ESOL 0360
Course Syllabus
Fall 2015
Instructor: Ms. Laura Sheehan
Email: laura.sheehan@hccs.edu
Office: Learning Hub, room 303
Office Hour: 12:30-1:00 p.m. MW
CRN #: 77052
Textbook and Supplies
New Directions, Second Edition, by Peter S. Gardner (required)
ISBN: 978-0-521-54172-5
FYI: a copy of the required text is available on reserve in the HCC-SW libraries
an English collegiate dictionary (no bi-lingual dictionaries for classroom use)
a Thesaurus (recommended)
a flash or USB drive
loose-leaf notebook paper
a three-ring binder, with 4 divider sheets
two Blue Books (one for midterm & final exams + one for homework)
a highlighter marker + a red pen
a stapler
Course Goals
ESOL 0360 is the exit-level integrated reading and writing (INRW) class for nonnative speakers of English. This class, which used to be called ENGL 0349, is
equivalent to INRW 0420 for native speakers. After successful completion of
ESOL 0360, students may enroll in ENGL 1301 without further testing. This class
is scheduled to meet for 2.5 hours twice each week, and it includes one hour of
“lab” work each week. In our class, lab work will be done in various ways: inclass assignments, computer lab work, or EAGLE 2.0 online assignments. ESOL
0360, the last class in the sequence of ESL courses in the Intensive English
(IEP) program, prepares non-native English speakers for ENGL 1301 and other
core (academic) college courses. In ESOL 0360, students learn advanced
composition (comp) skills for writing in a variety of academic classes, such as in
the humanities and social sciences.
Specific course objectives include:
 comprehend and respond (orally and in writing) to various kinds of reading
assignments (essays, articles, web resources)
 write well-written 500-1500 word expository essays in response to reading
assignments
 use a variety of patterns of development (exemplification, description,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect, argumentation) to develop a thesis
 apply critical thinking skills to reading and writing
 edit written work for accurate grammar, spelling, and mechanics
(capitalization, punctuation)
 develop vocabulary
 recognize an author’s audience, purpose, and tone in writing
 demonstrate ability to paraphrase and summarize
 recognize APA and apply MLA style guidelines to cite sources (knowing when
to cite and why)
 demonstrate ability to complete a variety of writing tasks (journals, essays,
short-answer questions, class notes, grammar exercises)
Compositions/Essays (3 major papers + midterm and final essays)
Students will write 3 major compositions (comps), a midterm essay, and a final
essay in this course. Much of the class time is arranged as a reading & writing
workshop in which students discuss ideas and apply the writing process to
address a topic, i.e. pre-write, draft, revise, and edit their work, with assistance
from classmates and the instructor. At least one draft will be written before the
final draft is turned in. However, only the final draft is graded, and students
typically do not revise further after turning in a comp for a grade. All parts of the
writing process for each major essay are required to be kept in a manila folder,
called a portfolio (provided by your instructor), and turned in with the final draft.
Essay Format (following MLA guidelines)
Unless otherwise directed, students must type every final draft (except for the
midterm and final essays) in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced,
and identify the writer in the upper left corner of page 1 with the student’s name,
instructor’s name, course prefix and number, and the date. For example:
Erin Smith
Prof. Sheehan
ESOL 0360
12 September 2015
E-Journal (Introduction entry + 5 Reader-Response entries)
Students will use EAGLE ONLINE to submit their journal writing. Each journal
assignment is a required part of this course and is due by Saturday of the week
in which the topic is assigned. The topics and due dates are listed on the course
calendar. Length will vary, but in general, each journal response should be about
250-300 words. No late journals are accepted. If the journal is not posted by the
time when it is due, I will not count it for a grade. The format for responding to
journal topics # 2, 3, 4, and 5 is as follows:
1) summarize the reading passage (indicated on the course calendar)
2) evaluate the reading passage by responding to a question that is
posted on Eagle with each reader-response journal assignment
3) react to the article by relating it to your own experience
It is important to correctly cite the article according to MLA guidelines. See the
directions and an example of a Reading Journal entry included in this syllabus.
Eagle 2.0 Online can be accessed via the following web address:
http://eo2.hccs.edu
First-time users should follow directions on the sign-in page to establish an
account.
Homework ( 10 textbook readings + 15 vocabulary exs. + 6 Journals )
Each week, students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the
readings listed on the course calendar. Most reading assignments require
students to complete some preliminary vocabulary work to be written in a Blue
Book. When students come to class, they should be ready to discuss the postreading discussion questions that follow each Core Reading. Except for the
discussion of the Althen article, “American Values and Assumptions,” every
student will take a turn at leading a small group discussion in your study group.
Sample Vocab Ex.
I.
II.
pp. 15-16
Negative Prefixes
1. a. undesirable (par.1)
g. informal (par. 25)
2. a. abnormal (par. 10)
f. atypical (par. 34)
Vocab. in Context
p. 16
NOTE: Write an original sentence that includes the target vocab word or phrase
(see the target in italics in the excerpts from the readings). Your sentence should
show me that you understand what the word means and how the word is used
grammatically. For example:
1. There are many constraints on my time because I go to school and have a job.
NOTE: You will receive a completion grade rather than a letter or number grade
for homework. Homework is a requirement of this class. An average homework
load in ESOL 0360 is 1-2 hours for every hour in class. If you are taking too
many classes or working long hours at a job, you may not have time to complete
the homework, which will affect your performance in this class. Please be
prepared to devote enough time to our class.
Quizzes
Occasionally, a short quiz will cover the material from the reading assignments
and/or specific grammar that students practice throughout the semester. Most of
the quizzes are unannounced. Therefore, students should be prepared for a quiz
on every reading assignment on the course calendar. On the other hand,
grammar and punctuation quizzes, which will focus on specific language-use
issues that affect most of the students in the class, will be announced.
Computer Lab Time
This class will occasionally require work in a computer lab on writing
assignments and web resources.
Three excellent websites for grammar review and practice are the following:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/678/01/
www.englishpage.com
Use the teacher’s feedback on your written work to search topics online, e.g.
Commas
Verb Tenses
Conjunctions
Transitions
Fragments
Comma Splices
Subject-Verb Agreement
Capitalization
Clauses
Run-on Sentences
Quotations
Count Nouns
Midterm and Final Exams
The midterm and final exams consist of an impromptu essay based on the
reading assignments in this course. These essays will have a persuasive
purpose and are used, along with the other work done in this class, to determine
whether or not a student is ready to succeed in college credit English (1301). The
combined percentage “weight” for these essays is 35%, so it is important to pass
these exams in order to do well in this course.
NOTE: the Final Essay must be taken on the date specified on the course
calendar. Please make any travel arrangements after final exams.
Texas Public Universities, Placement Rules
Beginning in the Fall 2003, the Texas legislature instituted new rules for
developmental students called the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Under TSI
rules, most new students must be tested for placement and placed into
developmental courses if they do not score high enough to demonstrate college
readiness. Effective Fall 2014, successful completion of ESOL 0360 satisfies the
TSI requirement for non-native English speakers.
Teacher’s Personal “Mission Statement”
I am here to help you complete the objectives of this course, to assist you in
developing your reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, and to promote your
intellectual and academic growth. Please communicate with me about any
problems or obstacles that might interfere with your success in our class.
Classroom Policies
Placement in ESOL 0360 is based on not only test scores and previous
coursework but also on the in-class assessment during the first week of the term.
A student whose writing skills indicate below-level proficiency for ESOL 0360 will
be notified after writing the diagnostic essay in the first week of the semester.
Students who do not take the advice about course placement from the instructor
and who demonstrate writing skills that are below-level will be asked to sign a
Waiver.
 Regardless of the reason for an absence, an essay that is turned in after
the due date will receive a 10-point penalty for each class day that it is
late.
 Students are expected to arrive on time to class. I will mark you tardy if
you arrive late 5 minutes or more after the scheduled time to start class. If
you leave at any time or return late from a break during the class period, I
will mark you absent for the time you miss. If you are absent from class,
you are responsible for contacting me about the missed work.
NOTE: two tardies = one absence (or 2.5 hours, the equivalent of one
class period)
 If necessary, students may miss up to 10 hours of instruction without
penalty. The instructor has the right to drop any student who exceeds 10
hours of absence (see the Syllabus Addendum regarding the HCC
attendance policy).
 There are no make-up tests or quizzes, but I will drop the lowest test/quiz
grade for each student at the end of the semester. In other words, if you
miss a quiz, you will receive a “0” grade, but that 0 grade will be
dropped—once only.
 Unless the teacher permits electronic devices for specific assignments in
class, all cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off and out of
sight when the class is in session. If you have an emergency and must
have a phone handy, please tell me before class begins so that I can
advise you about how to handle your cell phone.
 In our class, talking out of turn or while students and the teacher are
talking, leaving the classroom during the lecture, eating during class, and
using a cell phone are considered to be disruptive. This kind of behavior
is unacceptable in a college classroom.
 I reserve the right to dismiss students from class for any violation of my
classroom and the college’s policies (see the HCC Student Handbook).
College Grading System
Students may earn an A, B, C, F, or IP in this class. IP means “In Progress” and
is given to the student who makes a good-faith effort to complete the work of the
class but is not ready to advance to the next level and could benefit from another
semester in ESOL 0360. If a student receives an IP, he/she must repeat ESOL
0360. However, if the student is repeating ESOL 0360 (or the former class,
ENGL 0349) for the second time and not passing, the final grade will be F.
The W grade is given to the student who exceeds the allotted number of
absences (10 hours) before the last day for administrative withdrawals. The FX
grade is given to the student who stops attending after the last day for
administrative withdrawals. An F is given to the student who does not make a
good-faith effort to complete work in the class. Students are responsible for
completing the process to drop a class if you wish to stop attending. See
“Important Dates” --the Last Day to Withdraw--on the course calendar.
Tutoring and Writing Centers
You are encouraged to take advantage of the student services at your campus.
These include open computer labs, Writing Centers, and tutoring.
Face-to-face and online tutors are available to assist all HCC students with a
wide range of subjects. The Writing Center at West Loop is in room C-230. The
Writing Center at Stafford is on the 3rd floor of the Learning Hub. The website for
free online tutoring to HCC students is: www.askonline.net
Each campus has an open lab, where you can use a computer to work on
grammar software, online resources, and word processing. No appointment is
needed to use an open lab; however, if a teacher schedules a class there while
you are visiting the lab, you might be asked to leave. NOTE: students must pay
for all copies in the open labs. Lab aides manage the labs and may assist you
with technical questions about using the computers and paying for printing.
ESOL 0360 Grading Formula
The final grade is calculated as follows:
Comps 1 & 2
Mid-term Essay
Final Exam
10%
15%
20%
Comps 3 & 4
Quizzes
Homework/Journals/Eagle
30%
10%
15%
Developmental Studies / ESLCourse Grading Scale
90—100
A
70—79
C
80—89
B
60—69
IP or F
Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to do their own work. The instructor cannot help a student
unless she knows who the author of the assignments is. Copying another
person’s words without giving credit to the source is considered cheating, and it
is called “plagiarism.” All other forms of cheating as defined by the Student
Handbook are penalized as plagiarism. A grade of “0” is given for ALL forms of
academic dishonesty that appear in ANY of the work done in this class.
You are expected to be familiar with the college’s Policy on Academic Honesty,
found in the HCC Student Handbook. In other words, if you are charged with an
academic dishonesty 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 HCC System officials against a student accused of academic
dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a
test, plagiarism, collusion, and unauthorized collaboration.
Cheating includes:
 Copying from another student’s homework, test, or essay




Letting a classmate copy your homework, test, or essay
Using resources and materials not authorized by the instructor
Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization
Using an unauthorized electronic device during a quiz or exam
Plagiarism means taking another person’s work and using it in one’s own written
work without properly citing the source of the information. Taking phrases,
sentences, and/or paragraphs from another person without giving credit to the
source of the ideas AND copying and pasting (e.g. from the Internet or another
student’s work) is plagiarism. This is a serious offense in an American college,
and your instructors consider plagiarism to be the same as stealing.
NOTE: The consequence of cheating and plagiarism is a “0” grade on the
assignment. Students who repeatedly violate HCC’s academic dishonesty policies
will be reported to the Academic Dean.
FORMAT for the ESOL 0360 Reading Journal
In this kind of journal, you will respond to a reading that is listed on your
course calendar. Each reading journal entry should include three (3) parts with a
summary, an evaluation, and a reaction paragraph. Use the following questions
as a guide to assist you with writing each paragraph of the journal. Each journal
entry should be about 250-300 words long.
Para. # 1--Summarize
1. Who is the author? What is the name of his/her article or essay?
2. What is the author’s main purpose for writing: to persuade? to entertain?
to explain?
3. Who is the target audience for the article or essay?
4. What is the author’s main idea? Or what is the thesis?
5. How does the author primarily support the main idea: by telling a story? by
describing? by using examples? by explaining causes/effects? by
comparing/contrasting? by supporting an argument?
Para. # 2—Evaluate—the instructor’s questions (posted on Eagle 2.0) will vary;
some examples include:
1. What is an example of the author’s best (most effective, most memorable)
supporting detail? Why is it the best, in your opinion? Be specific. Include
at least one direct quotation from the reading to support your opinion
(OR)
2. What is one thing that you do not like about the author’s work? For
example, what, if anything, is difficult to understand? Why? Be specific.
Include at least one direct quotation from the reading to support your
opinion.
Para. # 3--React
1. This section is extremely important to help you make connections between
reading and writing. We read what others have written to understand
ourselves better and to learn different points of view. As you read what
others have said, notice not only what they say but also how they say it.
Take the time to understand the author’s perspective on the topic and
think about how the author’s ideas relate to you (your life and experience
or observations). Caution: do not simply say that you don’t like or that you
agree with something. Be sure to explain your point of view.
________________________________________________________
Ima Sample
ESOL 0360
Example Reader-Response Journal
Gary Althen in “American Values and Assumptions” identifies and explains some
common cultural values for foreigners who do not know much about life in the United
States. He explains how Americans think and what they believe is important in life. The
author identifies nine values, such as individualism, competition, privacy, equality,
informality, the future change and progress, time, achievement, action, work and
materialism, and directness and assertiveness. Althen describes American cultural
values and provides good examples while contrasting cultural differences in order to
explain some of the values.
The description of individualism is the best part of Althen’s article. Not only is
individualism the foundation of all the other values, but also Althen gives many clear
supporting details to help readers understand it clearly. For example, he explains
individualism with a story about a mother in a mall with her son, who wanted an Orange
Julius. That example shows how Americans train their children at a very early age to
make decisions. Althen also says, “Americans are trained to conceive of themselves as
separate individuals, and they assume everyone else in the world is too (“American
Values and Assumptions 6). This explanation of individualism helps foreign students
understand how Americans behave.
I think that people in the U.S. deal with a lot of different cultures every day, and some
of us are still getting used to this new place. As a foreign student, I have to adjust to a lot
of cultural differences between America and my culture. As a result of Althen’s article, I
understand why many Americans are independent and informal, which confused me
when I first moved here. (about 250 words)
HCC Policy Addendum
Fall 2015
IMPORTANT NOTICE: EGLS3 -- 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 professors 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. This survey
will replace the paper forms that students used in the past to evaluate teachers
and classes.
Developmental Courses and ENGL 1301: Student must satisfy TSI
requirements for developmental reading and writing in order to take ENGL 1301.
Grades – IP & W & FX: Students taking developmental courses may only
receive an In Progress or IP grade one time for each course. The instructor’s
official class roll indicates with an asterisk next to the student’s name when a
student is repeating a course. The student must receive a letter grade after the
second attempt (A, B, C, or F). F-1 students are subject to the same attendance
and grading policies as all other students. F-1 students will be dropped for
excessive absences and receive W or FX.
Grade Reports: HCCS does not mail out grade reports. Students will get their
grades online at the following Internet address (www.hccs.edu).
Attendance Policy: Although it is the responsibility of the student to drop a
course for non-attendance, the instructor has full authority to drop a student for
excessive absences of more than 12.5% of the hours of instruction (including
lecture and laboratory time). Texas State Law requires students to complete
87.5% of hours of instruction in order to receive a grade. If students drop/are
dropped from developmental studies while they are taking college-level courses,
they will also be dropped from those college-level courses.
American Disabilities Act and ADA Compliance: HCCS is compliant with the
ADA and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. “Any student with a
documented disability (e. g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.)
who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability
Service Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester.
Faculty are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office.” The Disability Services Office number for
Southwest College is 713-718-7910. Dr. Becky Hauri is the ADA contact
counselor.
Sexual Harassment: It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent, or
student of the college to engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC
guidelines (EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47).
Tuition Payment: Students who use the installment plan or receive financial aid
are responsible for making sure all of their fees are paid. Students will be
dropped for non-payment of tuition. The cost for reinstatement is $75.
Access to Course Materials Online: A copy of this syllabus and other course
materials are accessible on your instructor’s HCC Learning Web page and on
the Eagle Online account that is connected to this course.
Faculty Learning Web>>>> http://learning.hccs.edu/
Eagle 2.0 online>>>>>>>> http://eo2.hccs.edu
(The course calendar will be handed out in class.)
NOTE:
An average homework load in ESOL 0360 is 1-2 hours for
every hour in class. Please budget your time wisely in
order to keep up with the course calendar and prepare to
discuss the reading assignments on this calendar before
coming to class.