Advanced Intermediate Conversation for Foreign Speakers (ESOL 0349)

 

Intensive English Program

Southwest College

 

ESOL 0349 – Advanced Intermediate Conversation for Foreign Speakers

CRN 33639 – Fall 2014

Gulfton Center – Room 118 | 7:00 – 8:40 p.m. |Mon./Wed.

7:00- 9:30 p.m.

3 hours lecture / 2 hours lab / 80 hours per semester/16 weeks

Class Dates: 8/25/2014 – 12/14/2014

Instructor:   Shirley Garrett

Instructor Contact Information:  e-mail: [email protected]

phone: 713-718-7750

Learning Website http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/shirley.garrett
Eagle Online Information:

http://smartipantz.perceptis.com/hccs/content/showcontent.aspx?id=147&type=local

Office location and hours: Gulfton Center, by appointment

Prerequisites

A passing grade in ESOL 0345 or, for incoming students, placement exam cut-offs

Course Description

A continuation of ESOL 0345, this course is designed to further develop conversational skills by incorporating more complicated vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students are also required to present oral reports at various times during the semester.

Course Statement of Purpose

This course seeks to prepare students for ESOL 0356 and ultimately for college-level academic or workforce classes and speaking assignments in general by accomplishing the following objectives:

•     Students develop their speaking and listening communication skills in different contexts, including academic, workforce and social situations.

•     Students are introduced to the language and culture of academic, workforce and social situations through the use of in-class presentations, role plays, panel and group discussions.

•     Students develop their listening comprehension and note-taking skills through exposure to recorded and teacher-generated listening-comprehension materials, which can include guest speakers.

•     Students practice English pronunciation, including common stress and intonation patterns, through exposure to songs, jazz or grammar chants, and other recorded materials, including materials that may be found on the Internet.

•     Students reinforce their English language skills used in formal situations (such as academic or workplace presentations or interviews). These skills include:

-           Developing topics

-           Organizing ideas

-           Building complex sentence structure

-    Increasing academic- and workforce-appropriate vocabulary

Student Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students should be able to:

1.   Demonstrate comprehension of a spoken passage of unsimplified English at the level of a middle-school speaker on topics ranging from social to workforce to academic.

2.   Demonstrate facility comprehending and using level-appropriate vocabulary.

3.   Produce comprehensible speech which is accurate enough to be comprehended with effort by those unaccustomed to interacting with non-native English speakers.

4.   Make a presentation on a researched topic.

5.   Identify key points of a spoken lecture appropriate to native-speaking middle-school students, using notes taken.

Learning Objectives leading to the Outcomes above:

1.1  Summarize the main idea of a conversation or presentation about an academic or workplace topic;

1.2  Demonstrate understanding of the specific details of this discourse.

 

2.1  Define significant academic or workforce-related vocabulary;

2.2  Use this vocabulary to produce appropriate responses in conversations related to academic or workforce-related topics.

 

3.1  Produce spoken discourse with relatively few errors in pronouncing the English sounds;

3.2  Produce sentences with accurate stress and intonation patterns.

 

4.1  Select a topic that is of interest both to the student and to the class;

4.2  Carry out basic research on this topic;

4.3  Prepare audio-visual support for the presentation, as appropriate;

4.4  Deliver the presentation, of 4-6 minutes, before the class, and answer questions as needed.

 

5.1  Outline the content of an oral academic presentation;

5.2  Explain the main ideas and important details of the presentation, using notes taken as the source of information.

 

16-WEEK COURSE CALENDAR

Week One

Introduction; orientation; diagnostics

information about Oral Presentation #1

Week Two

Unit 1: Names

Week Three

Unit 2: Global English

Week Four

Oral Presentation #1

Week Five

Unit 3: Phobias

Information about Oral Presentation #2

Week Six

Unit 4: Owning a Successful Restaurant

Week Seven

Unit 5: How We Each Learn Best

Week Eight

Oral Presentation #2

Midterm Reports

Week Nine

Unit 6: The Silk Road

Information about Oral Presentation #3

Week Ten

Unit 7: Team Building

Week Eleven

Unit 8: Frank Gehry

Week Twelve

Unit 9: Building Immunity

Oral Presentation #3

Week Thirteen

Unit 10: Principles of Journalism

Week Fourteen

Unit 11: DNA Testing

Week Fifteen

Unit 12: Risk Management

Review for final examination

Week Sixteen

Final Examination

(The instructor may change this calendar if needed)

Instructional Methods

Lectures and note-taking

Listening and summarizing

Discussions (pairs, small groups, whole class)

Presentations

Problem solving and reporting

Pronunciation practice

Vocabulary building

 

Student assignments

Taking notes from lectures

Giving presentations

Discussing

Problem solving and reporting

Summarizing recorded material

Recording for pronunciation and fluency

 

Assessments

Oral presentations

Listening tests and quizzes

Notes taken from lectures

Oral summaries of recorded material

 

Instructional Materials

Pathways 3: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking (green), Chase & Johannsen ( Heinle Cengage Publishers)

EGLS3: Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System

At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.

 

HCC Policy Statement: Academic Dishonesty

Any form of copying, cheating, or plagiarism will result in a grade of 0 for the assignment. The instructor will decide whether to permit you to make up the work, and under what circumstances it might be made up. If you are charged with academic dishonesty, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by HCC officials against a student who is accused of scholastic dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.

Cheating on a test includes:

• Copying from another students’ test paper;
• Using  materials not authorized by the person giving the test;
• Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization;
• Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a test that has not been administered;
• Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.

Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.

Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System.

See the HCCS Student Handbook for further information.

 

HCC Policy Statement: Attendance

According to the HCC Student Handbook, you can be dropped from a course after accumulating absences in excess of 12.5 percent of the total hours of instruction (lab as well as lecture). For Intensive English if you exceed a total of 10 hours (12.5%) of absence in any class (= 4 full days of any class, including labs), you can be dropped from that class. If you are an F1 student, this can make you out of status and will cause you visa problems, possibly requiring you to petition for reinstatement. Please email me if you are absent and talk to me on your return to find out the work that you missed.

 

Tardiness and in-class time absence

Classes and tests begin on time. Lateness of five minutes or more counts as a class or lab absence. You can enter the classroom, but you will be counted absent. Lateness after break times, leaving early or disappearing for more than five minutes during class or lab are also counted as absences. Texting, using social networking sites, or other improper use of electronic devices during class time or lab time is also counted toward your absences. Your instructor will inform you of his/her class policy regarding this misuse: you may be required to leave the classroom and be counted absent, or you may instead be given one tardy.

Class attendance leads to class success.

 

HCC Withdrawal Deadline

To drop a class, you must speak with a counselor or an advisor. The nearest place to see one is in Gulfton Room 117. The last day students may withdraw or be dropped from a class with a grade of W is Friday October 31st before 4:30 p.m. Students who have excessive absences after that date will receive the grades they earn. Note: International students will be out of status if they drop or are dropped from their classes and may have to return to their countries. Speak with a counselor or an advisor before dropping classes to make sure you understand the procedures.

 

HCC Policy on Students Repeating a Course for the Third Time

Repeating students:

Grades of IP or F are failing grades; the student will have to repeat the course. A student who fails a class for the second time must receive a grade of F for that class. Students who repeat a course for three or more times will have to pay a higher tuition fee at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. If you are having trouble in class, talk to your teacher and get help from a tutor. Get other assistance from a counselor before withdrawing or for advice if your grades are not passing. Students should get help so that they will not fail. Tutoring is also available at Gulfton Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 to 2:30 in Room 121 and on Fridays from 9:00-11:00 in the Audio Lab. Evening tutoring is available on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Audio Lab.

 

HCC Policy Statement: ADA

Services to Students with Disabilities Students who require reasonable accommodations for disabilities are encouraged to report to Dr. Becky Hauri at 713-718-7910 to make necessary arrangements. Faculty is only authorized to provide accommodations by the Disability Support Service Office. Please see this website for more information: http://hccs.edu/student-rights

 

HCC Policy on Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment in any form is not tolerated at Houston Community College. It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent, or student of the college to engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC guidelines (EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47). See HCCS Student Handbook for more information.

 

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

Treat your classmates and teacher with respect. Use English. Make the most of your class time by actively participating in discussions and activities. Turn off your cell phone during class. If you are expecting an emergency call, ask your instructor’s permission to leave your cell phone on vibrate.

Use of Camera and/or Recording Devices

Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for information regarding reasonable accommodations.

Misuse of Electronic Devices in the Classroom

The use of electronic devices by students in the classroom is up to the discretion of the instructor. Any use of such devices for purposes other than student learning is strictly prohibited. If an instructor perceives such use as disruptive and/or inappropriate, the instructor has the right to terminate such use. If the behavior continues, the student may be subject to disciplinary action to include removal from the classroom or referral to the Dean of Student Services. (Please see the Attendance Policy for this class.) HCC instructors have the right to require students to turn in electronic devices before being allowed to take a quiz or test or to write an in-class composition or other assignment.

Disruptive Behavior: Students who conduct themselves in a manner that significantly interferes with college teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other authorized college activities (including its public service functions) on the college premises will be subject to disciplinary action. Any student who behaves in this way may be required by the instructor to leave the classroom and be counted absent for the rest of that class period.

Missed tests, presentations, quizzes: Please do not be absent on testing or presentation days. If you are absent, you must ask your instructor for permission to make up what you missed. Missed presentations and examinations can be made up only if you can provide what your instructor considers an acceptable reason for having a second chance. If you do not speak with your instructor about this on the day when you return to class, you will not be allowed to make up the work.

Late homework: If homework is one day late without a reason that is acceptable to your instructor, the grade will go down 15 points. Two days late = 30 points down. Late homework will not be accepted after the second day. If you miss classwork, you cannot receive full credit for making it up.

INSTRUCTOR’S REQUIREMENTS

The teacher needs to:

• Create a rich environment for learning and student interaction.
• Give students extra learning resources in class and in lab on topics connected to the course
• Make classes, projects, tests, assignments, policies, dates, and regulations clear.
• Tell students about important HCC policies such as attendance and academic honesty (no cheating).
• Make arrangements to be available to students when they need help or have questions.
• Give help when needed
• Provide grading scales and assessment.
• Make a class calendar available.

To succeed in college the students need to:

• Work hard, attend all classes, and be on time. Good attendance + hard work = SUCCESS
• If you are absent for all or part of a class, you are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to find out what you missed and to find out if the work can be made up.
• Pay attention, listen carefully and ask questions. Listen and be respectful to other students’ contributions.
• Create a good learning environment. Turn off cell phones or use vibrate mode for emergencies. No Texting in class.
• Concentrate. Use English only in class time and sit next to someone who doesn’t speak your language.
• Eat well for energy. The brain needs good food. Eat breakfast at home and lunch in break times.
• Do homework. The brain learns by seeing new words and ideas many times in different ways.
• Do your own work and learn. Copying from the Internet and other sources is not learning.
• Have fun with English.
• Read, write, listen and speak English in daily life through TV, neighbors, students and coworkers, and volunteering in the community.
• Use technology for learning online in English learning sites.

 

PROGRAM AND ESL DISCIPLINE REQUIREMENTS

Basic Requirements for ESOL 0349

Students in ESOL 0349 will have at least four graded speaking assignments and five graded listening assignments in class.

•     Speaking assignments may include the following: individual presentations, pair presentations, group presentations, and/or panels.

•     Listening assignments may include the following: short dictations, short audio segments with comprehension questions, and/or note-taking assignments.

 

HCC Grading Scale

90-100% =A     80 – 89% = B     70 – 79% = C     Below 70% = IP or F (not passing)

FX = Failure due to excessive absence

 

ESOL 0349 Grading Formula

Presentations/Plans                       40%

List/ Voc. Quizzes                           20%

Daily Partic/Lab                              20%

Final Exam                                     20%

100%

Important Dates and Holidays

IEP classes begin                                                         August 25

Labor Day Holiday  (HCC is closed)                                 September 1

Official Day of Record (See Attendance Policy)                 September 8

Last Day for Administrative/Student Withdrawals             October 31 at 4:30 PM

Thanksgiving Holiday ( HCC is closed)                               November 27-28

Final Examinations                                                        December 8-Dec. 11

Grades available to students                                          December 12