CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE
PASS English (ENG 094)
FALL 2015
This section of English is called ENG094:107. Your class meetings take place on
Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30am to 9:45am in the Queen Anne's
Technical Building room 122.
My name is Rachel Pyles, and I'll be your instructor. The best way to contact me is via
email. Sending me a message inside Canvas is the quickest and easiest way to reach
me. You can also email me at rpyles@chesapeake.edu.
Outside of the class I work full time as the Academic Support Writing Specialist at the
Academic Support Center located inside the LRC (library). The ASC is the tutoring
center on campus. Feel free to stop by anytime to discuss the course, academic
planning, or your writing at my office in the ASC.
What is PASS?
PASS stands for Program for Accelerated Student Success. Both the English department and the
Math department participate in PASS, and both departments offer individualized instruction and
learning through completion of a variety of modules designed to address specific skills students
need to be successful in college-level courses at Chesapeake College, allowing students the
opportunity to progress at a faster pace.
Course Description for PASS English (ENG 094)
Students will receive comprehensive instruction in college preparatory reading and writing skills,
including essay construction and development, comprehension, summary and analytical reading
skills, critical reading, and more. Three-six hours lecture per week.
PASS English Outcomes
1. Apply college reading skills to summarize a variety of texts.
2. Apply critical reading skills to respond to a variety of texts: combine information from the texts
with student opinions.
3. Compose written products that connect a thesis statement/topic sentence with topic
sentences/supporting sentences to (a) organize the written products and (b) refer back to the
given assignment.
4. Compose written products that effectively use relevant details to support the thesis statement
and topic sentences.
5. Produce material that reflects some use of writing process strategies: brainstorming, essay
skeleton creation, outlining, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.
6. Use various technologies as required to produce coursework.
7. Compose and revise documents that are generally free of the errors specified in each module.
Overview of PASS English Modules
Module 1: Tools of the Trade
This module’s focus is technology, specifically as it applies to student success in PASS English and
beyond. This module meets outcomes 6 and 7.
Module 2: Summary & Citation
This module’s focus is reading and reporting what others say and citing sources in MLA format. This
module meets outcomes 1, 5-7.
Module 3: Entering the Conversation
This module's focus is reading and responding to texts. The text for this module is Sherman Alexie's
novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. This module meets outcomes 2-7.
Module 4: The Portfolio
This module’s focus is revision and self-assessment. This module meets outcomes 1-7.
Required Materials

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. (Any edition will do.)

supplemental texts provided by your instructor (in Canvas)

Internet access*
o Your assignments are preloaded into Canvas, and you will need to be able to access them
when you're not in class. If you do not have internet at home, there are computers on
campus students can use on a first-come-first-serve basis; keep in mind that you will need to
factor this into your workload and schedule.
Succeeding in PASS English
Students will not receive traditional grades in this course, as mastery is determined by quality of
work and meeting course outcomes, not effort or accumulation of arbitrary points.
Only students who master all four modules will exit PASS English. Students who do not master all
four modules will need to sign up for ENG 094 in Spring 2016
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS SEMESTER
Good Faith Effort
As a Chesapeake College student, you are expected to spend two hours on your coursework
outside the classroom for every hour you spend in the classroom. Some assignments may require
more time. Students who do not work outside of class generally do not finish the coursework, so it's
safe to say that one cannot exit the program unless s/he puts in the necessary work outside of
class.
Attendance Expectations
You are enrolled at an institution that expects you to be present for class every day. That being said,
you are allowed three absences, no questions asked. Upon your fourth absence, your instructor will
talk to you about your progress and status in the course and will let Advising, Financial Aid, and the
Developmental Studies Case Manager know. It is a simple fact that the more a student misses class,
the less likely he or she will be successful in his/her courses. If your attendance becomes
intermittent, an appointment to speak to the Dean, the Vice-President of Student Services, and/or
the Vice-President of Academic Affairs may be required. This is to make sure you're given every
opportunity to be successful in college.
Participation in Class Activities
You are expected to participate in reading (sometimes aloud), writing, discussion, and collaborative
activities in class. Your participation is non-negotiable, as your instructor needs to be able to assess
your progress in this course. Unless you are physically unable to talk, you are expected to
participate.
Student Code of Conduct
As a Chesapeake College student, you are responsible for knowing and abiding by the Student
Code of Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty, classroom disturbance, harassment, or any
behavior not befitting a college student as outlined in the Chesapeake College Student Guide will be
reported.
The Writing Process/Revision
Your English instructors believe that you learn just as much from the writing process, or steps,
involved in writing as you do from producing a final product/paper. You may be accustomed to
writing your papers from start to finish in an evening in order to submit them the next day. You may
even have had great success in high school or in your workplace completing writing using this
particular plan. Those days are over. Every writing assignment is different, and so, every assignment
will require its own plan. Regardless of the plan required, the vast majority of college writing requires
that you break the writing process into steps, and revise, or rewrite, your work. When instructors ask
you to rewrite, it does not mean that you are a bad writer or that you are doing poorly. It means that
we are holding you to college-level standards and want you to succeed in your efforts at written
communication. Your instructors will guide you through this piece of the process with
encouragement and feedback. Taken seriously, this encouragement and feedback can really help
you make visible improvement.
Midterm Grades
At midterm, students will receive one of two grades that illustrates their progress in their courses: S
or U. An S grade means the student is making satisfactory progress in the course. A U grade means
the student is making unsatisfactory progress and is, at the moment, behind schedule for course
completion. A U grade could also mean the student has too many absences or is not performing at a
high enough level to be successful. A U grade in PASS ENGLISH means you need to meet with the
instructor to discuss ways you can successfully complete the course. As a rule, any student who has
not successfully mastered two modules by midterm is in the Unsatisfactory range.
Final Grades
Final grades will be posted on CRAB at the end of the semester. Only the students who successfully
meet the exit criteria for ENG 094. A grade of A, B, or C means the student has passed ENG 094. A
grade of C or better in ENG 094 is required to exit the developmental English program.
D Grades:
Students enrolled in PASS English for the first semester could receive the grade of D as a final
course grade. A final grade of D is not a passing grade. It is given to students who have made
suitable progress but have not successfully completed their course(s). A student who receives a D
will need to re-enroll in PASS the following semester. Remember, a final grade of D is an indication
that you are working hard and making progress, and a D can be assigned only under the following
conditions:

You may receive a D grade if you have mastered Modules 1 & 2.
This means you have written three summaries at a two level according to the rubric.
Note: You may receive a D grade only once. If you do not successfully complete the course the
following semester, you will receive an F.
CAMPUS RESOURCES (LINKS) TO HELP YOU SUCCEED
Academic Support Center (ASC)
Learning Resource Center (LRC)
CAMPUS EMERGENCY WEATHER PROTOCOL:
In the event that Chesapeake College needs to close for an extended period of time due to a severe
weather event or other emergency situation, consideration will be given to the timing and duration of
closure as follows:
a. Closure during the semester for up to one week: there will be an opportunity to make up work
without significant alteration to the academic calendar.
b. Closure extending beyond one week (or in situations where classes are cancelled on the same
days/evenings over multiple weeks), the college may extend the semester. Depending on the timing
of the closure, scheduled breaks, closure dates, and/or the processing of final grades might be
impacted.
Students may inquire about closures by checking on the college website or by calling 410.822.5400
or 410.228.4360. Chesapeake College courses held off campus will follow the protocol of the host
facility.
Department of Education Guidelines for Time on Task
The Department of Education requires that instructors document how much time students must
spend each week outside the classroom on tasks for each course they take. Students in PASS
English have a variety of skill levels, particularly in reading and writing, so I cannot provide you with
the exact number of hours you need to devote to this course in order to be successful. However, I
can make an approximation. Please see the table below for the recommended minimum amount of
time you will need to devote to this course in addition to the time you spend in class.
Module/Week
Module 1
Weeks 1-2
Assignment Details
Breakdown of
Individual
Assignments &
Approximate Total
Time on Task*
1. Technology Assignment
1. 1 hour
2. Email to Instructor
2. 1 hour
3. How to Format Assignments
3. 2 hours
4. MLA Assignment
4. 2 hours
Approximate Time on
Task PER
WEEK OUTSIDE OF
CLASS*
3 hours
1. Reading

Module 2
Weeks 3-6
1. Reading Assignment/3 Articles
2. Develop an Annotated
Bibliography


Article 1:
6 hours;
Article 2:
6 hours;
Article 3:
6 hours
9.5 hours
2. Writing: 6 hours
per summary
Module 3
1. Synthesize and interpret
1. Reading: 40
ideas from one article and the
novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a hours
Part Time Indian
12.5 hours
Weeks 7-10 2. Construct an argumentative essay
about the text and support it through 2. Writing &
Process: 10 hours
development, organization, and
textual evidence.
1. Create an Outcomes-Based
Reflection of at least five paragraphs,
arguing why and how the outcomes
of the course have been mastered,
Module 4
making specific reference to the
documents chosen for the final
Week 11-14
portfolio.
1. Reading: 2
hours; Writing &
Process: 12 hours
4.5 hours
2. Revision of Mods
2 & 3: 4 hours
2. Create an Outcomes-Based
Portfolio by revising previous work
according to Essay Rubric.
In short, a student should expect to devote approximately 7.5 hours per week outside of class on
their assignments for PASS English. Depending on one's skill level, some assignments may require
more time; some assignments may require less time.
*These times are approximate and do not reflect multiple drafts or revisions required for
mastery.