ESL 47--Intermediate-Low Reading/Writing for English Learners: Open for Antiracism (OFAR)
Overview
In this module we discuss community in a variety of ways, from fiction and non-fiction. The module is mostly face to face, with online follow-up to practice written expression of their experience. The module finishes with a guest speaker from a First Nation, Miwok Rancheria. This guest builds on the readings, expands our ideas of who is in our community (city), and provides a face-to-face introduction and discussion with a member of the Miwok Nation (an experience no student had up to this point).
Syllabus
ESL 47 -- Intermediate-Low Integrated Reading and Writing
ESL 47 Syllabus
Professor: Duane Leonard (call me “Duane” please :)
Contact: phone#, email, or text me on googlechat or our google space
Tea-time with Duane: See CANVAS home page
Student Description:
In this course, you will learn how to read, understand, talk about AND write about stories and true stories (like the news). I will show you a number of steps (a process) you will practice several times this semester and one I know you will get better at! These skills will help you understand readings better and will help your English develop too. One final point is that we will talk about how these readings show “U.S. culture” and how this new culture is similar and different from all the cultures we have in our classroom.
My teaching philosophy
Become an ACTIVIST:
A - Ask about assignment (build academic knowledge)
C - Connect to the topic (build cultural connections, and vocabulary)
T - Try new structures and drafts (grammar, vocabulary, ideas!)
I - Investigate, deconstruct, and use previous models and examples to improve your drafts stronger!
V - Value your effort, your mistakes!, your experience, opinions, drafts, and notes
I - Invite feedback and grow from some of it
S - Simplify your final draft -- end with a clear answer to the question that looks like the models you investigated
T - Think through what worked and what didn’t; how can the next time be easier/clearer/more efficient?
We are an ACTIVIST team. If we work together, this semester will be a success. Please communicate with me a lot. Ask questions when you have them. Give suggestions when you have them.
I have a job -- I will do my best to give interesting assignments, clear instructions, and helpful feedback, and this will make your learning easier, and faster.
You have a job -- Good news, you are responsible for your learning! If you have time, if you try consistently (a little each day), then you will become better at reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English.
Also, at the end of every Unit, we will reflect on this process.
How did your ideas, feelings, and/or vocabulary change from the beginning of this process (look at your “knowledge” portion to show evidence of this change/growth).
If you did something right, repeat it! When you find that you’re doing something that is not helpful, make it difficult to repeat that negative action. This, again, is actively trying to improve.
Communication Guidelines
Proper communication means a safe space to learn
Hi Students! The guidelines below show how I want us to communicate and interact in our online class. This means communication in discussion boards, emails, zoom meetings, and assignments with me and with each other. If we all know these guidelines, and if we all follow them, I know we will all feel safer to share our (interesting and different!) opinions, answers, and most importantly, ask our questions! Following these guidelines will make our class friendlier and focused, so you can concentrate on your goal -- improving your English!
Student-to-Student Communication Expectations:
- Be respectful -- you’re all adults, and many of you have different backgrounds, languages, cultures, and opinions. Please show respect to everyone.
- Share the space -- once you have shared your question or opinion, let others in your groups share too. Try not to be the only one posting answers, or talking, in our discussions and meetings. If you are always the only one talking or posting, especially if you have a higher level of language then your team, others might feel shy and not try.
- Mistakes are important, be kind when your classmates make them! -- when you work with classmates, friends, tutors, even me during office hours, don’t worry about making mistakes. Mistakes mean that you’re trying! Encourage each other when you notice mistakes so that you (as a team) can build a better answer together. If you all share your work equally, you can see how hard everyone is trying to learn at the same level.
- Encourage each other -- you should not try to learn a language alone, or even try to do an assignment on your own. Your classmates will have different problems (family, jobs, money, food, grades, English, and many other stressors) all through the semester. It is better for everyone if you tell each other, “It’s OK, you can do this!” When you know you have a team who cares about you and wants you to improve, it is easier to keep trying.
Student-to-Teacher Communication Expectations
- Be respectful
- Read instructions -- please read my instructions from the beginning to the end. I try to make them clear to you, so reading them slowly means you’re trying to understand me also. Also, bonus points if you find mistakes!
- Ask questions -- This is the most important skill you can develop as a student, maybe even as a person. Please ask all your questions because if you have a question, it means many of your classmates have the same question.
- Make mistakes -- these show me your language level and mean that you’re becoming better at English! And, when you make mistakes I can show you different ways of speaking and writing.
Teacher-to-Student Communication Expectations
- I respect you. I will try to develop each assignment and each discussion to be respectful towards your language, culture, and individuality.
- I will challenge you. I believe the only way to learn is to be pushed. My assignments will not be easy, but I know you can do them. I push you because I am confident in your abilities.
- I will ask you questions. Please answer :)
- I will make mistakes too. Every class, every semester, I try to be clear, kind, respectful, interesting, funny, and still every class I make mistakes. I will try not to, again, but please tell me when I am making a mistake. I will apologize, and I will fix it so that you understand the assignment more clearly and feel more comfortable in my classroom.
Attendance Engaged Effort:
You’re taking this class to improve your English. The quickest way to get better at a language, or better at any new skill, is to try on purpose. Showing up, and “attending” is only one step, but I want more. I want you to engage and try. Online, this will mean to show up at least twice weekly prepared to discuss, share, listen in English, to improve your English. You won’t be able to move forward in the course without completing what we do first, but I will give you plenty of guidance and support so you can keep a steady pace. So, keep showing up, keep trying, keep asking questions and I know you’ll do great!
Grading:
Grading will be done on CANVAS and can be found in our CANVAS classroom. Completing assignments on time will get you the highest grade, but you will be encouraged to revise for a high grade as well. I will show you how it is acceptable and unacceptable to use the work of other people. So, copied work will be returned to you with instructions on how to revise, but you will get a zero for a copied assignment until it is revised appropriately. If you are late, or miss assignments, please let me know and we can discuss how you can still complete the assignment for full or partial credit.
Class Activities:
I will send an announcement every week explaining the week’s lesson and assignment. I will have short videos to help explain and model assignments, and you will have to complete online discussions, quizzes, projects, and assignments.
My student hours are available to help you with all these assignments and explanations. Please come to my student hours often. Please ask questions even more often.
Homework and Home Study:
You should expect to do around 9-12 hours of homework per week for this class. If you are doing more, please let me know.
It is very important that you understand the assignment before you try it. If you do not understand the assignment, STOP and contact me with a question. Then, you can restart in the right way once you understand.
College Support Services:
Academic and SCC Community Resources -- click the links below to explore and join:
- CalWORKS - CA Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids
- RISE -- Student run by student leaders!
- EOPS -- Extended Opportunity Programs, please apply!
- DSPS -- Disability Services and Programs. If you are having a harder time learning than your classmates, please think about talking with DSPS to get right support to help you learn and succeed.
- Main Campus Writing Center -- with reading and writing tutors!
- Student Clubs
- And so many more!
Counselors:
- List of ESL-knowledgeable counselors. Click on their names for to email them:
- UC/CSU Transfer Contact:
- Undocumented Scholars Contact:
- EOPS Contacts:
- Or, our excellent team of complete
Required Materials:
Notebook, Computer (Chromebook ok, we have loaners), internet access, and a desire to learn!
ESL 47 in Units/Weeks
| Unit | Reading Unit | Number of Weeks |
| Learning how to succeed in an online ESL 47 | TBD | 1 |
| Reading and Writing Process I -- Trying it out! | TBD | 5 |
| Reading and Writing Process II -- Second time is better! | TBD | 5 |
| Reading and Writing Process III - Getting easier isn’t this?! | TBD | 4 |
| Review and Wrap-up | 1 | |
| Final Exam | .05 |
Important Dates:
DATE EVENT/ACTION
January 15 Classes start
January 28 Last day to drop classes and qualify for a tuition refund
January 30 Last day to drop classes without notation on record
January 30 Last day to enroll in classes
February 18 Last day to petition for pass/no pass
April 17 Last day to withdraw from classes with a "W" notation on record
May 12 to 18 Final exams
May 18 Last day of classes
May 18 Deadline to submit a refund request to Business Services Office
Course Objectives Socrates:
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- employ a variety of reading strategies to understand and analyze the content and structure of short fiction and nonfiction texts.
- recognize, use, and acquire vocabulary with correct spelling as presented in the course.
- apply the writing process to compose, revise, and edit simple summaries, responses, and academic paragraphs of at least 150 words.
- discuss U.S. academic and cultural expectations.
Building Community Module
In this module we build our understanding of community in a variety of ways, through fiction, non-fiction, our experiences, and our discussions.
The module is mostly face to face, with online tasks follow-up to practice written expression of their experience.
The module finishes with a guest speaker from a First Nation, Miwok Rancheria. This guest builds on the readings, expands our ideas of who is in our community (city), and provides a face-to-face introduction and discussion with a member of the Miwok Nation (an experience no student had up to this point).
This module is based on my ACTIVIST learning/teaching philosophy:
Become an ACTIVIST:
A - Ask about assignment (build academic knowledge)
C - Connect to the topic (build cultural connections, and vocabulary)
T - Try new structures and drafts (grammar, vocabulary, ideas!)
I - Investigate, deconstruct, and use previous models and examples to improve your drafts stronger!
V - Value your effort, your mistakes!, your experience, opinions, drafts, and notes
I - Invite feedback and grow from some of it
S - Simplify your final draft -- end with a clear focused answer to the question that looks like the models you investigated
T - Think through what worked and what didn’t; how can the next time be easier/clearer/more efficient?