Roxbury Community College
Course Syllabus
FALL
2015
Applied Grammar II
LAN 102 01
Classes begin 9/2/15 and end 12/11/15.
Academic Calendar Link: http://www.rcc.mass.edu/current-students/academic-calendar-students
You are advised to retain a copy of this syllabus in your personal files for use when applying for future degrees,
certifications, or transfer of credit.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor:
Andrew English
Email:
aenglish@rcc.mass.edu
Phone:
617-427-0060 EXT. 5120
Office Location:
3-201E
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00-8:30, Monday and Wednesday 11:451:00, Tuesday and Thursday by appointment.
CLASS SCHEDULE: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY 8:30-9:20, ROOM
426
RCC Website: www.rcc.mass.edu
Communication: Throughout the semester, I will communicate with you via your RCC email account. Please
review the following link for assistance on using your email account:
http://www.rcc.mass.edu/current-students/electronic-tool-box/email
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an advanced English Language course for students with a strong
foundation in spoken and written English. Students will continue to refine the use of previously
learned grammar, learn advanced grammatical structures, and participate in speaking and writing
activities which will enable them to apply these structures and functions in a variety of contextual
situations. Students will also work with several types of authentic reading and listening materials
to gain comfort with both natural and analytical approaches to language learning.
Course Description:
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Prerequisites: LAN 101 or placement test
Credits: 3
All students must:





have an RCC e-mail account and check it regularly
purchase the book and workbook ; photocopied pages are unacceptable and a violation of
copyright laws.
do all homework. If you are absent from class you must contact the instructor so you do
not fall behind.
turn off cell phones when in class.
take quizzes and exams and do all homework assignments
Purpose of the Course:
To prepare students for success in college level courses and beyond.
MATERIALS
Required Texts:
-Focus on Grammar 4, fourth edition- by M. Fuchs and M. Bonner, Pearson (Longman) Publishing Co.,
NY, 2012, ISBN 10: 0-13-254649-3
- Focus on Grammar 4 Workbook, fourth edition - by M. Fuchs and M. Bonner, Pearson (Longman)
Publishing Co., NY, 2012, ISBN 10:0-13-216941-X
Additional Materials:
- Focus on Grammar audio files/CD and interactive program
- Teacher authored materials
- Materials found in the language lab
A variety of printed and digital content may be provided during the course. Digital content will be found
within the course Moodle site. There may be additional reading assignments as student interests dictate.
Technology Requirements:
This course will require that you access online resources in the college’s Moodle site. Please review the
following link for assistance on using your Moodle account:
http://www.rcc.mass.edu/current-students/electronic-tool-box/moodle
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
By fully participating in this course, given a question or other prompt in spoken English you should be
able to answer with the appropriate content and correct grammar from the list of structures and functions
below. Authentic conversational use should play an important role in the course. Writing should ensure
accuracy at the sentence level.
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Functions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
make suggestions
paraphrase information
summarize information
give an oral report, deliver a 5-minute speech
ask questions
Structures:
1. reinforce articles
2. reinforce question formation
STRUCTURES TO BE MASTERED:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Perfect Modals
Gerunds and infinitives (Smoking is a bad habit. To err is human.)
Passive voice (These objectives were written by the faculty.)
Present Unreal Conditional
Past Unreal Conditional (If I had come earlier, I would have seen him.)
Wishes about the present and past (I wish she were here. I wish she had been here.)
Reported speech- questions, imperatives, and statements
Embedded questions (I don’t know who you are.)
Negative questions (Don’t you have to take a final exam?)
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
A variety of methods will be used in this class. The language lab and the library will be utilized.
Using appropriate grammatical structures, students will be expected to answer and generate
questions about the video and audio files and discuss their content. Students will submit a written
report about the content and language used in an introductory college-level course in the student’s
major. This report will be based on a class observation. Special attention will be given to the
content and language of this report. Students will also engage in speaking activities connected to
written production. Students will read and discuss a variety of genres, including authentic
unadapted texts from this list: magazine and newspaper articles, folk literature, a short story,
poetry. Students will work regularly in pairs and/or small groups and report back to the class as a
whole.
GRADING
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Grades will depend on the amount and quality of the work done by the student. A passing grade
of “D” represents a minimum of 70% mastery of objectives. Your final grade will be evaluated
in the following manner:
Grammar Tests
Final Exam
Written reports and papers
Oral quizzes and appropriate grammatical
class participation
Homework
:45%
:15%
:05%
:15%
:20%
Please see to the Roxbury Community College Catalog for detailed information on the college’s grading policy:
http://www.rcc.mass.edu/images/pdf/academics/catalog_Revised100213.pdf
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes. Students who miss more than 6
classes may not receive a passing grade for this course.
Observations: Classes will meet promptly at 8:30. Students are expected to attend all classes.
Attendance will be taken every day. Attendance is extremely important since in each class various
grammatical points will be discussed. If you are absent it is your responsibility to find out the
assignment(s) and to complete it by the date it is due. Prolonged or frequent absences will result
in the lowering of your grade or failure and consequently may affect your Financial Aid.
English is the only language to be used in the classroom!
Cell phones are to be turned off during class time!
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
Students are required to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct delineated in the Roxbury Community College
website and Student Handbook.
http://www.rcc.mass.edu/images/stories/policies/Code_of_Conduct_and_Disciplinary_Procedures.pdf
ACCOMMODATIONS
Roxbury Community College is committed to providing all qualified college students equal access to all programs
and facilities. Students who have a documented physical, psychological, or learning disability and need academic
accommodations must register with the Coordinator of Disability Services, Linda O’Connor. Please contact her in
Room 207C in the Academic Building; email loconnor@rcc.mass.edu; or phone 617-708-3562.
Disability Services will provide you with an Accommodation Letter to provide to faculty. You need to present and
discuss these recommendations with me within a reasonable period, prior to the end of the Drop/Add period.
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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
RCC offers a range of student support services including Advising, Tutoring, Math Clinic, Health Services, Library,
Writing Center and Language Lab. Visit the RCC website for more information:
TOPICS SCHEDULE
Week 1: 9/2/15
Core Topic(s)
 Getting Started
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Produce grammatically correct questions
Reading
Assignment
 None
Class Topics
 Review of question Formation
Week 2:9/7/15
Core Topic(s)
 Perfect Modals- Advisability in the Past
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Speak/write about advisability and blame in the past using perfect modals
Reading
Assignment
 257-261
Class Topics
 Useless Regrets
Assignments
Due
 Exercises- 262-269
Week 3: 9/14/15
Core Topic(s)
 Perfect Modals- Advisability in the Past
 Perfect Modals- Speculations and Conclusions about the past
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Talk/write about advisability and blame in the past using perfect modals
 Talk/write about speculation and conclusions in the past using perfect modals
Reading
Assignment
 270-274
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Class Topics
 Useless Regrets
 Unsolved Mysteries
Assignments
Due
 Exercises- 93-99 (workbook)
 Exercises 277-284
 Easter Island video
Week 4: 9/21/15
Core Topic(s)
 Perfect Modals- Speculations and Conclusions about the past
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Talk/write about speculation and conclusions in the past using perfect modals
Reading
Assignment
 None
Class Topics
 Unsolved Mysteries
Assignments
Due
 Exercises- 88-92 (workbook)
 Exercises 275-277
 Class wiki
Test
 Test on Perfect Modals- Advisability in the Past and Speculations and Conclusions about the
past
Week 5: 9/28/15
Core Topic(s)
 Passive Voice
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Use the passive voice correctly
 Explain when you would use the passive voice
 Convert active sentences to passive and visa versa
Reading
Assignment
 290-293
Class Topics
 Geography
Assignments
Due
 Exercises 293-297
Week 6: 10/5/15
Core Topic(s)
 Passive Voice
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Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Use the passive voice correctly
 Explain when you would use the passive voice
 Convert active sentences to passive and visa versa
Reading
Assignment
 None
Class Topics
 Geography
Assignments
Due
 Exercises 298-304
 Exercises- 101-105 (workbook)
Week 7: 10/12/15
Core Topic(s)
 Passive Voice
 Passive Voice with modals
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Use the passive voice correctly with modals
 Explain when you would use the passive voice with modals
 Convert active sentences with modals to passive and visa-versa
Reading
Assignment
 308-312
Class Topics
 Geography
 International Space Station
Assignments
Due
 Exercises 313-320
 Exercises- 106-111 (workbook)
Test
 Test on Passive Voice
Week 8: 10/19/15
Core Topic(s)
 Gerunds and Infinitives
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Identify gerunds and infinitives and explain why and when they are used
 Speak/write using gerunds and infinitives
Reading
Assignment
 138-143
Class Topics
 Fast Food
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Assignments
Due
 Exercises -144-148
Week 9: 10/26/15
Core Topic(s)
 Gerunds and Infinitives
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Identify gerunds and infinitives and explain why and when they are used
 Speak/write using gerunds and infinitives
Reading
Assignment
 138-143
Class Topics
 Fast Food
Assignments
Due
 Exercises -149-152
 Exercises- 49-52 (workbook)
Week 10: 11/2/15
Core Topic(s)
 Gerunds and Infinitives
 Present unreal conditional
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Identify gerunds and infinitives and explain why and when they are used
 Speak/write using gerunds and infinitives
 Speak/write using the present unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations
Reading
Assignment
 369-373
Class Topics
 Fast Food
 Wishes
Assignments
Due
 Exercises-132-139 (workbook)
Test
 Test on Gerunds and Infinitives
Week 10: 11/9/15
Core Topic(s)
 Present Unreal Conditional
 Past Unreal Conditional
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
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 Speak/write using the present unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations in the present or future
 Speak/write using the past unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations in the past
Reading
Assignment
 384-388
Class Topics
 Wishes
 Alternative Histories
Assignments
Due
 Exercises-376-377, 388-392
Week 11: 11/16/15
Core Topic(s)
 Past Unreal Conditional
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Speak/write using the past unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations in the past
Reading
Assignment
 None
Class Topics
 Alternative Histories
Assignments
Due
 Exercises-393-396
 Exercises-140-144 (workbook
Week 12: 11/23/15
Core Topic(s)
 Past Unreal Conditional
 Direct and Indirect Speech
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Speak/write using the past unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations in the past
 Report conversations using indirect speech
 Correctly punctuate indirect speech
Reading
Assignment
 402-406
Class Topics
 Alternative Histories
 Truth and Lies
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Assignments
Due
 Exercises- 407-412
 Exercises-145-148 (workbook
Test
 Test on Present and Past Unreal Conditional
Week 13: 11/30/15
Core Topic(s)
 Direct and Indirect Speech
 Review
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Speak/write using the past unreal conditional to describe imaginary, unreal, or impossible
situations in the past
 Report conversations using indirect speech
 Correctly punctuate indirect speech
Reading
Assignment
 None
Class Topics
 Truth and Lies
Assignments
Due
 Exercises-149-152 (workbook)
Week 15: 12/7/15
Core Topic(s)
 Review all grammar structures covered during the semester
Learning
Objectives
At the end of this week you will be able to:
 Correctly produce and identify all grammar structures covered during the semester
Week 15: 12/14/15
Final Exam
 Final Exam on all topics covered during the semester (Tuesday, 5/6/15)
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