DIRW 0313 - Integrated Reading and Writing
Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, & Basic Grammar
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Glenda Albin
By appt. only
Email: galbin@rangercollege.edu
Office #: 325-641-5726
Office Location: Building Bldg. #5
Holistic Placement: Student has been holistically placed in DIRW 0313 using prior coursework,
high school GPA, and TSI scores.
Course Description as defined by Ranger College:
This course includes strategies for building vocabulary, increasing reading rates, and improving
comprehension. Further, this course will include instruction on active reading strategies using
text structure to improve comprehension, interpreting, and evaluating reading materials. Basic
grammar concepts of standard American usage, mechanics, writing in diverse sentence structure
and paragraphs, and an evaluation of problem areas common to college students will be analyzed
and improved upon for adequate application toward college-level writing. This course involves a
required lab.
Course Goal:
The goal of this course is to develop students as active readers, thinkers, and evolving writers
prepared for college success in introductory courses across disciplines.
Student Learning Outcomes and Learning Objectives:
Upon the successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Locate explicit textual information, draw complex inferences, and describe, analyze,
and evaluate the information within and across multiple texts of varying lengths.
2. Comprehend and use vocabulary effectively in oral communication, reading, and
writing.
3. Identify and analyze the audience, purpose, and message across a variety of texts.
4. Describe and apply insights gained from reading a variety of texts.
5. Compose a variety of texts that demonstrate reading comprehension, clear focus,
logical development of ideas, and use of appropriate language that advance the
writer’s purpose.
6. Determine and use effective approaches and rhetorical strategies for given reading
and writing situations.
7. Generate ideas and gather information relevant to the topic and purpose,
incorporating the ideas and words of other writers in students writing using
established strategies.
8. Evaluate relevance and quality of ideas and information in recognizing, formulating,
and developing a claim.
9. Develop and use effective reading and revision strategies to strengthen the writer’s
ability to compose college-level writing assignments.
10. Recognize and apply the conventions of standard English in reading and writing.
Required Textbook(s):

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. New York, NY: Laurel Leaf Books.

Green, K., & Lawlor, A. (2014). Read, write, connect. Boston, MA: Bedford/St.
Martin with SkillsClass access code.
Calendar of DIRW 0313 + Homework
All class meetings are subject to change dependent upon the instructor’s assessment of student
needs. Furthermore, EACH class will include a variety of collaborative group assignments,
lecture, computer literacy skills, brief presentation of ideas [by student/group(s)], and ACTIVE
READING AND WRITING TO EXPAND VOCABULARY, COMPREHENSION, AND
WRITING SKILLS for academic success on the TSI Assessment.
Dates
8-25
to 8-29
9-2 to 9-5
9-8 to 9-12
9-15 to 9-19
Content Units
Why is College Important?
Reading Strategies for Students &
Active and Critical Reading
Expanding Your Vocabulary with
the Right Tools
Writing and Presenting Brief
Literature or Text Summaries
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Homework
Read chapters 1 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
Read chapter 2 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
Read chapters 3 & 4 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
Read chapters 5 & 6 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
SkillsClass: B1-7 All Parts of Speech
POP Quiz – chapters 1-4
9-22 to 9-26
9-29 to 10-3
Revising & Editing, &
Proofreading
Using Technology to Present
Information
POP Quiz – chapters 5-8
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Read chapters 7 & 8 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
SkillsClass: Peer Factor Episode I: Giving
Feedback & Peer Episode II: Getting Feedback
Read chapters 9 & 10 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions

10-6 to 10-10
10-13 to 10-31
Researching with a Purpose
Identifying Main Ideas, Supporting
Details, & Transitional Words
when Reading
(wk 10-13)
POP Quiz – chapters 912
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11-3 to 11-7
11-10 to 11-14
Audience, Purpose, & Tone
Essay Structure / Writing an
Effective Thesis
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POP Quiz – chapters 13-17
11-17 to 11-21
TSI Testing Week
11-17 to 11-21
Writing Effective Introductions &
Conclusions / Topic Sentences and
Paragraphs
12-1 to 12-5
12-8 to 12-11
Read chapters 11 & 12 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
SkillsClass: Verb Tenses and Parallelism
(wk 10-13) Read chapters 13 & 14
(wk 10-20) Read chapter 15 w/graphic
organizer + vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension
questions
SkillsClass: Recognizing Topics and Main
Ideas; Recognizing Supporting Details
Read chapters 16 & 17 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
SkillsClass: LearningCurve/Fragments and
Run-ons
Read chapters 18 & 19 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
SkillsClass: Prewriting w/Write a Thesis
Statement + Write an Informal Outline, include
exercise E-ex 02-1 Thesis statements

Read chapters 20 & 21 w/graphic organizer +
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
 SkillsClass: Drafting (last SkillsClass
assignment)
11-24-14 to 11-28-14 Thanksgiving Week
MLA Formatting / Revising,
 Read chapters 22 & 23 w/graphic organizer +
Editing, & Proofreading
vocabulary + 1-2 comprehension questions
Study Guide + Final Exam
Course / Classroom Policies:
1. Attendance is mandatory – a student having the equivalent of 1 week of unexcused
absences (class and lab) per developmental course will be reported to the Retention
Director for counseling. Students who miss the equivalent of 2 weeks of unexcused
absences per developmental course will be dropped from the class by the instructor.
i. Should this be the only developmental course that the student is taking, the
student will also be required to drop from school.
2. “5 minute” tardy policy – roll will be taken/if you are not in class, you will receive an
automatic absence.
3. Adult behavior is expected from all students.
4. Missed exams and class assignments are not encouraged and make-up work is only
allowed for excused absences, which the student will have 1 week [from missed class
date] to turn in.
5. Cheating [including plagiarism] is not tolerated and will result in a zero.
6. Class participation is expected. The more the student participates, the more the class will
assist the student in passing the TSI Assessment.
7. Support Services are in the Library where computers are available to students.
8. Students are expected to bring appropriate supplies to each class.
Final Exam and Grading Policy:
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Class / Lab Assignments – 35% (e.g., graphic organizers, practice exercises, group
discussions, reflections)
Pop quizzes – 15%
Essays (cumulative) – 25%
Final Exam – 25%
The objective of this course is to EXPAND VOCABULARY, COMPREHENSION, and
WRITING SKILLS. Students are required to achieve an academic performance of no
less than a 70% in the course OR pass the TSI Writing and Reading Assessments
[otherwise student will repeat DIRW 0313].
Students will take the Ranger College DIRW 0313 final exam, which accounts for 25%
of the overall course grade.
Students cannot be exempt from the final exam.
I.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
Admissions, employment, and program policies of Ranger College are nondiscriminatory
in regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, disability, and national origin.
II.
ADA STATEMENT
Ranger College provides a variety of services for students with learning and/or physical
disabilities. The student is responsible for making the initial contact with the Ranger
College Counselor. It is advisable to make this contact before or immediately after the
semester begins.
III.
RECEIPT OF SYLLABUS
Student must sign the attached ‘receipt of syllabus’ for accountability of the terms of this
course.
____________________________________
Signature
___________________
Date