Course+Outline



The City University of New York Department of Developmental Skills**
 * Borough of Manhattan Community College

Course/Section Number: 095.081 English as a Second Language Hrs/wk: 6; Credits: 0

Prof. Cynthia Wiseman Office: Room No. 436 (1st door to the right in Dev. Sk. N420) Contact Information: Office Hours: By appointment email: cwiseman@bmcc.cuny.edu Tel: (212) 220-1396 (Dept office) (212) 220-8373 (o) (212) 665-5259 (f-h)

Summer 2006: June 1 -- July 9, 2009 Class Schedule: MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursday: 8-11:45 am

Holidays July 4, 2009

Description This is an intensive writing course for ESL students which focuses on the following basic components of effective writing: --paragraph development, --sentence structure, --word choice, and --content.

Students read and respond to a variety of texts and use argumentation, narrative and description as modes of developing ideas in writing. Promotion is granted when students' essay writing performance is judged satisfactory for entrance into English Composition (ENG 101).

Prerequisites and/or Corequisites Students register for ESL 095 as a result of their performance on a placement test or promotion from a lower level ESL courses. There are no prerequisites or corequisites for ESL 095.

Objectives Students will be able to write a timed essay in response to a prompt on the CUNY ACT Essay test with a proficiency to achieve a passing score. The minimum passing score is 7 on this scale (see ACT rubric for specific criteria).

--Students will demonstrate ability to express similar ideas in different ways clearly and accurately, whether at the word level, the sentence level, or at the discourse level, through various means of organization, rhetorical devices and choice of content. --Students will demonstrate awareness that writing is a process and develop their own processes of writing. They will be able to give feedback and incorporate feedback from peers and teachers to identify places in their compositions that need revision and revise appropriately (e.g., refocusing, adding, deleting, reordering, combining); they will develop effective strategies for editing, proofreading and correcting errors on the word, phrase and sentence levels. --Students will respond in writing to texts they read. They will be able to write a summary and/or evaluation of a text of an appropriate level of difficulty; they will respond in writing to others' writing (including that of their peers) in regard to both content and form; they will respond in writing to literature, news articles and editorials, commenting on associations they have, the significance on the content of the writing and the way it is written. --Students will develop an awareness of style and figurative language; they will be able to offer interpretations of figurative language. --Students will read different materials (stories, novels, newspaper and magazine articles, student writing, excerpts from high school and college level textbooks) and become more adept at comparing, analyzing, evaluating and synthesizing ideas from a variety of sources. --Students will be able to turn in final drafts with very few errors as well as produce in-class writing with a minimum of recurrent grammar problems. --Students will continue to use the library for pleasure reading and for research for academic and professional purposes. --Students will continue to seek out ways to expand and extend their knowledge of all aspects of English both in and outside of the classroom.

Required Texts The Kiterunner

Suggested Understanding and Using English Grammar by Betty Azar

Evaluation and Requirements of Students Grades will be based upon participation in class work, homework, exams and attendance. Students passing to a higher level will receive a grade of S and zero (0) credits; students who must repeat the level will receive a grade of R and zero (0) credits. Students who must repeat the course for the second time or more will receive a grade of R. Students will take the ACT (American College Test) at the end of the term. A score of 7 on the writing portion of the test is needed to pass the course. Students will take a grammar portion of the test but this score does not count towards passing ESL095. Note: the reading portion of the ACT is not given in ESL 095; however, students must have passed the reading portion of the ACT to enter English 101. In keeping with the college's policy of providing equal access for students with disabilities, any student with a disability who needs academic accommodations is welcome to meet with Mr. Tom McDonald, M.Ed., Director of Services for Students with Disabilities, who will conduct an intake, and if appropriate, provide an accommodation letter. Mr. McDonald's office is located in N768.

Portfolios Students will produce a collection of original writings. Each essay must be rewritten with revisions and editing on each draft.

Attendance Students are required to come to class on time and to stay the full time. They are allowed seven hours of excused absence during the term.

Blackboard This is a web-enhanced class. That means that your are required to participate in class discussions on-line, check assignments posted online and submit some homework assignments online through the digital drop box.

Wiki Students will collaborate on creating a wiki for each topic related to ACT questions. BLOGS Students are required to maintain a BLOG throughout the semester, posting at least 1 entry/week. You are responsible for posting a summary and your own opinion about an issue reported on in at least 1 news article/week. BLOGS are Web Logs or online personal web pages.

Attendance Students are required to come to class on time and to stay the full time. They are allowed seven (7) hours of excused absence during the term.

College Disability Statement In keeping with the college's policy of equal access for students with disabilities, any student with a disability who needs academic accommodations is welcome to meet with me privately. All conversations will be kept confidential Students requesting accommodations will also need to go to the offices of Services for Students with Disabilities, N320. The office will supply you, if appropriate, with an academic accommodation letter for you to show to professors.

BMCC Policy Statement on Plagiarism Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else's ideas, words, or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one's own creation. Using the i8dea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. The determination of whether the alleged act of plagiarism involves the presentation of another person's words or work as one's own is a factual determination. In such instances, the Dean of Students may refer the allegation to the Faculty-Student Disciplinary committee (see Article 15.4 of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees). The determination of whether the alleged act of plagiarism involves the presentation of another person's ideas as one's own is an academic judgment. In such instances, the Dean of Students will refer the matter to the appropriate academic department for review. If the department determines that plagiarism has occurred, the department's regular procedures in terms of grading and grade appeals should be followed.

Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work.