SYLMAR HIGH SCHOOL
“Building on Excellence”
Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC) ________________Mr. Tom Adams
The purpose of the Expository Reading and Writing Course is to prepare college-bound seniors for the literacy demands
of higher education. This course specifically addresses the demand of reading and analyzing a wide variety of college
level texts and instructs students with the skills necessary to meet the expectations of post-secondary writing, while also
meeting the California English Language Arts 12th Grade Common Core Standards.
As of the 2012-2013 school years, this Expository Reading and Writing class is considered by the State University of
California (CSU) system as a college readiness course. If a student passes this course with a grade of A, B, or C during
both semesters and is listed as Provisional on the EAP Test Scores, then that student is exempt from taking the English
Placement Test for the CSU campuses and is automatically eligible for the first college level English course – English 1A.
Course Description
The goal of the Expository Reading and Writing Course is to prepare college-bound seniors. Through a sequence of
rigorous instructional modules, students in this rhetoric-based course will develop college-level proficiencies in
expository, analytical, and argumentative reading and writing. Students will be provided instruction in the use of the
Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide. Students will be expected to increase their awareness of the grammar
and language conventions in order to apply those strategies to their own writing. By the end of the course, students will
be expected to use these processes independently when reading familiar or unfamiliar college-level texts and writing in
response to them. In preparation for college, the student will be able to develop and use skills in critical reading and
academic writing across all college-level courses.
Course Outline:
The instructional modules are organized by semester. Most modules include multiple text pieces on a topic, often
representing different genres. Course texts include contemporary essays, newspaper and magazine articles, editorials,
reports, biographies, memos, assorted public documents, and other fiction and non-fiction texts. Two modules include
full-length works, a work of non-fiction in semester one and a novel in semester two. Modules include instruction in
critical reading, analysis of rhetorical strategies, vocabulary, research methods, documentation conventions, and analytical
writing based on information learned from and in response to the assigned texts. The cornerstone of the course—the
assignment template—provides consistent structure and content for each module. (See Proposed Plan of Study at end of
syllabus for more details on modules.)
 Texts and Supplemental Materials: The Expository Reading and Writing Course: Student Reader will be issued to each
student. The Student Reader includes all 39 student-reading selections contained in semesters one and two of the
course. Other materials will be provided to students, including photocopies of the textbook work, including grammar
components and a variety of analytical thinking and writing activities and assignments.
 Key Assignments:
Each of the ten instructional modules uses an assignment template to guide students through the following processes:
reading rhetorically, connecting reading to writing, and writing. Please see the list of scheduled units for each
semester for more detail on specific assignments for each module. Examples of assignments include the following:

Quick Writes to access prior knowledge

Surveys of textual features

Predictions about content and context

Vocabulary previews and self-assessments

Reciprocal reading and teaching activities, including summarizing, questioning, predicting, and clarifying

Responding orally and in writing to critical thinking questions

Annotating and re-reading texts

Analyzing stylistic choices and mapping text structure

Analyzing logical, emotional, and ethical appeals

Peer response activities
Instructional Methods and/or Strategies:
Reading Rhetorically:

All texts will be introduced by a sequence of research-based pre-reading and vocabulary strategies.

All texts will be analyzed using strategies such as annotating, outlining/charting text structure, and questioning.

All texts will be examined using relevant critical/analytical elements such as intended audience, possible author
bias, and rhetorical effectiveness.

Students will work on analytical tasks as a whole class, in pairs and small groups, and individually.

Students will present aspects of their critical reading and thinking orally as well as in writing.
Connecting Reading to Writing:

Students will write summaries, rhetorical précis, and responses to critical questions.

Students will compare their summaries/rhetorical précis, outlines, and written responses in small groups in order
to discuss the differences between (a) general and specific ideas; (b) main and subordinate points; and (c)
subjective and objective summarizing techniques.

Students will engage in note-taking activities, such as composing one-sentence summaries of
paragraphs/passages, charting a text’s main points, and developing outlines for essays in response to writing
prompts.

Students will complete compare/contrast and synthesis activities increasing their capacity to make inferences and
draw warranted conclusions, such as creating comparison matrixes of readings, examining significant points
within texts, and analyzing significant textual features within thematically related material.
Writing:

Students will write 750-1500 word analytical essays based on prompts that require establishing and developing a
thesis/argument focus in response to the prompt and providing evidence to support that controlling focus by
synthesizing and interpreting the ideas presented in texts. Some modules will require essays of greater length.

Students will complete timed in-class writings based on prompts related to an author’s assertion(s), theme(s),
purpose(s), and/or a text’s rhetorical features.

Students in the second semester will learn the process and complete a college-level research paper of 1500-2000
words with a bibliography of references to develop competence in writing college level papers for any subject.
Assessment Methods and/or Tools:
Assessment activities will be based on the writing prompts and rubrics embedded in the ten instructional modules.
Scored sample papers are included with each module, and training sessions for teachers have included specific
instruction in running holistic grading sessions with other teachers. The rubrics and sample papers help to ensure that
grading standards are consistent throughout the state. Further training and advice will be available through the CSU
Expository Reading and Writing teacher website.
Timed in-class essays and major writing projects will be used to assess students. The college-level research paper will be
graded upon completion of all required steps in the process of writing the research paper using MLA formatting.
GRADING PLAN
All students earn points for each assignment. These points are totaled and broken down by percentage: points earned
divided by Points Possible to make a percentage.
 A = 90-100%
B = 80- 89% C = 70- 79% D = 60 – 69% F = 59% or lower
Percentage of assignments breakdown:
 65% of grade will be based upon Writing Assignments gathered from the following:
o Four Upon Demand (In-class & Timed) EPT essays administered each quarter
o Semester One Final – EPT essay based upon book, Into The Wild by Jon Krakaur
o Semester One and Two MLA formatted Essays for each module taught (7 papers/essays)
o Research Paper (all steps in the process with final draft counting as 50% of that assignment)
o Semester Two Final – Literary Analysis Essay on novel, 1984 by George Orwell, formatted into a
presentational PowerPoint. (Team Project)
 35% of grade will be based on textbook responses to reading assignments/ class work, homework, exams,
projects, presentations, and participation.
Policy for Late Work: NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED
Students must submit all work by scheduled due date with the exception of absences per State Code Attendance
Code. For each day that a student is absent, that student shall have one day to make up the work from the days
absent. The exception to this rule is if the student is aware of a due date at least one week in advance—then,
regardless of any absences, the work must be turned in on the scheduled due date. If the student is absent on the
due date because of illness or other absences cleared through the attendance office, the work is required to be
submitted on the day that the student returns to school. Being absent because of a field trip or school activity does
not exclude the student from turning in the work on time per scheduled due date. The student can always turn in
work ahead of time in those cases, or see that the work is turned in by peer or family courier.
Rules of Conduct:
 Students are expected to follow classroom rules:
a. Be in seat when final tardy bell rings with all supplies and ready to work
b. Always have a three-ring notebook filled with paper and have pens (black or dark-blue ink) or pencils to
write with in class. This class also requires that all students have a set of highlighters with the following
colors: Pink, Blue, Yellow, Green, and Orange.
c. Be an active listener to teacher when giving directions or lectures
d. Turn-in all work due on time
e. Be an active participant in class during discussions
f. Be respectful to all students and teacher in the classroom
 Consequences for breaking the classroom rules:
a. Detention assigned and phone call made to parent (24-hour notice given for detention). Detention time is
at teacher’s discretion.
b. Discipline referral to counselor or dean and phone call home
 Excessive bad behavior –discipline referral, phone call home, and possible removal from class
Contact Mr. Adams
(818) 833-3700
taa1542@lausd.net
Room 10
Assignments will be posted on www.edmodo.com and Sylmar’s website: under Mr. Tom Adams
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