English 080
English 080 is a 1-2 credit non-transferable course that requires you to work in the Reading Lab to improve your reading skills.
Most sections of English 080 are linked with courses offered by the English Department and the Developmental Education Department. The English Department schedule includes sections of English 080 for students who wish to work in the lab without registering for a specific class.
English 180
English 180, Critical Reading in the Lab, is linked with English 106. If you have been placed in English 101 or higher, you can also register independently for English 180. English 180 is a graded, 1-2 credit transferable course.
Course Requirements
- Students must show documentation of satisfactory work in their lab folder (which includes the Lab Assignment Sheet, quarterly contract, and various worksheets completed by the student after each lesson).
- Students must complete the appropriate number of units in the lab by the end of the quarter: 1 credit = 22 units of lab work OR 2 credits = 44 units of lab work (1 unit = 50 min.)
- Students must review a PowerPoint presentation with an introduction to the lab.
- Students must meet with their assigned instructor at least once during the quarter.
- English 080 is graded as credit/no credit. Reading Lab staff members do not make decisions about students’ readiness to progress to higher level English classes.
- English 180 is graded with a letter grade. Students are required to attend a goal setting conference with their lab instructor at the beginning of the quarter to establish their course plan.
Lab Sign-in/Sign-out
- Students are responsible for signing into and out of the lab on the sign-in computer. A duplicate record is kept in their folder.
- Students may earn no more than 2 units of lab credit per day.
Course Objectives
The Reading Lab supports students by offering practice in reading skills that coordinate with their class work. Specialized computer software enables students to strengthen their literacy skills at an individual rate. The three main areas of study that students practice are:
- Reading Rate: Students will gradually increase reading rate. The Reading Lab helps students to read as close to college-level as possible. A rate of 300 plus words per minute (WPM) ensures that students read quickly enough to process information holistically, rather than translate or read word by word.
- Vocabulary: Students will build an increasingly larger vocabulary of words. The Reading Lab supports students in acquiring sufficiently high vocabulary levels so that they can read college-level texts without referring frequently to a dictionary.
- Comprehension: Students will practice literal and inferential comprehension skills using a variety of multi-level programs. Critical thinking components are added to many of the programs.
