Welcome
English
Mrs. Alexander
Syllabus
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English Language & Composition
Judson High School
Course Information: 2010-2011
Mrs. Alexander
English II
XX Period Conference
Room XXX
School Phone # 210-945-1100 salexander
Tutoring - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:10-8:45
Course Description
The English Language and Composition
course is designed to help students
become skilled readers of prose
written in a variety of periods,
disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and
to become skilled writers who can
compose for a variety of purposes. By
their writing and reading in this course,
students should become aware of the
interactions among a writer's purposes,
audience expectations, and subjects, as
well as the way generic conventions and
the resources of language contribute
to effective writing.
Course Goals*
• The goals of an course in English Language
and Composition are diverse because the
college composition course is one of the most
varied in the curriculum. The course often
allows students to write in several forms—
narrative, exploratory, expository,
argumentative—on many different subjects
from personal experiences to public policies,
from imaginative literature to popular culture.
But the overarching purpose in most firstyear writing courses is to enable students to
write effectively and confidently in their
college courses across the curriculum and in
their professional and personal lives.
Expected Student
Learning Outcomes*
Upon completing the English Language and
composition course, students should be able to:
analyze and interpret samples of good writing,
identifying and explaining an author’s use of
rhetorical strategies and techniques;
apply effective strategies and techniques in
their own writing;
create and sustain arguments based on
readings, research, and/or personal experience;
demonstrate understanding and mastery of
standard written English as well as stylistic
maturity in their own writings;
Expected Student
Learning Outcomes*
demonstrate understanding of the
conventions of citing primary and
secondary source material;
write for a variety of purposes;
produce expository, analytical, and
argumentative compositions that
introduce a complex central idea and
develop it with appropriate evidence
drawn from primary and/or
secondary source material, cogent
explanations, and clear transitions;
Expected Student
Learning Outcomes*
move effectively through the stages of
the writing process, with careful
attention to inquiry and research,
drafting, revising, editing, and review;
write thoughtfully about their own
process of composition;
revise a work to make it suitable for a
different audience;
analyze image as text; and
evaluate and incorporate reference
documents into researched papers.
Required Texts
Required Supplies*
1 ½ inch 3 ring binder with 8
dividers
Black and/or dark blue ink pens and
pencils
Index cards (5x8) and highlighters
College ruled notebook paper
1 subject notebook spiral w/holes
(70 pgs—college ruled)
Types of Assignments
• Reading- outside novels, short stories, essays
• Essays- Narrative/Descriptive, Argument,
Expository
• In class- Journals, Reviews, Synthesis
• Group Projects- Judson ISD e-learning 360, team
building, cooperative learning, group
presentations
• Standardized Test Practice- writing, quizzes, etc.
• Portfolios- Maintain a Portfolio throughout the
year.
Guidelines for Term
Grading*
Category
Percentage
Major
35%
Daily
50%
Exam
15%
Types of Assignments
Attendance Policy
It is important to attend class and participate in
class discussions and activities. You are allowed
ten absences before credit may be denied to you
for this course. If you reach more than ten
absences, you must contact the attendance office
to determine you status on absences and how
they affect your education.
Tardy Policy
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I teach my class from bell to bell. Tardiness is a
sign of disrespect to me. We will adhere to
Judson High School Tardy Policy.
1st Tardy = verbal warning
2nd Tardy = parent contact
3rd tardy = detention
4th tardy = office referral
Assignment/
Make Up Policy *
I AM NOT INCLINED TO ACCEPT LATE WORK.
However, I do understand that emergency
situations may prevent a student from turning in
an assignment on time. In these emergency
situations, a student may submit a daily
assignment no more than 2 days late. An
assignment turned in one day late may not
receive credit higher than a 80. An assignment
turned in two days late may not receive credit
higher than a 70. On the third day, the
assignment will no longer be accepted. For
major assignments, students have ample time to
complete and late work will be accepted only in
emergency cases. If there are extenuating
circumstances, the student must speak to me
privately and I will discuss with him/her on a one
to one basis.
Assignment/
Make Up Policy *
MISSED ASSIGNMENTS ARE YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY!
If you have an excused absence that
keeps you from either turning in an
assignment or receiving instructions
for an assignment, it is your duty to
talk to me, look at the class website,
or ask a peer about the assignment
when as soon as you return.
Assignment/
Make Up Policy *
MAKE UP WORK
is designated for students who have excused
absences. If you are absent and it is excused,
you must speak to me about any make up work
the day you return. You will have only as many
days as you were out to submit the assigned
work. I am available during tutoring hours to
discuss assignments missed. Please see me
privately to discuss your assignments.
Otherwise, there will be no opportunity to make
up assignments not turned in on time.
Plagiarism/Cheating
Plagiarism and/or cheating will not be tolerated.
There are severe consequences for those
involved with academic dishonesty.
Resources
Mrs. Alexander’s website will be the most
important resource for you this school year. Go
to the Judson High School web site and select
staff and locate my name and click webpage.
Here you will find handouts, reminders on
assignments, and websites that may help you
throughout the school year.
Outside Reading Assignments
As part of the AP curriculum, you are required to read several novels
outside of class. We will use these novels, both fiction and non-fiction
pieces, to expand our discussion of literary elements and rhetorical
devices in the classroom. You will also be held accountable for
reading these novels through an objective and/or short answer exam.
It is your responsibility to keep up with outside reading assignments
as they are given. If you manage your time well, you will have ample
opportunity to complete the reading. You may also be required to
write an essay over the assigned reading. It is important that you read
the novel and not rely on video adaptations or any type of cliffs/spark
notes. Although you may use these notes as a supplement, they
should not be a substitute for reading the actual text!
Assessments for outside reading may consist of either multiple choice
questions + an essay or just essay questions.
Specific dates for book tests/essays will be announced in class and
posted on our class website.
English Notebook
2011-2012
Each student is responsible for keeping up with
his/her English notebook and bringing it to class
every day. The notebook is an organizational
tool that can help you stay on task and up to
date with assignments. In order to effectively
use your notebook as a study guide for the AP
exam, you will have to maintain it and keep all
notes and practices we complete in class.
You will be earning a grade for how organized
and up to date you keep your notebook. It is
important that your notebook make it to class
with you, as the grading may be done
periodically and randomly.
English Notebook
2011-2012
I will check your notebook to make sure you
have all the journals, daily exercises, notes, and
information in the proper section. Make sure to
ask if you do not know where something goes.
Requirements
• 1 ½ inch binder (must be at least 1 ½ inch to
receive credit!)
• 8 dividers
English Notebook
2011-2012
Order of Binder:
1. Create a Personalized Cover page:
Name
Mrs. Alexander
English II
Class Period
2. Course Information Packet (this packet)
3. Dividers in these sections…
Notes: all notes, and information that will assist you in being
successful your writing.
Reading: All notes and activities pertaining to your outside reading.
Test Practice: all practices for the exams, including state assessment
practice.
Test Results: All test handed back and corrected to use on future
assessments.
Language: all activities pertaining to grammar and language use.
Journals: 70 pg (college ruled) notebook spiral and any reading
journal entries
Vocabulary: all vocabulary activities
Miscellaneous: any information that does not pertain to another
section