Bellevue College
English Language Institute—University Preparation
Exploring Contemporary Issues 5C (ELIUP 074) / Fall 2009
M – F / 3:30 – 4:20 p.m. / Room D 275
Instructor: Rebecca Banset Office: Room C 227
E-mail: rbanset@bellevuecollege.edu Office Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. or by appt.
Course Description
This class will help you strengthen your discussion, oral presentation, listening, and note taking skills by exploring a variety of current events and controversial issues.
Learning Outcomes
Discussion Skills
- Analyze and explain current events in conversation.
- Paraphrase and summarize ideas.
- Clearly express your opinion in conversation.
- Support your views with reasons and evidence.
- Expand on ideas expressed in a conversation, debate, reading, video, etc.
-
Synthesize information from a variety of sources (newspaper and magazine
articles,
reference materials, videos, audios, etc.)
- Cooperate in a team to organize and divide tasks.
- Work effectively in small groups to share ideas and accomplish tasks.
Oral Presentation Skills
- Analyze audience expectations and level of knowledge.
- Prepare, describe, and follow the structure (organization) of a presentation.
- Use effective transitions between ideas.
- Clearly define new words.
- Use examples to clarify information.
- Prepare visual and/or audio aids to enhance a presentation.
- Clearly explain a point of view and support it with reasons and evidence.
- Summarize main points and draw a conclusion.
- Hold the interest of the audience.
- Use appropriate language, gestures, and body language.
Listening Skills
- Identify main ideas and supporting details from a lecture or other audio material.
- Take accurate notes, capturing the main ideas and supporting details.
- Answer questions based on notes.
- Paraphrase and summarize information you hear in a lecture or other audio source.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of an oral presentation (your classmates’ and your own).
Required Text and Materials
▪ Consider the Issues, 3rd ed. (C. Numrich) * No Used Textbooks Allowed!!
▪ A binder or folder to keep all notes, handouts, and assignments.
▪ An English-English dictionary.
▪ A Bellevue College computer account/e-mail address (Go to N250 or see me for help).
Attendance and Participation
It is important for you to attend every class session, come to class on time, and stay for the entire class period. Attendance will affect your final grade.
▪ Students who miss class 12 times will receive a grade of “F.”
▪ Students who miss class 10 or 11 times will receive a grade of “D.”
▪ Three (3) tardies of 5 minutes or more will equal one (1) absence.
Grading
Fifty percent (50%) of your grade will come from listening assessments and 50% of your grade will come from speaking assessments. Your final grade in this class will be based on the following:
1). Homework Assignments: You’ll need to do short vocabulary and writing exercises related to the units we study in our textbook. You will receive points for completed assignments. I will take off points for late assignments.
2). Current Events Discussions & Reports: We will have small group discussions about current events in class every Friday in which you’ll talk about one specific news story you heard or read earlier in the week. I will grade you on your discussion skills and on a short written report that you complete prior to the discussion. If you are absent on current events day, you’ll receive a “0” for the discussion grade, but you should still submit the written report to me for a grade. Detailed instructions for this weekly assignment can be found in the Shared Documents folder on our MyBC class site.
3). Listening Quizzes: We will have regular listening quizzes based on the listening selections from our textbook and on the oral presentations and discussions we have in class. It is important for you to listen carefully in class, take good notes, and bring those notes to class on the days of the quizzes. If you are absent on the day of a quiz, you’ll need to schedule a make-up quiz with me. Only ONE make-up quiz will be allowed for the quarter.
4). Oral Presentations: Small, informal presentations will be a regular part of our class, but there will also be two formal oral presentations this quarter—one at midterm and another at the end of the quarter. Each formal presentation will be worth 100 points. If you are absent on the day of your scheduled presentation, you will be expected to give your presentation on the day you return to class. Detailed instructions about the formal presentations can be found in the Shared Documents folder on our MyBC class site.
In order to determine your class average, I will add up the points you earn on all assignments and presentations and divide by the total points possible. To pass this class, you need to earn a class average of 75% or higher.
93 – 100% A (excellent)
84 – 92 % B (good)
75 – 83% C (satisfactory)
0 – 74% D (repeat class, good effort)
0 – 74% F (repeat class, unsatisfactory effort)
Statement on Plagiarism and Cheating
Students are in ELI classes to learn English and ELI teachers are here to help them. Cheating makes that harder for both the students and the teachers. There are different kinds of cheating: plagiarism, “borrowing” a classmate’s homework (partially or wholly), using an essay or a presentation from a previous quarter, using “cheat notes,” and copying answers from classmates’ papers during tests. Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas as your own in both writing and oral presentations. It is cheating and is not acceptable in American classes.
Examples of plagiarism are:
- Copying from a Web page, book or article
- Buying papers
- Copying from another student
- Using a friend’s paper from a previous quarter (continued à)
If you plagiarize:
First time: Your teacher will work with you so that you understand what not to do.
Second time: You will fail the assignment.
Third time: You will fail the class and be reported to the Associate Dean of Student Services. You will possibly be asked to leave the school.
Special Needs
If you need special help because of a documented disability, have emergency medical information to share, or need special help in case of an emergency, please make an appointment with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). If you would like to ask about becoming a DRC student, you may call (425) 564-2498 or TTY (425) 564-4110 or go to their office in B 132. Information is also available on the Web at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/drc/.
Other Information
Please refer to “Student Procedures and Expectations” on the Arts and Humanities Web site for all other information: http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/studentinfo.asp.
Final Notes
To be successful in this class, you should:
- Purchase your textbook by Wednesday, Sept. 23rd.
- Check our class site on MyBC daily for important announcements and materials.
- Finish your homework before class.
- Actively participate in class by listening
carefully, asking and answering questions, taking
notes, and working with your classmates.
- Talk to me if you miss class for any reason.
- Bring a pen or pencil, paper for taking notes, and your textbook to every class.
- TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE before you enter the classroom.
Tentative Calendar
|
|
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Week 1
|
9/21 First Day of Class
|
9/22 |
9/23 Challenge Test
Last Day to Change Classes |
9/24 |
9/25
|
|
Week 2
|
9/28 |
9/29 |
9/30 |
10/1
|
10/2
Current Events Discussion #1 |
|
Week 3
|
10/5 NO CLASS College Issues Day |
10/6 |
10/7 |
10/8
|
10/9
Current Events Discussion #2 |
|
Week 4
|
10/12 |
10/13 |
10/14 |
10/15
|
10/16
Current Events Discussion #3 |
|
Week 5
|
10/19
Mid-Quarter Presentations |
10/20
Mid-Quarter Presentations |
10/21
Mid-Quarter Presentations |
10/22
Mid-Quarter Presentations
|
10/23
Mid-Quarter Listening Quiz |
|
Week 6
|
10/26 |
10/27 |
10/28 |
10/29
|
10/30
Current Events Discussion #4 |
|
Week 7
|
11/2 |
11/3 |
11/4 |
11/5
|
11/6
Current Events Discussion #5 |
|
Week 8
|
11/9 |
11/10 |
11/11 NO CLASS Veterans Day |
11/12 |
11/13
Current Events Discussion #6 |
|
Week 9
|
11/16 |
11/17 |
11/18 |
11/19 |
11/20
Current Events Discussion #7 |
|
Week 10
|
11/23
Final Presentations |
11/24
Final Presentations |
11/25
Final Presentations |
11/26 NO CLASS Thanksgiving Holiday |
11/27 NO CLASS Thanksgiving Holiday |
|
Week 11
|
11/30
Final Presentations |
12/1
Final Writing Test 1:30
Final Listening Quiz 3:30
|
12/2
Final Reading Test 12:30 EOQ 1:30 |
|
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