Course Syllabus

Bellevue College

Reading 2 (ELIUP 043)

Fall 2018

Instructor:    Ahmad Ghashmari              

E-mail: ahmad.ghashmari@bellevuecollege.edu

Office: R130N          Office Hours:      Daily 11:30-12:30 and by appt.

Class: Monday-Friday, 12:30-1:20 pm            Classroom: A210

 

Course Description

Welcome to Reading 2!  This course will help you strengthen your reading, discussion, and study skills so that you can be successful in future credit courses at an American college or university.  You will read a variety of materials, including textbook articles and a novel.

 

TEXTBOOKS (Available at the BC bookstore):

 

      Reading for Today 2 (Insights) ISBN#978-1-305-57997-2

               by Smith & Mare (no used textbooks permitted)

      The Interpreter  (Penguin Readers: Level 3) ISBN#978-1-4058-8189-0

            by Karen Holmes

 

                                   

Materials

• A dictionary (not your phone or any device connected to the Internet)
• A 3-ring binder or folder for organizing class materials and handouts
• 8 ½” x 11” lined paper for all written homework
• a pen or pencil

 

NOTE: No used or translated textbooks will be allowed.

 

COURSE OVERVIEW:

In order to do well in school and in many everyday situations, we must be able to read well.  Reading is an essential key to learning.  When we read, our lives also become more interesting and our view of the world can become wider.  The focus of this class is to help you develop the skills to read English with greater understanding, confidence, and speed.

 

In this class, you will work on these skills or topics:

• Decode: make connections between letters and sounds
• Use a dictionary: find correct spellings meanings, and parts of speech
• Vocabulary: recognize common stems and affixes; recognize a core of basic vocabulary
• Use context clues: guess meaning from context
• Scan: identify key words and find specific information quickly
• Read for comprehension: understand the literal meaning of a passage; find the main idea and important details
• Critical reading: express and support an opinion about a passage; make basic inferences from a passage
• Skim: find main ideas and important details quickly
• Use the library: find and use simple library materials

Materials

 

• A dictionary (not your phone)
• A 3-ring binder or Spiral notebook for organizing class materials and handouts
• 8 ½” x 11” lined paper for all written homework
• a pen or pencil

 

NOTE: No used or translated textbooks will be allowed.

  

Grading

 

In order to pass this class, you must earn a 75% (C-) or higher.

 

Your grade will be based on the following:

 

1)      Reading Lab  (10%) - Participate fully in every Reading Lab session.  This means arrive on time, pay attention to your own computer program and progress, document your results, and attend every session or make it up on your own time.

 

2)      Homework Assignments  (20%) – Plan to spend approximately 1 hour every night studying for this class.  This includes reading passages in our textbook, reading chapters in the novel, studying vocabulary, novel questions and answers, doing exercises in our textbook, etc.  Homework is due at the beginning of class.  If you are absent that day, please turn it in on your first day back.  No points will be given for late homework.

 

3)      Book Discussions  (20%) – You will discuss the chapters that you read from the novel The Interpreter. 

 

4)      Quizzes  (40%) – We will have Unit Tests on the textbook every 2 weeks. There are no make-ups.  If you are sick you may contact me to make-up the quiz in the morning of the next day. Otherwise if you are absent, you will receive a “0”.  There will be quizzes on the novel every few weeks during the quarter.

5)      Final Test (10%) – This will be a written novel reaction.

 

Time Management and Workload:

This course will be a fair amount of work.  You should expect to spend at least 1-2 hours everyday outside of class studying and working on homework or class projects.  That means that you have to schedule and manage your time carefully every week so that you will have time to

get everything done on time.  Do not wait until the night before to do your assignments.  Do them early so that you can do a good job and increase your learning potential.

 

Attendance

It is important for you to come to every class session, come to class on time, and stay for the entire class period.  Attendance will affect your final grade. 

 

▪ Students who miss class 15 times or more will receive a grade of “F” and will be   dismissed from the program at the end of the quarter.

▪ Students who miss class 12 times will receive a grade of “F.”

▪ Students who miss class 10 or 11 times will receive a grade of no higher than a “D.”

▪ Three tardies (arriving late) of 5 minutes or more will equal 1 absence.

 

*Participation includes regular attendance to class.  To obtain a high participation grade, you will need to come to class prepared to discuss homework, ask questions when you don’t understand something, volunteer answers and work actively with your classmates in pair and group work, and listening politely when others are speaking.

 

Final Class Grade:

96 – 100%         A          (Excellent)             

93 – 95%          A-

90 – 92%          B +       (Above Average)                              

87 – 89%          B

84 – 86%          B-

81 – 83%          C+        (At Class Level)                     

78 – 82%           C  

75 – 77%          C-

0 – 74%             D          (Weak Skills, Repeat Class Level)

0 – 74%             F          (Unsatisfactory Effort, Repeat Class Level)

 

Additional Course Policies and Tips for Success

• Get your books and set up your Bellevue College computer account as soon as possible.
• Come to class prepared every day.  This means: bring a pen or pencil, paper for taking notes, your books, and your dictionary to every class.
• Finish your homeworkbefore 
• Email me if you miss class for any reasonAND contact your homework buddy to find out what you have missed.
• Be an active You are responsible for asking questions and making sure that you understand all class materials.
• Full credit will not be given to late assignments.

 

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones are not allowed at any time during class.  Turn off your cell phone before you enter class and do not use your cell phone at all during class.  Your cell phone will be taken away until the end of class if it is used.  You will receive an F on a test, if you use your cell phone during the test.

 

Statement on Plagiarism and Cheating

Students are in ELI classes to learn English and ELI teachers are here to help them.  Cheating makes that harder for both the students and the teachers.  There are different kinds of cheating:  plagiarism, “borrowing” a classmate’s homework (partially or wholly), using an essay or a presentation from a previous quarter, using “cheat notes,” copying answers from classmates’ papers or giving answers to classmates during tests.

 

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas as your own in both writing and oral presentations.  It is cheating and is not acceptable in American classes.                   

 

Examples of plagiarism are:

• Copying from a Web page, book or article
• Buying papers
• Copying from another student
• Using a friend’s paper from a previous quarter

 

If you plagiarize:

First time:                     Your teacher will work with you so that you understand what not to do.

Second time:                 You will fail the assignment.

Third time:                    You will fail the class and be reported to the Associate Dean of Student Services.  You will possibly be asked to leave the school. 

 

Student Code of Conduct

Cheating, stealing and plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source) and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. 

 

Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to:  talking out of turn, arriving late or leaving early without a valid reason, allowing cell phones/pagers to ring, and inappropriate behavior toward the instructor or classmates. 

 

The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Vice President of Student Services for possible probation or suspension from Bellevue College.  Specific student rights, responsibilities and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code of Conduct, available in the office of the Vice President of Student Services.  The Student Code, Policy 2050, can also be viewed on-line at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/policies/2/2050_Student_Code.asp.

 

Affirmation of Inclusion

Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination.

 

We value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty, staff members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and respect.  For more information, go to:http://bellevuecollege.edu/about/goals/inclusion.asp.

  

Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful in college, please contact us as soon as possible. 

If you are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation, such as a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your individual instructors to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.

 

If you are a student with a documented autism spectrum disorder, there is an additional access program available to you. Contact asn@bellevuecollege.edu or 425.564.2764. ASN is located in the Library Media Center in D125.  www.bellevuecollege.edu/autismspectrumnavigators/

 

The DRC office is located in B132 or you can call our reception desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach us by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110. Please visit our website for application information into our program and other helpful links at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc

 

Religious Observance—

The Arts & Humanities Division of Bellevue College, committed to advancing pluralism, recognizes its students’ diverse religious beliefs.  Those students who wish to observe a religious holy day should not be penalized for doing so. Whenever feasible, students should be allowed to make up academic assignments that are missed due to such absences. However, the student must personally hand the instructor a written notification of the projected absence within two weeks of the start of the quarter.  Because religious holidays are scheduled in advance, instructors have the right to insist that course work be completed prior to an anticipated absence for religious observances.

 

Student Concerns

Should you have concerns about any part of the class, please come to me with them.  If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable coming to me, the usual next step would be to speak with the program chair, Ivan Breen (ibreen@bellevuecollege.edu).  You can refer concerns about this class to the Arts and Humanities Division Dean, Maggie Harada (maggie.harada@bellevuecollege.edu) or the Assistant Dean, Scott Bessho (scott.bessho@bellevuecollege.edu) in the Arts and Humanities division office (R230).   An additional resource for concerns you find aren’t being addressed by faculty or administration is the Ombuds Office (http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/ombuds/)

 

Complaint Policy--

As a student in the ELI, you have the right to understand grading policies, rules, and requirements and to know that you are treated fairly.  You also have the responsibility to comply with those policies, rules, and requirements.

 

BC prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age,           religion, the presence of sensory, mental or physical disability, or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran.

 

Sometimes problems arise and the college encourages the parties involved to resolve the conflict informally whenever possible.  If resolution cannot be reached, a formal process can be followed.

 

Informal Complaint Process

1. Make an appointment to talk directly with the teacher/staff member to attempt to reach a mutual agreement. If you would be more comfortable, you can make an appointment to speak with the Director of the ELI (for issues with classes/teachers) or the Interim Director of International Student Programs (for issues with advisors, activities etc.)
2. Be courteous, flexible, and respectful.
3. Be open to alternative solutions or suggestions.

 

If the problem cannot be solved together, the following formal complaint procedures may be used:

Formal Complaint Process

All formal complaints must be made in writing. Consult your ELI student handbook for complete information.

 

Arts and Humanities Student Policies and Procedures

Please refer to “Student Procedures and Expectations” on the Arts and Humanities website for all other information: (http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/policies/ )

 

Public Safety and Emergencies

Public Safety is located in the K building and can be reached at 425-564-2400 (easy to remember because it’s the only office on campus open 24 hours a day—2400).  Among other things, Public Safety serves as our Parking Permits, Lost and Found, and Emergency Notification center.  Please ensure you are signed up to receive alerts through our campus alerting system by registering at (http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/alerts/?ref=footer)

 

If you work late and are uneasy about going to your car, Public Safety will escort you to your vehicle. To coordinate this, please phone ahead and let Public Safety know when and where you will need an escort.

Please familiarize yourself with the emergency postings by the door of every classroom and know where to go in the event of an evacuation.  Your instructor will be asked if anyone might still be in the building, so check in before you do anything else.  Emergency responders will search for anyone unaccounted for.

 

If a major emergency occurs, please follow these two rules:

1) Take directions from those in charge of the response  -We all need to be working together.

2) Do not get in your car and leave campus (unless directed to) - Doing so will clog streets and prevent emergency vehicles from entering the scene.  Instead, follow directions from those in charge.

 

Please do not hesitate to call Public Safety if you feel safety questions or concerns at any time.