MONTGOMERY COLLEGE
(A non-smoking institution)
Department of English, Reading, World Languages
and the American English Language Program
Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
Learning Community
Race and Immigration in America: Present, Past and Continuous
Spring 2009
Race and Immigration in America: Present, Past and Continuous pairs EL 101
with RD 101. This paired course offers first-semester AELP students the
opportunity to connect reading and writing in the same way they are linked in
college-level content courses. Past and present race and immigration issues in
novels and videos provide the theme for discussions and assignments.
EL 101 / 30505
TR 10:15 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. MP 140
EL 101 - American English Language I
The first course for American English Language Program (AELP) students in a
sequence of four courses designed to teach academic writing of American
English. Emphasis on parts of speech, basic sentence patterns, and appropriate
use of verb tenses. PREREQUISITE: Placement by testing required by the
College of non-native speakers of English. For computation of tuition this course
is equivalent to five semester hours. Five hours each week. Additional
laboratory required.
3 semester hours
THREE CREDITS. NOT APPLICABLE TO A DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE. MAY
NOT BE USED TO SATISFY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.
RD 101 / 30696
TR 12:30 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. MP 140
RD101 – Reading for Non-Native Speakers I
The first required course for the American English Language Program (AELP)
students in a sequence of three courses designed to teach academic reading of
American English. Emphasis on beginning college skills required for success in
college content courses, including vocabulary development, words in context,
paragraph comprehension, test- and note-taking, and dictionary use.
PREREQUISITE: Placement by testing required by the College of non-native
speaking of English. For Computation of tuition this course is equivalent to five
semester hours. Five hours each week. Additional laboratory required.
3 semester hours
THREE CREDITS. NOT APPLICABLE TO A DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE. MAY
NOT BE USED TO SATISFY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.
Page 1 of 8
I.
II.
Instructor Information
EL 101: Dr. Maria Donahue
Office Location: PFA 221
Phone: (240) 567-1384
Office Hours:
T, R: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
M,W: 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
or by appointment
E-mail:
RD 101: Prof. Marcia Bronstein
Office Location: PFA 220
Phone: (240) 567-1369
Office Hours:
T, R: 2:45 to 4:15 p.m.
maria.donahue@montgomerycollege.edu
marcia.bronstein@montgomerycollege.edu
or by appointment
E-mail:
Texts and Supplies
All books and supplies are available at the bookstore. Bring to every class:
Grammar Links 2, M. Kathleen Mahnke and Elizabeth O'Dowd
Grammar Links 2 Workbook, Mahmoud T. Arani and Richard C. Yorkey
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Instructional Materials for The Witch of Blackbird Pond and To Kill a
Mockingbird, Maria Donahue, Sharyn Neuwirth, Marcia Bronstein, Ruth
Otto, and Ruth Shigley
Longman Advanced Dictionary (new edition)
One binder for the Instructional Materials
Two Montgomery College Folders
Loose-leaf paper, #2 pencils, green and black ink pens, small stapler
One formatted diskette for use in the Learning Lab and to type revisions
Computer Equipment:
You should have access to a computer for this class. You may need to
use a computer to communicate with your professor and other students. If
you don't have a computer at home, there are four locations on campus
where you can find computers. All four locations have printers you can
use. The ones with asterisks (*) also have e-mail and Internet:
 The Resource Center library*
 The Information Science Pavilion*
 The Student Technology Center
 The Reading and Writing Center
Word Processing:
You must type all revisions of paragraphs you write in this learning
community. If you need help word processing, please consider taking
CA099 #35280, a 5-week Keyboarding class in which you’ll practice
Page 2 of 8
formatting English papers. CA099 35280 is scheduled from 2:45-4:00pm
on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 12–March 24, 2009.
MyMC
Class notes and homework documents will be posted at the course site on
MyMC. Make sure you understand how to access MyMC by the second
week of the semester
 Go to <mymc.montgomerycollege.edu>
 Enter your MyMC ID and Password
 Click on My Courses
 Make sure the semester is set for Spring 2009
 Click on the course READ/NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS I
 Click on Files
 Click on the right of the screen on the document you want to open
III.
Specific Outcomes
Upon completion of the linked courses, students should be able to








respond orally and in writing to basic information questions (who, what,
where, when, why, how) to demonstrate comprehension of reading
selections;
use basic interpretive reading skills to answer orally or in writing questions
related to ideas, themes, characters, or sequences of events in a
passage;
identify main ideas and supporting details in reading selections from
books, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and other original sources and
include them in writing assignments;
apply effective study skills such as following written and oral directions,
using a dictionary, applying test-taking strategies, using flash cards,
completing graphic organizers such as outlines and concept maps,
utilizing skimming, scanning techniques, and developing pre-reading and
/or predictive questions for assigned readings;
apply effective college vocabulary development skills such as (a)
structural analysis; (b) phonic analysis; (c) context clues; and (d)
dictionary skills;
use vocabulary from various sources in written responses such as journal
entries, answers to oral and written questions, and paragraphs on topics
from assigned readings, which may include books, magazines,
newspapers, textbooks, and other original sources;
apply functional reading skills to the reading of maps and legends or other
graphical information sources;
correctly use present and past tenses, both simple and progressive, the
future tense, as well as the present perfect and present perfect
progressive;
Page 3 of 8




IV.
identify and correctly use nouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs and
prepositions;
use correct grammar and organized sequencing of ideas in order to write
clearly and well about the readings;
write paragraphs about themes and ideas in the readings using
vocabulary from the readings;
understand the connections between reading and writing.
Grading
A.
Requirements:
You are expected to complete your homework assignments, read
the assigned chapters, and write all assigned journals and
compositions. A lab requirement must be met for you to pass RD
101 and EL 101.
You are also expected to participate in activities and class
discussions. Therefore, it is important to complete all assignments
and to come to class prepared to discuss the reading and writing
assignments. You are also expected to do your share in all team
and small-group activities. To advance to EL 102 and RD 102, you
must receive an A, B, or C as a final grade. You must pass the
final exam to pass EL 101 and RD 101.
B.
Standards
Assignments may be given a numerical grade, a percentage grade,
or a letter grade. In computing your final grade for the course,
these equivalencies will be used:
A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 59 and below
At the midterm and the final there are three tests: a reading skills
test in RD 101, a grammar test in EL 101, and a paragraph writing
test, which receives a grade for both RD 101 and EL 101.
The following shows how final grades are determined:
Reading/writing assignments
Homework, midterm exam, tests, and quizzes
Exit exams
C.
Page 4 of 8
35%
30%
35%
Late Policy
Homework assignments must be completed and turned in on the
day requested. When students are absent, it is their responsibility
to obtain homework assignments. Attendance is taken and
homework checked at the beginning of every class.
D.
V.
Make-up Policy
Announced quizzes and tests must be taken on the day assigned.
There will be no make-up quizzes or tests. At the end of the
semester, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
Classroom Policies
A.
Attendance and Withdrawal from Class
Perfect attendance is expected. Absences must be justified.
Students with three unexcused absences may be dropped from the
courses. Lateness of more than 30 minutes is counted as an
absence.
B.
Student e-mail
Student e-mail (montgomerycollege.edu) is an official means of
communication for the College. It is expected that you check your
student e-mail regularly and frequently, as you are responsible for
information and announcements that will be sent to you from the
College. For these classes, student e-mail will be used only for
situations where timing is essential. Most information is discussed
in class and all assignments will be turned in as hard copy during
regular class times. If you contact us through e-mail, you must use
your student e-mail account (rather than a yahoo account) so that
we can recognize you as a student. If you e-mail us, please followup with a voice mail message using the following numbers: 240567-1384 for Dr. Donahue and 240-567-1368 for Prof. Bronstein.
C.
Academic Honesty
Copying from a classmate on a test or a homework assignment is
not acceptable and will result in a grade of zero for both students.
Copying from the Internet is also unacceptable.
Express ideas from the readings (The Witch and Mockingbird) in
your own words.
If you don’t follow these guidelines for academic honesty you might
fail EL101 and RD101.
D.
Classroom Conduct
See Student Code of Conduct in the Student Insider’s Guide.
Beepers and cell phones must be turned off in class.
E.
Cancellation of Classes
Check on MyMC for closing Information.
F.
Support Services
Page 5 of 8
The Reading and Writing Center provides print materials and oneon-one tutoring for Montgomery College students on a walk-in basis
to support reading, writing and language learning. You can sign in
at the front desk for tutoring.
A student who may need an accommodation because of a disability
should present a letter from Disability Support Services (ST 120)
authorizing the accommodation that will be needed. You may
contact the Counseling Department for more information. Any
student who may need assistance in the event of an emergency
evacuation needs to identify him/herself to the DSS Office;
guidelines for emergency evacuations for individuals with
disabilities can be found at
www.montgomerycollege.edu/dss/evacprocedures.htm.
Page 6 of 8
RD 101 / EL 101 SPRING 09 CALENDAR
WEEK OF
Jan. 27
Introduction
Diagnostic Tests
Theme: Cultural Shock, First Impressions
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 1 (simple present);
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Chapters 1-3 (7-39)
Scanning, Skimming, Reading for Comprehension and Critical Reading
Words in Context
Feb. 3
Theme: Cultural Shock, First Impressions (continued)
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 2 (present progressive)
Chapter 3 (simple present vs. present progressive)
Word Parts
The Witch, Ch. 1 – 3 (continued)
Affixes and Roots
Map Reading
Feb. 10
Theme: The Settler’s Life: Work, Church and Politics
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 4 (past tense)
Chapter 5 (past progressive; simple past & past progressive;
past time clauses)
The Witch, Ch. 4-6 (39-64)
Words in Context, Affixes and Roots, Dictionary Skills
Feb. 17
Theme: Courtship in Colonial Times
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 5 (continued)
The Witch, Ch. 7-10 (64-102)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills
Affixes and Roots, Main Ideas
Feb. 24
Theme: Marriage Plans
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 6 (expressing future time)
The Witch, Ch. 11-14 (102-139)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills
Roots and Affixes, Main Ideas, Inferences
March 3
Theme: Friends’ Support during Hard Times
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 7 (future time clauses; conditionals)
The Witch, Ch. 15-18 (139-186)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills
Affixes and Roots, Main Ideas
March 10
Theme: The Passing of Time
The Witch, Ch. 19-21 (p. 186-223)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond Test
MIDTERM EXAMINATIONS
Reading and Writing Folders Due
Page 7 of 8
March 16
Spring Recess
March 24
Midterm Conferences
Theme: Summer Vacations and the First Day of School
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 15 (present perfect, present perfect vs. simple past)
To Kill a Mockingbird, Ch. 1-3 (3-32)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills, Affixes and Roots, Main Ideas
March 31
Theme: Children’s Play
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 16 (pres. perf.. prog.; pres. perfect vs. pres. perf.. prog. )
To Kill, Ch. 4-8 (32-74)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills, Main Ideas
April 7
Theme: Racism’s Ugly Head
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 8 (nouns and articles)
To Kill, Ch. 9-11 (74-115)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills, Affixes and Roots, Main Ideas
April 14
Theme: Small Town/Group Attitudes
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 9 (quantifiers, number and measure words)
To Kill, Ch. 12-17 (115-178)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills, Main Ideas, Map Reading
April 21
Theme: The Right Choices
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 10 (pronouns and possessives)
To Kill, Ch. 18-24 (178-237)
Words in Context, Dictionary Skills, Affixes and Roots, Main Ideas
April 28
Theme: Scout’s New Awareness
Grammar Links 2 Chapter 11 (prepositions)
To Kill, Ch. 25-31 (238-281)
Affixes and Roots
May 5
Exam: To Kill a Mockingbird
Review for Final Exams
May 12 &
May 14
FINAL EXAMS
Reading and Writing Folders Due
This is a tentative schedule. Changes will be made as necessary.
Page 8 of 8