Exploring Contemporary Issues 5A

Fall Quarter 2011

Instructor: Nance Koike

*E-mail:           nkoike@bellevuecollege.edu

Time:    M-F, 3:30 – 4:20

Office Hours: by appointment, C 227

Materials:     Contemporary Topics 3, 3^rd edition, Begler & Murray

                        White standard sized college ruled paper

                        English- English dictionary  (not cell phone dictionaries)

*E-mail Guidelines:

You are required to set-up and use a BC e-mail account for all school correspondence. I will be unable to receive or respond to e-mail that you send from a personal e-mail address. We will discuss how you can set up a BC account during the first few days of class.

Course Description:

This class will help you to improve your skills in speaking, listening, note taking, research, and team building by exploring current issues and subjects.

Course Outcomes

    By the end of the course, students should be able to:

▪ Take effective lecture notes

▪ Answer questions based on lecture notes

▪ Identify issues

▪ Research, analyze, and present an issue

▪ Work effectively in groups

▪ Analyze and explain an issue in a conversation

▪ Paraphrase and summarize

▪ Draw conclusions

▪ Clearly express an opinion and support it with reasons and evidence

▪ Evaluate the effectiveness of a presentation

▪ Synthesize information from different sources

▪ Participate in and lead discussions

▪ Ask questions related to lectures, activities, and readings

Grading: In order to pass this class, you must achieve 75% or more based on:

· Attendance and participation                10%

· Homework/Classwork                           20%

· Speaking activities, presentations         35%

· Listening Tests and Quizzes                  35%

 (If you miss the final listening test or project, your grade will be lowered by one letter grade)

Letters of recommendation will be written for students that maintain a B average, have good attendance, and actively participate in class. Please allow at least 3 days for this.

Grading Scale:

A = 93 -100

B = 84 - 92

C = 75 - 83

D = 0 – 74 (good effort)

F = 0 - 74 (poor effort)

Attendance: 

• Attendance and participation are critical for success in this class.
• Any hour that a student is not in class will be counted as an absence. Students with 12 or more absences will receive an “F” grade, and a “D” will be given to a student with 10 or 11 absences.
• Every three times a student is late ten minutes or more, it will be counted as one absence.
• No late assignments will be accepted in this class.
• There are NO make-up quizzes, exams, or presentations in this class.

Classroom Expectations

1. During class, your cell phones must be turned off and kept out of sight. You may put them in your pocket, purse, or backpack.
2. Speak English only to your classmates and instructor, and be active in participating in classroom activities. The way to be active includes asking and answering questions and paying attention to what we are doing in class.
3. Be respectful of your classmates and teachers.
4. Be sure to ask me when you don’t understand something and make an appointment to see me if you are having difficulties with the material.

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

If you plagiarize:

• First time:  your teacher will work with you so that you understand what not to

do.

• Second time:  Fail the assignment

• Third time:  Fail the class and be reported to the Associate

                        Dean of Student Services.  You will possibly be asked to leave the school.

Fall Calendar:

No Class:                                  Oct. 26, Nov. 11, 24, 25

Midterm:                                   during week 5 of the quarter

Final Writing Test                    Nov. 30

TOEFL                          Nov. 18

Special Needs:

If you require accommodation based on a documented disability, have emergency medical information to share, or need special arrangements in case of emergency evacuation; please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

            To inquire about becoming a DSS (Disability Support Services) student, call 564-2498 or go to the DSS office located in B 132.