COURSE SYLLABUS
English 0346
CRN Numbers:
Alief Center: 64368
Stafford Campus: 77168
E-mail: margo.kalfoglou@hccs.edu
Alief class meets: TuTh 8:00AM – 10:00AM
Stafford class meets: MoWe 8:00AM –10:00AM
Instructor: Margo Kalfoglou
Texts and Materials
Focus On Grammar 4, 3rd edition, by Fuchs and Bonner (required)
Focus On Grammar 4 Student Workbook, 3rd edition, by Fuchs and Bonner
English-only dictionary (option: the Collins Cobuild Dictionary)
A binder to keep the work for this course
Loose leaf wide ruled notebook paper
Wide ruled spiral notebook for the journal
Folder with pockets
Stapler / blue or black pen / red pen / highlighter marker
Course Goals
English 0346 helps English as a Second Language (ESL) students prepare for
the reading and writing assignments in college classes. Students learn basic
grammar, simple sentence and some basic compound/complex structures,
vocabulary, and paragraph writing skills. English 0346 is part of a sequence of
classes (English 0340, 0341, 0346, 0347, and 0349). After students pass these
courses, they should be ready for English 1301 and other college credit courses.
Specific course objectives are to:
identify parts of speech & understand word families
write simple sentences: S + V + O
write compound sentences with coordinating conjunctions
use common complex sentences (when, while, because, since)
write a well-developed paragraph
understand the role of: topic, title, topic sentence , supporting details
use present and past tenses accurately
use verbals accurately: gerunds, infinitives, base forms
use auxiliary and modal verbs accurately
use the present real, present unreal, and past unreal conditional
use direct and indirect speech
expand vocabulary, including phrasal verbs
write short (3-paragraph) essays 200-300 words long
Tests
There are 4 grammar tests based on the textbooks. If there is time, the class will
have a review session and a short practice quiz during the class period before
the actual test day. It's important that students come prepared to ask questions
about the grammar that they don't understand well. In addition, the instructor will
give other quizzes as needed.
Compositions
Students will write a total of 4 compositions (comps.) and the Final Comp. The
first four comps. are written twice; the first draft is written in class, and the
second draft is written for homework. The grade for a comp is recorded after the
second draft is written and evaluated. Therefore, students must write draft 2. No
late second drafts of comps. will be accepted. All comps must be written either
in blue or black ink, double-spaced, and the front side of the paper or by
computer, double-spaced, font 12.
Homework
Homework is a very important part of ENGL 0346. Students must have a binder
in which they keep their work for this course. Some homework will be collected,
and some of it will be checked in class. Students must complete the homework
before coming to class and be prepared to turn in some assignments during
class. The teacher will pick up and check the homework assignments at
random. Homework assignments may not be turned in late.9
Journal
Students will practice expressing ideas in English regularly, usually once per
week. Students should write freely, without fear of penalty. The journal is not
graded like a composition. It is part of homework. Sometimes the teacher will
give the journal topic, and sometimes the students will choose a topic. The
journal may not be handed in late. Your journal writing should be kept in a spiral
notebook. The journal will be collected at random, so you must bring it to class
everyday.
Final Examinations
The Final Exam has two parts: a comprehensive, multiple-choice grammar test
and a Final Comp. The finals will be given on two different days at the end of the
semester. See the Final Exam dates on the Course Calendar.
Classroom Policies
Students are expected to arrive in class on time. If students are absent from
class, they may email the teacher and ask her for the assignments that they
missed. When students are absent on the day of a composition, they must make
up the work on the day they return to class. A make-up composition will not be
on the same topic as the original comp that was missed. There are no make-up
tests or quizzes; however, the lowest quiz and test grade will be dropped for
each student.
As a courtesy to your instructor and the other students in the class, please turn
off any cell phones and other electronic devices before you enter the classroom.
If one of these devices goes off and interrupts the class, the instructor may
confiscate it until the end of the class period. Students are not allowed to leave
the classroom except in the case of an extreme emergency. No electronic
dictionaries or laptops are permitted in the class.
Attendance Policy
Houston Community College requires students to attend classes regularly. Any
student who misses more than 12.5% of the class in a semester may be dropped
from the class. In 0346, this amounts to 8 hours (total) of absence. If students
are late 10 minutes or more, they will be marked tardy; if students leave the
classroom during class, return from a break late, or leave before class is
finished, they will be marked tardy.
2 times tardy = 1 absence.
College Grading System
Students in English 0346 class may receive a letter grade of A, B, C, IP or F.
IP means "In Progress." This is not a failing grade, but it is for students who
complete the course but who are not yet ready for the next level. Anyone who
receives an IP must take English 0346 again. However, if a student has already
received an IP in this course during a previous semester, that student will receive
a letter grade: A, B, C, or F this semester.
Students who have a 70% or higher class average before the Final Exams
but who fail both parts of the Final will have a team of teachers review their
work and determine their readiness to pass into English 0347.
English 0346 Grading Formula
The final grade for the course is calculated as follows:
Homework:
Tests :
Comp. 1:
Comp. 2:
Comp. 3:
10%
15%
10%
10%
10%
Comp. 4:
15%
Final Comp: 20%
Final Exam: 10%
Academic Dishonesty
If a student copies sentences from another person's work without giving credit to
the writer by naming the writer as the source of the ideas and words, it is called
"plagiarism." This is a serious offense in American colleges, and it is
unacceptable. Academic honesty is expected of all college students. For each
student to meet the course goals and as effective writing skills are central to
success in college and the work place, student honesty is required on all
assignments and exams. Turning in any work for a grade and claiming it as your
own when it was taken in whole or part from any other source, without proper
credit is plagiarism. This includes material taken from the Internet, books,
newspapers, magazines, other students, or any person besides yourself.
Student Handbook: “Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may
include a grade of 0 or F for the particular assignment, failure in the course,
and/or recommendation for probation of dismissal from the College System”
(35).
ENGLISH 0346 16-Week Course Calendar
Important Dates:
Classes begin
Jan. 19
Last day for drop/add/swap
Jan. 25
Official Date of Record
Feb. 1
Presidents’ Day holiday
Feb. 15
Spring Break
Mar. 15-21
Easter holiday
April 2-4
Last day to withdraw
Apr. 15 (4:30 p.m.)
Instruction ends
May 9
Final exams
May 10-16
(See the Table of Contents of Focus On Grammar: High-Intermediate for pages.)
This calendar may change to meet the needs of the class.
Week 1
Introduction to AESL program; course syllabus; diagnostic
assessment.
Begin Unit 3: Simple Past, Present Perfect, Present Perfect
Progressive
Week 2
Continue diagnostic assessment, as needed; finish Unit 3
Week 3
Unit 4: Past Perfect and Past Perfect Progressive, including
pp. 43-45
Write C1D1 (Composition #1, Draft #1) Descriptive Paragraph
Week 4
Unit 12: Phrasal Verbs (separable and inseparable)
Week 5
TEST 1 on verb tenses: present, past, progressive, present and
past perfect
Begin Unit 9: Gerunds and Infinitives, including Appendix 2—6
Week 6
Continue Unit 9
Week 7
Unit 10: Causative verbs let, make, have, help, get; TEST 2 on
gerunds, infinitives, and causative verbs
Week 8
Write C2D1, Short Opinion Essay
Unit 16: Modal Verbs—Past Advisability
Week 9
Unit 17: Modal Verbs—Past Speculations and Conclusions
Week 10
Review of Auxiliary Verbs: be, do, have;
TEST 3 on auxiliary verbs and modals
Introduction to Compound Sentences (FANBOYS conjunctions)
Begin Unit 8: so, too, neither, not either, but
Week 11
Continue Unit 8; Introduction to Time Clauses, pp. 79-81
Write C3D1, Short Narrative Essay
Week 12
Unit 23: Present Unreal Conditionals
Unit 24: Past Unreal Conditionals
Week 13
Unit 28: Indirect Questions;
Write C4D1, Short Example Essay
Week 14
Unit 29: Embedded Questions;
TEST 4 on independent and dependent clauses and Indirect and
Embedded Questions
Week 15
Review for the Final Grammar Exam; Write Final Composition
Week 16
Final Grammar Exam: ______________________________