Sharon SMall COMM1003_Outline_Sept 2013

COURSE NAME: Skills for College English PAGE: 1

COURSE CODE: COMM 1003

COURSE OUTLINE

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

COURSE NAME: Skills for College English


CREDIT HOURS: 42

PREREQUISITES: Admissions or Placement Test

COREQUISITES: none

PLAR ELIGIBLE: YES ( ) NO ( x )

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 2013

PROFESSOR: Sharon Small OFFICE #: 490F (mailbox)

PHONE: EMAIL: [email protected]

NOTE TO STUDENTS: Academic Departments at George Brown College will NOT retain historical copies

of Course Outlines. We urge you to retain this Course Outline for your future reference.

EQUITY STATEMENT: George Brown College values the talents and contributions of its students, staff and community

partners and seeks to create a welcoming environment where equity, diversity and safety of all groups are fundamental.

Language or activities which are inconsistent with this philosophy violate the College policy on the Prevention of

Discrimination and Harassment and will not be tolerated. The commitment and cooperation of all students and staff are

required to maintain this environment. Information and assistance are available through your Chair, Student Affairs,

the Student Association or the Human Rights Advisor.

George Brown College is dedicated to providing equal access to students with disabilities. If you require academic

accommodations visit the Disability Services Office or the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Office on your campus.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES: Students should obtain a copy of the Student Handbook and refer to it for additional

information regarding the grading system, withdrawals, exemptions, class assignments, missed tests and exams,

supplemental privileges, and academic dishonesty. Students are required to apply themselves diligently to the course of

study, and to prepare class and homework assignments as given. Past student performance shows a strong relationship

between regular attendance and success.

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

ORIGINATOR:__________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE DATE

CHAIR: _ ____________________________September 3, 2013______________

SIGNATURE DATE

DATE OF REVISION:__August 2013________________________________________________



COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In English Skills, students develop reading and writing skills that are necessary for success in college-

level courses and in the workplace. The focus is on improving understanding of different types of

readings by learning to recognize common strategies that are used to organize and present messages in

written texts. Students also learn how to use those structures and strategies to improve the focus, clarity

and organization of their own writing. They plan, draft, write and revise several paragraphs as well as at

least one summary and one complete essay. They also learn basic research and documentation skills.

This non-credit course is a pre-requisite for College English and for other advanced COMM courses.

ESSENTIAL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS:

As mandated by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities essential employability skills (EES) will

be addressed throughout all programs of study. Students will have the opportunity to learn (L) specific skills,

to practice (P) these skills, and/or be evaluated (E) on the EES outcomes in a variety of courses. The EES

include communication, numeracy, critical thinking & problem solving, information management,

interpersonal and personal skills. The faculty for this course has indicated which of the EES are either Learned

(L), Practiced (P) or Evaluated (E) in this course:

Skill L P E Skill L P E

1. communicate clearly, concisely and

correctly in the written, spoken and

visual form that fulfills the purpose

and meets the needs of the audience

X X X 7. locate, select, organize and

document information using

appropriate technology and

information sources

X X X

2. respond to written, spoken or visual

messages in a manner that ensures

effective communication

X X X 8. show respect for the diverse

opinions, values, belief

systems, and contributions

of others

X

3. execute mathematical operations

accurately

9. interact with others in groups

or teams in ways that

contribute to effective

working relationships and

the achievement of goals

X

4. apply a systematic approach to

solve problems

X X X 10. manage the use of time and

other resources to complete

projects

X X

5. use a variety of thinking skills to

anticipate and solve problems

X X 11. take responsibility for one’s

own actions, decisions and

consequences

X

6. analyze, evaluate, and apply

relevant information from a variety

of sources

X X X



COURSE OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of this course the students will have demonstrated the ability to:

1) Accurately read college-level texts and summarize material using their own words and outline.

2) Locate information/resources in the GBC library and/or in other appropriate electronic and print

sources.

3) Use a standard documentation style (APA or MLA) to create in-text and full references for secondary

sources.

4) Create logical, cohesive introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs using outlines and drafts.

5) Compose an organized, coherent text (i.e., a short essay or report) with a distinct introduction, body

and conclusion.

6) Revise and edit their own writing to improve organization, sentence structure, grammar and mechanics.

DELIVERY METHODS / LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Teaching and learning strategies used in this course include interactive lectures, group discussions,

demonstrations, group work, in-class assignments and exercises (skill-building and writing), homework

exercises and assignments (reading, writing and skill-building), on-line learning, library

orientation/workshop, peer feedback.

LIST OF TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER TEACHING AIDS:

Required: The Canadian Writer’s Workplace, Lipschutz, Scarry, &Scarry (2013). Seventh Edition

Recommended / Optional:College-level dictionary

TESTING and ASSIGNMENT POLICY:

1) Some writing assignments and skill-building exercises must be completed in class. If you know ahead

of time that you will miss the assignment, you must inform the professor in person or by email to arrange

for alternate arrangements. If you do miss an in-class assignment, please contact your professor as soon as

possible to make alternate arrangements.*

2) Take-home assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date indicated on the schedule. If you

know in advance that you will be unable to complete a particular assignment by the scheduled due date,

contact your professor before the due date to request an extension. If you miss a deadline due to

unforeseen circumstances, it is your responsibility to contact your professor as soon as possible to explain

the situation. If the reason for missing the deadline is valid, an extension will be granted.* Otherwise,

late assignments will be penalized at a rate of 10% per day and may not be accepted beyond one week

after the original deadline.

3) The final exam must be written during class time on the scheduled day. If you are unable to complete

the exam as scheduled, notify the professor well in advance so alternative arrangements can be made.*

Failure to follow this procedure may result in a zero grade.



* Important: When an assignment deadline or in-class test or assignment is missed, you may be required

to provide documentation (medical or legal) to confirm eligibility for an extension or a re-write.

4) Paper dictionaries can be used as aids for in-class essays/exams; electronic dictionaries and other

devices including cell phones and PDAs cannot be used.

5) Assignments completed outside class should be word-processed and double-spaced in 12 pt font.

6) You are advised to keep all marked assignments, feedback on workshop/labs, and the course outline. In

cases of disagreement over marks or work completion, you must produce the graded assignments.

Important: Students with special needs or accommodations are encouraged to discuss any necessary

accommodations with their professors as soon as possible.

EVALUATION SYSTEM:

Assessment

Tool:

Description: Outcome(s)

assessed:

EES

assessed:

Due Date

/ Week:

% of Final

Grade:

Writing

Assignments

Paragraph

Summary

Essay Components-Intro,

Body

Essay (Complete Rough

draft)

Essay (Final draft)

1,4,5,6 1,2,4,5,6,9,10,11 4

5

7,9

11

13

5

10

25

5

15

Exercises,

Assignments,

Quizzes

Reading Comprehension

Library assignment

APA assignment

1,2,3,6 1,2,4,5,6,10,11 3

5

6

5

10

5

Final Exam During the final class,

construct a point-form

outline and write (at least)

a 500 word essay.

1,4,5,6 1,2,6,10,11 15 20

TOTAL: 100%

GRADING SYSTEM

This is a Pass/Not pass course.

The passing grade for this course is: ___60%___

P 60-

100

NP <60

Excerpt from the College Policy on Academic Dishonesty:

The minimal consequence for submitting a plagiarized, purchased, contracted, or in any manner

inappropriately negotiated or falsified assignment, test, essay, project, or any evaluated material

will be a grade of zero on that material.

To view George Brown College policies please go to www.georgebrown.ca/policies

For information on withdrawing from this course without academic penalty, please refer to the College

Academic Calendar: http://www.georgebrown.ca/Admin/Registr/PSCal.aspx

http://www.georgebrown.ca/policies

http://www.georgebrown.ca/Admin/Registr/PSCal.aspx



TOPICAL OUTLINE:

Class Topic / Task

Outcome(s)

Content /Activities Resources /

1 Introduction: Overview

of outcomes and

expectations

The Writing Process:

Overview

Getting started with the

paragraph: focus and

flow

Brief In class

diagnostic:

brainstorming and

paragraph writing.

Language Skills:

Overview of key

sentence parts

1,2,58,9 Group discussion:

Teacher and student

Introductions

Lecture: paragraph

structure. Evaluate 1

paragraphs using rubric

In-class writing:

Using brainstorming

strategies to generate

ideas

Develop ideas into a short

written piece to be handed

in before end of class.

In-class exercise: 4.

Recognizing parts of

speech. Crossword Puzzle

(Text pages, from The

Canadian Writer’s

Workplace (Ed. 7), handouts, etc. to be

announced before each

class)

Link to George Brown

page on plagiarism.

Chapters 1, 15

2 Active Reading

Strategies: Reading to

learn

Sentence Skills:

Review basic sentence

structures

Compound sentences

Writing and intro to

editing:

Review paragraph

structure for focus and

flow

1,2,4,6,8,9

Pre-reading strategies

Annotating texts

Comprehension

Identifying main and

supporting details.

In-class exercise:

Analyzing and

constructing complete

sentences; varying

sentence structure.

Ordering sentences to

make a paragraph

Paragraph Writing circle-

in groups

Peer group evaluation and

editing with error codes

Chapter 15

Homework: Reading and

questions

3

Homework discussion

In-class Reading Test

5%

Paragraph Review

Paraphrasing

1,2,4,5,8,9

Homework group

discussion and

presentation

Reading Test

Writing a paragraph from

a given outline

Lecture on Paraphrasing

and examples

Individual sentence and

short paragraph

paraphrasing

Chapter 18



4 In-class paragraph 5%

Summarizing Skills :

Analyzing structure of

paragraphs and texts

Steps in summarizing

Plagiarism

Documentation APA

Style- in-text citations

and references list entry

Sentence Skills:

Complex sentences

Annotate

Identifying main and

supporting details.

Summarize the article

GBC link on plagiarism

Lecture on

Documentation

Group exercise:

documenting various

sources

In-class exercise:

Analyzing and

constructing complete

sentences

5 Summarizing Skills

Paraphrasing

In-class assignment:

Summary Assignment

10%

Writing Skills: concise

language

Library visit and

assignment 5%

1,2,6,8,9 Class summary- each

group does one paragraph

and class combines

sentences using

transitions

In-class exercise:

Identifying and correcting

wordiness, redundancy

and vague language

Homework APA

assignment

6 APA assignment due

5%

Essay Overview-

organization and

structure

Types of essays-

argumentative, compare

and contrast, process,

narration

Introduction

Thesis Statements

Parallelism

2,3,6,8,9

Lecture on essays

Group exercise and

presentation- groups read

one essay and identify

essay type, make an

outline and present to

class

Groups create different

types of hooks and

present

Quizz in text, Analyze

sample thesis statements

and make corrections

Chapters 8 and 16

7 Review Introductions

In-class intro 10%

Developing Body

Paragraphs- types of

supporting evidence

2,4,5,6,8,9 Group discussion: choose

the best introduction from

3 samples and support

your choice

In-class exercise: Label

the parts of a body

paragraph. Number the



Topic sentences, support

and concluding sentence

supporting evidence

Group brainstorm

supporting evidence for a

given topic sentence

Write the body paragraph

8 INTERSESSION

9

Review Body Paragraph

In-class body

paragraph 15%

Conclusion –structure

Overview of Process

Essays

4,5,6

Writing a body paragraph

and peer evaluation

Read an essay without a

conclusion. Write the

conclusion and share

within a group.

Group brainstorm of

process topics for Child

and Youth Worker

Program. Choose one and

all groups brainstorm the

steps, group steps and

compare answers

Chapter 23

10 Process Essay continued

Analyis of a sample

Review structure: topic

sentences, steps,

transitions between and

within paragraphs.

Writing a short process

essay

2,5,6,8,9 Ordering paragraphs of a

process essay

Reverse outline

Group discussion:evaluate

introduction, body and

conclusion. Identify topic

sentences and transitions

Groups of five write essay

for steps brainstormed in

previous class. Each

person writes a paragraph

and students put it

together and give each

other feedback.

11

Rough Draft Due 5%

Revising Essays

Strategies

Punctuation

Essay revision

Organization, editing

4,5,6

Powerpoint demonstation

Powerpoint

Revise an essay with

checklist and compare

with a partner. Then, do it

as a class.

Chapter 11

Chapter 17



12 Review Process essays

Questionnaire

Review based on need

Fragments and

Misplaced Modifiers

5,6 Students complete needs

survey and tabulate as a

class

Review excersises

Powerpoint, Fragment

Umbrella handout,

Drawing misplaced

modifier pictures and

correct sentence

13 Final Essay due 20%

Practice for final

5,6

Write a 5 paragraph

process essay

Peer evaluation

Read some process

essays before the final

14 Final Exam 5,6 In-class writing:

Final Exam: 20%

Construct an outline and

write a 5 paragraph essay

Please note: This schedule may change as resources and circumstances require.

Sharon SMall COMM1003_Outline_Sept 2013

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