English 093—Composition for Non-Native Speakers, Item # 1044

Syllabus for Winter Quarter 2013

7:30 am – 8:20 am/MTWTh meets in L-120 & F meets in A-133

Main Campus, Bellevue College

Instructor: Catherine Berkenfield – please call me Catherine

Office location: Building R-230K

Office hours: MTWTh, 8:30 – 9:15 am or by appointment

Phone number: (757) 773-3886 1-5 pm; please be sure to identify yourself when you leave a message

Email: c.berkenfield@bellevuecollege.edu; Email is the best way to reach me. I will do my best to respond to emails within 24 hours M-F

Course objective and description:

This course improves ESL students’ composition skills through reading, talking, and writing about contemporary issues. Students improve their editing ability by writing, revising, and editing essays in one class period and by analyzing their work from other classes.

Prerequisite: Placement by assessment

Credits: 5 credit hours

Required materials—unless otherwise noted, you are expected to bring the following course materials with you every day:

• TEXTS:

• Crossroads: Integrated Reading and Writing, by Pam Dusenberry and Julie Moore. 2011. Boston: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 978-0-205-83414-3.

• Other required readings will be available on Canvas for download. Students are responsible for bringing those readings to class on the day they are scheduled for discussion.

• My Foundations Lab online learning program will be provided to students free of charge.

• A DEDICATED COURSE FOLDER OR BINDER
• PEN, PENCIL & LINED PAPER
• ACCESS TO A BELLEVUE COLLEGE EMAIL ADDRESS (https://bellevuecollege.edu/sam)
• ACCESS TO THE CANVAS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: for communication with the instructor, course information, checking grades, and other required course materials

After completing this class, English 093 students should be able to:

• Use all stages of the writing process effectively
• Identify the needs of their audience
• Produce a substantive topic
• Create a unified, coherent, and well-developed piece of writing which consistently follows appropriate conventions of Standard English
• Use a variety of purposes for essay construction, such as analysis, exposition, and/or persuasion.
• Demonstrate ability to recognize some strengths and weaknesses in their own writing, based on specified criteria

Grading categories - VERY IMPORTANT!! You must keep every single piece of writing that you do for this class carefully organized in a folder or binder. At the end of the quarter, you will be asked to turn in samples of your writing for the final grade, and so you must be able to locate and turn in the specific assignments that the instructor requests:

1 Individual work 30% of final grade

2 Small team work 15% of final grade

3 Reading seminar participation 15% of final grade

4 Three major essays 45% of final grade

5 Final self-assessment with documentation 5% of final grade

Total 100% of final grade

Please note: First, this course is a college-level course and you have the rights and responsibilities of a college student. Students who do not complete homework outside of class and turn it in on time cannot pass the class. If you are too busy with other schoolwork, employment, family obligations, health concerns, etc., to devote 1-3 hours per day to homework, I suggest taking this course during another quarter when you have more time resources. Second, this course is a “reading and writing” course and, therefore, requires extensive reading and writing from students. Students who do not wish to practice extensive reading and writing, should not take this course.

Criterion 1: Individual work – Throughout the quarter, I will ask you to submit homework and in-class assignments, including but not limited to: an academic autobiography, study habits assessment, time management/planning strategies, vocabulary development, reading responses, film questions, short writing assignments, and individual quizzes. If the material seems difficult, you should visit with me early in the quarter for help.

Criterion 2: Small team work – Each student will work with a team of other students this quarter. Throughout the term, I will ask your team to submit in-class assignments, including but not limited to: team reading responses, short writing assignments, and team quizzes. You will only do team work during scheduled class times. This course has a heavy “team” participation requirement. Students who do not wish to participate in team work should find another section of the course. Missed in-class work cannot be made up, regardless of the reason you missed class. The lowest team work grade will be dropped at the end of the quarter.

Criterion 3: Reading seminar participation – This quarter, you will read college-level readings by expert writers. For some of these readings, students will take part in and be graded on a student-led reading seminar. Missed reading seminars cannot be made up, regardless of the reason you missed class. The lowest seminar grade will be dropped at the end of the quarter.

Criterion 4: Three major essays – This quarter, you will write three 3-4 page essays. For each essay, we will read, discuss, and respond to essays and articles by experienced writers. As part of the writing process, we will learn summary, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation practices. Each essay is worth 15% of your grade; you may revise one of the first two essays to receive a better grade on that essay. Essays are graded with a percentage grade scale. Revisions of essays are due five class meetings after I return the graded draft to you. If you do not turn in the final draft on time, you cannot turn in the essay for a better grade.

Criterion 5: Final self-assessment with documentation – During the final week of the quarter, in place of a final exam, you will review the work you did during the quarter and write a reflection piece on what you learned and the areas you need to improve. You will turn in class-related materials to support your letter.

Bellevue College grading scale:

A = 93-100%

A- = 90-92%

B+ = 87-89%

B = 83-86%

B- = 80-82%

C+ = 77-79%

C = 73-76%

C- = 70-72%

D+ = 67-69%

D = 63-66%

D- = 60-62%

F = 59% or lower

What the Grades Mean:

I will provide more detailed descriptions of grading criteria with each assignment, but as a general overview I have included a short description of each grade:

“A”	Excels at the assignment’s expectations and shows mastery of course concepts. “A” work may contain a few trivial problematic issues but ultimately demonstrates above-average work.
“B”	Goes beyond the expectations for the assignment. “B” work develops above-average work but falls short of an “A” in one or more crucial areas.
“C”	Competently meets the requirements for the assignment. A “C” is reserved for work that is perfectly adequate but does not go above and beyond the requirements for the assignment.
“D”	Shows some attempt to meet requirements but fails. “D” work may head in the direction of competence, but needs significant work before the student has shown his/her understanding of the core concepts.
“F”	Fails to meet any of the assignment’s requirements. The expectations for the assignment simply are not present or addressed.

Course and College Policies:

Examples of unacceptable classroom behavior: On a college campus, everyone deserves the opportunity to study and learn in a safe environment and to be treated with courtesy and respect. Therefore, any conduct that prevents the instructor from teaching, and/or prevents students from learning is prohibited. If you do not behave in a way that is appropriate for maintaining a learning environment, I will ask you to leave the class. Some examples of unacceptable behaviors include: excessive absences, arriving late or leaving early without speaking to the instructor, talking while others are trying to listen to the instructor or their team members, talking during student presentations, sleeping in class, doing homework for other classes in class, having electronic devices “go off,” inappropriate comments or gestures, and harassment that affects other students’ ability to learn or the instructor’s ability to teach. The Arts & Humanities Division recognizes the judgment of individual instructors in these matters.

Cell phone use, texting, and other electronic devices: Please turn off your phone when you come into the classroom. There is no excuse for texting in the classroom. I will warn you once and ask you to leave class for the day the second time. This will be counted as an absence. Using electronic devices - such as a laptop computer, language dictionary, translation application, or a Kindle device - in class is permitted if they are used to facilitate learning in English 089. Headphones are never allowed.

Plagiarism: I use the Turn-It In program to assess “plagiarized” content in student essays. If you have “any” questions about “responsible citation,” ask me early and ask me often. I am always willing to discuss these questions if you ask them in a timely manner. Plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is the act of using another writer’s words or ideas as your own. According to the BC Arts & Humanities website, plagiarism:

…may take many forms, including, but not limited to, using a paper written by someone else, using printed sources word-for-word without proper documentation, and paraphrasing or summarizing the ideas of others without acknowledging the source.  Plagiarism can also occur when non-written ideas are taken without documentation--using someone else’s design or performance idea, for example.  In short, plagiarism is passing off someone else’s ideas, words, or images as your own; it amounts to intellectual theft--whether or not it was your intention to steal.  Bellevue College instructors have access to commercial plagiarism detection software, so please be advised that any work you submit may be tested for plagiarism. (http://bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/policy.html)

If you are proved guilty of academic dishonesty (plagiarism), you will fail the assignment. If you are caught plagiarizing again in the same quarter, you will fail the class.

Attendance policy: I will pass around an attendance sheet at the beginning of every class. If you are not here when the sheet goes around, you may be counted as absent. The BC Arts & Humanities Division’s policy regarding absence stipulates that any student missing more than twenty percent of total class time for a course may receive an “F” grade for the course. This class meets 5 days a week for a total of 51 meetings, so any student missing 10 or more class meetings will automatically receive a failing grade.

I understand that students frequently have good personal and professional reasons for missing class. However, from the perspective of our English 093 learning community, the English Department, Bellevue College, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education, your absence means you have not participated in the required quantity of classroom instruction to demonstrate the course outcomes. It is unethical, unprofessional, and unfair for an instructor to pass a student who has not attended 80% of class meetings.

Workload and regular deadlines: This course is fast-paced and you can expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour spent in class. Student homework for the week is due at the beginning of class every Friday morning at 7:30 am.

Late assignments: If you miss class and cannot turn in your weekly work on time either on paper or electronically, your materials will automatically be graded down by 10%. Therefore, if your weekly work receives a grade of 82%, your grade in Canvas will be recorded as 72%.

Extra credit policy: Extra credit work will be assigned at the instructor’s discretion in order to benefit the class as a whole. Individual extra credit work WILL NOT be assigned.

Tutoring and study skills development: Please do not hesitate to call on me during office hours if there is anything about the course you wish to discuss or need assistance with. It is my job to be here for you but it is also always a pleasure to get to know you and work with you to form and meet your academic goals. I hope you will seek me out prior to seeking other assistance.

However, if you feel you would benefit from ongoing tutoring or other academic assistance for this or any class at Bellevue College, please contact the Academic Success Center located in Building D – 204. Phone: (425) 564-2200.

Bellevue College offers a variety of computer and learning labs to enhance learning and student success. Find current campus locations for all student labs by visiting:

http://depts.bellevuecollege.edu/ir/students/studentguide/

Disability Resource Center:

The Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful in college, please contact me as soon as possible. If you are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation, such as a fire, earthquake, etc., please meet with me to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.

The DRC office is located in B - 132 or you can call the reception desk at 425-564-2498. Deaf students can reach me by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110. Please visit our website for application information into our program and other helpful links at:

www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc

I look forward to a great quarter and welcome your feedback at any time!!!

Tips for Student Success:

1. Understand the syllabus.
2. Attend class daily and manage your study time.
3. Come to class prepared to listen and to participate.
4. Always bring your books, paper, pen or pencil, course folder, and homework.
5. Understand you will have to share your writing with other students.
6. Figure out what help you need during the quarter and explore what Bellevue College has to offer. Ask you advisor or your instructors for help.
7. Talk with your instructor as soon as you have a problem.
8. Use your textbook and other resources MORE than is required for the course.
9. Hold on to all your work!
10. Writing is a difficult skill that takes time to develop. With persistence and hard work, we all can become stronger writers. Be gentle with yourself!
11. Be kind to your fellow students and your instructor. We are all in this together and having a positive attitude inspires all of us to do our best work.

Statement of Student Responsibility

I have read through the syllabus for Catherine Berkenfield’s course English 093—Composition for Non-native Speakers. I understand that the syllabus represents a contract between me as a student, Catherine as an instructor, the English Department, the Arts & Humanities Division, and Bellevue College as an institution. The syllabus lays out the rights and responsibilities for me and my instructor, and I know that I can rely on the document if some problem arises in class. I know that I should speak with my instructor first and, if she cannot answer my questions or address my concerns, she will provide contact information for someone else in the English Department or the Arts & Humanities Division who can assist me.

In particular, I understand that if I miss more than ten class meetings during winter quarter of 2013, I will automatically fail English 093. I also understand that missing any number of class meetings will affect my final grade.

Name (please print):

Signature:

Date: