Course Description
The main objective of this course is to develop academic reading and writing skills. You will read academic and other authentic texts (fiction and non-fiction) on a variety of topics of up to 4-6 pages. With these texts you will practice reading skills, critical reading strategies, and research. You will strengthen your academic writing skills by writing reports, summaries, comparison essays, and problem-solution essays (4 or more paragraphs, up to 1000 words). Development of grammar and vocabulary skills is also a primary focus of this course.
The student learning outcomes of this course are:
Reading for Meaning: Identify and evaluate main ideas, key words, facts, opinions, and most important details in texts of moderate complexity. Interpret charts, graphs, and timelines; take notes and discuss; and make predictions and inferences.
Developing Reading Fluency: Apply a range of reading strategies to increase reading fluency and comprehension of extended texts in order to respond to texts.
Writing for Meaning: Construct coherent text on familiar concrete topics, with clear main ideas, supporting details, and research, with a developing sense of audience.
Writing with Organization: Organize ideas in a complete essay structure; write with cohesion.
Research Skills: Apply a developing understanding of research skills (using the APA style for citations and essay format), plagiarism and avoidance of plagiarism. Use the internet and library to research credible sources, and practice basic APA citation skills.
Accuracy of Language: Write with moderately accurate language; demonstrates mostly satisfactory control over simple, compound, and complex structures, spelling, and mechanics.
Vocabulary: Demonstrate comprehension of and use an expanded range of concrete, abstract, conceptual, academic, and idiomatic language in reading and writing
Academic Skills: Consistently demonstrate skills in critical thinking, collaboration and self-direction required for academic success at an intermediate level of proficiency. Use peer- and teacher-feedback to evaluate your work.
Required Resources
Required Textbook and Practice: Q-Skills 4 Reading and Writing (3e); iQ Online Practice (3e)
Assessment Schedule
Class Homework, Participation, Classwork and Attendance (10%)
Unit Skills Assessments (30%)
Reading Tests and Assignments (10%)
Minor/In-Class Writing Assignments (15%)
Major Writing Assignments (20%)
Final Exam (15%)