English 081/091 Course of Study

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA

COURSE TITLE:High Beginning Writing for Non-native Speakers of English

English 091

COURSE DESCRIPTION:The writing component of the first in a series of integrated courses that develop reading and writing skills in English. Development of vocabulary, study, life, and cultural skills; critical thinking; reading comprehension; basic grammar; and sentence structure. Writing of narrative, descriptive, and simple expository paragraphs and short essays, letters, and simple response to reading. Credit will not be applied toward graduation. Course is paired and integrated with English 081.

PREREQUISITE:Pass grade in ICCS or placement

COREQUISITE:English 081High Beginning Reading for Non-Native Speakers of English

COURSE HOURS:3-0-3

COURSE WRITER:Linda R. Fellag, Department of English

DATE:September 28, 2001

English 081/ English 091

High Beginning Reading and Writing

Course of Study

A. Course Description

English 081/091 is the first in a series of four pairs of integrated courses that develop reading and writing skills. Students increase their proficiency in study, life, cultural, and critical thinking skills; reading comprehension; vocabulary; basic grammar; and sentence structure.

The integrated pair of courses emphasizes academic reading and writing. Students read and study texts in order to increase their knowledge of the vocabulary, syntax, and mechanics of English. In turn, they write on personal and academic topics about what they have read and apply the language and content they have acquired through reading. Types of writing include narrative, descriptive, and simple expository paragraphs and short essays, letters, and simple response to reading.

B. Rationale

Reading and writing competence are essential to college success. Enhanced English language proficiency also strengthens English learners functionality in the workplace and the English-speaking community at large.

In general, students at this level have acquired some English, but have little academic experience with it. They have limited vocabulary and basic knowledge of English word order.

Students are placed into these two courses based on their scores on the Maculaitis

Reading placement test and a writing placement test. See Appendix 1 (A Proposal for Changing the Scoring of the Essay Part of the ESL Placement Test) of the Curriculum Revision Proposal for a detailed explanation of the procedure for student placement.

English 081/091 students improve their reading comprehension, build vocabulary through numerous strategies, organize and develop writing into unified paragraphs and short essays, understand and use basic grammatical features, recognize and adhere to sentence boundaries, including using punctuation and capitalization appropriately, and learn and apply spelling rules.

The concurrent study and practice of reading and writing provides opportunities for reinforcement of skills. At the same time, students become acclimated to college expectations, enhance their study skills, and build technological skills essential for academic success.

English 081/091 has two classroom components: one the six-hour-per-week main class, the other a two-hour-per week Learning Lab class. The Learning Lab class provides students with additional opportunities to practice and reinforce what they have learned in the classroom. The supplemental Learning Lab class content is coordinated between the ESL faculty and ESL Specialists in the Learning Lab. Steady communication between the two faculty groups ensures that classroom activities further the learning objectives set forth in the curriculum. (See Section F. for further explanation of Learning Lab instruction.)

C. Course Goals/Learning Objectives

The overall goal of this linked high beginning reading/writing course pair is to prepare students for the low intermediate level in the areas of reading comprehension, composing, syntax, lexicon/semantics, mechanics, study skills, cultural skills, and life skills.

Reading and writing are presented and practiced together so that skills are reinforced. As models and springboards for student writing, readings supply content (springboards for writing), language (vocabulary and grammar), and organization (rhetoric). As students read and write, they begin to see the two language areas as processes in which ideas are revisited and revised.

The goals of the course are based on several theoretical models. First, recent second language acquisition research suggests that successful language learners employ a wide variety of skills and strategies, depending on the learning context, i.e., the type of text they are reading or the writing task at hand. Therefore, a variety of learning strategies and skills (including reading skills and strategies and composition skills) are modeled and practiced to enable students to discover the most effective ones for them (Scarcella and Oxford, 1992).* Second, research suggests that by designing language learning tasks that are meaningful, communicative, and learner-centered, students become motivated, independent, and active learners. Through pair and group work, students may discuss each others ideas, look constructively at each others work, and collaborate on tasks (Brookes and Grundy, 1998). Third, ESL educators now view writing as a multiply-recursive process, rather than a series of linear steps. In this process, student writers move in and out of the stages of planning, targeting, organizing, drafting, evaluating, editing, and rewriting (Brookes and Grundy, 1998). In addition, the typical community college ESL student, a U.S. resident, may possess stronger oral and aural language skills than writing skills because of gaps in formal language education. This special type of language learner needs to develop not only fluency, but also accuracy, so grammar and mechanics practice is essential. (Byrd and Reid, 1998). Finally, reading researchers acknowledge that

extensive, independent reading can foster a lifelong habit of reading, which will

enhance students linguistic and general knowledge (Day and Bamford, 1998).

* See Section J. for full references.

C.1Reading Comprehension

Students develop reading comprehension by relating readings to their life experiences and background knowledge. They acquire skills and strategies that will help them become independent readers.

Both authentic English reading selections and adapted texts are utilized. Passages include articles, short stories, poems, short novels, graphic texts, and electronic (Internet) texts on personal and non-personal topics.

Given appropriate levels of reading materials, students are expected to

Use prior knowledge to help them understand their reading.

Preview main elements of a reading.

Predict content (before and during reading).

Identify and restate main ideas with simple statements.

Distinguish between main ideas and details.

Answer comprehension questions orally and in writing (short answer, multiple choice, cloze, chronological ordering, true/false questions, etc.).

Skim for overall meaning.

Scan for specific information.

Begin to understand text organization.

Organize ideas in chronological/logical order.

Draw inferences.

Begin to distinguish between fact and opinion.

Begin to paraphrase main ideas orally or in writing.

C.2Writing in Response to Reading

Student writers at this level can respond to their reading in a variety of ways. They may write simple summaries, reaction (opinion) pieces, and descriptive, narrative, and expository paragraphs and compositions in which they relate ideas in a reading to their own experience.

Summary writing is a challenging skill; however, high beginning students can be provided criteria and models of good summaries and asked to select the best summary from several choices. Students could distinguish between an objective summary and a summary containing subjective ideas. Instructors may want to have students write simple, guided summary writing assignments. Students may identify and/or write a main idea sentence for single units (one or more paragraphs) of a text and compile the main idea sentences into a summary. Prescribed introduction and conclusion sentences can be modeled.

Descriptive and narrative paragraphs and short compositions may draw upon students own experiences and/or relate to people, places, or things in a reading text. Simple expository paragraphs and compositions can include personal and/or text-related topics about things, ways, reasons, types, etc.

(See sample syllabi in section K for specific examples of writing topics.)

Reading texts should serve as linguistic models for students writing. Post-reading activities should exploit the grammatical, lexical, and rhetorical

features of readings appropriate to this level in order to facilitate student application of these features to their own writing. For instance, students can isolate and discuss simple present tense verbs in a past time narrative to see that a writer can use generalizations alongside sentences that are part of a narrative.

Moreover, extensive reading has been used effectively at this level. Students read independently and produce written and oral reports on their reading. (See section D.2. for further explanation of extensive reading activities.)

Students are expected to

Write simple, sentence- and paragraph-length summaries of main ideas in a reading.

Write phrase-, sentence-, and/or paragraph-length compositions that show a students comprehension of information in a reading text.

Write sentence- and paragraph-length reactions to a reading.

Write paragraphs based on a reading theme that relate the reading to their own personal experience.

Write a topic sentence (main idea sentence) for a paragraph.

Begin to produce unified descriptive, narrative, and expository paragraphs and/or multi-paragraph compositions, that is, writing that contains a topic sentence and logical support (major supporting points and details).

Begin to use logical and chronological organizers appropriately.

Begin to use pronouns, repeated words, and/or synonyms to make writing coherent.

Begin to explore a variety of techniques for gathering ideas for writing (i.e. freewriting, brainstorming, listing, clustering).

Respond to teachers and/or peer comments by self-revising (to add or clarify ideas) and editing writing (to correct grammatical and mechanical errors).

C.3Lexicon/Semantics

Successful readers increase their vocabulary by employing a variety of strategies for deciphering the meaning(s) of words. In this way, learners can discover the most effective strategies for vocabulary development so that they may comprehend and retain increasingly difficult vocabulary items, which they can apply in their own writing and speech.

At this level, students can begin to master a word by understanding some of its various features: form, structure, morphemics, multiplicity of meaning, relatedness to other words (antonymy, etc.), syntactic patterns, collocation, etc. At the high beginning level, students should recognize plurality (form), begin to recognize some common noun, adjective, and adverb endings (morphemics), and use synonymy and antonymy as vocabulary study tools. Readings and other class materials should repeatedly expose students to frequently occurring academic vocabulary items in order to promote student retention of meaning. Furthermore, vocabulary items should be presented in a careful sequence so that items most frequently used in academic and general contexts are presented first, following persuasive research that advocates an appropriate sequence of vocabulary acquisition.

High beginning learners should begin to practice dictionary skills that they will continue to improve as they move up in the ESL reading/writing course sequence. Most students at this level continue to rely on bilingual (paper and electronic) and picture dictionaries. Class discussions and illustrations of the efficacy of English-English learners dictionaries such as the Longman Dictionary of American English will help prepare students for intermediate level reading and writing.

In this and other lexical/semantical areas, students are expected to develop the following skills:

Begin to recognize parts of speech (word families).

Begin to use knowledge of parts of speech to interpret text.

Classify words of the same domain (e.g. clothing: articles of clothing).

Begin to guess meaning of words from context.

Begin to comprehend sound and spelling correspondence.

Begin to use new vocabulary words from readings in their own writing.

Begin to recognize multiplicity of meaning of words.

Be aware of pronunciation, stress, and syllable symbols in dictionaries.

Be able to alphabetize words and find words in alphabetical order in a dictionary.

Begin to distinguish between formal words used in writing and informal words used in speech.

Begin to develop a personal system for recording and remembering unfamiliar vocabulary words.

C.4Syntax

Students must accurately interpret the syntactic clues embedded in a reading text to fully comprehend its meaning. By recognizing and understanding grammatical features in high beginning level and above readings, students can better understand and produce fundamental grammatical structures in their own writing.

Students are expected to

Recognize and begin to produce complete sentences.

Recognize and begin to correctly use basic word order in sentences.

Begin to identify and appropriately use a variety of basic sentence patterns.

Distinguish between and begin to appropriately use singular and plural forms.

Recognize and begin to appropriately use articles with singular and plural count nouns and non-count nouns.

Understand use of pronoun reference in texts and begin to use pronouns appropriately in writing.

Understand and use prepositions of place and time.

Understand and begin to use logical organizers such as coordinating conjunctions, chronological organizers, and cause and effect words.

Understand and begin to use present, past, and future tense verbs appropriately.

Understand and begin to use frequency adverbs and other adverbials appropriately.

C.5Mechanics

Students with limited writing experience need overt instruction in punctuation and spelling rules. Reading texts can serve as models for correct mechanical usage.

Students are expected to

Begin to recognize and abide by sentence boundaries in writing.

Begin to appropriately use sentence-end and intra-sentence punctuation marks such as the period, question mark, comma and parentheses.

Begin to recognize and correct sentence fragments and comma splices.

Use capital letters correctly.

Recognize and begin to follow certain spelling rules: +s forms of nouns and simple present tense verbs, +ing forms of present continuous verbs, and +ed forms of simple past tense verbs.

Begin to develop a personal system for studying and self-correcting commonly misspelled words.

C.6Study Skills

Developing study skills prepares students to handle academic/college coursework independently. The term study skills encompasses a wide range of classroom behaviors and learning strategies. For many English 081/091 students, these courses serve as an introduction to U.S. academic life.

Students are expected to develop the following skills, classified here by level of importance.

Critical Skills:

Establish English language study as a priority.

Meet deadlines and requirements for courses.

Begin to develop dictionary skills with either a bilingual or a monolingual (English-English) dictionary.

Recognize and successfully manipulate the parts of a textbook (e.g. table of contents, index).

Understand objective and subjective tests.

Very Important Skills:

Study effectively with peers.

Begin to develop self-testing strategies.

Important Skills:

Begin to annotate a text.

Predict and answer examination questions based on reading.

Prepare for timed writing examinations.

Discover and use learning resources at the College, such as tutoring in the Learning Lab.

C.7Technology Skills

Students can begin to acquire technological skills that will help students function better in academic courses and daily life.

Students are expected to

Begin to use the College library to check out a book

Begin to be aware of and use local free libraries as sources of beginning reading.

Begin to be aware of and begin to utilize the Internet as a reading and writing resource.

Begin to use the computer as a tool for developing writing fluency through electronic messaging to classmates, students at other institutions, and/or instructor, or through beginning word processing of writing.

C.8Cultural and Life Skills

Through reading, students begin to explore American history and society, gathering information about the culture of this country. Cultural skills also help students function more effectively in the American setting.

Students are expected to

Begin to learn about American culture, traditions, values, trends, and history.

Learn etiquette and rules of a U.S. classroom.

Take risks to participate effectively in the classroom.

Take risks to use English outside the classroom.

D. Planned Sequence of Activities

Reading and writing activities should be interwoven. Students may prepare for reading by previewing, discussing, studying language, and writing. While reading, students should be led to focus on content and language that they may emulate in their own writing. Afterwards, students can identify and expand upon ideas and structures in their reading. Then, they can produce simple summaries, reactions, and paragraphs based on ideas from reading. The activities should move back and forth between reading and writing, journal writing and formal writing, and thinking and rethinking.

D.1A Typical Reading/Writing Unit

A typical unit in English 081/091 incorporates the reading, writing, lexical, grammatical, mechanical, study, and technological skills previously described. The length of time to cover an integrated skills unit may vary from one to two weeks, or may even consist of a one-class reading/writing lesson.

Here is an example of a typical integrated reading/writing unit of study. The lesson is described here in generic terms. Sample sequences of activities, including specific reading texts and writing assignments, are included in the sample syllabi found in section K.

Part 1:Pre-reading activities

Students are presented with a reading text. Before reading, they engage in activities to prepare them to read. They preview the reading, study vocabulary, and acquire background (e.g. cultural, historical) knowledge. They also explore the reading theme to activate their prior knowledge of the subject. Students may write about a topic before reading.

Part 2: Reading and Post-reading activities

To build reading fluency, students are led to first read a text without consulting a dictionary. Then, they may read the text subsequently by marking and looking up unfamiliar words in a dictionary. After-reading activities check students comprehension of general and specific ideas, exploit the reading for its language, vocabulary, and organizational features, and allow students to explore textual content and language cooperatively with classmates. Language study (grammar, vocabulary, etc.) may be included at this stage as students identify language used in a text. Writing may be used as a post-reading activity to check students comprehension of texts or allow them to respond critically to their reading. Independent study and group work build students study skills. Extensive reading activities are explained in the subsequent section D.2.

Part 3: Pre-writing activities

Students are formally instructed in the rhetorical conventions of academic writing. Students recognize these features in the text they have read (or other samples) before applying the features to their own writing. As part of the writing process, students also engage in idea-gathering activities such as brainstorming, listing, and freewriting before they write. Language and mechanics study may also occur at this stage in the unit.

Part 4: Writing activities

Students write paragraphs and multi-paragraph compositions on topics provided by the instructor. Topics are often closely related to ideas in a reading. Students are encouraged to draw ideas and language from their reading. Whenever possible, writing topics are communicative in nature and build academic and/or life skills.

Part 5: Post-reading and -writing activities

By responding to readings through written summaries and reactions, students reflect on their reading. Such activities encourage students to revisit the reading text. The examination of model summaries, reaction papers, and paragraphs written by peers helps students to evaluate their own reading comprehension.

More traditional reading assessment tools such as objective tests also enable students to self-evaluate their reading.

Direct instruction and practice in language and mechanical points enable students to refine their knowledge of written English as students revise and edit their writing as part of the writing process. Students revise independently and through peer activities that help them to change or add to their writing. Peer editing and self-monitoring of errors can help students to become independent writers.

D.2Extensive Reading and Writing

The use of extensive, independently chosen reading is increasing in second language classrooms. At the high beginning level, students can be encouraged to independently read short adapted novels and adult literacy-type non-fiction texts of their choice as well as Internet texts (with instructional support on Internet use from instructor and/or College library faculty). The goals of extensive reading are to develop a habit of reading for pleasure and, thus, to facilitate language acquisition.

Extensive reading may be used as the sole source of reading for a class; however, in the Colleges ESL program, instructors have heretofore used extensive reading along with the reading of common texts. Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom (Day and Bamford, 1998) recommends that student readers be allowed to choose reading material on their own to increase motivation to read. Students can benefit from bibliographic instruction that focuses on one area of library search, such as finding a book. High beginning readers will find many level-appropriate books in the College Librarys ESL collection. About 175 new books were added to this collection in Spring 2000. A database of titles in the ESL collection, classified by reading level, has been placed on the College Q: drive for instructor use (See ESL folder, Lfellag.) The levels for books in the collection are stated in one of two ways: by reading course number (e.g. 081, 082) on the database, or by vocabulary level (e.g., Level 1 300 words, Beginning) on the back or front covers of many titles. Teachers may also wish to take students to the main Free Library on Vine Street, in particular the extensive Childrens Department. (For further discussion of the use of Library resources, see Section G.)

At the 081/091 level, most students can read five short novels or non-fiction texts in a semester in addition to common reading. The reading skills modeled and practiced with common reading are applied to students independent reading. Regular class discussions on allocating time for pleasure reading amidst busy schedules encourage students to meet the challenge of reading a prescribed number of books. Subsequent monitoring may include records of students reading progress in a read and record sheet with information such as the title, author, and type of book read, time spent on each reading, frequency of reading, duration to finish, and date for completion of a book report.

Student book reports may be oral or written. The objectives of the report are to evaluate students understanding of their reading and to create a stimulating community of readers. Students may include information in their book reports such as:

The kind of text being read (fiction, non-fiction), type of publication (newspaper, magazine, book, or Internet) and the author and year of publication.

A summary of the major elements in the story:

Setting and characters

Plot (for fiction)

Main ideas and supporting points (for non-fiction)

Type of ending (i.e. surprise, happy, sad)

Authors message

Students reaction to the text

Questions for fictional work:

Which characters do you like and identify with? Why?

What parts of the story do you like best? Why?

Which parts do you dislike? Why?

Would you recommend this book to others? Why?

Questions for non-fiction work:

What did you learn from the text?

Was the book interesting? Why?

E.Required Texts

At this date, no single textbook covers all the reading and writing skills called for

in this course description. ESL teachers need to continue to seek out textual materials that integrate writing, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. Until adequate materials become accessible, teachers need to utilize a combination of textbooks or other materials that accomplish the curricular objectives outlined in this document. The combinations may include a reading anthology and writing textbook, a novel or other reading text and a writing textbook, and/or reading materials, a writing textbook, and a grammar textbook. Teachers may also wish to require that students purchase a low-level English learners dictionary such as the Longman Dictionary of American English.

The first sample syllabus in section K includes a sample sequence of activities that illustrates how a novel and a writing textbook are combined to achieve the most salient course objectives. The sequence of activities implies that teacher-generated materials would also have to be incorporated into the course to accomplish the curricular goals.

This sample sequence incorporates reading, writing, and grammar objectives. The sequence illustrates how to incorporate the most salient course objectives through the integration of a literary text, The Last of the Mohicans (adapted fiction, level 2, 600-word vocabulary), with a writing textbook, Paragraph Power.

The literary work forms the thematic center of the course. This common text is discussed and studied by all students. In addition, students read and respond to self-selected independent reading texts. (See section D.2.) The writing components evolve from the reading materials.

Each unit represents a two-week block, with course activities generally following the pre-reading, reading, post reading/writing sequence presented in section D.1. Activities include brainstorming, discussion, reading comprehension check, reading journal (responses to reading), and vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics skill-building activities.

The ESL Book Committee, a standing committee of ESL faculty who regularly pilot and evaluate newly published materials, has begun to explore materials appropriate for integrated reading and writing courses. Some initial suggestions for high beginning text combinations are listed below. Texts are labeled by skill focus to suggest combinations of books that instructors might use (i.e. a reading + writing book, or a reading + grammar book) to best meet course objectives:

Writing Workout*

Huizenga and Ruzic (Heinle)

writing

Reading Workout*

Huizenga and Ruzic (Heinle)

reading

Interactions One*

Kirn and Hartman

reading

Interactions One*

Kirn and Hartman

writing

Tapestry Reading 1

Guleff, et al (Heinle)

reading

Tapestry Writing 1

Pike-Baky (Heinle)

writing

North Star I

Carol Numrich, series editor (Longman)writing/reading

Grammar in Context, Book 1Elbaum (Heinle)

grammar

Write Ahead, Book 1

Fellag (Longman, in press)

writing/reading/

grammar

*Themes are the same in each of these pairs of books.

Single novels appropriate for the high beginning level may also be utilized, especially if extensive reading will be employed. Using fictional texts will help students manage their reading of like texts read independently.

Appropriate novels include the adapted novels series published by Penguin USA (marketed by Pearson Education: Longman) and Cambridge University Press. Non-fiction texts at the high beginning level are also published by New Readers Press and Globe Fearon. As mentioned, many high beginning books are available in the College Librarys ESL Collection.

Possible adapted fiction titles include The Last of the Mohicans (Penguin), Black Beauty (Penguin), Longman original fiction novellas such as The Psychic, New Readers Press original immigrant-related novellas such as The Trip, Cambridge Classics such as The Call of the Wild, The Deerslayer, and The Time Machine, or Cambridges Tana Reiff Reading Series, Worktales, Hopes and Dreams, and Lifetimes.

F.Learning Lab Instruction

The Learning Lab of the Academic Support Services Division provides two hours of additional classroom instruction to complement English 081/091. As mentioned previously, the purpose of the lab classes is to allow students to practice and reinforce what they have learned in the 081/091 classroom.

Continual communication between the ESL faculty and the ESL Learning Lab faculty is essential to ensure that students gain the optimal benefits from lab classes. ESL faculty should provide lab faculty with a copy of the course syllabus at the beginning of the term. They should report to lab faculty at least once a week on material and activities covered in the 081/091 class, as well as on students progress, strengths, and weaknesses. This communication should be conducted well in advance of lab classes to permit lab faculty to prepare appropriate materials. Lab faculty should likewise supply ESL faculty with reports on student attendance and progress.

Cooperative efforts between these two faculty groups should be made to discuss and design lab class activities that will integrate reading and writing. Members of the ESL Curriculum Committee strongly recommend that lab classes emphasize the following activities:

Reinforce the activities in the reading and writing sequence in Section D.

Develop vocabulary acquisition.

Teach dictionary use.

Provide writing practice with conferencing, and if appropriate, introduce students to computer use in these sessions.

The new English 081/091 course design requires that students attend their lab classes, and that ESL and lab faculty also cooperate to accomplish the following goals, which are recommended by the ESL Curriculum Committee:

Students must understand that the lab is an integral part of English 081/091.

Repeating students should be encouraged to utilize additional Learning Lab resources, such as tutoring, workshops, and conversation groups.

Ways to integrate the lab activities should be explored, such as the possibility of combining the two one-hour sessions into one session.

G.Library Resources and Bibliography

English 081/091 may introduce students to library use through focused bibliographic lessons delivered by College Library faculty. At this level, many students have had difficulties understanding the standard bibliographic instruction provided by the College Library faculty. However, when such instruction has focused on one task, such as how to find a book, and College Library faculty are apprised of the language level of English 081/091 students, high beginning students have successfully learned how to use the College Librarys OPAC system (computerized card catalog).

Faculty-developed materials are essential to successful library use activities. Teachers should develop materials to help students comprehend library brochures and other materials typically used in bibliographic instruction. These materials along with library brochures should be discussed before the library instruction session is held.

Teacher-developed activities can also allow students to practice the skills taught in library lessons. Some ESL faculty have developed level-appropriate activities that provide students with hands-on practice in using the online catalog. For an example of an activity based on a Free Library of Philadelphia brochure (title: Free Library Scavenger Hunt), see Appendix A.

In addition, the previously described College Library collection of ESL level reading materials are catalogued in the OPAC system with the keyword ESL added to the call number. Students may find these books in the ESL bookshelves in the Library or by typing the word ESL into the OPAC computers.

H.Technological Resources

Instructors of this course may choose to include computer technology to increase students reading and writing opportunities. Instruction in basic word processing skills can be used as a language learning lesson as well as a tool for enhancing students technological skills. For a sample lesson used at this level (title: How to Use Microsoft Word), see Appendix B.

In addition, the use of electronic mail accounts (e.g. Hotmail and Yahoo) enables students with little or no word processing proficiency to easily open e-mail accounts and to e-mail writing assignments to their teacher and other students for timely feedback. The Internet may also serve as a source for reading and grammar practice. Links to many ESL-appropriate language-learning sites are available at the Daves ESL Caf Web site (URL: www.eslcafe.com). These sites include interactive reading and vocabulary and grammar quizzes appropriate for independent study. They also link students to educational sites geared towards ESL learners, i.e. the CNN news site.

Technological instruction is also available through the Colleges Learning Lab.

Instructors should encourage their students to make use of the Learning Labs

computer workshops. Once students become proficient in the use of computers,

they should also be encouraged to make independent use of the Student Academic Computing Center and the College librarys Internet-connected computers and online catalogs.

E. Student Assessment

ESL faculty regularly meet in norming sessions to check their grading of student work during each semester. ESL faculty have traditionally used a single, common final examination for writing. The English 081/091 final examination should consist of a reading comprehension/vocabulary examination component, writing based on a reading, and, if desired, a grammar examination component.

ESL faculty have begun to cooperate to design assessment tools that integrate reading/writing skill testing. In one initial model piloted in Fall 2000, common midterm exams included one reading as a springboard for writing (discussed prior to the writing exam) and a second reading on a closely related topic given to students on the day of the reading exam. The reading exam component consisted of both comprehension-type questions and short essay style questions. (See types of evaluative items below.)

Faculty grade English 081/091 students work in a holistic style to determine if the students combined reading and writing ability is sufficient to pass the student to the 082/092 level. Grades of P (Pass), MP (Making Progress), F (Fail), or I (Incomplete) are given. Students who complete the course work, but have made insufficient progress to pass to the next level, receive an MP grade. Students who do not complete course assignments or exceed absence limits receive an F.

English 081/091 evaluative tools consist of a variety of types of items:

Student writing: Students do both in-class writing of short compositions under test conditions and out-of-class and in-class writing using a process approach.

Reading comprehension/vocabulary tests: Tests typically use the following types of questions: cloze, fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, true-false, matching, underlining, ordering items, and/or sentence-, paragraph- or multi-paragraph length answer.

Grammar tests: Tests typically contain the following question types: cloze, fill-in-the-blank, editing, or multiple choice.

Reading journal: Students respond to reading through journal writing.

Summary writing: Students produce simple, sentence- or paragraph-length written summaries of their reading.

Oral report: Students write and deliver oral reports based on reading.

Portfolio: Student writing, homework assignments, and other class work are gathered in a folder and evaluated as a whole.

I.1Course Requirements

Students should write both in-class and out-of-class compositions, many of which respond to readings.

Students should produce approximately eight revised and edited papers of at least 150 words.

Students will have at least two major grammar tests and a few short grammar quizzes.

Students will have at least two major reading examinations and a few short reading quizzes.

In courses with extensive reading, students will read a prescribed number of books and produce book reports for each.

F. Course Assessment and Evaluation

ESL faculty have utilized a variety of tools to evaluate English 081/091. Course assessment methods include

Peer visitations followed by collegial discussions of the most effective classroom activities, methods and materials

Course-specific student questionnaires (simplified for comprehensibility by high beginning students) that allow students to evaluate the effectiveness of specific activities, methods, and materials (See sample, Appendix C.).

Periodic review of course descriptions and curricula at regular ESL faculty meetings, curriculum committee meetings, which serve as effectual checks of course content and delivery

Informal course-specific meetings held periodically during a semester to gauge students levels and performance, teaching strategies and methods, and other concerns

ESL book committee meetings at which faculty members discuss course content and materials and pilot potential textbooks

Evaluation of the quality of the courses content and its learning process at least once every five years using a method determined by the college

In addition to the above mentioned tools, ESL faculty teaching 081/091 do the following:

Hold formal and informal meetings with ESL colleagues in the English. Department and the Learning Lab to obtain feedback on ESL students performance and suggestions for students success.

Conduct norming sessions at the end of the semester with ESL instructors to evaluate students performance.

Attend to and deliver of presentations at professional conferences relevant to ESL reading/writing theory and pedagogy.

Read current professional publications on second language learning theory and practice helpful when planning their courses.

Consult these and other language learning reference books:

Brookes, A. and P. Grundy. 1998. Beginning to Write: Writing Activities for Elementary and Intermediate Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Byrd, P. and J. Reid. 1998. Grammar in the Composition Classroom. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Day, R. and J. Bamford. 1998. Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Deakins, A.H., K. Parry and R.R. Viscount. 1994. The Tapestry Grammar: A Reference for Learners of English. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Grabe, W. and R. Kaplan. 1996. Theory and Practice of Writing. London: Longman.

Kroll, B. (ed.) 1990. Second Language Writing: Research Insights for the Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lewis, M. 1993. The Lexical Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lewis, M. 2000. Teaching Collocation. Hove, England: Language Teaching Publications.

Read, J. 2000. Assessing Vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Reid, J. (ed.) 1995. Learning Styles in the ESL/EFL Classroom. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Scarcella, R. and R. Oxford. 1992. The Tapestry of Language Learning. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.

Schmitt, N. and M. McCarthy (eds.) 1998. Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Schmitt, N., 2000. Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Silva, T. 1990. Second language composition instruction: developments, issues and directions in ESL. In Kroll.

K.Sample Syllabi

Attached are two sample syllabi for English 081/091, both of which include a sample sequence of activities.

In the first of the following syllabi, the sequence illustrates how to incorporate the most salient course objectives through the integratio of a literary text, The Last of the Mohicans (adapted fiction, Level 2, 600-word vocabulary), with a writing textbook, Paragraph Power. The literary work forms the thematic center of the course. This common text is discussed and studied by all students.

The second syllabus uses a writing textbook and a grammar textbook and incorporates extensive reading.

L. Fellag / Office: BR-57, 8-9 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. MWF / Phone751-8867 / lfellag@ccp.cc.pa.us

Spring 2000

ENGLISH 081/091

Course Syllabus

Course Description

English 081/091 is a high beginning reading and writing course pair for English as a Second Language students. It is the first in a series of four pairs of reading/writing courses (English 081/091, English 082/092, English 083/093, and English 089/098) that prepares ESL students for college-level reading and writing.

Why Is Reading Important?

Your success in college depends on your ability to read. In college classes, you will read many pages of textbooks every night. You must be prepared to read and understand a large volume (amount) of college-level reading.

Reading is also necessary in your daily life. You must read letters, newspaper and magazine articles, job applications, government documents, maps and other material.

Reading also helps you to write better. You learn vocabulary and grammar as you read.

Why Is Writing Important?

In college classes, you will write many types of reports and papers. You will also write on examinations.

Writing is also necessary in your daily life. At home and at work, you write letters and memorandums, fill in job applications, complete government documents, and do other writing such as reports.

You learn vocabulary and grammar as you write.

Course Goals

This course will help you improve these areas of reading and writing:

Understanding main ideas in a reading

Identifying less important details in a reading

Reading quickly to find information (skimming and scanning)

Understanding the grammar used in a reading

Understanding the organization of a reading

Practicing different ways to learn and remember new vocabulary

Learning how to use a dictionary when you read and write

Discussing reading

Writing about your reading

Developing fluency (to become comfortable) in writing in English

Writing accurately (with grammatical correctness) in English

Learning how to organize and support ideas in your writing

Practicing the writing used in college

Working on your individual grammar problem areas

Using the parts of a textbook

Beginning to learn to use a library

Making reading in English an enjoyable part of your life

Materials

You are required to purchase the following materials for this course:

Course textbooks

1) The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (Penguin, 2000)

2) Paragraph Power, 2nd Edition by Rooks (Prentice Hall Regents, 1999)

Both are available in the College bookstore.

Dictionary. Preferred dictionaries: The Longman Dictionary of American English, or The Newbury House Dictionary of American English. Both available at college bookstore.

Learning Lab Class

An added one-hour per week Learning Lab class is an important part of English 081/091. In lab class, you get more reading and writing practice. Students must attend Learning Lab class. Your schedule tells you the time/place for lab class.

Main Course Requirements

Reading and writing activities in the two textbooks

Outside reading Articles that the teacher brings into the class, plus activities

Extensive reading Books that you choose from the College Library or the instructors book collection. You must read at least five books during the semester.

Written responses to the five books you choose from the library.

To Pass This Course

In order to pass this course and move up to English 082:

COME TO CLASS. You are permitted two weeks of unexcused absences. If you are ill, call the instructor at the phone number at the top of the page. State your name, your class, and the reason for your absence. Get the phone number of a classmate in case you are absent and need to know the assignments. You will be automatically dropped from the course if you miss more than two weeks of class. You are also expected to attend lab classes.

DO THE WORK. You must complete all assignments.

ASK QUESTIONS. Be responsible for your learning. Ask me in class or via e-mail, or see me during my office hours (see top of page) if you dont understand something.

DEMONSTRATE SUFFICIENT PROGRESS IN YOUR READING to enable you to succeed in English 082. You will have several reading exams, including Midterm and Final exams. You should maintain an overall average of P in all your work.

Special Needs

Community College of Philadelphia wants to meet the special needs of any students. If you have a handicap or disability of any kind, please let me know during the first week so that I can help you succeed in this class.

English 081/091 Sequence of Activities

Weeks 1-2

UNIT 1

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

History Reading on the Mohicans and Early U.S. Settlers

The Last of the Mohicans (LOM), Chapter 1 The Trip Begins

LOM, Chapter 2 Their First Mistake

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal (responses to readings)

Paragraph Power (PP), Chapter 1 What Is a Paragraph? (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Complete sentences, Punctuation and capitalization (examples from LOM)

Writing Assignments: 1) My Ethnic Group, 2) A Trip or A Big Mistake

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive (Independent) Reading Introduction, Reading Interest Survey, Reading Log/Journal

Weeks 3-4

UNIT 2

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 3 By Canoe up the River

LOM, Chapter 4 The Hurons Attack

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 2 The Parts of a Paragraph (Topic Sentence, Subject Development, the Summary Sentence) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Present Tense Verbs, Subject-Verb Agreement (examples from LOM), Spelling +s Verbs (from LOM)

Writing Assignments: 1) A Chapter Summary Present Tense (LOM), 2) An Opinion (LOM) Paragraph with Topic Sentence and Facts

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal

Weeks 5-6

UNIT 3

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 5 Coras Plan

LOM, Chapter 6 War Cries

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 2 continued Narration (Choosing a subject, Chronological order) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Past Tense Verbs (examples from LOM), Transition words, Spelling +ed Verbs (from LOM)

Writing Assignments: 1) Narration of an Event from LOM, 2) An Important Event in My Life

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal, Written/Oral Reports

Mid-term Examination Date to be announced

Weeks 7-8

UNIT 4

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 7 Magua Remembers

LOM, Chapter 8 Ready to Die

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 3 Description (Nature of description, Choosing a subject, Descriptive order, Writing the descriptive paragraph) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Special Grammar in Description, Past Tense Verbs (examples from LOM), Comma versus Period

Writing Assignments: 1) Description of a Place from LOM, 2) My Special Place

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal, Written/Oral Reports

Weeks 9-10

UNIT 5

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 9 The End is Near

LOM, Chapter 10 Win or Lose

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 4 Process (Process analysis, directional analysis) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Command, Passive Verbs (examples from LOM), Fragments

Writing Assignments: 1) A Process analysis from LOM, 2) A Summary Paragraph from LOM

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal, Written/Oral Reports

Weeks 11-12

UNIT 6

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 11 A Fathers Story

LOM, Chapter 12 The Fight Ends

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 5 Cause and Effect Analysis (Organization of Simple Expository Writing) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Special Grammar in Cause/Effect Analysis (examples from LOM), Nouns and Articles (from LOM)

Writing Assignments: 1) A Cause Analysis from LOM, 2) An Effect Analysis from LOM

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal, Written/Oral Reports

Weeks 13-14

UNIT 7

Pre-Reading Discussion and Vocabulary

LOM, Chapter 13 Follow and Hope

LOM, Chapter 14 Strange Changes

LOM, Chapter 15 Love and Hate

Post-Reading Check, Vocabulary Building, Reading Journal

PP, Chapter 7 Persuading by Argument (A Proposal, A Paragraph with Reasons for or against) (examples from LOM)

Grammar/Mechanics Practice: Variety of Sentence Structure, Review of Sentence Punctuation (structures exploited from LOM)

Writing Assignments: 1) A Chapter Summary (LOM), 2) A Persuasive (LOM) Paragraph with Reasons and Support

Revision and Editing: Paragraph improvement, Sentence correction

Extensive Reading Reading Log/Journal, Written/Oral Reports, Final Portfolio

Week 15

Final Examination Date to be announced

L. Fellag / Office: BR-57, 8-9 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. MWF / Phone751-8867 / lfellag@ccp.cc.pa.us

English 081/091 Syllabus

Spring 1999

Course Description and Goals

English 081/091 is the first course in a series of four pairs of reading/writing courses. This course will help you succeed in college classes and the English-speaking community. In this course, you will read many different types of texts so that you can get ideas and language to use in your writing. You will build your skills in reading comprehension, composing, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and spelling, study skills, and life skills. You will discuss and write about readings. The readings will serve as good examples of the organization, vocabulary, and grammar of written English. You will study and discuss the readings to improve your own writing.

Required Materials

You are required to purchase the following materials for this course:

1.Textbooks: Write Ahead by Fellag (Addison Wesley Longman) and Grammar in Context, 2nd edition, Book 1 (Heinle and Heinle)

2. Dictionary: Longman Dictionary of American English (Addison Wesley Longman)

3. Manila folder for portfolio

Learning Lab Class

An added two-hour per week Learning Lab class is an important part of English 081/091. In lab class, you get more reading and writing practice. Students must attend Learning Lab class. Your schedule tells you the time/place for lab class.

To Pass This Course

In order to pass this course and move up to English 082/092:

COME TO CLASS. You are permitted two weeks of unexcused absences. If you are ill, call the instructor at the phone number at the top of the page. State your name, your class, and the reason for your absence. Get the phone number of a classmate in case you are absent and need to know the assignments. You will be automatically dropped from the course if you exceed two weeks of unexcused absences.

DO THE WORK. You must complete all your assignments. You will be expected to keep up with reading and writing assignments. You will have to revise and edit all compositions. You will also read texts, write regularly in a journal, and do grammar, vocabulary and reading exercises.

ASK QUESTIONS. Be responsible for your learning. If you dont understand something, ask me in class or see me during my office hours (see top of the page).

DEMONSTRATE SUFFICIENT PROGRESS IN READING EXAMINATIONS AND IN FIRST DRAFTS OF YOUR WRITING to enable you to succeed in English 082/092. You will have two major reading exams: Midterm and Final. For each formal writing assignment, you will write a first draft (the first version) and one

or more revisions (corrections), These will be graded P (Pass) or MP (Making Progress). To succeed in English 082/092, you should be receiving P grades on reading exams and first drafts of writing by the end of this semester. Two major grammar exams and periodic grammar quizzes will be announced. You will also turn in portfolios of your work at Midterm and the end of the semester. To pass the course, you should maintain an overall average of P in all of this work. At the beginning of the semester, you will also take a Diagnostic Reading Examination and write a Diagnostic Composition (which will NOT be graded).

Special Needs

Community College of Philadelphia wants to meet the special needs of any students. If you have a handicap or disability of any kind, please let me know during the first week so that I can help you succeed in this class.

Schedule

Jan. 19-28

Weeks 1-2

Diagnostic Reading Examination, Writing

Begin Unit 1: Family Life

Reading 1: The Worlds Families,

Reading Skills: Main Idea, Details

Reading 2: Two Non-Traditional Families

Composing Skills: Paragraph, Paragraph Format

Writing Assignment 1: My Family Life

Feb. 2-11

Weeks 3-4

Language Skills: Guess Vocabulary from Context,

Chapter Vocabulary, Sentence Parts, Word Order

Study Skills: Using a Dictionary

Reading 3: What Is a Good Father?

Writing Assignment 2: Duties of a Family Member

Composing Skills: Revising and Editing

Begin Unit 2: A Balancing Act

Reading 1: Taking Responsibility

Reading 2: With Vision and a Hand, They Succeed

Reading Skills: Skimming and Scanning

Language Skills: Chapter Vocabulary, Sentence Patterns, Simple Present Tense, Be Verb, Period, Comma, Capitalization, Spelling Rule #1 The +s Form, Personal Spelling List

Grammar/Mechanics Exam 1

Writing Assignment 1: My School Day Schedule

Feb. 16-25 Weeks 5-6Study Skills: Annotating a Text

Composing Skills: Topic Sentence, Paragraph Unity, Time Order, Logical Organizers, Listing

Reading 3: The Bank of Time

Language Skills: Chapter Vocabulary, Common Prefixes, Present Continuous Tense Verbs, Present Continuous vs. Simple Present Tense Verbs, Frequency Adverbs, Prepositional Phrases of Time,

Spelling Rule #2 The + ing Form

Writing Assignment 2: Balancing My Life

Writing Assignment 3: Where My Classmate Is Now

Mar. 2-4

Week 7

Mid-term Reading Examination

Begin Unit 3: Going to Market

Reading 1: Englands Covent Garden

Reading Skills: Text Organization

Mar. 9-11

Week 8

Spring Break (College closed)

Mar. 16-25

Weeks 9-10

Reading 2: The Arab Souq

Reading 3: A Market Day in Guatemala

Composing Skills: Description, Writing an Introduction, Descriptive Details, Coherence, Organizing Details, Creating a Graphic Organizer

Writing Assignment 1: A Marketplace

Reading 4: The Shopping Mall

Language Skills: Chapter Vocabulary, Synonyms and Antonyms, Simple Past Tense Verbs, Coordinating Conjunctions, Using Past and Present Verbs Together (Generalizations in Narration)

Passive Voice Verbs, Prepositional Phrases of Place

Writing Assignment 2: The Best Place to Buy ___

Mar. 30, Apr. 1-8

Weeks 11-12

Grammar/Mechanics Exam 2

Begin Unit 4: First Impressions

Reading 1: Strange Faces (from The Narrative of Joseph Heco)

Reading 2: My First Taste of American Food

(from The Narrative of Joseph Heco)

Reading Skills: Predicting Content, Fact vs. Opinion

Composing Skills: Narration, Chronological Organizers

Writing Assignment 1: My First Impressions of the U.S.

Apr. 13-22

Weeks 13-14

Writing Assignment 2: A New Food Experience

Reading 3: A Strange New City (from The Narrative of Joseph Heco)

Reading Skills: Inferencing, Paraphrasing

Language Skills: Common Suffixes, Spoken vs. Written English, Singulars and Plurals, Cause and Effect Expressions

Writing Assignment 3: A Strange Place

Grammar Review

Study Skills: Predicting Essay Questions, Writing Final Strategies

Practice Writing Final

Apr. 27-29

Week 15

Final Reading Examination (date TBA)

Final In-Class Writing Examination (date TBA)

Turn in Portfolio

Appendix A

English 081/091

FREE LIBRARY SCAVENGER HUNT

Directions: Pick up a general library brochure from the information desk in the main lobby. A library staff member will tell us about parts of the library. As you take the tour, answer the following questions. Ask a librarian (or read the brochure) for help.

1.The Free Library of Philadelphia was started in ___________ and the main library

at 19th and Vine Streets was built in ____________.

2.The main library at 19th and Vine Streets has _________ floors.

3.The lending library is located on the _________ floor.

4.The Young Adult section is located ___________________________________.

(Describe briefly where.)

5.Library patrons can check out ____ books at one time for __________ (how long).

6.Library patrons can check out ____ videos for _____________ (how long).

7.The fine for Adult books is _________ per day overdue and the fine forChildrens books is _________ per day overdue.

8.The Childrens department is located _________________________________.

(Describe briefly where.)

9.Write the title/author of one book with audiotape that interests you (from the main lending library or the Childrens department).

_____________________________________________________________

10.Write the title/author of one book from the Careers, Sports, Mysteries, Biography, or Holidays sections of the Childrens department that interests you.

______________________________________________________________

11.Choose one book to check out today or in the future. Write the title, author, and type of book (fiction/non-fiction) here. Write why you chose it.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Turn this paper in on the next class day.

Appendix B

English 081/091

HOW TO USE MICROSOFT WORD

IBM-platform PC (Personal Computer)

Microsoft Word is a word-processing program. You use it to type your writing. It is easy to use.

1. In the CCP computer classrooms and labs, the screen you see when you look at the computer monitor always includes an icon or picture of a W and a piece of paper. This is the symbol for the Microsoft Word program. Can you find it on the screen?

2. To use Microsoft Word (called Word, for short), you need to use the computer mouse. The mouse is a device that lets you tell the computer what you want to do. Can you find the mouse?

3. Move the mouse from side to side on your computer desk. What happens when you move the mouse? Yes, an arrow on the screen moves, too. You control that arrow with the mouse.

4. Move the mouse until it is on the Word icon. Are you there? Is the mouse easy to control?

5. Notice that the mouse has two buttons. The left button is the one we use the most. Click on the buttons. Do you see how they work?

6. Now move the mouse so that the arrow is on top of the Word icon again. Click on the left mouse button twice. You have to click fast. Did something happen? Did the arrow change shape?

7. The arrow should look like an hour-glass. That means the computer is working to do what you asked it. When you click on an icon twice, you ask the computer to open up the program that is represented by the icon.

8. If you did everything right, youll see a blank page. You are now in the Word program. Great!

9. The blank page is like a blank piece of paper. You can type on it. You can use the keyboard to print words on the page. Can you type? If so, great. If not, no problem. Use one or two fingers to type at first.

10. Look at the blank page. Do you see a blinking line? Thats the cursor. It tells you where you are on the page. If you type at the cursor, it will put all the words to the right of the line. As you type, the cursor moves with you. Try it.

11. Look down at the keyboard. Here are some important keys to know first: Shift keys on the left and right side make capital letters. Hold down on the Shift key as you type a letter. Its a capital. The Space bar is a long rectangular shaped key at the bottom of the keyboard. Use it to put a space between words.

12. Practice typing. Use the letter keys, the Shift keys, and the Space bar. OK?

13. Another important key is the backspace key. Can you find it? Its near the number keys. Push the backspace key. What happens? It should move the cursor back one space. Use this key to erase letters to the left of the cursor.

14. When you type a paragraph, you may want to change something. Use the arrow keys on the bottom of the keyboard to move around in the paragraph. Practice moving up, down, left, and right with the arrow keys.

15. Yet another important key is the delete key. Can you find it? This key allows you to erase words to the right of the cursor. You can use this key when you want to correct something that you have already typed. Try it out by moving the up arrow key. Then erase a word to the right of the cursor. Did you do it correctly?

16. If you can do all of the above moves on the computer, you should be able to type a paragraph. Well try it more next time. Well also learn how to save, retrieve (get back), and print something that you typed.

Good Luck!

Appendix C

English 081 Reading Survey

This semester you have spent a great deal of time reading books and articles. Reflect on how much you have learned through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

1.Have your reading habits changed? Write a sentence to describe each of your reading habits before and at the end of this class.

Reading Habit

Before This Class

At the End of This Class

Reading speed

Dictionary use

Attitude toward reading

(How you feel about

reading)

Amount of everyday

reading

2.Are you a better reader now? a better speaker? Write a sentence to describe each of your language abilities before and at the end of this class.

Language Ability

Before This Class

At the End of This Class

Understanding main

ideas in a reading

Guessing unfamiliar

vocabulary in a reading

Talking about something

that you or others read

Writing about something

that you read

3.What is the greatest accomplishment that you made in reading class this semester?

4.How will you continue to improve your reading in English in the future?

Good Luck!

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