Functional SC8 English
Ms. Ridley, Room 413, cridley@hartdistrict.org
Fall 2013
Golden Valley High School
Dear students and families,
Welcome to Functional English! This course syllabus is designed to convey the
basic expectations and descriptions of this class. The information will help to
promote student success and a positive learning environment. I look forward to
working with all of you!
Course Description
In accordance with the California State Standards for English Language Arts,
students will focus on the following English related skills:
- Reading comprehension activities
- decoding skills
- development of writing
- proper sentence structure and grammar
- verbal communication skills
-functional text
development of vocabulary
Emphasis will also be placed on individual student educational goals as outlined in
the IEP. Please note: This course does not fulfill diploma graduation
requirements. It is tailored to serve students who are either on Certificate of
Completion track, or who need some remedial help before attempting diploma
track English classes.
Textbooks and Materials
All textbooks and supplementary materials will be provided for students in the
classroom. Students are expected to come to class with paper and a notebook,
pencils and erasers. Pens are discouraged due to the nature of editing personal
work. We will be using a variety of resources for our comprehension and writing
work.
Book Reports
You will be required to turn in one book report on the Friday of each week. They
are worth 10 points each. Book report guidelines have been sent home.
Homework
Homework will usually consist of the book report assignment. However, any class
work that is not completed must be completed at home. Missed work is gien the
same number of days to complete as an excused absence. If, for example, you
were out with an illness for two days, you have two extra days to complete the
assignment.
Course Outline
Week 1
Course Orientation/Assessment
Week 2-3
Functional Writing Skills
Week 4-5
Sentence Conventions and Reading Comprehension
Week 6-8
Paragraph Basics and Reading Comprehension
Week 9-10 Paragraph/Essay Basics and Reading Comprehension
Week 11-17 Spiraled lessons that include the above learned skills
Week 18
Reading/Writing Assessments
Pacing may vary depending upon student progress and differentiated lessons.
Also, the above outline is a guideline. Curriculum will be spiraled throughout the
semester in order to encourage greater retention. Daily activities will include
work on sentence and paragraph writing as appropriate per student. This will
include components of handwriting, grammar and syntax, spelling, punctuation
and capitalization. Vocabulary words will be drawn from readings.
Classroom Rules:
All school rules will be enforced according to the Golden Valley Handbook, including:
1. Show respect towards peers, teachers, administrators, visitors, books, supplies, and facilities.
2. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for all of YOUR actions!
3. Be punctual and prepared.
4. Cell phones, IPods and any other electronic devices will NOT be allowed to be used during
class time. Any violation may result in confiscation of the item, which will be turned in to the
student’s assigned administrator.
5. There is no food, drink or gum allowed in class (with the exception of water) unless there is a
class event that includes these items.
Academic Integrity
Students enrolled in class are expected to work on their own assignments unless told
otherwise. These assignments are provided to help students learn what they need to do well on
the test. Any suspected cheating will result in a zero for both parties. GVHS’s Academic Honesty
Policy will be followed.
Make-Up Work
Absence is not an excuse for missed assignments. If you have an excused absence, it is up to
you to get the assignment(s), do the work, and return it to me in a timely manner. Absent 1 day
= 1 day to make up, 2 days absent = 2 days to make up and so on. Extended absence may
require special arrangements. If you are absent the day of a quiz you will need to arrange a
make-up time before the next quiz. Failure to take the missed quiz within the specified time
frame will result in a 0. There is no penalty on make-up quizzes if it is missed due to an excused
absence. Test grades of 65% or lower can be retaken for a grade of up to 75%.
Grading
Due to the nature of the course, grading is based on a PASS or FAIL system. 100-60 points =
Pass, 59 or lower = Fail.
Assignment
Point Value
Points Possible
Classwork
25 x 15 weeks
375
Book Reports
10 x 13 reports
130
Writing assignments
50 x 4 projects
200
Quizzes
50 x 7 quizzes
350
Total points: 1.055 points
Grading is based on a total points percentage and may change due to progress made by
students throughout the semester. Please read this syllabus carefully, then sign and return
section below. Keep syllabus for your information. – Ms. Ridley , 661-298-8140 ext. 1413
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We have read the course syllabus for Ms. Ridley’s Functional English Class. We understand the
class policies or will contact Ms. Thomas for more information if needed. By signing this, we
understand and agree to abide by the guidelines outlined in this syllabus.
Student’s Signature_____________________________________________________
Student Name (print) ____________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature ______________________________
Date ___________________