Course Outline
Fall 2009
Instructor: Susan Boland Office: Pungo (F) 121
Email:sboland@tcc.edu Phone:822-7286 www.tcc.edu/faculty/webpages/SBoland Office Hours:
Textbooks and other required materials:
Engaging Writing Mary Ftizpatrick Longman
Course Prerequisites: Satisfactory grade in ESL 12 or Placement Test.
Course Description: ESL 51 is designed to prepare students for English 111 – College Composition I. The focus of the course will be on writing essays that contain one central idea that is developed by supporting details. Each essay will follow a prescribed pattern of organization.
Course Objectives: At the end of this course students will be able to write a coherent essay. The essay will include an introduction with a thesis statement, presentation of sufficient evidence in well-developed body paragraphs, and a formal conclusion. The essay will be written with an awareness of audience. Furthermore, there will be very few ESL errors, such as misuse of articles, prepositions, verb tense/form, and idiomatic expressions.
Course Content: Over the course of the semester, students will write six essays. Revision of the first draft will follow a detailed peer review which is completed in the classroom. Students submit a completed essay every three weeks. Each essay will focus on a different organizational pattern as well as a specific skills-area focus.
Method of Evaluation: Students are expected to participate in all classroom activities. Students will write a total of six essays, at least two of which will be written in class as an exam. The midterm and the final are not revised nor rewritten. The due dates for all papers are on the Course Schedule. Papers, other than the midterm and the final, must be typed and include a cover sheet and a word count. Furthermore, students must complete both a spell check and grammar check on their papers before submitting the paper to be graded. Late papers will not be accepted.
Students are responsible for being aware of the policies, procedures, and student responsibilities contained within the current edition of the Tidewater Community College Catalog and Student handbook. Students should familiarize themselves with the College’s policies regarding academic misconduct and inclement weather policies found in the Student handbook section of the catalogue.
Plagiarism is the intentional or accidental use of another person’s words or ideas as your own. Cheating involves copying another person’s homework, looking at another person’s exam, test, or quiz, or using unauthorized notes while taking a quiz, exam, test or writing an in-class writing assignment. Students who cheat or plagiarize will receive a failure in the class.
Attendance: If you miss more than 20% of scheduled class time, you will receive a U. Arriving late (after roll is called) is considered one-half an absence. Students are responsible for work missed due to an absence. When you are absent, you must contact your instructor at sboland@tcc.edu or during her office hours to find out what was missed and/or assigned.
Learning Resources: Students will be encouraged through out the semester to use the resources available in the Learning Resource Center. There are numerous websites, such as www.usingEnglish.com , which students will find very helpful. Students are encouraged to use the Writing Center for extra help with their papers. However, students must request a receipt from the Writing Center that documents the visit, and attach this receipt to the composition when submitted for a grade.
Special Needs: If you have special needs because of a documented disability or medical condition, please feel free to discuss this with your instructor during her office hours.
Final Grade: To receive an S (Satisfactory) in this class, students must maintain an 80% average on all essays and quizzes. Students must also write passing papers (80%) for both the midterm and the final, which are both compositions written in-class. If a student does not meet this above criteria, the student will receive a grade of R (Re-Enroll) or U (Unsatisfactory).
Course Outline
Week One Introduction to Course Writing Sample Diagnostic
Cause & Effect Essay
Engaging Writing (EW) pp. 101-115
Week Two EW pp. 116 - 133
Week Three Peer Review & Revision Workshop
The Revision Workshop will be in the computer lab (ECC) on the second floor of the Bayside Building.
Week Four Compare Contrast Essay
EW 135 - 148
Week Five EW 149 - 160
Week Six Peer Review Revision Workshop
The Revision Workshop will be in the computer lab (ECC) on the second floor of the Bayside Building.
Week Seven Classification Essay
EW pp166- 179
Week Eight EW pp 180 - 197
Week Nine Third Essay In Class Midterm
Part of this essay will be written in class
and serve as a midterm exam
Week Ten Definition Essay
EW pp 199 - 212
Week Eleven EW pp 213- 229
Week Twelve Peer Review / Revision Workshop
The Revision Workshop will be in the computer lab (ECC) on the second floor of the Bayside Building.
Week Thirteen Argument Essay
EW pp 231- 245
Week Fourteen EW pp. 245- 258
Week Fifteen Peer Review Revision Workshop
The Revision Workshop will be in the computer lab (ECC) on the second floor of the Bayside Building.
Week Sixteen Final Exam In Class Essay
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESL 51 Essay One Name ______________________
Essay one will be four paragraphs. The first paragraph will be an introduction, followed by two body paragraphs, and the final paragraph, which will be the conclusion. Your essay will be between 400 and 500 words. The first step to writing this essay will be to write an outline. We have studied in class the process that a writer follows to create a good outline. You must follow that process to create your outline, which is due on Tuesday of next week.
Topics:
Globalization is defined as “extending to all parts of the globe, to make worldwide”. Consider this definition, and think about the ways in which globalization has effected your country. Maybe it would be easier to think about how globalization has affected the area you grew up in, or even as small as the town in which you grew up.
If you are not sure about globalization as a topic, you might want to consider another approach to this essay. Think about an event in your country that effected you. The effect on you could be positive or negative; it is just important that this event had an effect on you – and changed your life in one way or another. For example, a new government policy, an election of a new leader, a treaty between your country and another country, or a war – or maybe a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a typhoon, had an impact on you. This could have happened when you were a child OR as recently as last year. In the space provided here, make a list of all the effects that come to your mind when you think- long and hard- about this event.
Now review your list and focus on two major effects and number the items on your list that relate to those two major effects. Mark each item as 1 or 2, and cross out items that do not relate to one of the two major effects.
Using page 113 in your text as a guide, in the space below make a cluster chart for each supporting point to be sure you have enough information for each body paragraph.
Now, you are ready to write a brief outline of your paper. Turn to page 114 in your text for guidance.
Thesis Statement:
Topic Sentence 1.
Development/Support A.
B.
C.
Topic Sentence 2.
Development/Support A.
B.
C.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESL 51 Essay One Name ______________________
Essay one will be four paragraphs. The first paragraph will be an introduction, which must include at lest one of the strategies we discussed in class (general statement, background, anecdote, quote, rhetorical questions). The introduction is to be followed by two body paragraphs, with clear topic sentences and adequate support for that topic. The final paragraph, which will be the conclusion which is to includes summary of key points and a suggestion, prediction, or an opinion. Your essay will be between 400 and 500 words.
Topics:
Globalization is defined as “extending to all parts of the globe, to make worldwide”. Consider this definition, and think about the ways in which globalization has affected your country. Maybe it would be easier to think about how globalization has affected the area you grew up in, or even as small as the town in which you grew up. The other option for a topic for the first essay is to think about an event in your country that effected you. The effect on you could be positive or negative; it is just important that this event had an effect on you – and changed your life in one way or another. For example, a new government policy, an election of a new leader, a treaty between your country and another country, or a war – or maybe a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a typhoon, had an impact on you. Your essay will discuss two of these effects.
You must write a draft of your essay over the weekend. On Tuesday, if you come to class without a complete draft, you will be sent to the library to complete your draft and marked late for that day’s class. Students are urged to write the draft on a computer and save a copy of your draft on a flash drive or as an email to yourself.
On Tuesday, classmates will be reading the copy of your draft and making comments about the structure of your essay. I you bring an extra copy, I will review your essay to highlight areas that need your attention due to grammatical errors.
On Thursday, you must have a saved draft of your essay as we will meet in the LRC Lab on the second floor where you will revise your essay before handing in your hard copy to be graded.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Peer Review Essay One ESL 51 Writer: ___________________________________________
Reviewer 1 ____________________________________________
Reviewer 2 ______________________________________________
Peer Review Directions: In order to review a paper, you must first read through the paper once just to understand the topic and what the writer has to say about the topic. After you have read through it once, you are ready to begin answering the following questions.
Introduction:
After reading the introduction, what would you say is the topic of this essay?
Circle the strategy the writer uses to gain reader interest.
general statement background anecdote quote rhetorical questions
Do you think that this strategy works for the writer, or could the introduction be more interesting? IF you think it could be better, which strategy would you prefer and why?
Underline the thesis statement.
Body Paragraph 1
What is the topic of body paragraph one?
Is this clear to the reader from the first sentence of the paragraph? From the second sentence?
List the supporting points that the writers uses to support the topic.
Is there something the writer talks about in this paragraph that you think could be deleted?
Do you think the writer needs more support in this paragraph?
Body Paragraph 2
What is the topic of body paragraph two?
Is this clear to the reader from the first sentence of the paragraph? From the second sentence?
List the supporting points that the writers uses to support the topic.
Is there something the writer talks about in this paragraph that you think could be deleted?
Do you think the writer needs more support in this paragraph?
Time Order or Order of Importance
How do you think the writer chose to sequence the two topics in the body paragraphs?
Does this question of time order or order of importance pertain to this topic?
Does the writer make it clear in the body paragraphs that the essay is discussing EFFECTS?
Conclusion
Does the writer include a summary of the two topic sentences? Underline them on the student’s paper.
Does the writer include a suggestion, prediction or opinion? IF so, in your own words, write what you understand that to be.
What is your favorite part of the essay? WHY?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Grading Sheet Essay One ESL 51 Name _________________________________
Introduction 20 points
Is the topic clear from the first sentence?
Does the write effectively employ an introductory strategy?
Is the thesis statement clear?
Body Paragraph One 20 points
Is the topic clearly stated?
Is there adequate support for the topic?
Does the writer use language to make it clear that effects are being discussed?
Body Paragraph Two 20 points
Is the topic clearly stated?
Is there adequate support for the topic?
Does the writer use language to make it clear that effects are being discussed?
Conclusion 20 points
Are the topics sentences clearly summarized ?
Does the writer effectively employ a concluding strategy?
Grammar 1 point for each error 20 points