ESL 400: Composition
College of San Mateo  ¨  Spring 2006  ¨ MWF 1:10 – 2:35 p.m. ¨  16-154
Kristi Ridgway, Instructor
650-574-6686 ¨  kridg@hotmail.com  ¨  Office 17-128

You should have completedESL 828 (previously called ENG 844) with a grade of C or higher or possess the equivalent skill level as indicated by placement test. Concurrent enrollment in READ 400 or higher or READ 405 and SPCH 120 is STRONGLY recommended because reading and class discussion are important aspects of this course.

Course Description

ESL 400, Composition for Non-native Speakers, instructs nonnative speakers in the writing of expository essays and analysis of complex pieces of writing, both fiction and nonfiction. The course consists of five class hours and one hour of arrangement (lab) per week.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• produce text-based, expository essays of approximately 1,250 words that properly incorporate and cite sources according to MLA/APA style;
• use logical transitions to organize ideas within paragraphs and essays;
• develop ideas using analysis, explanation, details and examples;
• write grammatically sophisticated sentences using sentence coordination and subordination and a variety of other grammar structures appropriate for college-level compositions such as adjective clauses, noun phrase appositives, and verbal phrase modifiers;
• effectively revise and edit your own writing with only occasional global and local errors; and
• demonstrate the ability to use idiomatic, correct language to express yourself more clearly and effectively in English writing.

Required Materials/Resources

• Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. New York: Perennial, 2002.
• Morenberg, Max and Jeff Sommers. The Writer’s Options: Lessons in Style and Arrangement. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 2003.
• Raimes, Ann. Pocket Keys for Writers. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006.
• Suskin, Ron. A Hope in the Unseen. New York: Broadway Books, 2005.
• Monolingual English dictionary (such as Longman Dictionary of American English)
• E-mail account/Internet access (i.e. - hotmail.com or  yahoo.com)

Recommended Resource

• READ 812: Individualized Reading Improvement: Sign up for .5 credit hours by arrangement with Faye Mueller to assist you with the readings in our course.

Course Requirements

• Speak English.

• Attend and be on time (more than three unexcused absences may lower your grade).

• Come to class prepared (bring your book, homework, writing/reading materials).
  

• Participate and ask questions when you do not understand something.

• Complete and hand in your assignments on time.
• Take all quizzes, the midterm and the final (NO electronic DICTIONARIES!).
• Do your own work; copying from another person or cheating could result in an ‘F.’
• Turn off all pagers, cell phones and other noise-making electronic devices during class.

Homework Assignments & Journal

In addition to regular writing assignments, this class involves extensive reading, and you will be required to keep a reading journal. You should plan to spend about 2 hours on homework for each hour you are in class (~10 hours per week outside of class plus ~1 meeting per week in the Writing Lab, 18-104). Homework is due at the beginning of class even if you are absent. Late homework will receive a lower grade and will not be accepted more than one week late. Please contact me ahead of time if you know you will be absent. You may e-mail your homework to me, give it to the Bldg. 17 Language Arts secretary or have a classmate turn in your homework for you if you are absent. Get the names and phone numbers of classmates now to help you if you miss class. I do not give make-up quizzes, but talk to me if you have an emergency situation.

Grades

You must successfully achieve 70% of the total points in the course for a passing grade. Your grade is based on the following:

Class Activities, Homework & Lab                    8%
Essay Assignments                                       50% (4 Out-of-class; 2 In-class)
Quizzes/Tests                                                 12%
Final                                                                  30%
                                                                        100%

You are responsible for checking your grade in the class and telling me if you believe there is an error. Keep all of your graded assignments! If you disagree with your semester grade in the class, this is the only way to defend yourself. Once a week I will update grades; check them online at:

www.smccd.net/accounts/ridgwayk

Important Dates
Last day to drop with a partial refund              Fri., Feb. 10
PRESIDENTS’ DAY (Holiday – no class)   Fri. & Mon., Feb. 17 & 20     
SPRING BREAK                                           Mon. – Fri., April 10-16
Last day to withdraw with ‘W’                       Fri., April 21                          
LAST DAY OF CLASS                                Fri., May 19
FINAL                                                                        Mon., May 22,  2:10 – 4:40 p.m.