ENGL 255 Course Outline4 Unit(s)
4 Hour(s) Lecture per week for a total of 68 per semester
ENGL 255Basic English Develops writing and grammar skills that are below college
level with emphasis placed on essay writing, grammar, word processing, and other skills
for success in college. Students write at least 6,000 words and assemble portfolios of
revised and timed writings.
Requisites
CO-REQUISITE(S):


READ 255 or
READ 206 (1-3 units)
Core Cabrillo Competencies
Communication - reading, writing, listening, speaking and/or conversing
Critical Thinking and Information Competency - analysis, computation, research,
problem solving
Global Awareness - an appreciation of scientific processes, global systems and civics,
and artistic variety
Personal Responsibility and Professional Development - self-management and selfawareness, social and physical wellness, workplace skills
Learning Outcomes
1. Write paragraphs and short essays demonstrating basic sentence-level competency and
culminating in a portfolio.
2. Comment on ideas and writing strategies in reading assignments.
Objectives
Students entering English 255 have an underlying grasp of English syntax; however,
they often have severe difficulties writing conventional English, including
misspelling, punctuation errors, run-on and fragmented sentences, obscure pronoun
reference, and modifier problems. Their writing may show inadequate topic
development, lack of paragraph coherence and careful transitions, vague or
awkward phrasing, and overly simple vocabulary and sentence structure.
1. Address a topic clearly.
2. Develop and analyze ideas through detail and evidence.
3. Utilize principles of paragraphing.
4. Vary sentence structure.
5. Identify and correct mechanical errors, including errors in punctuation, sentence
structure, verb tense, pronoun and subject-verb agreement, and spelling.
6. Eliminate frequent errors in idiomatic usage.
7. Write timed in-class essays with clear ideas supported by some evidence, a coherent
sequence of paragraphs, competent control of language, and no pervasive pattern of
errors.
8. Use the dictionary to enlarge vocabulary and improve spelling.
9. Identify and evaluate an author's main ideas and purpose.
10. Demonstrate knowledge of the academic skills necessary for success in college,
including test-taking, note-taking, study skills, and word processing.
11. Complete portfolios of out-of-class and timed writings that demonstrate that they
have met the English 255 course objectives. Portfolios will be evaluated every semester
by the Basic Skills Writing Competency Committee.
Content
1. THE WRITING PROCESS:
a) pre-writing techniques
b) narrative and expository essay modes
c) revision and proofreading
2. FOCUS:
a) topic selection
b) forming a thesis
c) staying on-topic
3. DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS: incorporating description, narrative, facts, and content
from other sources to develop essays.
4. PARAGRAPHING:
a) topic sentences
b) transitions between paragraphs
c) supporting details
5. ORGANIZATION:
a) introductions
b) supporting paragraphs
c) conclusions
d) formatting
6. VOICE, TONE, DICTION, AND STYLE:
a) English for Academic Purposes
b) written versus oral English
c) audience awareness
8. SENTENCE STRUCTURE:
a) punctuation
b) identifying and combining clauses
c) varying sentences
9. GRAMMAR, USAGE, AND MECHANICS:
a) verb and pronoun agreement
b) prepositions, articles, and idioms
c) revision and proofreading
10. CRITICAL READING:
a) identifying main ideas and author's tone
b) using the dictionary and other reference tools
c) spelling and vocabulary development
11. ESSAY EXAMS: timed essays and strategies for essay exams
Assignments
Out-of-class Assignments
WRITING:
-essays and reports
-journal writing
-observation notes
-individual and group projects
READING:
-student essays
-narrative, descriptive, analytical, and other expository essays
-newspapers and magazine articles
-short stories and novels
In-class Assignments
WRITING:
-note-taking
-in-class writings (reader responses, journal writing, freewriting, -letters)
-essay exams
READING:
-student essays
-short narrative, descriptive, analytical, and other expository essays
-short stories and other creative writing
-newspapers and magazine articles
Students are expected to spend 4.00 hours in class and 8.00 hours outside of class.
Evaluation
Substantial writing requirements are appropriate for this class.
Grading
Letter Grade or P/NP
Representative Texts
 Jimmy Santiago Baca (2002). A Place to Stand: the Making of a PoetGrove Press.
ISBN: 0802139086
 Downing, Skip (2009). On Course (5th Edition/e). Florence, K Cengage Learning.
ISBN: 0618741569
 Nordquist, Richard (1995). Passages : A Writer's Guide (3rd/e). Bedford/St. Martin's.
ISBN: 0312101171
 Gaetz, Lynne and Suneeti Phadke (2009). The Writer's World: Paragraphs and
Essays. (2nd/e). Pearson Education. ISBN: 9780136152187
 Warner, J. Sterling and Judith Hilliard (2010). Visions Across the Americas: Short
Essays for Composition (7th/e). Cengage. ISBN: 978-142826377
 Ehrenreich, Barbara (2008). Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Holt.
ISBN: 978-080508838 HistoryApproved: 02/04/2011 by Renee KilmerCID: 3092