Developed by the Reading Protocols Committee:
Carol Kreitchet, Mark Hughes, Paula White, Mary Griffin, Aliya Barnhill, Faith Watson,
Simone Zelitch, Julie Odell, Pat Gregory, Judy Richards, Karen Schermerhorn
Course Description
English 108, Learning across the Disciplines, is a practicum that models the language, style and logic of college-level courses by incorporating materials from a wide range of disciplines such as math, science, humanities and social sciences. Grounded in learning theory, the instructor, performing in the role of master student, models the vocabulary, style and logic of college-level courses so that students can become competitive, independent learners. English 108 provides instruction in attitudes and discrete skills for adapting to the demands of the academic disciplines at Community College of
Philadelphia and four-year institutions so that students can become competitive, independent learners.
Faculty teaching English 108 should become conversant with current learning theory and should be broadly grounded in their own education so as to be able to teach the reasoning strategies and nonfiction content of multiple academic fields. Equally important, faculty should consistently model the attitudes and behaviors that create success in the classroom.
Faculty should choose challenging, sufficiently complex texts to serve as a springboard for critical thinking. At the heart of the course is a good reading and study skills textbook grounded in learning theory. Faculty might then choose primary texts (essays, journal articles, primary sources) and develop a theme or a series of themes that runs through the course, giving students the experience of building a cultural literacy base and also providing the experience of participating in a learning community. Texts for the course should include material inside students’ frame of reference as well as material outside their frame of reference.
Integration of Skills and Attitudes
The skills taught, all ultimately embedded in real content, should be both universal— skills that can then be applied to academic content in general—and customized— activities and questions connected to particular material.
1. Taking notes for lectures, written texts (using a reading strategy such as SQ3R), discussions, and documentaries, with the emphasis on developing critical thinking skills for challenging material a) identifying rhetorical modes that structure content
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b) summarizing (identifying thesis, main points, secondary points) c) paraphrasing d) learning vocabulary in context and through analysis of word parts e) interpreting graphics f) drawing inferences g) separating fact from opinion, including evaluating source credibility and detecting bias h) synthesizing material from various sources i) organizing material using a variety of formats such as:
 annotation
 formal and informal outlines
 webs (concept maps)
 charts
 timelines

Cornell Method (revise notes to include questions to summarize content)

2-column notes for courses based in mathematics
 chapter summaries for essay exams j) selecting appropriate formats according to
 student’s individual learning style
 teacher’s classroom style
 content’s specific demands
 test’s specific demands
2. Managing time a) applying current learning theory to develop schedules for maximum understanding and retention of course content
 semester-long calendar with test dates, paper and project deadlines
 weekly study schedule based on learning theory research
 daily task lists to prioritize for each course to be studied on a given day
3. Forming study partnerships with individuals and groups to cement learning
4. Preparing for and taking a variety of test types, with emphases on the memory process and essay exams
5. Navigating career/transfer
 the process of selecting a career, choosing a transfer college, taking transferable courses (primary resource:
CCP’s Career Services Center)
 integration of skills and attitudes learned in college into the workplace (primary resources: National Association of
Colleges and Employers and CCP’s Career Services
Center)
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Activities
Above all, the teacher performs the role of master student, setting the standard for effective classroom attitudes and behaviors. During the course, the students will be doing the following:
1.
Applying the principles of time management and memory research by creating an individual weekly study schedule based on their current semester.
2.
Using appropriate formats, students take notes from lectures, written texts (using a reading strategy such as SQ3R) discussions, and documentaries.
3. Working in study partnerships to improve their note-taking skills, to learn content, to develop teamwork skills, and to realize the effectiveness of a learning community.
4. Testing the quality of their notes by taking mock tests.
5. Comparing their notes to the teacher’s master notes to monitor progress.
6. Participating in college-level discussions of course-specific content synthesized from a variety of sources.
7. Applying learning theory strategies to master concepts for tests by practicing overlearning techniques and utilizing mnemonic devices.
8. Analyzing the format and content of actual tests from a broad range of academic disciplines at CCP.
9. Using the standards of the professional job market to evaluate their own bankable/transferable attitudes and skills.
Evaluation/Testing
Evaluation of a student’s progress should mirror the broad range of techniques employed by teachers in the various academic disciplines and should include the following:
1.
Frequent homework checks to foster disciplined study habits, especially for courses where mastery of material is incremental
2.
Classroom participation (practicing ALL classroom/learning strategies)
3.
Tests both to monitor mastery of learning strategies and to reflect the variety of test types in the content areas
 notes from actual lectures and written texts using a variety of formats
 objective tests: short answer, multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc.
 discussions of college-level academic content synthesizing material from various sources
 essay exams synthesizing material covered throughout the term
 take-home projects based on assigned reading and class work
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Recommended Materials/Resources
1.
sample textbooks grounded in learning theory and all containing both practice in study skills and reading across the curriculum:

Academic Literacy: Readings and Strategies by Jill Lewis

Essential Reading Skills Linda Wong

College Reading and Study Skills by Kathleen McWhorter

Reading and Study Skills by John Langan (McGraw Hill)

The Lifelong Reader by Brenda D. Smith and Laura Courtney Headley

Orientation to College Learning by Dianna L. Van Blerkom (Thompson-
Wadsworth)
2. supplemental texts for a theme-based course encompassing multiple disciplines
(possible source: Greenhaven Press’s Opposing Viewpoints Series)
3. Asking students to bring in material from their content courses is a great way to allow for opportunistic teaching.
3. The Real Thing taped lecture series encompassing a broad range of academic
disciplines (available through Act Now)
4. a wide selection of documentaries available through the AV Department
5. guest lecturers, including your fellow faculty members and those at college-wide events
6. career/transfer: CCP’s Career Services Center, Career and Transfer Center, and the
National Association of Colleges and Employers
Final Notes
1.
When linked to Eng 098 or Eng 101, Eng 108 is not an extension of the writing course’s class time, but is its own independent 3-credit course that usually counts towards graduation as a general elective. Although faculty can use the supplemental texts they assign as a bridge between the courses, the English 108 and writing course’s grades should be independent of one another.
2.
Traditional English content (novels, short stories, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and plays), if used, should constitute a maximum of 1/10 of class time , since literature is but one of many academic disciplines.
3.
Eng 108 is often mistakenly referred to as a “reading course.” Reading is just one skill covered in 108.
4.
In addition to discrete learning strategies, English 108 teaches classroom etiquette to facilitate the acculturation of the student into a college environment and, eventually, into the professional workforce.
5.
English 101/108 is often most successful when blocked with a 0content course like
Psychology 101 or Sociology 101 as students can immediately apply the behaviors and skills that they learn.
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