ESL 170
City College of San Francisco
Fall 2007
Erin Lofthouse
Independent Reading Project (IRP)
Assignment
For this assignment, you will read a current non-fiction book in English for pleasure. Reading nonfiction is an effective way to expand your cultural knowledge of contemporary issues, locally,
nationally, and globally.
Purpose
There are a number of important reasons for doing this assignment. First, research shows that
extensive reading (reading for pleasure and reading large amounts of material) is the most effective
way to build vocabulary, improve reading ability and improve grammar and writing skills. Second, I
am sure you know that it can be difficult to read a long book by yourself; therefore, we will do it
together with the support of your peers and the teacher. Finally, reading about something you are
interested in is fun!
Procedure
We will go through the steps together.
1. Select one of the four books: : Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich, The Wal-Mart Effect by
Charles Fishman, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins, or Harvest for Hope
by Jane Goodall.
2. Preview the book to decide whether it is a good choice for you.
3. Begin reading. Keep a vocabulary notebook of words you want to learn.
4. Report on what you are reading on a worksheet each week.
5. Share with a partner/s what is happening in your book.
6. Continue reading, working with vocabulary, and reporting.
7. Finish reading.
8. Write final analysis paper. The grade for this paper will be separate from the on-going reading
project assignments. This paper will count as one of your three take-home writings.
Evaluation
Each week, you will read a part of your book, complete a worksheet and make 10 entries in your
vocabulary notebook. You will turn in the worksheets each week. Worksheets must be turned in on
time or they will not be accepted. These worksheets and vocabulary notebooks will be read and
marked with comments to help and encourage you. I will keep a record of whether or not you have
completed the assignments each week. These will be credit/non-credit grades. At the end of the
project, you will earn a grade based on the percentage of the assignments you have done.
Once a week in class, you will share with a partner or partners what you have read in your book.
You will also write a final paper which will report on the book you have read. This final paper will
be graded separately from the IRP.
IRP: Previewing Worksheet
1.
What is the title of the book?
2.
Who is the author of the book?
3.
How many pages are there?
4.
How many chapters?
5.
Skim the front and back covers both sides. Look at all the pages up to the first chapter.
Look at any pictures or illustrations on these pages, as well as reviews and recommendations
of the book and its author. What have you learned about the book?
6.
Look for biographical information about the author. (Usually on the dust cover or back
pages.) What are two interesting facts about the author?
7.
Read the first three pages of the book. Would you be comfortable reading this book? Why
or why not?
IRP: Getting Started
1.
Choose a book.
2.
Fill out the Preview worksheet for your book
3.
Set up a reading schedule. We will spend 6 weeks completing the reading. Therefore, you
should read about 1/6 of your book each week.
How many chapters does your book have? _________
About how many pages will you read each week? _________
4.
Read the first 6th of the book and fill out the Week One Worksheet.
5.
Please buy a folder and keep your vocabulary and all your IRP worksheets in it.
IRP: Vocabulary
Understanding Unknown Words
During this project, it will be important for you to read for main ideas and not to worry about
understanding every word. You will obviously come across many words that you do not
understand. However, much vocabulary can be understood and even learned by guessing at
meanings, by using context clues and words parts, and by noticing how the word is used when it
appears again. It is important not to use your dictionary while reading. At first, you may find this
very difficult, but after some time you should get used to it. Nevertheless, you can mark or
underline words you do not understand and go back later to look them up in the dictionary.
Acquiring New Vocabulary
As you read, you will automatically be adding to your passive vocabulary with very little effort. To
increase your active vocabulary, however, you will have to make an effort to use the word as you
learn it, in order to make it yours. Therefore, each week you will choose 10 words that you would
like to work with more in order to add them to your active vocabulary. Choose any words that are
interesting to you or that you have seen before and think will be useful in the future.
Vocabulary Notebook
Each week choose 10 words from the reading done in your book. Then follow this procedure.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Copy the sentence from the reading. This is to show the context in which you found the
word.
Be sure to underline the new word in the sentence.
Look up the word in your dictionary and write down the part of speech.
Write down the definition for the word. Choose the definition that makes sense in the
context of your reading.
Use the word in your own original sentence to demonstrate that you understand the word
and know how to use it.
Example Entry:
1.
“My father was not fighting for you when he died”, she muttered.
2.
Verb
3.
To speak in a quiet voice, especially when you are complaining about something but you do not want other
people to hear you.
4.
She walked away muttering about how selfish her sister was.
Review
Once you have added new words to your list, make an effort to use them several times over the next
few weeks in writing and speaking. Try to make a conscious effort to use your new words in your
writing assignments for this and other classes. Whenever you use a new word in your writing
assignments, underline it so I can see you are using it. You should review your list every one or two
weeks.
IRP: Week One Worksheet The Tipping Point
Recommended: Read the introduction and chapter one, pages 3-29
# of pages read this week ____
Vocabulary Note: “Hush Puppies” are a type of shoe, fashionable in the 1970’s. Also, The east
Village is an artistic neighborhood in New York.
1.
How does the Author define TIPPING POINT? Is there anything about this concept that is
unclear to you?
2. The author describes social trends as “epidemics in action”. Describe the 3 patterns of “social
trends as epidemics” that he explains.
1.
2.
3.
3. The author asks us, “what can we do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our
own?” Give your own example of a positive epidemic.
4.
What are some NEW TRENDS you notice on campus, in your neighborhood, or at your
workplace? Trends can be anything in new technology, fashion, business, the arts, or culture.
5.
In Chapter one the author describes the spread of different DISEASES as LITERAL
epidemics. He says that “an epidemic TIPS because something has happened, change has
occurred.”
What does he define as the 3 agents of change? Define each in your own words.
1.
2.
3.
6. What do you find interesting about what you have read so far? What else would you like to know?