First Day 2017 Spring Semester ENSL 0091-048 (19949)

The course ENSL 0091-048 (19949) Applied Grammar III TR 1:00-2:155, ND-1110 Instructor: Dr. Charles Schroen

Key Question What do you notice?

Course Goals Write multi-paragraph academic essays... Write clear English text with relatively few errors... Demonstrate competency in managing advanced grammar areas… Employ proofreading and editing strategies…

Course goals = ? At the end of the semester when you finish the last task and leave the room for the last time, are you a better writer than you were when you entered the classroom on the first day? If you are, how did that happen exactly? If you are not, how did that happen exactly? Where are the answers?

The instructor Instructor: Dr. Charles Schroen Twenty plus years combined at DeKalb College, Georgia Perimeter College, and Perimeter College (Georgia State University) Previous employment: Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA); Penn State University (University Park, PA)

Contacting the instructor Office: ND-1304; phone: 770.274.5177 Email: cschroen@gsu.edu Office Hours MW: 11:30-1:00 TR: 8:00-8:30, 10:00-1:00 Note: When I am unable to attend office hours, a note to that effect appears on my door.

Important Dates (a) TUE 10 JAN: First class session for ENSL 0091-048. MON 16 JAN: Martin Luther King Day (national holiday); PC classes do not meet. MON 13 MAR - SUN 20 MAR: Spring break; PC classes do not meet.

Important Dates (b) THU 20 April: Exit essay #1, 1:00-2:15, ND-1110. TUE 25 April: Exit essay #2, 1:00-2:15, ND-1110. THU 4 May: Final grades due by 5:00 pm. FRI 5 May: Final grades available to students. MON 5 June: First class day for the 2017 summer sessions.

Materials & Dictionary America Now, 11th edition (Atwan, R.; ISBN: 978-1-4576-8742-6) Segments of Hiroshima (J. Hersey) and other texts. Any additional reading is announced with sufficient time to prepare before the reading is used in class. The American Heritage Dictionary (5th edition) [978-0-553-58322-9]

Final course grade In-Class Writing Assignments = 25 % Quizzes, tests, re-writes, homework = 40 % Final Examination = 35 %

Grading scale The official Perimeter College grading scale: B: 89-80 C: 79-70 D: 69-60 F: 59 or below

Quizzes Usually unannounced Up to 20 minutes long Often at the beginning of a class session Anyone arriving late has less time. Anyone absent has lost an opportunity. No make-up

Tests Three or four grammar tests in the first half of the semester maybe ESL Exit at the end of the term Every course assignment is an opportunity. Why pass up an opportunity?

Making up missed work Like water flowing in a river, the course moves in one direction. What really matters in this course is what you can do in the classroom. Work is made up only under very unusual circumstances (e.g. something very serious). No paper = zero points

In-class writing Several times in this course we use an entire class session for writing. Each assignment is returned with suggestions for improvement. In-class writing is the opportunity you have to show what you can do, so be present (mentally and physically) and ready to show what you can do.

Revisions of in-class work Like water flowing in a river, the course moves in one direction. What matters in this course is in-class writing, so revisions do not happen. Learn from what you do on one assignment and use what you learn to improve your writing in the next assignment.

ESL Exit Procedure (1) Writing: Students write two exit essays during the last week of the term. For each essay students choose one of two topics (not announced beforehand). Students have one regular class period (75 minutes) to complete each essay.

ESL Exit Procedure (2) Reading & Rating: Only the classroom instructor reads and rates each essay. (This is a change from the previous procedure.) Each essay receives a rating of “Pass” or “Fail.”

ESL Exit Procedure (3) Results: A student with at least one essay with an overall rating of "Pass” receives a passing course grade (“A,” “B,” or “C”). A student without at least one essay with an overall rating of "Pass” receives a failing course grade (“D,” or “F”), retakes the course, and goes through the ESL Exit again.

Attendance (physical) Ninety percent 28 total class sessions X .9 = 25.2 class sessions to attend 28-25=3 class sessions to miss with no questions Miss four class sessions and you face course withdrawal.

Lateness Time is important in U.S. academic culture, so punctuality is important. Lateness creates a disturbance for everyone in the room. Disturbances should be avoided. Physical lateness always leads to mental lateness; neither one is good.

Phones, computers, and such Such devices create distractions for the user and for others. Distractions in the classroom are not useful. Such devices need to be off and out of sight. Paying attention is of great value in any course.

In the classroom (in any course) The instructor determines when the class session begins and when it ends. Once a class session begins, everyone remains in the room for the duration of the class session.

Food and drinks Eat before or after class but not during. Beverages are fine; spilling is not encouraged.

Plagiarism and cheating Doing your own work is the expectation in academic culture in the U.S. Respect that expectation; respect yourself. Serious consequences may result if your work has your name on it but is not completely yours. Georgia State University Policy on Academic Honesty.

Success in this course (and others) You need all of these. Do you have each of them? awareness commitment curiosity determination patience responsibility Where can you find whatever you are missing?

Finding the course info Go to: http://sites.pc.gsu.edu select: “sites@pc” search: “what” select: “What do you notice?” Proceed from there to the course.

How do I prepare for the next class? Reading enhances writing ability. Interest provides direction for reading. Follow the direction your interest provides. Read what interests you and discover the messages that await you. This is preparation for any course and preparation for life outside of school. Reading benefits you; invest in yourself.