note:  Some teachers prefer that you raise your hand.)
• Speak only English in class, including as you enter and leave the room. This rule is for YOUR benefit.  You will learn so much faster if you speak English. 
• Treat your classmates and your teacher with the same respect with which you would like for them to treat you.