Integrated Skills 5A

Fall Quarter 2008

Bellevue Community College

Instructor:	Rob Fieser	Office Phone:	(425) 564-2350
Time:	12:30 – 2:20	Office:	C-227
Email:	rfieser@bcc.ctc.edu	Office Hours:	after 4:20pm (by appt.)
Days:	Monday to Friday	Classroom:	B257SN

Textbook: College Writing Skills with Readings, 7^th Edition, by Langan

Materials:

a 3-ring binder OR a spiral notebook with pockets for organizing your papers

8 1/2 x 11 – inch lined paper

a computer disk or other memory device to save your paragraphs on

a dictionary

Course Description:

This class will help you become a better reader and writer. You will review the grammar and writing skills you already know, also learn new grammar and writing skills, and improve them through practice. You’ll also build your vocabulary, and practice developing stronger ideas. The goal is to learn how to use good grammar and good organization to write good essays and summaries in English. Writing assignments will be given both as homework and as tests in class. You will also read, discuss, and write about a variety of texts.

Course Goals:

Grammar

write essays and summaries that have almost no errors (verb tenses, subject verb agreement, pronoun reference, )

Reading

increase reading speed and understanding
identify main ideas and important details
infer information
respond critically to readings
build academic vocabulary
guess the meanings or words through context

Writing

use the writing process to produce a polished essay, including effective introductions and conclusions, strong thesis statements and topic sentences, well-developed ideas with ample examples and details, coherence and unity, and a variety of sentence types
paraphrase a passage
summarize a passage
answer essay questions in paragraph form
edit and proofread

Lateness & Absence:

Come to class on time. If you are late three times by 5 minutes or more, it will count as one absence. If you are absent 5 times, you will receive a warning. If you are absent 10 times or more, you will fail the class with a grade of D or F. If you are absent 12 times, you will get an F.

Homework:

Please turn in your homework on the day it is due. If you are absent, turn it in on your first day back, and it will not be late. If you turn in homework late, the grade will drop 10% each day it is late. Homework turned in more than 2 days late will not be accepted.

Grading:

In order to pass this class, you must receive an average of 75 percent on all the regular class work plus the midterm and final exams. You must show you can write and read well. For your regular class work and midterm, I will add up your scores in these areas:

Participation*, Journals, Attendance	10%
Grammar & Reading Homework	20%
Grammar & Reading Tests	25%
Take-Home Essays	25%
Timed Writing Tests	20%

* Participation, in this class, means that you ask questions, volunteer answers (not only when I call on you), and share your ideas with me and with your classmates. Don’t be shy about asking questions. If you have a question, your classmates probably don’t understand either, but they are afraid to show it. If you don’t ask questions, I assume you understand.

Your final letter grade will come from this scale:

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)

Tips for Success:

Come to class on time.
Tell me immediately if you don’t understand something.
Ask me for help outside class (how to use a computer, organization, grammar).
Do your homework before class.
Turn in your homework when it is due.
Choose topics that you are interested in.
Write your own essays; DON'T plagiarize (copy) from other writers. Plagiarized work will be returned ungraded.

All out-of-class essays must be typed and in the following format: double-spaced; size 12 font; 1 inch margins; centered title; full name, date, assignment name in upper right hand corner. All assignments must be submitted in hard copy form only unless other arrangements have been made and are due at the beginning of the class period.

Calendar – (subject to change)

No classes on October 29, November 11, November 27 and 28. (see calendar below for more information)

Please Do Nots – Leave your cellphone on in class (unless it’s an emergency situation). Chew gum in class.

Special Needs:

If you need special help because of a medical problem, have emergency medical information that I should know, or need special help in case of an emergency, please tell me after class, or come to my office and tell me as soon as possible. If you want information about help for medical problems, please call 425-564-2498, or go to the Disability Support Services office in B-132.

Finally:

I hope that you will learn a lot, make some friends, and enjoy this class. Good luck.

Note: Students who earn an A or A- in Integrated Skills 5 and who pass all other classes they are taking this quarter with a C or better can be admitted to credit level courses without a TOEFL score. Students who pass Integrated Skills 5 and all other classes they are taking this semester with a C- or better qualify for the Bridge Program.

Tentative Calendar for Fall 2008

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

WEEK 1

9/22

Classes Begin

Introductions

9/23

9/24

Late Placement Test;

New students only:

Challenge Test

9/25

9/26

WEEK 2

9/29

Focus on Narratives

9/30

10/1

10/2

10/3

WEEK 3

10/6

Focus on Examples

10/7

10/8

10/9

10/10

WEEK 4

10/13

Focus on Comparison and Contrast

10/14

Indirect Speech

10/15

10/16

10/17

WEEK 5

10/20

Midterm

10/21

10/22

10/23

10/24

WEEK 6

10/27

Focus on Cause and Effect

10/28

10/29

College Issues Day

No Classes

10/30

10/31

WEEK 7

11/3

11/4

11/5

11/6

11/7

WEEK 8

11/10

Focus on Argument

11/11

Holiday

11/12

11/13

11/14

TOEFL

WEEK 9

11/17

11/18

11/19

Elective Signup

11/20

11/21

WEEK 10

11/24

11/25

12/26

Grammar

11/27

Holiday

11/28

Holiday

WEEK 11

12/1

Last Day of Classes

12/2

Reading Final

Speak/List

Final

12/3

Writing Final

EOQ

12/4