EBS-023/024                                                   Spring 2008

3 Hours, 3 Non-degree credits             Prof. Michael Bodek

Office: Tec-208

Tel: 201-493-3789                  

Email: mbodek@bergen.edu                

Home page:http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/mbodek/

Office Hours: Tues. 9:30-10:00; 12:30-1:00PM; Wed. 9:00-9:30; 12:30-1:30PM; Thur. 7:00-8:00AM, and by appointment. 

Texts:        

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  Little, Brown Young Readers, 2007. ISBN-10: 0316013684

Dangarembga, Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2004. ISBN-10: 0954702336

Gaetz, Lynne, and Suneeti Phadke. The Writer's World- Paragraphs and Essays. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.ISBN:0131409468

Course Description: English Skills 023 is a one semester course designed to improve fundamental academic skills in the areas of reading, writing and critical thinking.   Class instruction emphasizes the development of paragraph and essay writing skills, literal and interpretive comprehension of reading texts, sentence structure, grammar and punctuation and vocabulary.  This course requires concurrent enrollment in English Skills Practicum EBS-024.

Course Objectives:  Students who successfully complete the work in this course will be able to:

1. Read selected passages and identify the levels of general and specific supporting details.
2. Make inferences from and ask critical questions about selected reading passages.
3. Employ study and college survival skills such as time management, planning, memory strategies, note taking, and test taking.
4. Quote, summarize and paraphrase.
5. Name and employ the various steps in the writing process, including brainstorming, outlining, editing and revising, proofreading and editing.
6. Write multi-paragraph papers with introductions and conclusions.
7. Demonstrate their knowledge of the various components of the library and use these components effectively.
8. Use MLA style documentation for in-text citations and "Works Cited."

Course Requirements:

1. Daily attendance and class participation.
2. All assignments must be completed in an acceptable manner and be submitted on the scheduled dates.
3. Successful completion of a research project.
4. Successful completion of a student course evaluation.
5. Successful completion of the departmental Mastery Test.

Student Evaluation:  A student's final grade in English Skills 023 is determined by how successfully he or she meets the course requirements.  Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of paragraph writing, reading for comprehension, sentence construction, basic grammar and punctuation, and certain library research skills. Students receiving an E or F in English Skills are required to repeat the course. Students receiving a grade of D, C, B, or A, and who also pass the departmental reading and writing skills assessment test will move to Composition 1.

Reading/Writing Skills Assessment Test:  Upon successful completion of English Skills, students will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in reading and writing on a departmental skills assessment test.  On this test, students will be required to read a text selection and to write a paragraph or more in response to specific questions relating to the reading selection. The tests will be evaluated in a group reading session by all faculty teaching Basic Skills.  Tests will be evaluated on the basis of reading comprehension, paragraph structure, sentence structure, and grammar and punctuation. Tests will be score on a scale of 1-6 by two readers with a combined score of 7 or better as passing. Students must pass the course and pass the departmental Mastery Test to move on to Composition I.

Grading:  Your final grade for EBS-023 will be composed of averages of the following and will be averaged in with the grades you earn from English Skills-024:  Five (5) Journals-20% Four (4) Written Assignments-60% Library Research-20% 

Guidelines for Success:  Attend class regularly, punctually and purposefully. All assignments must be completed in an acceptable manner and be submitted on time. All students mustsuccessfully complete a research project and the departmental Mastery Test.   Whether you attend class or not, you are responsible for the material covered.  Attendance will be taken at the start of each class. Students not in attendance at that time will be marked as absent unless the instructor is notified immediately after class. Please be advised that I do not accept late assignments. If you are unable to attend class on the day an assignment is due, you can email the assignment no later than the start of that class.  If you anticipate missing classes contact me beforehand and follow the course outline. 

1. The use of portable electronic devices such as pagers and cell phones is not permitted in class. Please be sure to silence electronic devices before entering class.
2. The use of any audio player and college computer to play music during class is prohibited as well as sites such as MySpace, YouTube, personal email etc. in the labs.
3. The subject line of all e-mail correspondence to the instructor must contain the course number and section and student's name. E-mail must conform to the standards of formal writing. Any e-mail received without this information will not be opened.
4. Plagiarism in any form will be treated as a failure to complete an assignment. All work submitted should reflect individual effort by the student.
5. In borderline cases that arise in almost every class each semester, a student's attendance, class participation, attitude and observed effort will be considered in helping to determine the student's final grade.
6. In order to sit for the departmental Mastery Test, students must have completed all assigned work to that point.

English Skills Practicum - EBS-024

2 Hours, 2 Non-degree credits

Text: Same as English Skills – EBS 023

Course Description: English Skills Practicum 024 is the co-requisite of English Skills 023. The objective of this course is to provide an opportunity for the student to apply the skills learned in English Skills 023. Instruction is individualized and lessons are drawn from the class activities of English Skills 023. This course requires concurrent enrollment in English Skills 023.

Course Objectives:  Same as English Skills (EBS-023)

Course Requirements:  Same as English Skills (EBS 023)

Student Evaluation: See English Skills (EBS-023)

Departmental Reading/Writing Skills Assessment Test (The Mastery Test): See English Skills (EBS-023) syllabus.

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