Winter 2009
De Anza College
ESL 261.62 Low Advanced Listening and Speaking
Room: L63
Time: Th 6:00pm-8:40pm
Instructor:
Gretchen Himes
Email: himesgretchen@fhda.edu
Website: http://faculty.deanza.edu/himesgretchen/
Office hours: you may talk to me after class and by appointment
Prerequisites: Successful completion of ESL 251 or qualifying score on the ESL placement test.
Course Description: The purpose of this class is to develop your English listening and speaking
skills with a focus on understanding and analyzing information, expressing your ideas using a
variety of levels of sophistication and the development of listening and note taking skills.
Required Materials:
 Lecture Ready 3 with DVD
 Internet access (available at De Anza College)
 3x5 note cards
 A good monolingual learner’s dictionary such as Newbury House or Longman.
Grading Criteria: Your grade will be decided by the following criteria.
Class Participation
CCP Assignment
Assignments
Presentations
Quizzes
Midterm
Final
5%
5%
15%
15%
20%
20%
20%
Grading Scale:
A= 90%--100%; B= 80%--89%; C= 70%--79%; D= 65%--69%; F= 64% and below
Attendance: If you wish to improve your English, it is important that you come to every class.
Students who miss class anytime in the first two weeks of class without contacting the instructor
will be dropped. Two late arrivals (15 minutes or more) equal one absence. After 3 absences,
you may be dropped or receive a failing grade in the class. Remember that it is your responsibility
to drop the class if you stop attending.
Class Participation: Class participation is extremely important because it gives you the
opportunity to use and practice your English skills. You will often work with your classmates in
pairs and small groups to discuss homework, share ideas, and practice listening and speaking. In
order to participate in class, you must come to class prepared (do your homework!) and on time.
Participation and behavior are all a part of your class participation grade. Each student
starts the class with 100 points based on how you cooperate with other students, participate in
class activities, volunteer answers, talk only when it is your turn, pay attention, and add positively
to the class. Coming to class and doing your homework are just a start to getting a good grade in
class participation.
Assignments: Assignments are extremely important in this class. You can expect at least 6
hours of homework and study each week in order to keep up with the assignments, which will
include the text, recordings, presentations, journals and current events. Some homework will be
turned in for credit and some will just be used to prepare you for class participation and your own
improvement.
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It is your responsibility to turn in as soon as you return to class any assignments due on the day
you were absent. Failure to do so will result in 0 for the assignment. Please contact a classmate,
NOT YOUR INSTRUCTOR, to find out everything you missed if you are absent or late.
Classmate #1______________________________Phone:_____________________________
Classmate #2______________________________Phone:_____________________________
♦Leacture Ready Listening and Preparation: Read each chapter before class and do
all exercises and watch the lectures on DVD. We will review all material in class, listen to
the CD and do the discussion activities as a class.
♦Gcast recordings: Twice during the quarter you will be asked to record a script at
http://www.gcast.com/. You will need Internet access and a telephone for this activity. You
will be given instructions on how to do this.
♦CNN Online News Videos: Every week you will choose and watch one of the videos
from the CNN website at www.cnn.com/video. Choose from the list of “Top Stories.” You
must choose a video that is at least 2 minutes long. Watch the video several times until
you understand the story. As you listen, take notes. Write the title of the video and the
date you watched it at the top of the page. In class, you will explain the story to your
classmates. Turn in your notes each week.
♦Cross-Cultural Partners: Through CCP you will be matched with a native speaker of a
language different from yours. You will meet for at least five hours during the quarter. You
will write a journal about your meetings, which will be due near the end of the quarter.
Sign up at www.deanza.edu/ccpartners and make sure you register under
HIMES:ESL261-62.
♦Presentations: You will give two group presentations in this class. If you are absent on
your assigned presentation day, your group will most likely have to present without you
and you will receive a 0 for the assignment.
Quizzes: We will have several announced and unannounced quizzes that will test items covered
in the homework and in the previous class. Missed quizzes cannot be made up.
Exams: The midterm and final will include class material and material from the book, listening
comprehension, summarizing, paraphrasing, and vocabulary. Missed exams cannot be made up
Students may not take the final exam early.
Cheating: Cheating includes the following: communicating in any way with any person other than
the instructor during a quiz or a test; using any written materials other than the exam or quiz; using
an electronic device such as a computer or electronic dictionary. If a student cheats while taking
a quiz or exam, the first time he/she will receive a zero on the assignment. The second time
somebody is caught cheating will result in the student's final grade in the class being lowered one
grade.
Plagiarism: When you turn in an assignment with your name on it, you are saying that it is your
work. If you copy words or phrases from someone, you must cite it (say who wrote it). Any copied
material that is not cited is plagiarism, a form of cheating. I can usually tell when work has been
copied, so don't do it. If I suspect that your assignment is plagiarized, you will be asked at my
discretion to redo it or receive a 0 on that assignment. Further, you may be asked to leave the
class and receive an F for the course.
Important Dates
Last day to add
Saturday, January 17
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Last day to drop with a refund
Last day to drop a class with no grade
Last day to request Pass/No Pass grade
Last day to drop with a “W”
Final exam
Friday, January 16
Friday, January 24
Friday, January 30
Saturday, February 28
Thursday, March 26
6:15-8:15 pm
Where to Get Help:
Writing and Reading Center (WRC) in AT 309 -- http://faculty.deanza.edu/writingcenter/
De Anza Listening and Speaking Lab in AT 304 -- http://faculty.deanza.edu/ifftmaryanne/
Tutorial and Academic Skills Center in L 47 -- http://www.deanza.edu/tutorial/
Counseling/Academic Advising -- http://www.deanza.edu/counseling/
If you are worried you may not pass and need any help in class,
please come see me for help right away! The earlier you come
see me the better I can help you.
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