BELLEVUE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

3000 Landerholm Circle SE

Bellevue, WA  98007

Fall Quarter, 2008

 

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

COURSE INFORMATION

 

Course:                                  ESL 065E – Level 5

Dates:                                     Monday and Wednesday; September 22, 2008 to December 10, 2008

                                                No class Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Time:                                      5:30 PM – 8:50 PM

Room:                                     R209

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

 

Name:                                     Donna Holstad

Office:                                    R130 Adjunct Office

Office Hours:                        By appointment

Contact Phone:                     (425) 564-2513

E-mail:                                    dholstad@bellevuecollege.edu

Emergency Information:      http://status.bcc.ctc.edu or (425) 401-6680

 

TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS

 

You will need to buy a student book and workbook package this year. It is available in the BCC Bookstore.

 

  1. Lee, Linda & Kristin Sherman. (2005). All-star 3, first edition. McGraw-Hill: NY.

Sherman, Kristin. (2007). All-star 3 workbook. McGraw-Hill: NY.

ISBN: 0-07-320531-1

 

  1. You should also have an English-English dictionary. The Longman Dictionary of American English is very good.

 

 

COURSE OUTCOMES

 

For fall quarter, our English lessons are about talking with others, setting goals, housing, health and topics you choose.  For each of the topics, by the end of this quarter, successful students should be able to:

 

Speak So Others Can Understand

·         use common vocabulary and basic grammar (present, past, future, and present continuous tenses)

·         use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex)

·         learn and use different strategies to help you be a better speaker

Listen Actively

·         understand longer conversations, stories, and detailed instructions that are at normal speed in English

·         ask questions when you don't understand someone

·         learn and use strategies to improve listening and respond appropriately to conversations

Read With Understanding

·         read common and unfamiliar words

·         show that you understand texts and vocabulary

·         find important information in texts

·         use who, what, where, when, why to help you understand a text better

·         identify the main idea of a paragraph

Convey Ideas in Writing

·         learn to plan (brainstorm, mind map ) before you write a paragraph

·         write organized paragraphs with a clear topic and supporting details

·         write statements and questions using the simple present, simple past, present continuous, and future tenses

·         revise and edit your writing

 

 

ATTENDANCE

 

To go to the next level, you must show progress in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Attendance is important for your progress to the next level. If you miss 20% of the total class time (4 days or16 hours), you will receive a "No Progress" for the quarter. Tardiness (late arrival) and early departure from class of one-half hour is part of the “missing for 20% or more of the total class time. You must be present for the CASAS pre- and post-tests scheduled at the beginning and end of each quarter.  Failure to do so will result in an automatic “No Progress” evaluation for that quarter. Students may only repeat a class three times.

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU:

Come prepared to class (a three-ring binder, notebook paper, pens, etc.), be on time, do all the homework and participate. We learn from each other. We can help each other. We must treat one another with dignity and respect even when we have different ideas. We will use professional student behavior that does not disturb others. Progress and completion will be based on many things, including testing/assessment scores, homework, attendance, class participation, etc. The only reasons to miss class are for personal or family illness or death in the family. Please call my office and leave a message if you cannot come. Vacations, taking care of family members for a long time, illness for a long time, other classes, and job problems are unexcused and are not reasons to miss class.

You will not be allowed to enroll next quarter if you:

  • Miss four classes or 16 unexcused hours this quarter
  • Do not make progress in class
  • Miss the pre or post test or other assessments. These pre and post tests are very important. You cannot continue to be a student in this program unless you take all the pre and post tests.

 

GRADING SCALE

 

I will mark some of your tests/work with these numbers:

 

100 -- 94% . . . . . . . . . . . Excellent

95% - 86% . . . . . . . . . . . Good            

85% - 80% . . . . . . . . . . . OK

79% and below . . . . . . . . Needs more work

 

I will write comments on the assignments and homework you hand in mark assignments and homework, as well as test and quizzes, with the following grades:

 

4 or +      ……………….  Exceptional

3 or √+    ……………….  Competent

2 or √      ……………….  Developing

1 or √-     ……………….  Beginning

 

Each student will keep a portfolio. The portfolio will include the following:

 

  • Attendance sheets from every quarter at BCC;
  • ARM sheet with all your CASAS scores from every quarter at BCC;
  • Short-term goals progress sheets from every quarter at BCC;
  • Assessment Log with all your scores from other tests in Level 5;
  • Examples of your writing from each quarter of Level 5.

 

SOME POLICIES

 

Students in ESL classes at Bellevue Community College should make progress in their level.  If there is no progress, students may not continue in the classes.  The teacher looks at your attendance, classroom work, and tests (including CASAS tests) to decide your progress.  The teacher will tell you at the end of the quarter that you need to improve.  If you don’t improve, you might not be able to register for classes in the future.

Students with disabilities must progress like other students. You should tell me about your disability, special illness, or your need for special arrangements in class. I can tell you about our Disability Resource Center (DRC), which is in Room B132, or you can call 425-564-2498, TTY 425-564-4110, or go to their website: http:bellevuecollege.edu/drc

We do not wish other people (parents, spouses, and friends of students) to speak for students about school performance because this can slow student growth and progress. We do this because we would like students to speak for themselves and be independent.  We also do it because federal law (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) says that we must protect the privacy of student education records.  It is BCC policy to keep school performance between the school and the student. If a student asks for a parent, spouse, or friend to be at any instructor-student discussion of academic performance, instructors will look at each situation and make the final decision. You can see all of this policy, Arts and Humanities Commitment to Student Growth and Development, at www.bcc.ctc.edu/artshum.