ERWC 4P Assignments

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The ERWC course is designed specifically to help prepare students for the rigorous demands of reading and writing in the first year of college and beyond.  This course has a heavy emphasis on the rhetorical thinking, writing, speaking, and reading of expository texts and literature that are predominant in postsecondary schools. 

Students will work on acquiring skills for reading with comprehension and enthusiasm, listening with understanding and compassion, speaking with conviction and effect, and writing with clarity and persuasion in a variety of genres.  This course emphasizes that while what we read is important, how we read is critical as well.

Course Goals

• Meet the standards of the English Placement Test
• Meet the expectations of college and university faculty
• Meet the California College and Career Readiness Standards
• Develop literacy skills critical to lifelong participation in the worlds of work and community

Instruction

Much of the analysis completed in this course will be student-centered, meaning each student will be responsible for his/her own learning.  Students will be required to speak in pairs, small groups, or to the class as a whole on a regular basis.

Attendance

Students will be expected to be in class and on time daily.   The school tardy policy will be strictly enforced.   

Late Work

Homework: Homework and other small formative assignments intended for practice and/or to prepare you for class the next day are due on time (no credit for late work).  

Semester 1: Large formative assignments (such as packets or journals) and summative assignments will be accepted up to 5 days late with a deduction of 10% per day.  This policy applies to first semester only.  

Semester 2: It is time to behave like college students, which means no late work will be accepted. 

Note: If a Summative assignment has an announced due date, you are required to deliver it to the instructor on time (email or drop off) or will receive a grade deduction for each day it is late. 

Make-Up Work

Each of these requirements will be strictly followed:

• Assignments given to a student before an absence are due upon return.                                 
• Assignments missed due to absence will have one day for every day of excused absence.
• Responsibility for making up work and tests rests with the student, not the teacher.  Check the website to find out what you missed.                                  

Grading

This course is based on a point/percentage system.  The grades are weighted as follows:

40%- Formative Assessments (class work, homework, discussions, independent/group work, journals/notebook, informal presentations, quizzes)

60%- Summative Assessments (process and on-demand essays, tests, projects, and formal presentations)

Class Materials

Students are responsible for supplying the following material:

• 3-Ring Notebook with standard lined paper for note taking & writing assignments
• Blue or black pens that write clearly plus additional colors for revision
• Highlighters (2+ colors)

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS

 Reading: You will read a variety of texts (essays, articles, etc.) and analyze their main ideas, purposes, and effectiveness.  You will be assessed with writing assignments, quizzes, projects, and presentations. 

 Research: You will draw information from a variety of sources and you will be assessed for the depth, variety, and appropriateness of informational sources used.

 Process Writing: You will pre-write, draft, and revise essays that analyze information and make claims based upon that analysis.  Writing will be assessed, in part, based on clarity of your thesis, use of effective rhetorical structure, correct grammar and usage, and appropriate supporting claims/citations.

 On-Demand Writing: You will also write unrevised, timed essays that will be assessed based on clarity of your thesis, use of effective rhetorical structure, correct grammar and usage, and appropriate supporting claims/citations.  You will also frequently engage in journal writing or “quickwrites” to share your ideas on a subject.

 Projects and Presentations: You will prepare and present individual and small-group projects and presentations that will be assessed on clarity, subject knowledge, relevance, and presentation skills (eye contact, elocution, body language, etc.).

 Participation: You will engage in class participation on a regular basis, including class discussions, debates, and Socratic Seminars.  You will also participate in peer reviews of writing with response rubrics.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Academic integrity

Plagiarism is defined as the act of using another person’s words or ideas as if they were your own.  During this course, you will often need to use outside sources within your work; when you do so, you must acknowledge the original author or source following standard scholarly practice, such as MLA citation.  The penalties for plagiarism range from a reprimand to an F in the course.

A final note about class conduct

This course necessarily involves a great deal of class participation in the form of individual contributions, class discussion, and small group work and conversation. I will expect us all to conduct ourselves in ways that are respectful to one another and to the general goals of this course. We should come to class prepared to talk, write, and think about the subject of the course, and be sure we are not distracted by cell phones, text messaging, iPods/head phones, or inappropriate items or behavior.  All school rules will be followed in class.

I look forward to an enjoyable and educationally challenging year with all of you!