English 105: Composition for ESL Students
Instructor: Elizabeth Siler, ESL Specialist
Office: Avery 220
Telephone: 335-2251/Cell: 509-432-9694
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:45 to 8:30 or by appointment. If you ask for an appointment, you will be given two possible times. You are to choose one of those times. If you cannot make the office hours or the two times given, you will need to rearrange YOUR schedule to see me.
Preferred e-mail: elizabethsiler@gmail.com
Email policy: I expect you to check your email daily prior to coming to class for any last minute announcements. With respect to emails that you send me, I do not open emails with attachments. I do not open emails without subject lines. I do not open emails written in languages I can’t read – so be sure if you have your email set to a non-English format that your name and information come through in English.
ESL Program Web page: www.wsu.edu/~gordonl/ESL
SYLLABUS/COURSE POLICIES REQUIREMENT You are required to read this syllabus, ask questions, and sign the on-line course policies located at
REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS AND COMPUTER ACCOUNTS
All required texts are available at Crimson and Grey. Please do not come to me complaining that the books are not in the Bookie. That’s because I do not order from the Bookie!
The Thompson Brief Handbook (Yes, it's expensive; yes, it's required; yes, you must have it with you every day in class -- no exceptions).
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
Cod by Mark Kurlansky
You are expected to have a valid, working email account where I can reach you. You are also expected to have a GOOGLE documents account. I will show you how to get one in the first week.
COURSE OBJECTIVES. The following are common objectives for all English 105 classes. At the end of the course, you should have:
knowledge and awareness of conventions of writing and how these depend on your purpose for writing and the audience you are writing to;
practice with critical thinking, reading and writing to understand and express ideas clearly;
awareness of and practice with writing processes in a variety of writing tasks;
knowledge of conventions of format, documentation, and surface features for a variety of audiences and tasks.
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE - Please note the word "tentative." I reserve the right to announce changes to the schedule.Week 1: Orientation to the course, the materials, the computer lab. Diagnostics. Begin reading Cod.
Week 2: Begin the major project for the course (see below). You will work on this project throughout the semester, do a short oral presentation of your paper in Week 10, and a final submission in Week 12.
Week 3: First in-class on Cod. Continuation of project.
Week 4: Continuation of project.
Week 5: Second in-class on Cod. Continuation of project.
Week 6: Continuation of project.
Week 7: Finish Cod. Third inc-lass on Cod. Continuation of project.
Week 8: Begin The Perfect Storm. Continuation of project.
Week 9: First in-class on The Perfect Storm. Continuation of project.
Week 10: Continuation of project. Short oral reports on paper.
Week 11: Second in-class on The Perfect Storm. Continuation of project.
Week 12: Finalizing of paper. Submission of final paper.
Week 13: Third in-class on The Perfect Storm.
Week 14: Final class in-class writing.
Week 15: Return of papers, class evaluation, makeup in-class, discussion of Junior Portfolio requirements, etc.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES
There are a total of 100 points possible in this class.
Two in-class papers on Cod (I will choose the two best scores out of three) 30 points total (15 each)
Two in-class papers on The Perfect Storm (I will choose the two best scores out of three) 30 points total (15 each)
1 major project 20 points
1 final in-class writing 20 points
ATTENDANCE, LATE WORK, AND MAKEUP WORK POLICIES
THIS CLASS ADHERES TO THE POLICY OUTLINED ON THE GENERAL CLASS POLICIES. THAT POLICY IS REITERATED HERE:
NOTE: The ESL program does not accommodate schedules of students who have enrolled in classes that conflict with our classes (for example during summer school or via concurrent enrollment at the University of Idaho).
1. The ESL program and the university believe that attendance is important to promote learning. In some university classes, particularly language classes, regular attendance is very important for you to progress in your learning of the subject matter. Therefore, attendance is taken in all ESL classes from the first day of the semester.
2. If you miss MORE than 6 classes , you will not pass the class. It is your responsibility to drop or withdraw if there are further absences. If your name is on the roll book at the end of the semester and you have gone over the limit of permitted absences, you will receive an F in the class regardless of the grade you have earned in the class.
3. Some absences may be excused. Excused absences still count as absences towards the total allowed (see #2). The only difference between an excused and unexcused absence is that the teacher may do makeup, reteach parts of the class, and accept late work in the case of an excused absence -- but not in the case of an unexcused absence.
4. Excused absences are limited to the following reasons:
a. Court appearances in which you are not the defendant. Show court papers to the teacher prior to the absence.
b. Field trips or university-sponsored travel. Give your teacher documentation prior to the absence.
c. Hospitalization. Give your teacher a copy of your admission papers immediately upon returning to class.
d. Military service in the armed forces of the United States. Show your teacher deployment papers prior to the absence.
Attention WSU varsity athletes: If you plan extended absences due to scheduled out-of-town athletic events, we recommend that you take the class during a semester when you are not actively playing your sport. Athletes are also encouraged to take the Tu/Th section of the class (if one is available) to accommodate scheduled absences around weekends. If, for some reason, you must take the class during a semester when you will have extended absences due to participation with your team, please see your teacher within the first four days of class to discuss how the attendance policy will affect your grade in this class.
5 . I realize that you may get sick during the semester. Please note: only hospitalization counts as an excused absence for illness. This is the definition of "hospitalization": admission into a hospital for in-patient treatment of illness or injury. In all other cases, this is the procedure we want sick students (those not requiring hospitalization) to follow:
a. If you have symptoms that indicate you have a communicable illness (fever etc.), do not come to class.
b. Save your available absences (remember 6 total!) and use them wisely to ensure that you have days available to use if you become sick.
c. Have the email and telephone number of two other students in the class. We recommend you get this contact information in the first week of class. Contact these students -- not the teacher -- in the event of illness to get copies of materials and stay current with the class.
d. If work is due to be turned in on a day when you are absent due to illness, turn that work in via email or your teacher's preferred WEB-based document delivery system (e.g. Google documents/ WEBCt). The work must arrive in the teacher's email box prior to the beginning of the class hour in which it is due. No late work will be accepted due to illness.
e. If the teacher provides an online environment (for example a WEBCT chatroom), you are encouraged to use that to keep up with the class while sick.
f. When you return to class, you are expected to have "caught up" by first talking to another student in the class. If you have any further questions about the material you missed while you were sick, you may contact your teacher during his/her office hours -- but your teacher will not reteach the class or make special appointments to discuss the class with you. The teacher has the right to ask for the name of the student you contacted to find out about the class.
g. All program teachers will routinely give one makeup assignment in the last week of class. You may use that to replace one missed in-class writing on either Cod or The Perfect Storm. If you miss two in-class writings, you will not be able to make up one of them.
h. Absences due to sick days also count towards the total of absences. If you use up all your absences because you are ill, you will need to drop or withdraw from the class.
i. It is your responsibility to know the last drop and withdrawal dates for a given semester. This information is available at http://www.registrar.wsu.edu/Registrar/Apps/AcadCal.ASPX If you use up all your drops and withdrawals, the ESL program will not assist you in petitioning the university for an exception.
6. You are expected to be in class on time and to remain in class for the entire class period. If you arrive after your name has been called for roll, you will be counted as tardy. Two tardies will equal one absence. If you arrive after twenty percent of the class time has passed (10 minutes on MWF), you will be counted as absent.
IN ADDITION TO THIS POLICY, I ALSO assign F grades for lack of preparedness. If you come to class unprepared for the work we will do in class that day, you may get an F for preparedness for that day. Here are some examples of reasons (this is not a complete list) why I give Fs: the student was told to have a book ready to use in class and did not have that book; the student was told to have work ready to turn in and did not have that work; the student was confused and disruptive in class; the student was seen doing his/her homework work for the class (or homework for another class) in class.I will notify you by email of your F and the reason for it. If you receive three Fs for preparedness, you will fail the class. BE PREPARED.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
THIS CLASS ADHERES TO THE POLICY OUTLINED ON THE GENERAL CLASS POLICIES. THAT POLICY IS REITERATED HERE:
* If a violation occurs a second time (regardless of when it happens in the class), the student will be failed in the class. There will be no opportunity to rewrite. The student will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs.
* If a first violation occurs on the final work in the class, or at any time after week 7 of a regular term, the student will fail the class. There will be no opportunity to rewrite. The student will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITY
students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and may need
accommodations to fully participate in this class, please visit the
Disability Resource Center (DRC). All accommodations MUST be approved
through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Room 205). Please stop by or call
509-335-3417 to make an appointment with a disability specialist.
If you have any questions, please contact Rosie Pavlov at pavlovr@wsu.edu or
332-3417.
ABOUT ENGLISH 102
Some of the students enrolled in this class are required to also take English 102 at the same time. Please read this checklist carefully to ensure that you know what to do:
The following people are NOT required to take English 102:
n Persons who placed into 104, took 104, passed 104 and are now in 105.
n Persons who placed into 101 but who have opted to take 105 instead.
n Faculty, graduate students, and exchange students who are just taking this class for enrichment and will not use the class to get a degree of any type through WSU.
n Persons who placed into 105 without 102 being required.
However, if you were placed into 102 at the same time you were placed into 105 or 101, you must take 102.
All students should check their enrollment on the Internet within the first two weeks of class and ask two questions:
a. Were you automatically enrolled in 102?
b. Do you need to take 102 (see above)?
If you were automatically enrolled in 102 and you are required to take it, then you must see go to CUE 305 to arrange a time and a section.
If you were automatically enrolled in 102 and you are not required to take it and you do not wish to be in the class, you must see Mr. Scott McMurtey in CUE 305 to arrange a drop from the class. You must do this in the first two weeks of class. NO EXCEPTIONS!
CALCULATION OF FINAL GRADESThis is how final grades are calculated:
1. All points are added.
2. A curve is set using the highest number of points earned by a student in the class. For example, suppose that the best student in class earns 82 points. Then the curve starts at 82. 82 is called the curve point in this case.
Percent from the curve point/ Grade earned
93-100/ A
90-92/ A-
87-89/ B+
83-86 /B
80-82 /B-
77-79/ C+
73-76 /C
70-72 /C-
67-69/ D+
60- 66 /D
Below 50% / F
SOME FINAL REMARKS ABOUT GRADES
2. Do not ask me, "Can I get some extra credit to improve my grade?" I NEVER give extra credit.
3. Do not ask me to calculate your grade in advance of the final grade period. You'll get your grade sent to you by WSU at the end of the semester.
4. Do not tell me you "need a certain grade in this class." Your grade needs are not my concern.
5. Do not ask "How do you calculate final grades?" The answer to that question is explained in this syllabus.
IMPORTANT MEDICAL/DISABILITY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR TEACHER
I live with a neurological disease that has a number of symptoms. The main symptoms that may affect my performance in this class relate to mobility and fatigue and hearing impairment.
2. If I drop something, pick it up.
3. If I ask you to carry something, plan on doing so.
4. With respect to fatigue, please understand that there will be days when I look tired. You should not assume I am bored, upset with you, or angry because I am not smiling or my face is slack.
5. I have a documented hearing disorder, called a central auditory processing disorder. There is relatively little that can be done for people with this disorder, but I do wear hearing aids to help. Therefore, it is important for people who have this disorder to manage their environment. This is what I ask that you do to help me manage my environment:
At times, I may ask for clarification because certain sounds cannot be seen easily on the lips. For example, I often cannot tell if a person is making a plural sound. In this case, I use finger-spelling, which is a form of American Sign Language, to verify what I think you heard. I often use the symbols for "A" "A.N" "T.H.E" and "S." I do not expect you to learn this language, but it may help you to understand how I ask for clarification.
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