North Seattle College
Basic & Transitional Studies: ESL
Spring Quarter, 2014
COURSE SYLLABUS for
ESL 036.01/046.01
10:00 – 10:50 daily
Classroom: IB 3428
Instructor: Curtis Bonney
Telephone: (206) 934-4551
Email: [email protected]
Office: IB 2410 B
Office Hours: M-Th 11 to 11:50 pm or by appt.
Teacher’s Website: http://facweb.northseattle.edu/cbonney/
• Holidays: Monday, May 26th (Memorial Day).
• The last day of the quarter is Monday, June 16th.
• Tuition: $25.00 due within 24 hours of registration. If you are low-income and
need a scholarship, please speak to me at the break or after class.
Textbook: Let’s Talk, Level 2: 2nd Edition (green color)
Leo Jones—ISBN: 9780521692847
Please get a copy of the book by the 3rd day of class.
You can buy it at the bookstore for about $25.00
used (if there are any) and $33.00 new. If you don’t
have a copy of this textbook, you won’t pass the
class.
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We will use this textbook nearly every day and
we will study chapters 9-16.
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If you want to find a used copy from a
student, go to ESL 051.01 in IB 3428 at 9:50 am.
Maybe a level 5 student will sell you his/her book
from last quarter.
I have a copy (and the CDs) on reserve in the Library. Go to the main desk and
show the librarian your syllabus. You can check them out for 1 night only.
If you really, really don’t have any money to buy a textbook, talk to me about
borrowing one from the ESL lending library.
Required Materials:
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Regular size paper (8 1/2 x 11.) for all assignments.
A 3-ring binder to keep assignments in.
Pencil with eraser
A pen with blue or black ink.
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Course Objectives and Description:
This class focuses on your Listening and Communication (speaking) skills. Every day
we will do listening and communication exercises.
Listening Exercises, which include conversations, interviews and excerpts from radio
and TV shows, will give you practice with real, everyday English. You will practice
listening for main points/general ideas and also for specific details/information.
Some topics include: vacations, shopping, TV news, music and memories.
Communication Exercises will help you have real life conversations with your
classmates. In this class you will often work with a partner, or in a small group. This
is important because it gives everyone a chance to practice the communication
exercises. Some topics you will talk about will include: technology, environmental
problems, the news, city life, favorite activities, memories and history, and jokes.
Pronunciation: We will also practice pronunciation in class. Sometimes we will
practice individual syllables – vowel and consonant sounds and clusters. Other times
will practice rhythm and intonation – the beat and stress of words in a sentence.
Vocabulary: as we work chapter by chapter, we will learn a lot of new vocabulary.
We will highlight vocabulary and keep growing lists in our notebooks. We will have
several vocabulary quizzes where you will need to know the meaning of the
vocabulary and also how to spell it.
Class Requirements:
Because this class focuses on listening and speaking skills, and because we can only do
this together in class, it is important that you come to class and participate fully
every day. You will be graded on your participation and your in-class effort. It is very
important that you review new vocabulary and practice pronunciation and intonation
at home. You cannot improve if you forget about class the minute you leave the
classroom.
This is a clustered class made up of students from levels 3 and 4. I am very aware
that not everyone has the same level of fluency and self-confidence in speaking and
listening. Your progress will result from your own effort and will be graded
individually, by comparing your first day to your last day. Therefore, it isn’t helpful
to measure yourself against other students, or be nervous. Just do your best and
have fun, too.
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Grading:
If your final score (based on attendance, participation, and quizzes) is 75% or higher,
then you pass the class (S). If you attend regularly and try hard but your score is
below 75%, you don’t pass (Y). You are allowed to take this class three times per
level. If you stop coming to class, you don’t pass and you will receive (NC). You must
come to 70% of the classes or you will not pass.
Class Rules:
• Come to every class. Please do not be late.
• Speak only English in class.
• Raise your hand if you have something to say.
• Please do not talk when your teacher or someone else is speaking.
• Sit next to someone with a different language.
• Be active in class and speak up with partners or in groups.
• Do your own homework. (No copying – this is cheating!)
• Take all quizzes.
• Turn off your cell phones.
• Do not bring children to class with you.
Welcome to class!
Please ask questions and ask for extra help, if necessary. Make an appointment and I
will be happy to give you extra help. I work hard for this class and I expect you to
work hard, too. Let’s talk a lot of English and have a great quarter!
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