AA Reading Course Syllabus

Instructor Information
Instructor: Lynne Crandall
Email address: [email protected]
Office: ELC 226
Office hours: By appointment. I would love to meet with you.

Course Description
This course helps students improve their reading ability by focusing on the following: thorough
comprehension of the text, implementation of reading strategies, acquiring academic vocabulary,
extensive reading, and fluency. The texts used in this course tend to be non-fiction and contain
some academic vocabulary.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to...

1. Understand level-appropriate texts

1. Understand clearly stated main ideas.
2. Understand major details.
3. Identify author's purpose.
4. Identify author's point of view.
2. Effectively implement appropriate reading strategies.
1. Preview texts for main idea.
2. Scan texts for major and minor details.
3. Recognize basic organization patterns.
4. Connect content to background knowledge.
5. Make inferences about concrete ideas.
6. Skim texts when appropriate.
3. Acquire new vocabulary words.
1. Infer meaning of unfamiliar words by using personal and textual context.
2. Use both derivational and inflectional morphemes to infer meaning of unfamiliar words.
3. Demonstrate understanding of high frequency general vocabulary.
4. Read aloud with comprehensible pronunciation.
1. Use correct stress in words and sentences.
2. Pause when appropriate.
3. Use correct intonation.
4. Correctly pronounce high frequency general vocabulary words.
Required Materials
1. A NEW copy of "Ten Steps to Improving College Reading Skills" by John Langan. ISBN-
10: 1591944236
2. Paper or notebook, pen or pencil

Grades and Assignments

The ELC gives two grades, a proficiency grade and a citizenship grade.

Proficiency (How good is your English?) Needs to be above 74%

• Reading Skills Quizzes (50%): You will have weekly quizzes on canvas. The lowest quiz will
be dropped. They will be due on Fridays at 11:59 pm.
• Vocabulary Quizzes (20%): You will also have weekly vocabulary quizzes on canvas. The
vocabulary will come from the readings we do in class, and we will discuss the words throughout
the week. The lowest quiz will be dropped and the quizzes will be due on Fridays at 11:59 pm.
• Reading Midterm and Final (20%): You will have an in-class midterm and final test. Check
the calendar for specific dates.
• Book Sleeve (10%): You will choose a book to read outside of class and create a book sleeve
for it. More details will be given in class.

Citizenship (Are you being a good student?) Needs to be above 84%

PARTICIPATION (50%)

• 3 points every day

o You earn points by being on time to class, participating, paying attention, and following
class rules. You can lose participation points for being late to class, for not trying to speak
English in class, for being disruptive, for using your cell phone inappropriately, for taking
long breaks during class, or for not being prepared (for example, not bringing your book).
o You may not always know immediately when you lose participation points.

HOMEWORK (50%)

• Reading Log: You are assigned to read for 30 minutes a day on Mon-Wed and 30 minutes total
on the weekend (Thu-Sun). You are not responsible to read on holidays. Sometimes the teacher
will assign specific things to read. If nothing specific is assigned, read something that is
interesting, easy, and enjoyable. You will receive 1 point for every ten minutes you read.
However, this is a daily assignment. That means if you read extra on one day it does NOT
transfer to other days (except on weekends). Due on Mondays before class.

• Reflection: Every other week you will answer certain questions. This assignment is meant to
take 5-10 minutes and is worth 5 points. It must be filled out completely. Incomplete
assignments will not receive points. Due on Mondays before class.
• Canvas Assignments: Some days the teacher will post homework assignments on Canvas.
Complete the assignment and bring your answers to class. Due before class.

In order to return the following semester, students must do the following: (1) maintain a
citizenship of at least 84% and a proficiency of at least 74% and (2) keep attendance above
80%.

Late Policy:
Late work such as homework, quizzes tests or any other work assigned in class will receive 50% of
the points. If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from submitting your assignments on
time, you will be given extra time to submit your assignment. Circumstances beyond your control
include hospitalization, Emergency Room visit, technology related issues, an ill family member, etc.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, you must contact the teacher as soon as you can and
request extra time.

Class Rules
1) Speak English! (before, during, and after class). English is the language that you have come to
learn, so try your hardest to communicate in English. It will help you progress in your language
abilities and show respect for those around you.
2) Be honest. “Your integrity is more important than a grade” (ELC Policy).
3) No food or drink in the classroom (water is ok).
4) No cell phones, except for translation and classroom activities.

ELC Policies
Level Achievement Tests (LATs)
Level Achievement Tests (LATs) are given at the end of each semester. They are used to test your
progress in English in each skill area. If you plan to continue studying at the ELC, you must take the
LATs. This semester, you will take your LATs on December 121h and 13th. The best way to
prepare for the LATS is by coming to class and doing your homework.

Attendance Policy
Consistently attending class is a central part of learning and improving your English. When you are
absent from class, you miss important information and practice opportunities that you need to
improve your English. The US Government allows each English program to establish its own
attendance policy. The following requirements reflect the ELC’s commitment to create the right
environment to help you improve your English.
ELC students must maintain 80% attendance in each and every class at all times. As soon as your
attendance drops below 80% in any one of your four classes, you will receive a warning letter. If you
have any unexcused absences before raising your attendance back to 80%, you will be dismissed. If
your attendance drops below 80% a second time in any one of your four classes, you will be
dismissed from the ELC. Once you receive your attendance dismissal letter, you must go to Anna
Bailey’s office (4056 JFSB) immediately.
The US Government states that if a student is dismissed for violation of a school's attendance
policy, then their student visa is immediately terminated and the student will need to leave the US
within two weeks. If students want to transfer to another school, they will have to reapply to be
reinstated. However, attempts to be reinstated are rarely successful. If you are sick and unable to
attend class, please provide a note from your doctor. Within two days of returning to class, the
doctor’s note must be received in the ELC office (103 UPC). Be aware that forging a doctor’s note
is a violation of the BYU Honor Code and will result in an immediate dismissal from the ELC.
If you know that you will be absent from class for any reason other than an illness (i.e., a family
wedding or a death in the family), you should notify the ELC administration in writing and deliver
your letter to UPC 103. These absences will be considered on an individual basis and may not
necessarily be excused. Being absent also results in missing class participation points that are part of
your citizenship grade. Whenever you are absent from class, please contact each of your teachers to
receive information on the assignments that you missed. Students who are ill should go to the
Student Health Center (see Health Care or http://health.byu.edu for more information).
Students who are more than 10 minutes late, miss more than 10 minutes during class, or leave more
than 10 minutes early will be marked as absent. (from the Student Handbook)

Preventing Sexual Discrimination & Harassment

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is intended to eliminate sex discrimination and
sexual harassment in educational contexts. Any ELC student, teacher, staff member, or
administrator who becomes aware of sexual harassment, discrimination, or misconduct of any kind,
directed toward them or any other member of the ELC community should immediately contact Dr.
James Hartshorn (801-422-4034, [email protected]) or Dr. Norman Evans (801-422-8472,
[email protected]). If they are unavailable, please leave a message and then contact the Equal
Employment Office (801-422-5895, 1-888-238-1062, http://www. ethicspoint.com) or the Honor
Code Office (801-422-2847). (from the Teacher Handbook, 1.2.6)

Students with Disabilities

If you suspect or are aware that you have a disability, please contact the Student Life Coordinator
(801-422-5318). After talking with her, she will help you determine what course of action will be best
for you. If necessary, the Student life coordinator will help you communicate with your teachers and
university personnel to make sure that you receive the assistance needed.

Academic Honesty
ELC students should seek to be totally honest with others. You should complete your own work
and be evaluated based upon that work. You should avoid academic dishonesty in all its forms,
including cheating, falsification, and plagiarism. (from the ELC Student Handbook)
Crandall FB Writing and Grammar *This calendar may change 
 

  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday 

10 September  11  12  13  14 
First day of classes         
  DUE: Read the syllabus  Reading Quiz 1 
1       
  DUE: Read Aloud (on Canvas)  Vocabulary Quiz 1 
   
 
 
17  18  19  20  21 
         
DUE: Reading Log 1      Reading Quiz 2 
2  Opening Assembly during class     
    Vocabulary Quiz 2 
 
  

24  25  26  27  28 

         
DUE: Reading Log 2      Reading Quiz 3 
3         
DUE: Reflection 1      Vocabulary Quiz 3 
 
 

1 October  2  3  4  5 
         
DUE: Reading Log 3  Reading Quiz 4 
4     
  Vocabulary Quiz 4 
 
 
 
8  9  10  11  12 
         
DUE: Reading Log 4    Reading Quiz 5 
5       
DUE: Reflection 2    Vocabulary Quiz 5 
     
    Vocabulary Test 1 9:30-11 

15  16  17  18  19 

         
DUE: Reading Log 5      Reading Quiz 6 
6         
    Vocabulary Quiz 6 
   
   

22  23  24  25  26 

         
DUE: Reading Log 6      Reading Quiz 7 
7         
DUE: Reflection 3    Midterm Exam  Vocabulary Quiz 7 
     
  Speaking and Writing Test 10-12 
Crandall FB Writing and Grammar *This calendar may change 
 

 
 
29  30  31  1 November  2 
         
DUE: Reading Log 7    Reading Quiz 8 
8 
     
    Vocabulary Quiz 8 
   
 

5  6  7  8  9 
         
DUE: Reading Log 8    Reading Quiz 9 
9       
DUE: Reflection 4    Vocabulary Quiz 9 
     
  Vocabulary Test 2 9:30-11 

12  13  14  15  16 

         
DUE: Reading Log 9      Reading Quiz 10 
10         
    Vocabulary Quiz 10 
     
   

19  20  21  22  23 

         
DUE: Reading Log 10  No Class  No Class: Thanksgiving Holiday   
11       
DUE: Reflection 5  ELC Closed  ELC Closed 
   

26  27  28  29  30 

         
DUE: Reading Log 11      Reading Quiz 11 
         
12      Vocabulary Quiz 11 
     
    Speaking and Writing Test 2 10-12 

3 December  4  5  6  7 
         
DUE: Reading Log 12    Reading Quiz 12 
13       
DUE: Reflection 6    Vocabulary Quiz 12 
     
  Vocabulary test 3 9:30-11 

10  11  12  13  14 

    LATS Testing  LATS Testing   
DUE: Reading Log 13  DUE: Book Sleeve 
14     
Final Exam  Last Day of Class 

 
Justification of Assignments
Part of my justification for the way grades are assigned is due to ELC policy. I am

required to give a proficiency grade (quizzes, tests, and a book sleeve assignment) and a

citizenship grade (50% participation in class and 50% homework completion).

I included three types of homework assignments: reading logs, reflections, and Canvas

assignments. My reading logs are designed to promote extensive reading. Students are required

to read at least 30 minutes a day, but they get to choose what they would like to read. They are

not required to answer any comprehension questions about what they read. For their reading

logs, I only ask them if they read for 30 minutes, what they read, and to write one sentence about

the main idea. I encourage students to choose easy material that they are interested in. If they are

interested in a topic, they will be more motivated to read it, and they will read more. The more

they read extensively, the more vocabulary they will be exposed to and the more their reading

abilities will increase. Since this is a homework assignment, they are given points based on

completion.

The second type of homework assignment I assign is a reflection, again graded on

completion. Students are required to answer several questions every other week about what they

have learned, what was difficult, things they like in the class, things they would like to be

improved, their citizenship and proficiency grades, and what assignments are coming up in the

next week. This assignment helps me receive feedback from students throughout the semester

and adjust my teaching based on responses from and needs of my students. It also helps students

take responsibility for their own learning by reflecting on what they’ve learned and what their

grades are. If grades are a motivating factor for some students, this assignment helps provide

motivation for those students.

The third type of assignment is a variety of assignments on Canvas that correlate to the

reading strategies we learn in class. Students download the assignment (usually ten questions that

require them to practice certain reading strategies), answer the questions, and bring their answers

to class. They receive points by marking on Canvas that they completed the assignment, and we

go over the answers in class. These types of assignments help students develop different reading

strategies and be cognizant of how effectively they are using them.

I assign proficiency grades based on a book sleeve assignment, a midterm and final exam,

and two types of quizzes: chapter quizzes and vocabulary quizzes. The book sleeve assignment

takes the place of a traditional book report. This assignment also helps promote extensive

reading by requiring students to read something outside of class. They choose a book to read and

create the cover, or sleeve, of the book, including a summary, biography of the author, reviews,

title and author, and cover art. I hope this will provide creative students with an assignment

where they can express their creativity. This assignment will also require students to use reading

strategies that we have learned in class, including looking for the main idea, summarizing, and

skimming and scanning for information. The midterm and final exams are comprehensive and

require students to use the reading strategies we learned and practiced in class. The vocabulary

quizzes are based on the weekly vocabulary. We were not given vocabulary lists to use this

semester, so I choose the vocabulary each week from vocabulary the students ask about and

some words on their chapter quiz I feel that they won’t know. I choose the chapter quiz words

based on intuition, past experience with students at that level, and in-class observations of my

students’ proficiency. The chapter quizzes are similar to the homework assignments each week,

so my students are already familiar with the format. Each chapter quiz is about a different
reading strategy that we focused on all week. They are not comprehensive like the midterm and

final are.

Justification of Calendar

My main justification of my calendar comes from the sequence of the assigned textbook.

I teach the reading strategies in the order that they are presented. The order in the book follows a

logical order, with basic strategies, such as identifying the main idea, coming at the beginning of

the semester and more advanced strategies, such as making inferences, coming later in the

semester.

As for the calendaring of the weekly assignments, the reading logs and reflections are due

Monday before class because students are required to read over the weekend and the reflection

deals with assignments for the upcoming week. All other homework is due before class because

we go over the homework every day in class. The quizzes are due Friday at midnight to try to

help give students a less stressful Saturday.