Mason Academic English Program Level 6 Core Class



Mason Academic English Program Level 6 Core ClassSummer 2015 SyllabusInstructor: Troy McCamishInstructor Email:tmccamis@gmu.eduCourse #: AE 060-001Class Location: Mason Global Center, Room 1307Days and Time: Mon-Fri: 10:30-12:20Office hours: By appointmentCourse DescriptionIn Level 6 Core, you will develop your academic reading and writing skills in English. Course ObjectivesDuring this course, we want to raise your reading and writing level up to CEFR B2. We will do this by working on many different language skills, but will place special emphasis on building the skills you need for writing academic essays, self-correcting your own writing, and reading for understanding.ReadingCan identify main ideas and supporting details.Can make inferences, draw conclusions, make connections, evaluate, and synthesize information from various sources. Can demonstrate a variety of note-taking skills, such as highlighting, annotating, paraphrasing, summarizing, outlining, and creating graphic organizers.Can interpret visually or graphically-supported informationCan cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.Can determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of a text.Can analyze how an author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or eventsCan distinguish among fact, false statement, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.Can analyze how an author’s ideas or claims are developedCan determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.WritingOn timed and untimed writing assignments, can show understanding of the writing process: planning, drafting, editing, and revising.Can write straightforward summaries on a wide range of factual texts, making note of different points of views and main ideas/themes. Can write a cause/effect essay.Can write a compare/contrast essay.Can write a problem/solution essay.Can write a persuasive/argumentative essay.VocabularyCan determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words, using context clues, clues from prefixes, suffixes, or roots, or a reference text.Can demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.GrammarPast PerfectThird Conditionals: Past unreal: If + Past Perfect + would haveActive and Passive Causative with have, let, make, & getNoun clauses with thatAdjective Clauses with Prepositions, Quantifiers, or NounsModals and similar expressions: Speculation about the past (e.g. What should the people have done)?Adverb ClausesCourse Textbooks and Materials – Please bring the following to class EVERY day.Longman Academic Reading Series 4, Edition 14. Cohen, R., 2013. Pearson Longman; 9780132915694Skills for Effective Writing level 4, Edition 13. Hills, 2013. Cambridge: 97811076135778.5” x 11” lined notebook paperPens, pencils, and erasersLaptop or notepad when directedAs you can see, we will use 2 textbooks in this course. Please buy the two books from the Mason Bookstore or order them immediately from Amazon using free 2 day shipping with your student email. You must have the books by Friday, May 29 at the very latest. Please do not use books that have writing on the inside. Course RequirementsWe will improve your ability to read and write in English through a number of activities:Daily In-Class Exercises: Most days, we will work from our textbooks and supplemental material to practice reading, writing, and grammar. Your participation in these activities will be graded. Homework: You will also have homework assignments on a regular basis. These assignments are due at the beginning of class and are graded on an effort basis scale. For example, if you make a concerted effort to complete the assignment, you receive full credit. Homework is ALWAYS to be done individually unless otherwise directed.Writing Assignments: We will do informal and formal writing every week. Informal writing will include journal-type logs and responses to assigned readings. Formal writing assignments will include in-class timed writing and longer projects. Print any writing assignments BEFORE class begins.Quizzes: We will have periodic quizzes on material covered in class or assigned out of class Quiz dates will be announced ahead of time.Grading CriteriaWriting assignments 30%Quizzes 30%Homework 10%In class work 10%Common Final Exam (No early finals given!) 20%Final Grades: A+:97-100; A:93-96; A-:90-92; B+:87-89; B:83-86; B-:80-82; C+:77-79; C:73-76; C-:70-72; D:60-69; F:0-59; NG:More than 8 absences. In order to pass this class, you must earn at least a “B-,” 80%.Progression StatementEarning an 80% in Level 6 Core will satisfy the language requirements for advancement to Level 7 Core, to Mason Direct Undergraduate Admission, or a Graduate Accelerated Pathway.Policies: Attend class regularly and on time: To maintain Visa status, you may not miss more than 15% of class time (8 classes). Students who miss more than 15% of class time will not receive a grade (NG). If you miss more than 5 minutes of class (at the beginning, middle, or end) this will count as a half absence.Missed Work: You are responsible for turning all assignments in on time, even if you are late, sick, or absent. If you will be absent you can email me the assignment as directed before class starts. I do not allow make-up exams, quizzes, homework, or presentations. For every day an assignment is late, there will be a 20% reduction for your grade.Technology Use: No cell phones may be turned on in class. Use computers and other electronic devices in class only when you are asked to do so. Check your email or Blackboard announcements regularly so that you do not miss important messages regarding the materials for this class.Speak only English in the classroom.Stay on task.PlagiarismPlagiarism is cheating. It is using another person’s work {even if you don’t know the person} and claiming it to be yours, or getting unapproved help. This is dangerous in academics.NEVER copy/use information from the Internet or anywhere else without documenting the source and giving credit to the original author/speaker. Do not use writing borrowed from family, friends, or other classmates...this is also cheating.Since this class emphasizes the development of your academic reading & writing skills, you are encouraged to consult other sources. If you look at such work, however, you must cite, using a standard APA citation format, all sources that your own writing includes, either directly (quotes) or indirectly (summaries). Such sources include (but are not limited to) the texts we're reading, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, or video/media resources. Yes, that means YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, or even Facebook!I will take all suspected cases of plagiarism to the INTO Director. Any assignments which include plagiarized materials will receive a 0/No Grade. No exceptions.Honor Code“Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work.” Cheating includes copying or allowing someone else to copy homework or test answers. See honorcode for more information on the GMU Honor CodeCourse Schedule (subject to change)Week 1 – Introduction & Diagnostics Skills 1 & 2 in SFEW Week 2 – LARS chap. 1 - Skills 3-5 in SFEW - Past PerfectWeek 3 – LARS chap. 2 - Skills 6-8 in SFEW - Noun clauses - Compare/Contrast essayWeek 4 – LARS chap. 3 - Skills 9-10 in SFEW - Adjective ClausesWeek 5 – LARS chap. 4 - Skills 11-12 in SFEW - Adverb ClausesWeek 6 – LARS chap. 5 - Skills 13-14 in SFEW - Third Conditionals - Cause/Effect essayWeek 7 – LARS chap. 6 - Skills 15-16 in SFEW - Active and Passive CausativeWeek 8 – LARS chap. 7 - Skills 17-18 in SFEW - Modals - Problem/Solution essayWeek 9 – LARS chap. 8 - Skills 19-20 in SFEW Week 10 – LARS chap. 9 - Argumentative essay - ExamImportant dates:May 26 – 1st day of classMay 29 – Deadline for having textbooksJuly 3 – No class (Independence Day)July 31 – Last day of class (Do not book travel plans until after this day) ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download