Syllabus

College of the Desert ESL 71A/371A

Advanced Grammar and Editing Syllabus

Advanced Grammar and Editing/Sections 1357 and 8837

2 Units

Spring 2020 Term

Class Meeting Days/Times

Tuesdays, 8:15-9:20 and Online (This is a 13 week class that begins on 2/4 and ends on 5/12)

Note: Class meets one day per week for 1.3 hours and another 1.3 hours per week are required online in addition to homework assignments. Students must access this Hybrid online class at www.collegeofthedesert.edu/ on or before February 4th, to begin the course.

Class Location

COM Room 205

Instructor

Crystal Louden

Contact Information

  • Phone: (760) 346-8041 EXT 7185
  • Email: clouden@collegeofthedesert.edu
  • The best way to communicate with me is by email. I will respond the same day that I receive your email on weekdays, provided that it is sent before 6:00 pm. I often check email on weekends, but don’t guarantee a weekend reply.

Office Hours and Location

  • By appointment only.

Course Catalog Description

Non-native English speaking students will learn advanced level grammar and language structures applicable to college writing as well as strategies for editing their own writing.

Course Co-requisites

Strongly recommended co-requisite for students enrolled in ESL 071 Academic English I.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Outcome 1 Identify and apply detailed principles of grammar to simple, compound, and complex sentence patterns.
  • Outcome 2 Recognize most patterns of errors and use strategies to effectively edit own writing using vocabulary and sentence structure appropriate to college writing.

Course Objectives

  1. Recognize own patterns of errors and use strategies to edit own writing using vocabulary and sentence structure appropriate to college writing.
  2. Analyze and identify grammatical structures in college level writing.
  3. Use appropriate college diction.

Course Content

  1. Recognize grammar as a tool for writing college diction through:
  • parts of speech
  •  sentence patterns
  •  phrases
  •  clauses
  1. Construct sentences that utilize mastery of academically appropriate:
  2. adjectival, noun and adverbial clauses in complex sentences
  3. adjectival clauses reduced to phrases
  4. appropriate verbal (infinitive or gerund) according to function and meaning
  5. passive voice and active voice
  6. parallel structure
  7. direct, indirect, reported speech
  8. position the object of phrasal verbs
  9. appropriate word order for a series of attributive and predicative adjectives
  10. conditional sentences
  11. appropriate punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and college diction
  12. Identify and analyze sentence structure to correct:
    1. fragments
    2. comma splices
    3. run-on's
    4. dangling or misplaced modifiers

Required Materials

This course uses digital course materials designed using Open Educational Resources (OER), high-quality, openly licensed educational materials, rather than a traditional textbook. You can access all the textbooks and resources you will need free of charge through Canvas.  College of the Desert is committed to student access and excellence in education. An abundance of care and effort assures that you have access to quality, affordable materials to support your learning in this course. The required materials are:

by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted

Download and view here:  https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/writing-for-success

 Barbara and Wallace, Elizabeth, "College ESL Writers: Applied Grammar and Composing Strategies for Success" (2018).English Open Textbooks. 14

Download and view here: 

https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/568

  • Three-Ring Notebook for Handouts
  • Access to the internet is required for this course.
  • Canvas Course Management System

Graded Components

  • Assignments 1-3/Journal Writing - Assignments include essay assignments and journal entries on the topics we are studying.
  • Quizzes - Quizzes will cover the grammar topics in the module.
  • Final Exam: Punctuation Final Exam May 12, 8:15am
  • Grades will always be posted in your grade book on CANVAS weekly. You will receive feedback on all work before the next assignment is due. Be sure to keep track of your points regularly, so you are aware of your grade. 
  • Missed or late work will receive an F unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor or under special emergency circumstances.
  • Credit/no credit (Pass/No Pass) You may elect to take this class for credit without a letter grade. This means if you earn 70% or better, you will receive credit for the units, but no grade that will affect your grade point average.  All developmental classes can be taken for credit/no credit.  If you wish to take an ESL class for credit/no credit, you must fill out a form in the Admissions and Records Office.

Grade Weights or Point System

  • Assignments Essays 1-3/Journal Writing 70%
  • Quizzes 30%

Instructor Drop Policy

If you do not attend the first class session, you will be dropped from the course. Otherwise, I do not drop students.  It is your responsibility to drop yourself if you are not planning to finish this course.

Academic Integrity

In accordance with College of the Desert’s Student Code of Conduct, cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Incidents of cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the work and a report filed with the Office of Student Life.

Vericite

Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Vericite reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.

Classroom Conduct and Success in an Online Course

This online course offers the advantage of learning anyplace and anytime. Despite this flexibility, to succeed in the online learning environment students should keep in mind the following requirements:

  • A computer - PC or Macintosh- with a stable Internet connection. Find out if your computer is ready, take the Computer Readiness Test Links to an external site.
  • Basic computer skills - email, surf the Internet, and create basic word processor files.
  • A "technology back-up" plan. Students should plan out an alternative location like libraries or COD TASK center to do assignments in the event their computer or Internet connection is not working!
  • Microsoft Office 365 which includes Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel is available to all COD students free of charge. See the link and video instructions in the Student Orientation Module of our class.
  • Distance learning courses require as much time as traditional (classroom) instruction. The primary difference is that online instruction allows flexibility.
  • Self motivation. Online students must be "self starters" and have the ability to work with a minimum of supervision. Students who procrastinate are rarely successful in distance learning courses.
  • Are you Ready for an online course? Take the online readiness tutorial Links to an external site..

Students are also required to:

  • Make use of the online course materials available via CANVAS. Access to these materials is available once you have registered to the course.
  • Participate in asynchronous online discussions.
  • Complete readings and assignments by the dates indicated on the syllabus.
  • Check email on a daily basis.
  • Workload Expectations for 2 unit course weekly-
    • 1 hour traditional classroom.
    • 1 hour online
    • Approximately 2+ hours of homework.
  • I expect absolute professionalism from all students in their communication. Canvas should be used for academic purposes only.

Canvas Contact Information and Technology Reminders

Disabled Students Programs and Services

College of the Desert views disability as an important aspect of diversity, and is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) is the office that collaborates with students with disabilities to provide reasonable accommodations. Please contact the DSPS office at (760) 773-2534, dspsinfo@collegeofthedesert.edu, or visit CSSC Room 101 for more information. Once registered with DSPS, students will be provided with a DSPS Faculty Notification Letter that can be shared with faculty.

Veteran Students

Welcome Veterans! If you have any special circumstances (e.g., VA appointment, upcoming deployments, drill requirements, or disabilities), you are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor.

International Students

Studying academic English in a foreign language is challenging. Therefore, all international students may use official translators during exams. Cell phones cannot be used as translators. Also, if you have any questions about definitions or content please see me after class, come to my office hours, or make an appointment to talk to me.

Tutoring Help

Additional Student Resources

Important Dates

  • February 3: Last day to ADD
  • February 3: Last day to DROP and qualify for a refund
  • February 9: Last day to DROP without a “W”
  • April 24: Last day to DROP with a “W”
  • May 21, 10:00-12:00 am: Final Exam

Tentative Lecture and Assignment Schedule

         This is not a do-it-yourself, work-at-your-own-speed course. That means we, as a class, need to stay together from week to week so we are all studying the same material. At the same time I recognize work and family schedules make it difficult to devote two hours each day to the course.

         Here's the compromise: All course materials for the entire semester have been made available at the start of the semester.  Each week, you must complete the assigned module of work.  You may work ahead but not late past due dates. Check the course calendar in each module to stay up-to-date on due dates.

         The bottom line is that I want us all to stay together and on track with the same material as it would be taught in a face-to-face class from week to week.

         Let me know how you're doing. Send me an email if you're facing difficulties and together let's see what we can work out!

Weekly Schedule

Please see the Course Calendar for an overview of the assignments and due dates for this course.