Course Syllabus
Course Description
This is an upper-intermediate course designed to give students ample practice in developing and writing different types of paragraphs. Your grade in this class will be based on writing tasks (paragraphs and in-class writing assignments) and participation (including homework, attendance, and being on-task). The breakdown is as follows:
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (70%): Your assignment grades will be the paragraphs that you turn in to me as well as the timed writings (from the textbook) that you do in class. All writing is due on the day stated. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
PARTICIPATION (30%): Your participation grade (80% participation) in this class includes work done in class, your attendance, and completed homework. Just being present in class does NOT automatically guarantee a high participation grade.
NOTE: I do not allow extensions to assignments. I do, however, give students a possibility of raising their scores by offering an extra quiz and an extra writing assignment at the end of the semester. These grades can be used to replace a low score or a score of 0 because of an absence.
Grading Scale
0% - 54,99% ndst (2.0)
55% - 69,99% dost (3.0)
70% - 74,99% dst+ (3.5)
75% - 80.99% db (4.0)
81% - 90,99% db+ (4.5)
91% - 100% bdb (5.0)
Classroom Behavior
In this class, the instructor and students work together. You are expected to participate in class and to respect others; this includes not disrupting others by using cell phones, eating, or drinking.
Everyone in the class is allowed to voice his or her opinion. If you do not agree with something, it is your right to RESPECTFULLY bring that to the attention of the class in a polite manner. Suggestions for improvement are welcomed. The instructor comes to class prepared and ready to teach. You should do the same.
Provision for Students with Disabilities
If you require an accommodation due to a physical disability or learning impairment, you should contact the Office of Services to Students with Disabilities in order to effectively participate in this course.
Course Materials
Required Texts
Boardman, Cynthia. 2008. Writing to communicate 1 : paragraphs. White Plains, NY :Pearson/Longman.
Evans, Virginia. 2008. Successful Writing Upper-intermediate./ Intermediate Express Publishing.
Folse, Keith S. (ed.) 2003. Blueprints 1 : composition skills for academic writing. Boston : Houghton Mifflin.
Folse Keith S., April Muchmore-Vokoun - Elena Vestri Solomon. 2010. Great paragraphs. Boston, Mass. : Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Folse, Keith S., Elena Vestri Solomon- Barbara Smith-Palinkas. 2008. Top 20 : great grammar for great writing . Belmont, CA : Thomson ELT.
Herzfeld-Pipkin, Nancy. 2006. Destinations 2 : writing for academic success. Boston : Thomson Heinle.
Hogue, Ann - Jennifer Bixby. 2012. The Longman Academic Writing, Level 2 : Paragraphs. White Plains, NY : Pearson.
Kirszner, Laurie G.- Stephen R. Mandell. 2003. Writing in context : paragraphs and essays with readings. Boston : Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Kirszner, Laurie G. -Stephen R. Mandell. 2008. Focus on writing : paragraphs and essays. New York, NY : Bedford/St. Martins.
Meyers, Alan. 2005. Gateways to Academic Writing: Effective Sentences, Paragraphs, and Essays. White Plains, NY : Longman.
Mills, Helen. 1982. Connecting and combining in sentence and paragraph writing . Glenview, Ill. : Scott, Foresman.
Savage, Alice - Masoud Shafieiew . 2007. Effective academic writing. 1, The paragraph . York : Oxford University Press.
Oshima, Alice- Ann Hogue. 2006. Writing academic English. White Plains, NY : Pearson/Longman.
Students are responsible for notifying faculty if they will not be in class (planned absence). Where advance notification is not possible (e.g., personal or family emergency), students should contact their faculty and/or program chair as soon as possible to discuss options for making up any missed or late assignments, if permitted by faculty.
Participation includes:
• Signing your name on the attendance sheet;
• Being on time to class and returning from breaks;
• Sharing experiences;
• Sharing another resource you have used as you explored the course topics;
• Providing relevant input to in-class discussions and complete participation in the in-class activities;
• Participating equitable on team projects;
• Submitting your individual assignment(s) when they are due. Work handed in beyond the deadline will be deducted 10% per day.
• Everyone in the class is allowed to voice his or her opinion. If you do not agree with something, it is your right to RESPECTFULLY bring that to the attention of the class in a polite manner. Suggestions for improvement are welcomed. The instructor comes to class prepared and ready to teach. You should do the same.
NOTE:
Copying/Cheating: Every student is expected to do his/her own work.
GRADING STANDARDS:
bdb= Clearly stands out as an excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue, articulates well, and writes logically and clearly. Integrates ideas previously learned from this and other disciplines; anticipates next steps in the progression of ideas.
db/db+ = Grasps subject matter at a level considered to be very good. Is an active listener and participates in the workshop discussions. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work in and out of workshop is of a high quality.
dst/dst+ = Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates orally and in writing at an acceptable level for a college student. Has generally acceptable understanding of all basic concepts.
ndst = Quality and quantity of work in and out of the class is below average and barely acceptable.
CLASSROOM DECORUM:
• To enhance the learning atmosphere, students are expected to dress and behave in a fashion conducive to an institution of higher learning.
• Cell phones are to be put on 'silence' mode and calls are not to placed or answered during class.
• The use of laptops and other devices is to be restricted to research and study pertinent to the current class
• This class is expected to be interactive- ALL conversations should be conducted in English in the classrooms.
• Likewise, out of respect to classmates and instructors, leaving the classroom for any non-emergency should be limited to scheduled break times.
PROVISION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you require an accommodation due to a physical disability or learning impairment, you should contact the Office of Services to Students with Disabilities in order to effectively participate in this course.
E-Mail – Although you may come meet with me during office hours , many people choose to communicate via e-mail. Please always put ME in the subject of your e-mail, especially if you are not emailing from your mail account. Please allow up to 48 hours for me to reply to any email. Generally, I will reply well before 48 hours is up, however, you should not email questions the night before an exam. You may or may not receive a reply. When emailing, please write professionally and courteously. This means forming complete sentences, with appropriate punctuation and capitalization, as well as formulating your questions or requests in a considerate way. If your e-mail deviates too far from these expectations, I will reply by gently pointing you back to this section of the syllabus and asking you to try again.
SYLLABUS CHANGE:
While every attempt has been made to prepare this syllabus and class schedule in final form, it will be the instructor’s prerogative to make any changes as may be deemed necessary in order to meet the learning outcomes of the course.
Class handouts and other material: akuzio.edu20.org
Links:
[1] https://webapps.uz.zgora.pl/syl/index.php?/course/showCourseDetails/1116591
[2] http://www.in.uz.zgora.pl/index.php/o-instytucie/anglistyka/zaklad-filologii-angielskiejpracownia-praktycznej-nauki-jezyka-angielskiego
[3] http://www.uz.zgora.pl/index.php?rok-akademicki-2019-2020