ESL 4A: Writing and Grammar
Spring 2017 Section #3265
Mon/Wed 6:50 pm – 10:00 pm
LA Mission College
CSB Room 102B
Instructor:
Ms. Claudine Simha
E-Mail Address:
[email protected]
Telephone:
310-710-4813
Office Hours:
Mon&Wed
6:20 pm – 6:50 pm
Office: CSB 102B
Course Description
In this class you will learn how to write wellconstructed paragraphs in English. We will read,
identify and analyze the components of wellwritten paragraphs, and learn the process of
writing from brainstorming and outlining to rough
drafts, editing and final drafts. We will also
examine relevant grammar topics to improve your
writing skills.
This class will prepare you for higher level ESL
writing courses and build your confidence in using
English.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS & COURSE HANDOUT PACKET:
Effective Academic
Writing 1 (Second Edition)
by Alice Savage &
Masoud Shafiel
Oxford (2012)
ISBN #978-0-19-432346-8
Focus on Grammar 3 with
MyEnglishLab
(Fifth Edition) by Marjorie
Fuchs, M. Bonner & M.
Westheimer
Pearson (2017)
ISBN #978-0-13-385488-6
**We will be doing grammar homework on-line through the MyEnglishLab.com website.
You must have a Student Access Code, which comes with the Focus on Grammar
textbook. If you purchase a textbook that does not have a new access code, you will
need to purchase an access code separately from the bookstore. You may also
purchase an access code online from www.buymylab.com.
ESL 4A Spring 2017 Course Handout Packet - available in the Student Store
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ESL Weekly Newspaper: "NEWS FOR YOU" purchase subscription in the Student Store.
8-1/2" x 11" college-ruled lined paper
plenty of pencils and erasers!
one large blue book for the final exam
RECOMMENDED:
Longman Dictionary of American English (Edition)
by Alice Savage & Masoud Shafiel; Oxford (2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0132449779
and a bi-lingual dictionary
Prerequisites: ESL 3A, or appropriate placement.
Student Learning Outcomes for ESL 4A
Upon the successful completion of this course:
1. Students will produce writing that incorporates high-intermediate grammatical structures.
2. Students will analyze a prompt, organize ideas around a topic, and produce an outline;
3. Students will produce a cohesive 200 word paragraph that adheres to the format of
academic writing; and
4. Students will evaluate their writing and edit for content and grammatical errors.
Grading: This class is a credit/no credit course. Students will receive either "P" (=pass) or "N"
(=not pass). No letter grade is given. Students must have an average of 70% or higher to
pass. Students must do the coursework, participate in class and pass the final exam to
receive credit. Grades will be determined as follows:
Homework & Participation
Quizzes
Writing Assignments
Final exam
Total
10%
20%
45%
25%
100%
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Homework: Students will be assigned homework exercises on the MyEnglishLab.com
website for each unit we cover in class. The online exercises for each unit must be completed
before the quiz for that unit.
Writing Assignments: In this class you will learn how to write
great paragraphs! All writing assignments will be done in class
over several days with editing, revising and feedback, to make
your final draft the best it can be! If you are absent from class,
you will miss a step and receive a lower grade. I will not accept
writing assignments brought from home. All writing must be
your own. You cannot copy from anyone else.
Quizzes: There will be five grammar quizzes throughout the semester. Please make every
effort to be in class when the quizzes are given so you don't get behind. If you are unavoidably
absent, quizzes can be made up during office hours the next class day after the quiz was
given.
Final Exam: The final exam will be on Monday, June 5, 2017 8:00 – 10:00 pm.
The final exam will be an in-class writing assignment in which you will demonstrate the writing
skills you have learned this semester. You will have two hours to write a well-organized
paragraph on a given topic using correct English grammar and appropriate vocabulary.
Attendance: Attendance and participation are crucial for learning.
Please arrive early to class and be ready to begin at 6:50 pm and stay
for the entire class time. The college rule for attendance is: after 6
hours of absence (=2 class meetings) you may be officially
dropped from the course. Arriving late to class, coming back late
from the break, or leaving class early, are disruptive and distracting to
the rest of the students.
Please schedule all out-of-class appointments at times when class is not in session.
Break: The break will start at 8:30 until 8:45. Please do not be late after the break.
Dropping the Class: If you decide to drop the class, you must complete the proper
paperwork with the Admissions office. If you simply stop coming to class, your name may
remain on the roster and you will receive a "No Credit" for the class. This will show up on your
transcript. A new state policy in effect as of Summer 2012 limits students to 3 attempts per
course. Receiving a grade or "W" for a course counts as an attempt, regardless of when the
course was taken. Withdrawal by Feb. 20 (avoiding a "W") will not count as an attempt.
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Classroom Rules:
Food & Drinks: I encourage you to bring a bottle of water to keep your brain hydrated! The
college policy is no food or drinks are permitted in the classroom (except bottled water).
Cell Phones: All cell phones must be on silent during class. I know that there are reasons
you must be reachable by phone/text. Please use courtesy and just respond quickly to
important texts, and ignore the unimportant ones until the break or after class.
Please be respectful of others and try to only speak English in class. Please do not talk
while the instructor is talking. We have a large class and a little noise from everyone can be
very disruptive. (Please review the Standards of Student Conduct as listed in the College
Catalog and in the Schedule of Classes). Also, please note that only registered students
may attend class - you may not bring your children or other guests to class with you.
Academic Honesty: All work must be your own.
The best way to improve your English is to do the
best you can, and learn from your mistakes. You
cannot learn by copying someone else's work. Do
not copy your homework, quizzes or writing
assignments from another person or any outside
source. Do not copy from a book, the Internet, a
magazine, newspaper, dictionary or another student.
Plagiarism is defined as: the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit
to that person and claiming someone else's work as your own. This is a serious offense in all
schools. If you copy, cheat or plagiarize, you will automatically receive a zero on that
assignment and could risk expulsion from the college.
Disability Accommodation: Students with a verified disability who may need a reasonable
accommodation(s) for this class please contact the DSPS Office as soon as possible.
(818) 364-7732 or visit http://www.lamission.edu/dsps/ All information will remain confidential.
Learning Resource Center
The Learning Center is located on the 1st floor of the Library building. Tutors there will assist
you in many areas: writing, reading, research, and homework assignments. The Learning
Center is FREE for all students. Call 818-364-7754 to make AN APPOINTMENT or visit the
Information Desk. www.lamission.edu/learningcenter
Library: For information on library hours, resources, workshops and other services, call 818364-7105 or 364-7106 or visit their website: www.lamission.edu/library
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Tips for Success:

 Practice English outside of class! Read newspapers, magazines, books, and websites
in English!! Listen to English radio stations!! Watch TV programs and DVDs in
English!! (Turn on the subtitles in English and read along with the dialogue!) Talk to
your friends in English!! The more effort you put in, the more successful you will be!!
 Make friends with students who don't speak your native language. Have lunch together,
or study together and practice speaking English!

 Attend class every day and on time. Don't leave early. Come prepared and participate.
Go to the Learning Center to work with the Writing Tutors and Reading lab.
Visit me during my office hours.

Right now, get some phone numbers of classmates, so if you are absent you can find out what
you missed in class, or just to get in touch to practice your English.
Name:______________________ Phone #:________________Email____________________
Name:______________________ Phone #:________________Email____________________
Name:______________________ Phone #:________________Email____________________
Important Dates for Spring 2017:
President's Day (college closed)
Monday, Feb. 20
Cesar Chavez Day (college closed)
Friday, Mar 31
Spring Break (college closed)
Monday - Friday, Apr 3-7
Memorial Day (college closed)
Monday, May 29
Last day to add a class
Last day to drop without a “W”
Last day to drop with a “W”
Thursday, Feb 16
Sunday, Feb 19
Sunday, May 7
Final exam for this ESL course
Monday, June 5 8:00 pm until 10:00 pm
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Focus on Grammar My English Lab
You will be setting up a new account to access the on-line homework site. You must have an
e-mail address to set up an account. Please confirm your e-mail address and e-mail password and write
them down here so you have them with you to set up your account.
Student E-mail Address: __________________________________________
E-mail password: ________________________________________________
You will also need the Student Access Code that is written on the inside cover of your textbook, or
purchased separately from the bookstore. You MUST purchase a NEW Student Access Code.
1. Open your internet browser (for example: Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
2. Go to:
MyEnglishLab.com/focusongrammar
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Click on "Register"
Input your Student Access Code that came with your textbook, or was purchased separately.
Click on "Create Account"
Click "Accept" at the bottom of the license agreement page, then click "Next".
On the "Register" page, enter your information: email address, first and last name,
Institution: Los Angeles Mission College
8. Then you need to make up your own user name and password. You can use your e-mail address as
your user name and the same password you use with your email, or come up with a new user name
and password. Please write them down here so you don't forget:
MyEnglishLab User Name ______________________________________________
MyEnglishLab Password: _______________________________________________
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Then click "next". Review the Registration information, and click "next" (if you need to change
anything, click "back" to go back and make changes.)
10. Click on "Go to your product"
11. Enter your Country (United States), Native Language, and time zone (Los Angeles), then click
"Save".
12. Now go to "Settings" Click on "My Courses" Click "Join a Course"
13. Enter the course ID number for our class:
Click "OK"
TO BE ANNOUNCED
Click "OK" again.
There are on-line homework assignments for each Unit in the book. The homework assignments are due
by the day of the quiz. For example, Units 1, 2 and 3 are due on Mon. Feb. 27, the day of the first quiz.
Doing the homework will help you be better prepared for the quiz, give you more practice with the
grammar we are learning in class, and it is also part of your grade for the class.
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Tentative Schedule for Spring 2017
2/6
2/13
2/20
Syllabus, Intros,
questionnaires
FOG Unit 2
Simple Past
Parts of Speech
2/8
FOG Unit 1
Pres Prog &
Simple Present
EAW Unit 1
EAW Unit 1
2/15
FOG Unit 3
Past Prog &
Simple Past
EAW Unit 1
& LRC visit
2/22
REVIEW
FOG 1,2&3
EAW Unit 1
President's Day:
No School
2/27
QUIZ #1
FOG 1,2&3
EAW Unit 2
Descrip. Paragr.
3/1
FOG Unit 6
Future
EAW Unit 2
Descrip. Paragr.
3/6
FOG Unit 7
Future in Time
Clauses
EAW Unit 2
Descrip. Paragr.
3/8
REVIEW
FOG 6&7
EAW Unit 2
Descrip. Paragr.
3/13
QUIZ #2
FOG 6&7
EAW Unit 2
Descrip. Paragr.
3/15
FOG Unit 8
Present Perfect
EAW Unit 3
Example Paragr.
3/20
FOG Unit 9
Present Perfect
EAW Unit 3
Example Paragr.
3/22
FOG Unit 10
Present Perfect
EAW Unit 3
Example Paragr.
3/27
FOG Unit 11
Present Perfect
EAW Unit 3
Example Paragr.
3/29
REVIEW
FOG 8,9,10&11
EAW Unit 4
Process Paragr.
4/3
SPRING BREAK:
No School
4/5
SPRING BREAK:
No School
4/10
QUIZ #3
FOG 8,9,10 & 11
EAW Unit 4
Process Paragr.
4/12
FOG Unit 13
Modals of
Ability
EAW Unit 4
Process Paragr.
4/17
FOG Unit 16
Modals of Advice
EAW Unit 4
Process Paragr.
4/19
FOG Unit 18
Articles
EAW Unit 5
Narrative Paragr.
4/24
REVIEW
FOG 13,16 &18
EAW Unit 5
Narrative Paragr.
4/26
QUIZ #4
FOG 13,16 &18
EAW Unit 5
Narrative Paragr.
5/1
FOG Unit 23
Gerunds
EAW Unit 5
Narrative Paragr.
5/3
FOG Unit 24
Infinitives
Compare/Contrast
Paragr.
5/8
FOG Unit 25
Infinitives
Compare/Contrast
Paragr.
5/10
FOG Unit 26
Gerunds &
Infinitives
Compare/Contrast
Paragr.
5/15
REVIEW
FOG 23,24,25,26
Compare/Contrast
Paragr.
5/17
QUIZ #5
FOG
23,24,25,26
Compare/Contrast
Paragr.
5/22
Review for Final
In-Class
Paragraph
5/24
Intro to Passive
Review for Final
5/29
6/5
Memorial Day:
Final Exam:
No School
5/31
8:00pm-10:00pm
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Finals Week: No Class