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Academic English as a Second Language
Southwest College
ENGL 0349 – Advanced Composition for Foreign Speakers
CRN: 46415- Summer 2013
West Loop Campus Room C226 8 a.m.-10 a.m. Mon. through Thurs.
3 hour lecture course and 1 lab hour / 64 hours/8 weeks
Instructor: C. Boykin McKelvy
Instructor Contact Information:
Email: charlotte.mckelvy@hccs.edu
phone: 713-718-7750 (Dept. Office)
Please feel free to contact me concerning any problems that you are experiencing in this course. You do not
need to wait until you have received a poor grade before asking for my assistance. Your performance in my
class is very important to me. I am available to hear your concerns and just to discuss course topics. Feel free
to see me after class or by appointment any time after class between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Course Description
English 0349 helps ESL students prepare for American core academic college courses. Students learn
composition (comp) skills for writing in a variety of academic classes, such as in the humanities, social
sciences, and business. ENGL 0349 is the exit-level comp class for non-native speakers who plan to continue
their education and earn a college degree. After passing this course, students should be ready to take ENGL
1301 (freshman comp), and to successfully complete other college courses as well as any state-mandated
writing assessment designed to measure college readiness, such as THEA.
Prerequisites
Completion of and a passing grade in ENGL 0347 or a minimum score of 68 on the CELSA and departmental
recommendation. However, a final decision will also be based on the first day diagnostic essay (with the
exception of those coming from ENGL 0347).
Course Goals
The primary goals of ENGL 0349 are to prepare non-native English speakers for ENGL 1301 as well as all the
writing tasks they will encounter in their academic studies at HCCS, other institutions of higher learning, and
ultimately in the professional world.
Student Learning Outcomes
The student will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
Integrate, in a single essay, the rhetorical styles such as description, exemplification, process analysis,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and argumentation, taught in previous AESL and ESOL courses
Apply the writing process to tasks closely equivalent to those of native speaker composition courses
Increase proficiency in paraphrasing and summarizing, focusing on material from college level
academic content courses
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4.
Demonstrate the ability to remediate their own specific English language competency problems through
extensive editing practice and use of online resources
Learning Objectives
Students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Practice the writing tasks required in college-level courses
Demonstrate critical thinking
Identify register and tone
Understand connotation versus denotation
Integrate summarizing and paraphrasing from academic course materials in support of a thesis
Demonstrate conventional use of attributions, quotations, and citations
Demonstrate knowledge of advanced vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure usage
Instructional Materials:
 New Directions, Second Edition, by Peter S. Gardner (required)
 English/English dictionary (no electronic or bi-lingual dictionaries)
 Loose-leaf notebook paper
 blue or black pens, No. 2 pencil, eraser
 An email address
 Two Examination Books (“Blue Books” mid-term and final essay)
 A one and a half-inch ring binder
 6 Scantrons: Green with abc answer blanks
 Stapler
 USB flash drive
English 0349 Grading Formula
The final grade is calculated as follows:
Comps 1 & 2
20%
Comps 3, 4,
30%
Midterm Essay.
15%
Final Exam
15%
College Grading Scale
90—100
A
80—89
B
70—19
60—69
Journals and Quizzes
Homework and Classwork
C
IP, FX, F
10%
10%
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ENGL 0349
Calendar: SPRING 2010
THIS CALENDAR IS SUBJECT TO REVISION
Holidays and Important Dates:
Classes begin
June 3
Official Date of Record
June 10
Independence Day holiday
July 4
Last day to withdraw
July 8 (by 4:30 p.m.)
Instruction ends
July 23
Final exams
July 24-25
NOTE:
1. Some journals and all first draft compositions will be written in class.
2. Expect quizzes on any reading or grammar assignment, which must be completed by the class day after
their listing on the syllabus.
3. Go to askonline and a tutor with your first and second draft of compositions and before turning in your
final typed composition.
4. A dated signature from the face-to-face tutor is required.
5. Much communication from this instructor will be sent by email so you must register with HCC email.
6. All journal assignments on the syllabus (except No. 1) and first and second drafts of essays must be
typed and submitted to Turnitin.com. (typed, double spaced, in Times New Roman 12 pt. font).
Journals must be submitted to Turnitin.com before class on the date after the date listed on the syllabus..
7. Homework will be picked up at the beginning of class.
8. Journals, quizzes, and homework cannot be made up. If they are not turned in on time, or you are absent
for a quiz or class work, the grade is a 0. No exceptions! Because this course is limited to 8 weeks, it is
impossible for me to grade late work due to the accumulated time that it takes. Also, it is only fair that
students who turn in all their work thoughtfully done and on time should be the ones and only the ones
who make an A in this class.
CLASS CALENDAR
NOTE:
 This calendar of assignments is subject to change based on the needs of the class. Bring this to
class with you everyday so you can make notes of any changes.
 All readings should be done by class time on the date they are listed. All class work is due during
class unless otherwise indicated by the professor. All homework is due the next day by the
beginning of class and before you sit down. All essays are due on the due date listed on the
syllabus unless changed by the professor.
 NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE. IF THEY ARE NOT ON TIME, THE
STUDENT WILL RECEIVE A 0. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE CAN BE NO EXCEPTIONS IN
SUMMER SCHOOL.
Class Readings and Homework
WEEK 1
New Directions Unit 1 --- Intercultural Communication
MON. June 3
Sign in to class (Sign-in sheet)
Fill out Student Information Form
Diagnostic Writing
Homework:
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Tues. June. 4
Wed. June 5
Thurs. June 6
Journal # 1: Establish e-mail contact; introduce yourself. Write ten sentences
or more that you would like to tell me about yourself.
Print out and read your syllabus. Be prepared for a quiz over the syllabus.
Diagnostic Objective Test (Bring a scantron and a No. 2 pencil with an eraser.).
Assignment:
American Values and Assumptions pp. 4 – 13;
 Homework: p. 16 (Vocab in Context, See examples & directions on the Learning
Web)
 Go to: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/charlotte.mckelvy under “Vocabulary in
Context”
 Homework: Learning Web: Grammar/Parts of Speech/ Nouns and Articles
Read: Where Do We Stand pp. 18 – 22 OR
Time Talks with an Accent pp. 27 – 31
Journal No, 2: p. 13, New Directions, “Reading Journal” No. 1, 2 or 3.
Write at least 300 words.
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: Verbs: Simple Present
Tense, Simple Past Tense, Present Progressive and Past Progressive.
First, review pages 102–132.
Main Composition No. 1: See instructor’s handout for the assignment.
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” Simple Future Tense and
Present Perfect Tense, Future Progressive and Present Perfect Progressive.
WEEK 2
Mon., June 10
Polite but Thirsty, pp. 36 – 39 (Chinese) OR
Friends and Strangers, pp 40- 43 (Arabian) OR
A Coward, pp. 44 – 51 (Indian)
Journal No. 3: Read the “Stages of Cultural Adjustment,” p. 38 and identify the stage
that you are in now. Which previous stage was hard for you? Explain.
New Directions—Unit 2: EDUCATION
Tues., June 11
First, review page x (Journal Writing). Write your Journal No. 4 assignment from one
of the readings below :
“School is Bad for Children” (pages 58-63)
or “How the Web Destroys” (pages 67–72)
Homework: Select either of the Vocabulary in Context exercises from these two
readings.
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: Past Perfect Tense and
Past Perfect Progressive.
Wed., June 12
Select one Student’s Choice Reading
Multiple Intelligences .(pages 77–83)
OR The Teacher Who Changed My Life (pages 88–92)
OR Let’s Tell the Story of All America’s Cultures (pages 93–95)
Journal 5: Choose one of the following topics to write about.
 Preliminary Questions (page 57)
 Reading Journal (page 63)
 Reading Journal (page 72)
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Reading Journal (page 83)
Making Connections (page 87)
Reading Journal (page 92)
Thurs. June 13
Discussion and lecture: proofreading marks, etc.
Due: Final Draft of Comp. 1 (typed, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 pt.) Must
be saved on a usb memory key to submit to Turnitin.com during class.
WEEK 3
Mon., June 17
New Directions—Unit 3: TECHNOLOGY
Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness, pp. 137 - 144
AND
We’ve Got Mail – Always, pp. 149 – 154
HOMEWORK: Either of the Vocabulary in Context exercises related to
these two readings
HOMEWORK: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” Pronouns.
Tues., June 18
TYPED COPY OF COMP. 2 DUE (DOUBLE SPACE, TIMES NEW ROMAN 12
PT. FONT). Must be submitted to Turnitin.com before class starts.
Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADJECTIVES
Wed., June 19
“All Watched Over by Machines”, p. 182
Figures of Speech Lecture
Writing with Sources Lecture
In class: Write about “All Watched…”.
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: ADVERBS.
Thurs., June 20
Students Shall Not Download. Yeah, Sure pp. 171 – 175 OR
Don’t Touch That Dial pp. 176 – 178 OR
Conceptual Fruit, pp. 179 – 181
Journal 6–. This may be all about one of the following choices OR a combination of
three or more:
 Any or all “Questions Raised in Chapter 3”, p. 135
 Reading Journal, p. 144
 Reading Journal, p. 154
 Making Connections, p. 170
 After You Read, p. 175
 After You Read. P. 178
Rough Draft of Essay Three (IN CLASS) and Peer Review (IN CLASS).
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: PREPOSITIONS
WEEK 4
New Directions—Unit 4: GENDER ROLES
Mon., June 24
Final Draft TYPED COPY (double spaced) OF ESSAY NO. 3 DUE
MIDTERM ESSAY (IN CLASS) BRING BLUEBOOK.
*Sex Roles (pages 189–195)
Homework: Main Ideas (page 195) AND Vocabulary in Context (page 198)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ACTIVE AND PASSI VE
VOICE.
Tues., June 25
The Greater God (pages 233–234)
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Boys Will Be Boys (pages 201–206)
The Gender of Computers (page 235)
Homework: Vocabulary: Related Sets of Words (page 208) AND
Vocabulary in Context (page 209)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND
CONJUNCTIONS.
Wed., June 26
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADVERB CLAUSES
Thurs., June 27
Sex, Sighs, and Conversation: Why Men and Women Can’t Communicate (pages 211–
213)
Summarizing and Paraphrasing Notes Lecture
(page 127, pages 196–197, and pages 214–215)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADJECTIVE CLAUSES
WEEK 5:
Mon July 1
Tues., July 2
The Androgynous Male (pages 223–226)
Women Have What It Takes (pages 219–222)
The Princess and the Admiral (pages 227–232)
Journal 7: Choose one of the following topics. Any Questions Raised in Chapter Four,
or any Brief Quotations (page 187)
 Reading Journal, # 1 (page 195)
 Reflecting on Content, # 3 (page 196)
 Making Connections, # 1 or # 2 or # 3 or # 4 or # 5 (page 218)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: NOUN CLAUSES.
LAST DAY TO DROP CLASSES WITH A W (BY 4:30 P.M.).
Composition # 4—In-class draft and peer review: Write between
500 AND 750 words on the following gender roles topic quoted from page 213.
“Generalizing about groups of people makes many of us nervous. We like to think of
ourselves as unique individuals, not representatives of stereotypes. But it is more
dangerous to ignore patterns than to articulate them.” Refer not only to the essay
including this quotation, but also to other essays in the Unit—particularly those listed
above with an asterisk
New Directions—Unit 5: WORK
Wed., July 3
The New American Dreamers (pages 241–245)
Someone Is Stealing Your Life (pages 251–255)
Homework: Vocabulary in Context (page 248) or
Vocabulary in Context (page 257)
Guidelines for research documentation (in class)
Begin research for Research Composition # 5
(any topic on page 286)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT
Thurs., July 4:
Holiday. No School
WEEK 6
Mon., July 8
Read Our Schedules, Our Selves (page pp. 260-263) and The Rage to Know (pages 269–
273)
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Homework: Vocabulary in Context (page 266)
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: FRAGMENTS AND RUNONS.
Tues., July 9
Composition # 4—Submit final draft typed and double-spaced.
Los Pobres (pages 274–277)
Action Will Be Taken: An Action–packed Story (pages 278–282)
To Be of Use (page 283)
The Purpose of Work (pages 284–28
Journal 8 : Choose one of the following topics: Questions Raised in Chapter Five, # 5
(page 239)
1. “Many Americans . . . have a fundamentally optimistic attitude toward the future.
Historically, Americans have believed that progress is likely, even inevitable, and that
they have the ability to control their own destinies. . . .” (page 244)
2. “Keeping in mind that our days expand and contract according to their own patterns is
perhaps the best way to keep time on your side.” (page 263).
Wed., July 10
BEGIN PREPARING GROUP PRESENTATIONS.
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW OF CLAUSES
Thurs., July 11
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
Bring all returned and graded compositions and journals to class.
Do an in-class self-assessment of writing problems. Use form provided.
Do an in-class assessment of another student’s writing problems. Use form
COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: REVIEW OF VERB TENSES.
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WEEK 7
Mon., July 15
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW
PUNCTUATION
Tues., July 16
REVIEW FOR FINAL ESSAY
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW OF
ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
Wed., July 17
REVIEW FOR FINAL ESSAY
Thurs., July 18
Turn in portfolio in the following order from top to bottom:
Strengths and Weaknesses Chart
4 essays (all prewriting, outlines, first draft, peer analysis, tutoring, final draft,
grading profile 2) in the top to bottom order
4 journals
4 graded homework or classwork assignments
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WEEK 8
Mon., July 22
Final Essay Exam. Bring a blue examination book, letter size, and a blue or black
pen, an English to English dictionary, the New Directions textbook, and a blue or
black pen. Do not wait until the morning of the exam to buy a blue book because
the bookstore will not be open.
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HCC Policy Statement – ADA: Services to Students with Disabilities
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs
to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Ability Services Office in Room C136 West Loop
Campus, or call Dr. Becky Hauri (713) 718-7910 to make necessary arrangements at the beginning of each
semester. Your instructor is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the office of Ability
Support Services.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not showing that the coursework has been learned,
and that student is claiming an advantage not available to other students. The instructor is responsible for
measuring each student's individual achievements and also for ensuring that all students compete on a level
playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement roles. You are expected
to be familiar with the University's Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the HCC catalog. What that means
is: If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you. Students are
responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties
and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by HCC System officials against a student accused of
scholastic dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty”: includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism,
and collusion.
Cheating includes:
 Copying from another students’ test paper
 Using materials not authorized by the instructor
 Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a
test or essay
 Bribing another person to obtain a test or essay
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in
one’s own written work offered for credit. Copying phrases, sentences, and/or paragraphs from another person
without giving credit to the source of the ideas AND cutting and pasting someone else’s work is plagiarism.
This is a serious offense in college and equal to stealing.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work offered for
credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of “0” or F in the particular
assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the HCC System. (See
the Student Handbook)
HCC Policy Statement: Class Attendance
Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best way to succeed in
this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is attendance. Simply
put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You are expected to attend all lectures and labs
regularly. You are responsible for materials covered during your absences. Class attendance is checked daily.
Although it is your responsibility to drop a course for nonattendance, the instructor has the authority to drop you
for excessive absences.
If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. Because the information that is discussed in
class is important for your career, students may be dropped from a course after accumulating absences in excess
of 12.5% hours (8 hours) of instruction (F-1 students should particularly take note of this so as not to affect your
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visa status). The eight hours of class time would include any total classes missed or for excessive tardiness.
Remember: Class attendance equals class success.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from it prior to the final date of
withdrawal (See your course calendar). Before you withdraw from your course, please take the time to meet
with the instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. The instructor may be able to provide you
with suggestions that would enable you to complete the course. Your success is very important. Beginning in
fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen to no more than SIX total
course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by
which your professor can “alert” you and HCC counselors that you might fail a class because of excessive
absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with your professor or a counselor
to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online tutoring, child care,
financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your academic performance.
If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact an HCC counselor or your professor prior to
withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to
receive a “W” on your transcript. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive an F or an IP
(see below) as your final grade.
College Grading System:
Students who have completed English 0349 and show that they are ready for the next level (ENGL 1301) with a
final average of 70% or higher will receive a letter grade of A, B, or C. Students who are not ready for English
1301 may receive a grade of IP. The IP grade is not a good or bad grade; however, it means "IN PROGRESS"
and requires the student to take English 0349 again because the student will benefit from another semester in
0349 to learn all of the skills that are taught in this course. However, if a student repeats 0349 after receiving
one IP, a letter grade must be given (A, B, C, or F, or FX) upon completing the course for the second time.
Repeat Course Fee
The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat failed classes. To increase
student success, students who repeat the same course more than twice, are required to pay extra tuition. The
purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to pass their courses and to graduate. Effective fall
2006, HCC will charge a higher tuition rate to students registering the third or subsequent time for a course. If
you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your
instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test taking
skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available.
Use of Camera and/or Recording Devices
As a student active in the learning community of this course, it is your responsibility to be respectful of the
learning atmosphere in your classroom. To show respect of your fellow students and instructor, you will turn
off your phone and other electronic devices, and will not use these devices in the classroom unless you receive
permission from the instructor.
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories,
faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who
need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office for Students with
Disabilities for information regarding reasonable accommodations.
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Classroom Policies
As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our shared responsibility to develop and maintain a positive
learning environment for everyone. Your instructor takes this responsibility very seriously and will inform
members of the class if their behavior makes it difficult for him/her to carry out this task. As a fellow learner,
you are asked to respect the learning needs of your classmates and assist your instructor to achieve this critical
goal.
To this end All cell phones, pagers, Ipods, or any other electronic devices that may cause a distraction in class must be
turned off. No laptops are permitted to be used during class. You may sometimes use an electronic dictionary (handheld) with the sound turned off. You are not permitted to leave class to answer or return calls unless it is an absolute
emergency; doing so will be counted as a tardy. If a student is using a cell phone at any time during the class period, I
will remind the student about the policy once. After that, I will ask the student to leave class and mark him or her
absent.
In addition, students are expected to arrive to class on time with ALL THEIR MATERIALS INCLUDING THE
TEXTBOOK. (You will not be permitted to share after the first week of class. You will be asked to leave class
after the first week if you do not have a textbook.) In addition, students will be marked tardy if they arrive late.
Returning late from a break or leaving class early counts as being tardy. Being tardy twice will equal one
absence (whether ten minutes or one hour). If you miss five classes (5 absences) you can be dropped without
notification and will therefore be out of compliance if you are an F-1 student. If a student misses a class, it is his
or her responsibility to see the instructor about the work that was missed. If a student is more than 30 minutes
late, it is counted as an absence.
COURSE WORK
Homework
The course calendar lists all of the reading and writing assignments that will be done for homework. While doing all
the homework and attending class is not a complete guarantee of success, it is certainly true that not doing it is a
guarantee of failure. Students are expected to complete the reading assignments before coming to class and to
participate in the discussion of the author’s purpose, tone, and style.
In-Class Writing Workshops
ENGL 0349 is a writing class, but some class time is used to discuss the reading assignments on the course calendar.
The readings serve as models of rhetorical and grammatical patterns that are common in academic writing. In addition,
students tremendously improve vocabulary acquisition through exposure to authentic (non-abridged) text. Students also
write all or part of each draft for an essay assignment in the classroom with the assistance of the instructor and peers.
While working on an essay, students will produce multiple drafts. Sometimes in-class writing assignments are timed.
This is done to prepare you for other courses where you may have to write essays or answer test questions. While there
is no specific grammar text for this course, the instructor will address grammar and punctuation deficiencies through
supplemental resources, including the Internet.
All final drafts of essays must be typed in Times New Roman font. You must use 12 pt. standard font and have one
inch margins. The paper must be double spaced ,and it must be stapled. When possible, drafts of the essays will be
written or at least begun in the computer lab on our assigned day.
Essays
Students write six (6) major essays, including the final exam essay. The writing topics parallel those found in college
Core Curriculum classes, such as psychology, English, and business. The teacher will give feedback to students during
the writing process, but only the final draft receives a grade.
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No grades are recorded until you have typed the essay and corrected your errors, turned in a copy to the instructor at
the beginning of class on the due date, and submitted your essay to Turnitin.com. You are responsible for editing and
proofreading your work carefully. Tutoring face-to-face and online via www.askonline.net are available to all HCC
students, but a tutor is not your editor and will not write papers for you.
Evaluation of Written Work
Grades for written work will take into account: content, logical sequencing, use of transitions, topic sentences and
support, range and sophistication of vocabulary, complexity of sentences, grammar, spelling, and punctuation and
length. Grammar errors result in the loss of points. More points are taken off for other problems such as the lack of a
thesis statement, problems with topics sentences, or problems with content and length. Your instructor is required to
use a departmental “rubric” to evaluate your essays, but he/she may use other criteria for different kinds of writing
assignments.
The Final Exam
The final exam consists of an essay that is similar to one of the compositions that is written during the semester.
If a student has a passing average for the course but fails the midterm and the final exam, the instructor will
meet and review that student’s work with the Assistant Chair for Academic ESL to determine if that student
needs to repeat this course.
Supplementation of Syllabus:
I reserve the right to supplement this syllabus at any time during the semester with additional
guidelines, rules of conduct, and changes to the course calendar to meet the needs of the class.
Compositions/Papers
Students will write 4 compositions (comps), a midterm, and a final exam. Much of the class time is arranged as
a writing workshop in which students discuss ideas for writing, pre-write, draft, edit, and revise their work with
assistance from classmates and the instructor. One or two drafts may be written before the final draft. Only the
final draft is graded, and students do not revise further after turning in a composition for a grade. All parts of
the comp process should be turned in with the final draft. Unless otherwise directed, students must type or
word-process each final draft (except for the midterm and final exam) in 12 point Times New Roman font,
double-spaced, and identify their work in the following manner:
First and Last Name
Instructor: McKelvy
English 0349
Date
C1D1 (or whatever is appropriate)
Coming to a New Land (or whatever your title is)
Indent for the first and all paragraphs and double space. ----------------------------------------------------
Don’t skip extra spaces for new paragraph.
Journals
Students have the journal assignments on their syllabus. Some will be written in class. NO LATE JOURNAL
ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Topics for journals may range from your responses to reading
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assignments. Length will vary. You must make sure that I understand which topic you have chosen by
paraphrasing the topic in the topic sentence of your journal response. Also, identify the Journal No. in the
assignment i.d. of your heading. Keep your journals in a folder to be turned in when requested and at the end of
the semester.
Examples:
Journal # 2: In order to avoid intercultural misunderstandings, a visitor to (X
country) should know that…
Journal # 4: I agree (or I disagree) that students who are accused of plagiarism should get an F for the
assignments
All journals done outside of class must be typed and submitted to Turnitin.com on the due date before class
begins.
Homework
Homework assignments will generally be related to writing and research skills, as well as reading assignments.
They will be due on the due date of the assignment. Many homework assignments will be on The Learning
Web.. NO LATE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Quizzes
Quizzes generally cover the material from the reading assignments and vocabulary. These reading
comprehension quizzes are unannounced. Therefore, students should be prepared for a quiz on every reading on
the course calendar whether or not they are leading a small discussion group. Quizzes will also include the
grammar homework.
Midterm and Final Exams
The midterm and final exams consist of impromptu essay topics based on the reading assignments in New
Directions. These essays will have a persuasive purpose and are used, along with the other work done in this
class, to determine whether or not a student is ready to succeed in college credit classes. A student who has a
passing class average but who does not pass the midterm and the final exam with a 70% or higher grade will
have his/her portfolio reviewed by the Asst. Department Chair for Academic ESL.
Texas Public Universities, Placement Rules
Beginning in the Fall 2003, the Texas legislature instituted new rules for developmental students called the
Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Under TSI rules, most new students must be tested for placement (with THEA,
ASSET or COMPASS) and placed into developmental courses if they do not score high enough to demonstrate
college readiness. Successful completion of developmental coursework, ENGL 0349 and GUST 0342 (or an
appropriate test score), enables students to advance to ENGL 1301.
Classroom Policies
Students are expected to arrive on time to class. If a student returns from a break, leaves early, or falls asleep in
class, the instructor will mark that person absent for the time he or she has missed. When students are absent on
the day of a composition assignment, they must come to the next class prepared to make up the work. A final
comr that is turned in past the due date will be lowered by 10 points for each class day that it is late. There are
no make-up tests or quizzes, but I will drop the lowest test/quiz grade for each student at the end of the
semester. All cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off when the class is in session. A student who
uses a cell phone during class will be asked to leave and marked absent for the remainder of class that day.
College Grading System
Students may earn an A, B, C, F, or IP in this class. IP means “In Progress” and is given to the student who
makes a good-faith effort to complete the work of the class but is not ready to advance to the next level and
could benefit from another semester in 0349. If a student receives an IP, ENGL 0349 must be repeated.
However, if the student is repeating 0349 for the second time and not passing, the final grade will be F.
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The W grade is given to the student who exceeds the allotted number of absences (10 hours) before the last
day for Administrative Withdrawals. An F is given to students who do not make a good-faith effort to
successfully complete work in the class and/or who stop attending after the last day to withdraw, and to those
who take 0349 for the second time but fail it. Students are responsible for completing the process to drop a class
if they wish to stop attending. See the “Last Day to Withdraw” date in the HCCS Schedule of Classes.
Tutoring and the Language Assistance Center (LAC)
You are encouraged to take advantage of the student services at your campus. Tutors are available to assist you
with any reading/writing assignments that you need help with. You may make an appointment in advance or
drop in (if no one has an appointment when you arrive). Prepare yourself before you see a tutor to ask specific
questions in order to use your time together well. Reminder: the tutor is not your editor and will not write
papers for you.
Each campus has an LAC where you can use a computer to work on grammar software, online resources, and
word processing. No appointment is needed to use an LAC; however, if a teacher schedules a class there while
you are visiting the lab, you might be asked to leave. NOTE: Students must pay for all copies printed in the
LAC. Lab aides manage the labs and are there to assist you with technical questions about the computers.
Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to do their own work. The instructor can not help a student unless he or she knows who
is authoring the assignments. Copying another person’s words without giving credit to the source is considered
cheating and called “plagiarism.” All other forms of cheating as defined by the Student Handbook are penalized
as plagiarism: a grade of 0 is recorded for all forms of academic dishonesty that appear in ANY of the work
done in this class.
Department and College Policies
Contained in the following addendum:
HCC Policies and Procedures—Syllabus Addendum
Spring 2013
IMPORTANT NOTICE: EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve
teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of researchbased questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your
professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term. This survey will replace the paper
forms that students used in the past to evaluate teachers and classes.
Developmental Courses and ENGL 1301: Students taking developmental English and reading courses to meet
state and institutional requirements must complete GUST 0342 and ENGL 0310 (or ENGL 0349 for non-native
speakers) before taking ENGL 1301.
Grades – IP & W & FX: Students taking developmental courses may only receive an In Progress or IP grade
one time for each course. The instructor’s official class roll indicates with an asterisk next to the student’s name
when a student is repeating a course. The student must receive a letter grade after the second attempt (A, B, C,
or F). F-1 students are subject to the same attendance and grading policies as all other students. F-1 students
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will be dropped for excessive absences and receive W. Any student who stops attending class after the official
date to withdraw each semester will receive the grade FX.
Grade Reports: HCCS does not mail out grade reports. Students will get their grades online at the following
Internet address (www.hccs.edu). Students who require a paper or hard copy of their grades must obtain an
unofficial transcript from the Records and Admissions Office of their campus/college.
Attendance Policy: Although it is the responsibility of the student to drop a course for non-attendance, the
instructor has full authority to drop a student for excessive absences of more than 12.5% of the hours of
instruction (including lecture and laboratory time). Texas State Law requires students to complete 87.5% of
hours of instruction in order to receive a grade. If students drop/are dropped from developmental studies while
they are taking college-level courses, they will also be dropped from those college-level courses.
American Disabilities Act and ADA Compliance: HCCS is compliant with the ADA and Sec. 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. “Any student with a documented disability (e. g. physical, learning, psychiatric,
vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Service
Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.” The Disability Services Office number
for Southwest College is 713-718-7910. Dr. Becky Hauri is the ADA contact counselor.
Sexual Harassment: It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent, or student of the college to
engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC guidelines (EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47).
Tuition Payment: Students who use the installment plan or receive financial aid are responsible for making
sure all of their fees are paid. Students will be dropped for non-payment of tuition. The cost for reinstatement is
$75.
On-Line Tutoring: HCCS now offers access to English tutors on-line. All HCCS students can take advantage
of this service by logging on to www.askonline.net and by using their e-mail account. Papers for
most HCC classes can be submitted for advice with a short turnaround time. See the askonline.net homepage.
homepage.
Websites for English 0349 extra practice and Grammar and Usage Review
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sequence.htm (chart of verb tenses)
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/verbtense.html verb practice test
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/transitions.htm (transition words)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_overvw.html (punctuation)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html (comma rules)
http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr6.htm (transition words, a second site)
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/definitions.htm (parts of speech definitions)
English as a Second Language—Resources
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Common Errors in English (www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/index.html). This site, developed by Paul
Brians, Professor of English at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, simply and entertainingly
explains a number of common spelling and usage errors in English.
Dave’s ESL Cafe on the Web (www.eslcafe.com/). ESL students and teachers can select from a variety of
activities, including an interactive quiz and help with questions, and links to other ESL information.
English as a Second Language (academic.cuesta.cc.ca.us/ahalderma/ESL.htm). Designed by Anthony
Halderman of Cuesta College, this site provides students and teachers with useful information, lessons,
exercises, games, and other resources.
English Forum (www.englishforum.com/00/). This comprehensive site includes a variety of resources for ESL
students and teachers, including Interactive Exercises.
English Grammar Online (www.edufind.com/english/grammar/index.cfm). Send in your English grammar
question and a professional teacher will answer it.
EnglishLearner.Com (www.englishlearner.com/). Interactive practice for learners of English includes tests and
quizzes.
Grammar Bytes! (www.chompchomp.com/). This site, a grammar review by Robin Simmons, contains
explanations, handouts for students and teachers, and interactive exercises.
Interesting Things for ESL Students (www.manythings.org/). The site includes quizzes, word games, word
puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, anagrams, and a random–sentence generator.
Learning English on the Web (www.rong-chang.com/). Listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities are
included at this site, a starting point for ESL learners who want to learn English through the World Wide Web.
Self-study Quizzes for ESL Students (a4esl.org/q/h/). This site, featuring multiple choice, true or false, and fill
in the blank type quizzes, provides immediate feedback.
http://citationmachine.net This site is excellent if you have to document sources for any assignments you have.