Professor: Zoe Adler

Email: zadler@sandiego.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the LRC
Thursdays 4:30-5:30 in EV05

Reading & Writing for Non-Native Speakers of English III

Mesa College
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 6:35-9:45 p.m.
Classroom: EV05

Course Description:
This course is intended for non-native speakers of English
that want to improve their reading and writing skills. We will
improve our grammar and writing together and build our
critical thinking skills. This class will help make our writing a
powerful tool for your effective communication.

Our Goals: (Student Learning Outcomes)

1. Thesis Statement: Students will write a clear

thesis statement that directly relates to the writing
prompt.
2. Support: The writing is supported with relevant
evidence and examples.
3. Organization: Student writing will be effectively
organized into paragraphs with appropriate
transitions.
4. Grammar: The student will build a strong
foundation of basic grammar (parts of speech) and
will learn a variety of more complex grammatical
structures, such as verb forms, articles,
prepositions, conjunctions, gerunds, infinitives, and
modals, along with the mechanics of writing.
5. Writing process: The student will practice the
entire writing process, including multiple drafts,
1 and
editing with peer and self-revision.
Books and Supplies:

Grammar Explorer 3 (ISBN: 978-1-111-

35111-3); National Geographic Learning

o Buying a book is required for the

class. You must bring your book to
class, and you may NOT share books.

"They Say / I Say" (ISBN-13: 978-0-393-

93584-4) The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing (Third Edition) (ISBN-
13: 978-0-393-93584-4)

One composition book for journaling

Three-ring binder
Spiral notebook or notebook paper
Highlighter
Pen and pencil
One packet of post-it notes for annotating and revising
Access to the internet AND a working e-mail address
You can access the internet in the Writing Center (2nd floor of the
LRC) if you dont have internet access at home
Please check Blackboard regularly for course announcements.

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Respect and Community Conduct:
In this classroom, we will be a
community of students. Students are
expected to practice common courtesy
in the classroom and participate in
classroom discussions respectfully.
Some general guidelines are:
1. Be respectful and kind to your fellow
students
2. Come to class on time and be ready to participate. Do not leave
early.
3. Email the instructor BEFORE class if you will be absent or if you will
arrive late.
4. Do not use your cell phone unless it is required for an in-class
activity.
5. Speak in English at all times.
6. Raise your hand before you speak to make sure that everyone is able
to have their voice heard.
7. Do your own work. Do NOT copy from a friend or from the internet.

It is your responsibility to get the work that you miss if you are absent. Find
two classmates that you can contact if you are absent.

Friend: ___________________ Email/Phone: ___________________

Friend: ___________________ Email/Phone: ___________________

My Promise: I want you to know that I care about teaching, and I care
about my students. Im here to help and support you, so please come see
me before and after class and during my office hours. I want you to feel
safe and respected in this classroom. Your opinions and life experiences
are valued, and I want you to feel confident in sharing your views with this
class. I will never grade you down for your point of view, but I reserve the
right to challenge your argument in order to challenge and improve our
critical thinking skills.

Academic Honesty:

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In the United States, cheating is
defined as getting or giving the
answers to an assignment without your
teachers permission. Examples of
cheating are:

Copying another students test or

homework
Letting someone else copy your test
or homework
Letting a family member or friend do
your work or fix your grammar
Using notes during a test without permission
Turning in work that you did for another class
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism involves submitting work (sentences, paragraphs, essays) that
was written by someone else and claiming that you have written it. Copying
from the internet or using someone elses work without permission is
considered plagiarism. Having someone correct your grammar by re-
writing the paper for you is also considered plagiarism. The only way to
improve is to do your own work, so do not to participate in any activity that
could be considered plagiarism.

Grading:
Your final grade in this class will be affected by active participation. Each
student will be expected to contribute to all tasks and activities and to
complete all course assignments. You must earn 70% or better in order
to pass the course.
The following grading scale will be used in determining A 90-100%
final grades: B 80-89%
Participation (in-class work, quizzes, attendance): 20% C 70-79%
Homework and Projects: 15% D 60-69%
Essays/Writing Assignments: 65% F 59% and
below

Assignments:

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Your performance on these assignments will prepare you for English 49.
Do your best work on each assignment.

1. Attendance & Being on Time: To be successful, you need to be in

class. This shows your motivation and your commitment. Students are
expected to attend every class session, to arrive on time, and to tell the
instructor before class if there is a reason that they cannot come.
The maximum number of classes that you can miss is four. If you
miss a fifth class, you will be dropped. Arriving late or leaving early
three times will also result in an absence (3 late arrivals/departures
= 1 absence; 6 late arrivals/departures = 2 absences, etc).

You should email the instructor before class if there is a reason that you
cannot come, but this does not excuse your absence. It is your
responsibility to be prepared for the class following an absence.
Be sure that you know how to contact at least two of your
classmates.

2. Quizzes: You will have quizzes throughout the semester. It is

important to study and do your homework each night so that you are
ready if there is a test. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped at the
end of the semester. Therefore, there are NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES. If
you are absent, you will get a 0.

3. Writing Assignments: You will complete a variety of writing

assignments in this course, including in-class writing and writing done at
home. Most of your assignments will be eligible for revision. Late work
will be subject to a penalty.

4. Participation, Classwork, Homework: Participating in class helps you

improve your skills. You will be expected to work cooperatively in large
groups, small groups, pairs, and individually.