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Houston Community College
Intensive English Program, Northeast College
Northline Center
Syllabus for Level I Reading
Spring 2012
Instructor:
Course:
CRN:
Meeting Times:
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Telephone:
Required Texts:
Julia Cote
ESOL 0342 Beginning Reading
83706
11:30 p.m. -2:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
2- 2:30 or by appointment
julia.cote@hccs.edu
713-718-8181
(1) Facts & Figures 4th Edition, P. Ackert, Heinle &
Heinle
(2) Basic Reading Power 2nd Edition, Beatrice Mikulecky
and Linda Jeffries, Longman.
Course Description: An elementary course in reading English. Emphasis is placed on
vocabulary building and reading skills including identifying main ideas and answering
comprehension questions.
Course Goals/Objectives: Students should be able to read and understand a reading
passage of between 150-200 words, employing a target vocabulary of about 800 words;
be able to use prereading activities to anticipate the meaning of the reading passage as
well as to activate their previous knowledge about the subject discussed; be able to
identify synonyms and antonyms of target vocabulary; and be able to select the main
idea of the reading passage.
Attendance Policy: The HCCS policy is that if a student is absent for 12.5% of the time (4
class days during a 16 week semester), she or he may be dropped from the course. The
student is responsible for all work missed while absent. If you are more than 20 minutes late,
you are considered absent. You must return from lunch and breaks on time. Attendance is
recorded from HCC’s first official day of class, not when you enroll/register for class.
Tardies: Being on time is very important in the United States. If you arrive more than
15 minutes late, you will be counted tardy. (3 tardies=1 absence). A student who is
tardy may sign the roll at the end of class. A tardy student who fails to sign the roll will
be counted as absent. You must sign the role sheet in order to receive credit for
being in class. Excessive tardies, either individual or as a class, are an interruption of
instruction. Official tardy count is recorded as follows: three tardies (or early leaves)
count as one class absence.
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Withdrawal Policy: In Texas public colleges and universities, students who enroll in
the same course three or more times must pay higher tuition. Also, a law passed in
2007 limits new students to six withdrawals during their college careers. So do not drop
(withdraw from) any class before you talk to your teacher or a counselor. If you need to
drop, fill out the withdrawal form before April 15 in order to receive a W.
Dropping Courses: It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw
from a course. Failure to officially withdraw may result in the student receiving a grade
of “F” in the course. Any visa, financial aid, or insurance consequences are your
responsibility, not mine.
Make-up Policy: If you have to be absent, you must talk to me about the work you
missed. It is very important to be present when we have a test. You can only make up
a test if you had an emergency. You must call the office at 713-718-8181 if you have an
emergency.
Scholastic Honesty: I expect all of you to be responsible students. That means if you
have problems doing the work, ask me for help, not another student. On tests and
quizzes, do not cheat by getting “help” or by “helping” others. It is important to do your
own work. A student who cheats will be given a grade of zero for that assignment.
Cellular Phones and Electronic Devices: Turn off your cell phone when you enter the
classroom. Talking and text messaging on the cell phone are not allowed during class
time. Other devices such as laptops or electronic translators are not allowed.
Classroom policy: I am extremely allergic to perfumes, colognes, hairsprays, and
cigarette smoke. Please do not wear any to class and do not smoke directly before
class or on a break. I may ask you to leave class if I cannot breathe you. This will
count as an absence or early leave.
Textbook Policy: Having a textbook is a requirement of this class. You must bring
your textbook to class every day. Student who do not have a textbook by the third week
of the semester will not be allowed to attend class. You will be asked to leave until you
have your book(s). This will count as an absence.
Student Conduct: Sleeping in class is disrespectful. If you sleep during class,s
you will be asked to leave. This will count as one absence.
Students with Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, developmental, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange
reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Services (DSS)
Counselor at the beginning of each semester. Ms. Kim Ingram is the Northeast College
DSS counselor Teachers can only provide the accommodation requested by the DSS
Office. The DSS office is Room 108. Her telephone number is 713-718-8420.
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Class Assignments:
Unit Tests
There will be seven (7) unit tests this semester. Test dates are listed on the calendar.
Daily Work/Participation
Students will earn points for each day they are present and participate in class. Missed
days will result in a participation grade of zero (0) for that day.
Vocabulary Assignments
Students will complete Vocabulary Assignment (VA) for each chapter in Facts and
Figures (FF). These 7 homework assignments and page numbers are listed on the
course calendar. All of the Vocabulary Assignments must be written on your own lined
notebook paper and turned in for a grade, unless otherwise noted. You MAY NOT
make up a Vocabulary Assignment if you are absent on the day it is due.
Grading Scale:
A = 90 - 100
B = 80 - 85
Grading Criteria:
Unit Tests
Vocabulary Assignments
Participation
C=70-79
below 70= F or IP
(progressing, but not passing)
85%
10%
5%
100%
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Course Calendar for Level 1 Reading (ESOL 0342)
This is a tentative course calendar. Assignments may change based on the needs of
the class.
Textbook Assignments: FF = Facts and Figures
VA = Vocabulary Assignments (from FF)
BRP = Basic Reading Power
Week 1
1/17&18
Placement Test
Introduction to Course
FF Unit 1: Lessons 1,2
Week 2
1/24&26
FF Unit 1: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Scanning Words p.43
BRP Scanning for Information
p. 52
Week 3
1/31&2/2
UNIT 1 TEST
VA1 Due (Antonyms:
exercise 2 p.32)
FF Unit 2: Lessons 1,2
Week 4
2/7&9
FF Unit 2: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Making Inferences p.64
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Course Calendar for Level 1 Reading (ESOL 0342) continued
Week 5
2/14&16
UNIT 2 TEST
VA2 Due (Word Forms:
exercise 2, p. 67)
FF Unit 3: Lessons 1,2
Week 6
3/21&23
FF Unit 3: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Understanding Sentences
p.76
Week 7
2/28&3/1
UNIT 3 TEST
VA3 Due (Correct Spelling:
exercises 1, 2, & 3 p. 104)
FF Unit 4: Lessons 1,2
Week 8
3/13&15
Week 9
FF Unit 4: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Looking for Topics p. 87
3/6&8
3/20&22
NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK
UNIT 4 TEST
VA4 Due (Understanding
Grammar: exercises 1 & 2 p.141
(write out the sentences from the
book)
FF Unit 5: Lessons 1,2
Week 10
3/27&29
FF Unit 5: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Comprehending Paragraphs
p. 100
Week 11
4/3&5
UNIT 5 TEST
VA5 Due (Learning Word Forms:
exercise 2, p. 178)
FF Unit 6: Lessons 1,2
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Course Calendar for Level 1 Reading (ESOL 0342) continued
Week 12
4/10&12
FF Unit 6: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Learning about Context
p. 140
Week 13
4/17&19
UNIT 6 TEST
VA6 Due (Choosing the Correct
Definition, p. 217 – Do in the
book. To be checked in class)
FF Unit 7: Lessons 1, 2
Week 14
4/24&26
FF Unit 7: Lessons 3,4,5
BRP Thinking Skills p. 164
Week 15
5/1&3
VA7 Due (Finding Synonyms:
exercise 2, p. 256)
Catch-up week
BRP Thinking Skills continued
Week 16
5/8
UNIT 7 TEST
Tuesday, May 8
(11:50 – 1:50 p.m.)
Final Exam: There is no final exam for Reading I