Contra Costa College
Course Description and Syllabus
ESL 183 -- Writing I – 5 UNITS
Semester:
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Office Phone:
E-Mail:
Class Dates:
Holidays:
Schedule:
Final Exam:
Advisory: Appropriate score on ESL Placement Test.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides instruction in writing for high-beginning ESL students.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will demonstrate ability to write 100-word paragraphs in clear, grammatically correct simple
sentences.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Write clear descriptive, narrative and opinion passages of at least 150 words.
Write passages with a clear focus and relevant details.
Convey meaning using a variety of basic high-frequency vocabulary.
Incorporate simple present, present continuous, simple past, and future tenses as appropriate.
Apply the basic rules of punctuation for periods, question marks and capital letters.
WHAT WE WILL DO: [optional-can be modified]
In this course we will do a lot of readings and writing. We will write descriptions, stories and opinions
about the topics that we read and discuss.
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
1. Instructor feedback on student writing
2. Text exercises, including reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and grammar analysis
3. Explicit instruction on focus, development of ideas, grammar, and punctuation
4. Pair and group discussions and feedback
TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLIES:
1. Textbook: Writing Workout, Jan Huizenga (Cengage)
2. Instructor-prepared handouts
GRADES AND ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Weekly in-class writing assignments, including focused passages, guided responses to reading, short
responses to questions, and brief summaries:
25%
2. Weekly out-of-class writing assignments, including focused passages, guided responses to reading,
short responses to questions, and brief summaries:
25%
3. Quizzes on assigned reading and grammar and punctuation:
10%
4. Other homework exercises
10%
5. Final exam:
30%
A letter grade will be assigned based on the following categories: 90-100% = A,
80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, below 60% = F. Students who choose
the Credit/No Credit option will receive CR for an average of 70% and above,
or NC for an average of 69% or below.
Course expectations: [Optional – can be modified]
Attendance
I expect you to attend every class meeting. Good attendance is very important. If you miss class, you
won’t learn much. If you have to miss class, you still have to do the homework. Check the course
website or contact me or a classmate to find out what the homework is. You must attend every class
meeting and arrive on time. If you are absent more than three times, I may drop you from the class. If
you arrive late or leave early, I will add up the time you are not in class and count it as time you are
absent.
Homework
You will have homework for every class meeting. You will have about eight hours of homework
every week for this class. There will be unannounced homework quizzes often.
Class etiquette
The way students behave in a class makes a big difference in how much we can all learn. For that
reason, you are expected to behave in ways that help you and others learn the most. That includes:
coming to class on time and finishing all your homework before class,
turning off your cell phone ringer before the beginning of class,
never using your phone to send or receive texts, to make calls, or to check messages
never leaving the class to talk on the phone, smoke a cigarette, or take a break,
participating actively in group and classwork, and helping everyone participate,
treating everyone with respect and kindness.