I
Course Syllabus
Beginning Conversation for Foreign Speakers
ESOL 0341
Class Dates: January14th-May 12th, 2013
Instructor and
Mark Hart
Office phone: 713-718-6674
contact
e-mail: mark.hart@hccs.edu
information
Office Location Office location: FAC 310
and Hours
Please feel free to contact me concerning any problems that you are
experiencing in this course. You do not need to wait until you have
received a poor grade before asking for my assistance. Your
performance in my class is very important to me. I am available to hear
your concerns and just to discuss course topics.
Course CentrCentral Campus – Room: BSCC 304 | 11:30 – 2:00 | Mon/Wed
Location/Time
Course
Credit Hours 3.00
Semester
Lecture Hours 3.00
Credit Hours Laboratory
2.00
(SCH) (lecture, Hours
lab) If
applicable
Total Course 80
Contact Hours
Course Length
3 hour lecture course and 2 lab hours /80 hours per semester/ 16
weeks
Type of
Lecture
Instruction
Course
This course develops conversational skills in simple English with
Description:
emphasis on vocabulary and grammatical structures used in day-to-day
living. Vocabulary, pronunciation, simple sentence structure, and
intonation patterns are stressed.
Course
Prerequisite
 A satisfactory score on the CELSA
Course
1. Comprehend simple spoken statements about familiar day-to-day
Student
situations;
LearningOutco 2. Participate meaningfully in a simple conversation in familiar day-tomes (SLO): 1-4 day situation;
3. Produce comprehensible, reasonably accurate pronunciation of
English words and sentences;
4. Produce a brief, informative presentation that is comprehensible with
effort to those accustomed to dealing with non-native English speakers.
Learning
1.1 Demonstrate understanding of questions and statements related to
Objectives
familiar day-to-day situations;
(Numbering
1.2 Identify appropriate vocabulary related to these situations.
system should 2.1 Produce comprehensible, meaningful speech in response to
be linked to
questions related to familiar day-to-day situations;
SLO - e.g., 1.1, 2.2 Employ appropriate vocabulary related to these situations.
1.2, 1.3, etc.) 3.1 Produce the vowels and consonants of English;
3.2 Produce sentences with few errors in intonation, pitch and stress.
4.1 Produce a presentation of from 2-4 minutes on a familiar topic preapproved by the instructor;
4.2 Use non-verbal materials to assist in conveying the meaning of the
presentation.
Core
Speaking and Listening
Curriculum
Competencies:
Instructional
Lecture
Methods
Student
Individual presentations
Assignments A paired presentation
Recordings for fluency, accuracy, and pronunciation
Listening assignments (in the Audio Lab and for homework)
Other speaking and listening activities in class
Student
Lab 10%
Assessment(s) Listening activities and tests 30%
Oral presentations 40%
Final examination 20%
100%
ESOL 0341 Beginning Conversation for Foreign Speakers
Spring 2013
(This calendar may change to meet the needs of the class.)
IMPORTANT DATES
th
January 14 Classes begin
January 21st (Monday )Holiday (Martin Luther King Day)
February 18th (Monday) Holiday (President’s Day)
March 11th-17th Spring Break
March 29th (Friday) Offices are Closed
April 1st Last Day for Student/Administrative Withdrawals
May 6th-12th Finals
May 17th Grades Available
Week 1
Introduction; orientation, diagnostics
1/14 & 16
Unit 1
Week 2
Units 1 and 2
1/23 (Wed.)
Week 3
Units 2 and 3; Conversation Quiz on Units 1 & 2
1/28 & 30
Information about Oral Presentation #1
Week 4
Listening/Vocabulary Quiz on Units 1-2
2/4 & 6
Units 3 and 4
Week 5
Units 4 and 5
2/3 & 11
Oral Presentation #1 (1-3 minutes)
Week 6
Continue Unit Six
2/20 (Wed.)
Information about Oral Presentation #2
Week 7
Listening/Vocabulary Quiz on Units 3-6
2/25 & 27
Unit 7
Week 8
Oral Presentation #2 (3-5 minutes)
3/4 & 6
Unit 8
Week 9
Information on paired presentation
3/18 & 20
Quiz Units 7 & 8
Week 10
Work on paired presentations
3/25 & 27
Unit 9 & 10
Week 11
Continue work on paired presentations
4/1 & 3
Unit 9
Week 12
Unit 10
4/8 & 10
Paired Presentations
Week 13
Unit 11; continue paired presentations if necessary
4/15 & 17
Quiz on Units 9-11
Week 14
Units 12 and 13
4/22 & 24
Week 15
Units 14 & 15
4/29 & 5/1
Week 16 (5/6)
FINAL
Instructor's
Requirements
As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our shared responsibility to
develop and maintain a positive learning environment for everyone. Your
instructor takes this responsibility very seriously and will inform members of the
class if their behavior makes it difficult for him/her to carry out this task. As a
fellow learner, you are asked to respect the learning needs of your classmates
and assist your instructor achieve this critical goal.
To this end, all cell phones, pagers, iPods (unless instructed by the
teacher), or any other electronic devices that may cause a distraction in
class must be turned off. No laptops are permitted to be used during
class. You may use an electronic dictionary (stand alone) with the sound
turned off (except during vocabulary exams). You are not permitted to
leave class to answer or return calls unless an absolute emergency;
doing so will be counted as a tardy. If a student is using a cell phone at
any time during the class period, I will remind the student about the policy.
After that, I will ask the student to leave class and mark him or her absent.
Students are expected to arrive to class on time with ALL THEIR MATERIALS;
INCLUDING THE TEXT BOOKS. In addition, students will be marked tardy if they
arrive late. Returning late from a break or leaving class early counts as being
tardy. Being tardy twice will equal one absence (whether ten minutes or one
hour). If you miss five classes (5 absences) you can be dropped without
notification and will therefore be out of compliance if you are an F-1 student. If a
student misses a class, it is his or her responsibility to see the instructor about the
work that was missed.
Program/Discipline
Requirements: If
applicable
HCC Grading Scale
1.serves international students on a visa after fulfilling IEP requirements
2. serves permanent U.S. residents, undocumented residents, and citizens
3. places students with the HCCS language assessment test, CELSA
4. offers 16-week (Fall and Spring) and 10-week (Summer) semesters
5. prepares students for academic course work and other college classes
6. allows students to take certain other college classes with AESL courses
7. has a part-time schedule , 4 or 5 hours per course each week
8. gives students non-transferable college credits
9. prepares students for ENGL 1301, state-mandated THEA writing, and
workplace writing
A = 100- 90:
4 points per semester hour
B = 89 - 80:
3 points per semester hour
C = 79 - 70:
2 points per semester hour
F=Below 70
1 point per semester hour
59 and below
0 points per semester hour
IP (In Progress)
0 points per semester hour
W(Withdrawn)
0 points per semester hour
I (Incomplete)
0 points per semester hour
AUD (Audit)
0 points per semester hour
IP (In Progress) is given only in certain developmental courses. The student must
re-enroll to receive credit. COM (Completed) is given in non-credit and continuing
education courses. To compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade
points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The grades "IP," "COM"
and "I" do not affect GPA. Note: A student who attempts the course a second
time, but is not successful is given an F. An FX is given if a student does not
withdraw from the course but stops attending class. This will alert Financial Aid.
Instructor Grading
Presentations will be graded using a weighted rubric which assesses vocabulary,
Criteria
grammar, pronunciation, delivery, organization, and fluency.
Instructional Materials Interchange-Intro, 3rd ed., Cambridge Univ. Press
HCC Policy Statements:
Access Student
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric,
Services Policies on vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
their Web site:
contact the Ability Services Office in Room 102 Learning Hub, or call (713) 7186164 to make necessary arrangements at the beginning of each semester. Your
instructor is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
office of Ability Support Services.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not showing that the coursework has been
learned, and that student is claiming an advantage not available to other students. The instructor is
responsible for measuring each student's individual achievements and also for ensuring that all students
compete on a level playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and
enforcement roles. You are expected to be familiar with the University's Policy on Academic Honesty,
found in the catalog. What that means is: If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the
rules will not help you. Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in
fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by College
System officials against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty”: includes,
but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
 Copying from another students’ test paper;
 Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test;
 Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization;
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents
of a test that has not been administered;
 Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work
in one’s own written work offered for credit.
Collusion mean the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work offered for
credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in the particular
assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College
System. (See the Student Handbook)
HCC Policy Statement: Class Attendance
Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best way to
succeed in this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is
attendance. Simply put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You are expected to
attend all lecture and labs regularly. You are responsible for materials covered during your absences.
Class attendance is checked daily. Although it is your responsibility to drop a course for nonattendance,
the instructor has the authority to drop you for excessive absences.
If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. As the information that is discussed in
class is important for your career, students may be dropped from a course after accumulating absences
in excess of 12.5% hours (10 hours) of instruction (F-1 students should particularly take note of this so as
not to affect your visa status). The ten hours of class time would include any total classes missed or for
excessive tardiness (being late twice or, leaving early is counted as an absence). Remember: Class
attendance equals class success.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from it prior to the final
date of withdrawal (November 18th,2010). Before, you withdraw from your course; please take the time to
meet with the instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. The instructor may be able to
provide you with suggestions that would enable you to complete the course. Your success is very
important. Beginning in fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen
to no more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate
and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early
Alert process by which your professor can “alert” you and HCC counselors that you might fail a class
because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with
your professor or a counselor to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist
you – online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your
academic performance.
If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact an HCC counselor or your
professor prior to withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR to the
withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on your transcript. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you
will receive an F or an IP (see below) as your final grade.
College Grading System:
Students who have successfully completed English 0343 will receive a grade of A, B, or C. Students who
receive a grade below 70% will receive a grade of IP, which mean “In Progress”. This is provided the
students have indeed attended the course and made an effort to do the required course work. If this is
not the case, then the instructor may give a grade of F.
Repeat Course Fee
The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat failed classes. To
increase student success, students who repeat the same course more than twice, are required to pay
extra tuition. The purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to pass their courses and to
graduate. Effective fall 2006, HCC will charge a higher tuition rate to students registering the third or
subsequent time for a course. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning
passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits,
reading and writing homework, test taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for
tutoring or other assistance that might be available.
Use of Camera and/or Recording Devices
As a student active in the learning community of this course, it is your responsibility to be respectful of the
learning atmosphere in your classroom. To show respect of your fellow students and instructor, you will
turn off your phone and other electronic devices, and will not use these devices in the classroom unless
you receive permission from the instructor.
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms,
laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students
with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the
Office for Students with Disabilities for information regarding reasonable accommodations.
Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to
improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online
survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be
made available to your professor and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the
survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
Minors and Relatives on HCC Property
No children and/or relative is allowed in the classrooms. Children on campus must be accompanied by an
adult at all times and are allowed on campus only briefly.