READ/REACT 4B   WINTER QUARTER, 2012 

Instructor:	Rob Fieser	Rob’s office:	C235
Class Time:	M-F 12:30- 1:20pm	Office Hours:	10:30-11:30 or by appt.
Rob’s phone:	425-564-2350	Rob’s email:	rfieser@bellevuecollege.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Read React emphasizes the kind of reading that you will encounter in academic classes at an American college or university.  The intent of the class is to prepare you for academic success by building on the reading skills you acquired in lower levels and analyzing a variety of subjects with longer readings.  You will also read for pleasure and engage in sustained reading.  The course will include written responses to and discussion of various readings.  We will use a reading text as well as news articles and fiction.  Emphasis is also placed on group work and discussion; therefore, a high level of preparedness and participation is necessary for success in this class.

Texts:	Ten Steps to Building College Reading Skills, John Langan  (No used books with writing inside. No teacher’s editions. I will check these in class.) \ Iron and Silk, Mark Salzman
Other Materials:	English/English dictionary, 3-ring binder, 8 ½” x 11” paper

LEARNING OUTCOMES

When the course is finished, students should be able to:

     demonstrate comprehension of academic texts with general education content from a range of disciplines.

     adjust reading strategies according to textual demands and reading purposes.

· analyze the use of facts and examples to support and explain generalizations, statements of theory, and implicit main ideas or assumptions.

· develop vocabulary by applying effective strategies to clarify, analyze, and learn the meaning of new words in nonliterary text.

· interpret the use of figurative language in literary text.

· discriminate, select, learn and use important words pertinent to specific academic reading contexts.

· interpret an author’s purpose, point of view, or tone when reading a text.

· apply a variety of critical thinking skills through reading, such as making and articulating plausible inferences, interpretations, implications or consequences.

· apply effective study skills.

GRADED WORK AND FINAL GRADES

• You will have weekly reading quizzes and tests.
• You will have weekly reading for pleasure/novel Literary Circle activities and discussion.
• You will receive grades both at mid-term and at the end of the quarter.  Your grade will depend on the quality of your work and your effort.
• Your grade will be based on scores on quizzes and tests, your presentations, your written work and homework assignments, and on your activity and participation in class:

Attendance/Participation	10%
Reading and Vocabulary Tests	40%
Homework Assignments/Group Discussions	30%
Projects	20%

Grading Scale

A = 93-100%

B = 84 – 92%

C = 75 – 83%

D = 70 – 74% (Repeat level; good effort)

F = less than 70% (Repeat level; poor effort)

Time Management and Workload:

You will need to do a lot of work for this class - at least 1-1.5 hours every day outside of class studying and working on homework or class projects.  That means that you have to schedule and manage your time carefully every week so that you will have time to get everything done on time.  Don’t procrastinate – you will learn more and sweat less.

Please Note:

• All out-of-class written homework must either be neatly hand-written or typed and in the following format: double-spaced; size 12 font; 1 inch margins; centered title; full name, date, assignment name in upper left-hand corner. 
• Assignments lose 10% of their value per day late. No homework will be accepted more than two days after the due date. All assignments are due AT THE BEGINNING of the class period, including Literary Circle worksheets.   You may not finish these in class.
• Student Absence: 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.  or “F”  Three (3) tardies (late arrivals) of 5 minutes or more will equal 1 absence.  Students who are absent or consistently late for class will lose participation points daily.

· If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out from a classmate what you missed and come to class prepared the next day.  Be sure to have a “study-buddy” you can rely on.

· Except in cases of serious illness or other extenuating circumstances, there are no make-ups for quizzes and tests.  Tests will have to be made up during office hours within 2 days of the absence.  Be sure to email your instructor to make arrangements.

· Use your Bellevue College email account so that I will be sure to receive your emails.

· 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 home

• work (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 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.  Possibly be asked to leave the school

• Please refer to the Arts and Humanities Student Procedures and Expectations

www.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/studentinfo.asp for all other information.

Tips for Success

• Come to class on time every day.
• Do all of your homework prior to class.
• Study a little every day, not everything at the last minute.
• Turn in all assignments.  Remember, late assignments reduce your point values.
• Actively  participate in class and ask for help when needed.
• Be respectful of differences in learning and teaching styles.
• Turn off your cell phone and I-PODs before entering the class.  No texting allowed!
• Keep track of your progress.  Be a pro-active learner.
• Read teacher feedback carefully and respond appropriately.
• Bring your book with you every day unless told not to.
• Refer to your calendar for important dates.
• DO YOUR OWN WORK and do not have others edit your work for you!
• Contact your instructor through phone or e-mail when absent or if you have a question about an assignment outside of class.
• Use college appropriate behavior in the classroom.

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 DRC (Disability Resource Center).  If you would like to inquire about becoming a DRC student, you may call 425-564-2498 or go in person to the DRC program office in B 132.  Students with mobility challenges who may need assistance in case of an emergency situation or evacuation should register with Disability Support Services, or review those needs with the instructor as well.

Winter 2012 Calendar (This may change.)

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
WEEK 1 Dictionary Use (35-74)	1/9	1/10	1/11 Late placement & challenge test Class change deadline	1/12	1/13
WEEK 2 Vocabulary in Context (75-112)	1/16 Holiday NO CLASSES	1/17	1/18	1/19	1/20
WEEK 3 Main Ideas (113-154)	1/23	1/24	1/25	1/26	1/27
WEEK 4 Supporting Details (155-190)	1/30	1/31 Prof Dev’t Day NO CLASSES	2/1	2/2	2/3
WEEK 5 Relationships I (221-260)	2/6	2/7	2/8	2/9	2/10
WEEK 6 Relationships II  (261-312)	2/13	2/14	2/15	2/16	2/17 TOEFL
WEEK 7 Inferences (313-354)	2/20 Holiday NO CLASSES	2/21	2/22	2/23	2/24
WEEK 8 Implied Main Ideas (355-390)	2/27	2/28	2/29	3/1 College Issues Day NO CLASSES	3/2
WEEK 9 Basics of Argument (391-428)	3/5	3/6	3/7	3/8	3/9
WEEK 10 PREP FOR FINAL	3/12	3/13	3/14	3/15	3/16
WEEK 11 Final Exams	3/19	3/20 Final exams Writing 1:30 S/L 3;30	3/21 Final exam Reading 12:30 Electives @regular class time EOQ party 1:30	3/22	3/23

Reading schedule for Iron and Silk

Week number	Pages
Week 1	3-25
Week 2	26-49
Week 3	53-79
Week 4	83-109
Week 5	110--130
Week 6	133-158
Week 7	161-186
Week 8	187-211

Advice on reading

You have to read an average of 25 pages a week from this book. If you do it in 5 days, that’s just 5 pages a day. If you procrastinate and put off your reading till the night before it’s supposed to be done, you will probably get tired and frustrated and come to dislike this book. So, read a little every day.  Use a notebook to write down new words and their meanings.  Ask me or other native speakers for the meanings of special phrases. 

Preview Questions

1. Did you have any TV or movie heroes when you were a kid? Who? Why did you like them so much?

2. Mark discusses some of the difficulties he had with Chinese culture.  What are some of the aspects of American culture that you have experienced?

3. What aspects of culture from your country do you think that many Americans would have difficulty getting used to? Why?

4. If you could go anywhere in the world for two years and study anything, all expenses paid, what would you study where? Why?

5. Which do you think takes longer to become really good at, gongfu (kungfu) or speaking English? Why?