Welcome to KU120
Introduction to Reading
Skills and Strategies
Angela Lavine, PhD
Agenda for Unit 1



Today we will be covering all the
BASIC information that you will
need for success in KU120.
Please ASK questions at any
time today.
I am happy to have you in my
class!!!
My CONTACT Information




I can be reached by:
Email: alavine@kaplan.edu
Course Questions Link
AIM (Office Hours):
PsychDrLavine
 Please email me or post a note
under COURSE QUESTIONS to
set up a time to “chat” live

Team Emails

If your Instructor is:
Kira Shank - KU121-19
 kshank@kaplan.edu

Carrie Jantz - KU120-04
 cjantz@kaplan.edu

Unit Deadlines


Each Unit runs from Midnight
Wednesday ET until 11:59 pm
ET the following Tuesday.
All assignments are listed under
the Unit tab, and due with-in that
time frame.
Please DO NOT work ahead/
behind without speaking with your
professor first!!! Thanks.

Course Overview










Unit 1: Introduction to Reading Skills and
Strategies
Unit 2: Pre-reading Strategies
Unit 3: Building Comprehension
Unit 4: Main Idea and Supporting Details
Unit 5: Thought Patterns: Time Order and
Space Order
Unit 6: Classification and
Compare/Contrast Thought Patterns
Unit 7: Thought Patterns: Cause/Effect,
Generalization/Example, and Definition
Unit 8: Fact and Opinion
Unit 9: Tone/Purpose and Inference
Unit 10: Final Thoughts
Course Materials


Text: The Effective Reader,
Second Edition by D.J. Henry
Publisher: Pearson
Software: Microsoft Word is
required for all Kaplan Courses
Very Important Notice

Students who do not pass
both KU 120 and KU 121 with
a 73% (730 points out of
1,000) or better on their first
attempt will be academically
dismissed from the
University, as per the Kaplan
University 2007-2008 Catalog
Addendum published July 2,
2008.
Classroom Information

Please take a moment to
pull up our classroom in
another window.

I would like to “walk” you
through our course!!!
Unit 1

In this unit you will get a general
course overview, meet your
peers and professor(s) and
begin to discuss the importance
of reading in your education!!!
Unit 1 Assignments




Respond to the Discussion
Board questions.
Attend Seminar or complete
Option 2.
Complete the MRL (My Reading
Lab) Lexile Diagnostic (Pass/
Fail)
KU 085 Activities Link
Exciting News about
SEMINARS!!!


WEDNESDAY @ Noon EST
Carrie Jantz



MONDAY @ 8pm EST
ME – Dr. Lavine



OR
OR
TUESDAY @ 11am EST
Kira Shank
What is Option 2?



If you can not attend any of our
Seminars, you may do an
alternative assignment (Option
2).
Please answer the questions,
found under the Seminar Link
for the week in which you miss,
and hand in through our
DropBox.
Please note: you hand it in to
your main course professor!
What is the MRL?


MRL is My Reading Lab, this is
the lab portion of our class,
where you will go to complete
activities, polish skills and take
quizzes.
You will link to the MRL in every
Unit!!!
Discussion Board Information



Each week you will complete a
series of Discussion Board (DB)
questions.
This week will focus on all of us
getting to know one another.
To successfully complete the DB,
several things must happen.




You need to write in full, complete
sentences.
Proper grammar, spelling and structure
must be used (no slang, please).
It is important that the tone be
professional and courteous.
Please proofread & run spell check
before posting.
Tips for Seminar Success






Please come into and leave seminar
on time each week.
Please ASK general questions at the
beginning and end of seminar only.
Topic specific questions can be
asked throughout seminar, when
covering that particular topic.
Please be courteous of your peers.
Please do NOT engage in side
conversations.
Please do NOT use internet slang.
KU 085: What is this?



KU 085 is such a fantastic resource.
It contains everything that you will
need to know about the functions in
your KU classrooms.
There are several activities (in
various units of our course), by
completing these activities and
submitting the completion certificate
to me by the end of unit 9, you will
receive 40 points.
Our Course Syllabus

The syllabus is found:
Under Course Home, Syllabus link
for viewing
 Under DocSharing, Course
Syllabus thread for downloading

Important Aspects
of the Syllabus


Course Description: This course will
introduce reading techniques designed to
increase comprehension and retention of
informational texts. Students will develop a
skill set to increase their vocabulary, word
recognition and contextual understanding.
These skills will be introduced,
implemented and honed in this class so
students can apply them to all future
coursework, increasing their reading
effectiveness when reading scholastic
material.
Course Outcomes
As a result of successfully completing this
course, students will be able to:




KU120-1: Describe the reading process
and purposes
KU120-2: Apply reading strategies to
improve comprehension and retention
KU120-3: Employ methods of vocabulary
development
KU120-4: Write analytical text summaries
Grading







Total: 1000 points
Discussion Boards: 360 Points (9 at 40
Points each)
Seminars: 45 points (9 at 5 Points each)
KU 085: 40 Points
MRL Reading Skills Tests: 300 Points (6
at 50 Points each)
Project: 105 Points (1 project)
My Reading Lab Test: 150 pts
Viewing Grades and Comments







Grades and instructor comments can be viewed in
the gradebook.
·
Click the "Gradebook" tab
·
Click on the specific assignment grade to
read the instructor's comments (an asterisk (*)
means that the assignment has not yet been
graded)
·
For projects, click on the "+" to expand
"Comments"
·
Download the attachment to view the project.
There will be comments and corrections on the
project. If the corrections and comments cannot be
viewed, click on "Markup" under "View" in MS Word.
·
To view exam/quiz grades, note the date
provided once you have finished the quiz/exam. It
will state, "Can be viewed in Gradebook on: _____"
·
On or after the date given, click on the grade
to see the graded exam.
FIELD TRIP: SYLLABUS
You will also find:




Information on Lateness/
Emergency
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism
Attendance
***PLEASE review the syllabus
thoroughly and ASK any
questions that you may have***
 Questions?!?!