North Seattle Community College – Basic and Transitional Studies Division
ESL 061 – 062 RW Syllabus
Instructor: Jamila Barton
Office: IB 2410A
Phone: (206) 934-4537
Email: jbarton@northseattle.edu
Web: http://facweb.northseattle.edu/jbarton
Class: ESL 061 – 062 LS (5 credits)
Class: MTH 6:30 – 8:50 pm
Classroom: M IB 3422; TH IB 3416
Course Dates: April 7 – June 16, 2014
No Class: May 15 and May 26
Course Description
This ESL course is designed for Level 6 students who want to improve their reading and writing skills for
academic and workplace preparation. We will improve skills in English grammar, writing, reading, and
academic vocabulary. (Pre-requisites: ESL 061 or higher)
Book and Online Lab Required: (Buy at the NSCC Bookstore)
Focus on Grammar 5 Book (4th Ed.) with My English Lab subscription
85.70
My English Lab Only (Pearson) $57.15 (if you have the book)
Blue Book for Vocabulary Journal (8.5 X 11) $0.75
$
Course Expectations
1. Come to class on time (If you can’t come, contact me by phone or email)
2. Complete assignments on time. (I do not accept late work.)
3. Do your own work and don’t give answers to others.
4. Participate in classroom activities.
5. Cell phones: If you have a cell phone, please set it to vibrate or turn it off during class sessions.
If you have an emergency, please leave the classroom to speak on the phone.
6. Children are not allowed to be in class with their parents, or to wait alone anywhere else at the
college. Please do not bring children to school.
7. Smoking is ONLY allowed where there are signs saying it is OK. Please do not smoke in
stairwells or near classroom doors.
8. Fragrance-Free Campus: Perfumes make some people very sick. The college asks everyone
(teachers and students) not to wear perfume or cologne to class. Please be kind and follow this
policy so that everyone will be able to study.
Course requirements and grading
Students in ESL 061 must pass ESL 061 RW and ESL 061 LS with 75% grade to move up to ESL 062.
Students in ESL 062 can take up to three (3) quarters. This is how you will be graded.
Participation 15%
Homework 15%
Extensive Reading 20%
Writing 20% Tests 30%
Barton
English as a Second Language Program
Spring 2014
North Seattle Community College – Basic and Transitional Studies Division
Assignments and Tests
Complete your assignments on time. I do not take late work. If you are sick or absent, email or take
your assignment to my office (IB 2410 A) by the next morning.
Late work receives a zero, but I know sometimes you are busy or there is an emergency. Every student
gets 3 late work permission slips a quarter to use for emergencies. To use the permission slip,
complete the form and turn it in with your assignment.
If you have to miss a test or quiz, please tell me right away, and I may be able to help you. If you miss a
test/quiz and do not make arrangements with me, you will receive a zero.
Online Grammar Videos
Our class only meets two times a week. In order to leave time in class to practice grammar, you will be
required to watch a short video and complete a review sheet before some classes. On those days, we
will do in-class practice in groups, and I will only answer questions. If you don’t have a completed
review sheet on the due date, I will ask you to leave class during our grammar practice to complete the
video in the student computer lab (IB 3303). Videos and review sheets can be found on the website.
My English Lab
We will use My English Lab online exercises to practice the grammar we are learning in class. I have
created a study plan for each unit we will complete in the Focus on Grammar book. You must complete
all of the exercises by midnight on the due date to receive points. Check the schedule.
Register for My English Lab at http://www.myenglishlab.com/courses-focus-on-grammar.html. Use
the subscription code you bought and the information below.
Course: ESL 06 RW Section: ESL-06
Course ID: Barton698808MF
Extensive Reading Project
If you plan to go to college or get a job that requires reading and writing, you will need to improve your
vocabulary and reading fluency (understanding and speed). The average American has a working
vocabulary of at least 10,000 words before college and can read at least 200 words per minute. Most
ESL students do not have the vocabulary or reading speed to succeed in college and the workplace. In
order to improve your reading fluency, you will be asked to choose book(s) at your reading level, read a
number of pages a week (10 pages for ESL 061 and 20 pages for ESL 062) and complete a reading
journal. Check the schedule for when reading journals are due.
Registration and Tuition Policy
If you need to drop this class, you should tell me by the end of the second week of the quarter (on or
before April 18) or you will not get a refund for this quarter. If you drop the class after April 18, you
will not be able to get a refund. All returning ESL students must register themselves for the next
quarter’s classes. Students who don’t take the CASAS test cannot register for spring classes. Please
Barton
English as a Second Language Program
Spring 2014
North Seattle Community College – Basic and Transitional Studies Division
talk to me if you cannot come. If you cannot afford to pay $25 for ESL classes or you need a book
scholarship, please see Kim Chapman (IB 2408B).
College Transition
It is a good idea but it is not necessary to complete ESL before going to college. Once you transition to
college classes, you cannot take ESL classes. Talk to your instructors. Understanding English writing and
grammar is extremely important in college level classes.
If you are planning to take college classes, plan ahead. Complete the following steps:
1. Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA)
 www.fafsa.gov
2. Take the English and math COMPASS tests –
 Prepare with the Before You Test workshop or www.BeforeYouTest.org web site
 Pay for the tests at the Cashier’s Office (2nd floor, College Center).
 Take the test at the Testing Center (2nd floor, College Center).
3. Meet with an NSCC Advisor to create your educational plan.
Academic Honesty Policy
When you do homework for this class, it must be your own work. Plagiarism and cheating is considered
dishonest in American society. Students can be disciplined (or in extreme cases, even expelled from a
college or university) for plagiarism. Here are some examples of plagiarism:
 Turning in someone else’s work as your own (cheating)
 Copying or paraphrasing words or ideas from someone else without properly citing your source
 Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation or paraphrase (plagiarism)
 Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work,
whether you give credit or not (see “fair use” rules in the U.S. copyright laws)
Emergency Procedures
If there is an emergency, we may not have class. Find out about our class by:
 Signing up for campus alerts by text or email at alerts.seattlecolleges.edu. You will need your
SID and PIN.
 Checking the www.northseattle.edu website or our class webpage.
If an emergency happens while you are on campus, please contact Campus Security at (206) 934-3636
or call 911.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who may need accommodations (extra help) in this class should contact
Disability Services as soon as possible. You may make an appointment with Disability Services by calling
934-3697 or stopping by the DS office on the 2nd floor of the College Center.
Barton
English as a Second Language Program
Spring 2014
North Seattle Community College – Basic and Transitional Studies Division
Barton
English as a Second Language Program
Spring 2014