Academic English 2

[Winter Intensive course]

Overview
The main objective of this course is to build academic English skills in order to
successfully communicate in academic writing and oral interaction. The goal
of the course is to build language accuracy and fluency that is required in
discussion, presentation, and writing. Communicative and task based activities
are designed to develop all four-language skills: reading, writing, listening, and
speaking. Practice makes perfect, so our classes will involve a lot of discussion
and critical thinking about interesting topics and relevant issues.

Goals
This course will help students to:

Instructor: Ms. Stephanie DeMott

E-Mail: stephanie.demott@gmail.com
Website: http://msdemott.weebly.com
Office Hours: by appointment only

Winter Semester
M-F: 2:00pm-5:00pm

Required Textbook
Daise, D., Norloff, C. & Carne, P.
(2011). Q:Skills for Success 4:
Reading and Writing. New York,
NY: Oxford University Press.
ISBN: 978-0-19-475625-9

n Build academic skills such as discussion, presentation, and writing for

academic purposes.
n Improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
n Develop critical thinking skills through discussion and presentation.
n Increase awareness and understanding of general, social, and global
issues.
n Cultivate skills that will enable responsibility for further learning.

Course Requirements
Attendance because this course will focus on conversation and discussion,
attendance is very important.
80% attendance is required to pass the course (up to three days
absent this includes excused absences and non excused
absences)
One absence represents a deduction of 10 points from your
attendance score.
Arrive on time for all classes. Late arrivals mean a deduction of 5
attendance points.
Students over 20 minutes late (or leave 20 minutes early) will be
counted as absent and lose their points for that day.
Students will have to submit their absence certificates the day
after their absence. Any absence slip that is handed in after that
may not be accepted.
Excusable absences include the following:
-Sickness (hand in Doctors note)
-Army Duty (official letter from the military required)
-Death of a family member (death certificate required)

[Winter Intensive course]

-Job interview (stamped letter from the company with interview

time handed in)
-Full-time employment (Company notice, including starting date
of employment. Students must make arrangements to take the
midterm and final exams)

Important Dates

-Teaching practicum (Stamped official department excuse note.

See your teacher for grading arrangement)

December 28th

*These dates are SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Writing Assignment 1 Due

- Other reasons will be considered case by case

December 30st

Participation Read, write, listen, and SPEAK in English. You can only
improve your English by using the language. Participation will be included in
your grade. In order to receive full participation points, students must:

Presentations in class
December 31st

MIDTERM exam

Participate fully in class during all activities

Bring an unused textbook to class

January 8th

Keep cell phones off or set to vibrate

Writing Assignment 2 Due

Complete homework in a timely fashion

January 12th

Presentations Two presentations will be delivered in this course. One before

the midterm exam and one before the final exam.
Written assignments There will be two written assignments, one threeparagraph essay due before the midterm exam and one five-paragraph essay
before the final exam.
Quizzes Two quizzes will be administered to assess progress through core
material. There may also be pop quizzes as well.
Midterm and Final Exams Exams will consist of material covered in the
text, class discussions, and quizzes.

Course Schedule

Presentations
January 13th

FINAL exam

Breakdown of Scoring
Attendance - 15%
Included in this is participation. If
students arent contributing to the
conversation, answering questions, or
following along with discussions they
will lose points.

(subject to change)

Midterm 20%

Please bring your Textbook (Q:Skills for Success 4).Students will be notified of
homework assignments closer to their due date.

Final 20%

Day
1

Date
12/21

Subject
Course

12/22

Introduction
Unit 1
Writing 1

12/23

Unit 1
Writing 2

12/24
Presentation 1
Christmas
Activity
4

12/25

[Winter Intensive course]

Content
Introduction of the syllabus and
course expectations.
Ice breakers and conversations
Reading 1 We all need a hero
Basics of writing
Brainstorming and
Organization
Reading 2 Everyday people
changing the world
Topic, Supporting, and
Conclusion sentences
Basics of presenting (Introduce
presentation one assignment)
(TBD)

Assignments 5%
Quizzes 10%
There will be two quizzes throughout
the semester, with a possibility of pop
quizzes.
Written Assignment 15%
There will be two written
assignments.
Presentation 15%
There will be two presentations, one
individual, and one with a group.

CHRISTMAS DAY
No Class

Week
5

Date
12/28

Subject
Unit 2
Presentation 2
QUIZ

12/29

Unit 2

12/30
12/31
1/1

Midterm

8
9

1/4

Unit 3
Writing 3

10

1/5

Unit 4

11

1/6

Writing 4
Unit 4

Unit 3

Presentation 3
12

1/7

Unit 7
Unit 7

13

1/8

QUIZ
Unit 10
Presentation
Workshop

14

1/11

15
16

1/12
1/13

Unit 10
Review

[Winter Intensive course]

Final

Content
Reading 1 So much dead
space
Lead in questions, stress and
emphasis
QUIZ 1
*ESSAY ONE DUE*
Reading 2 Now on stage:
Your home
Reading 1 The good teen
PRESENTATIONS

Class Website
Please visit our class website,
http://msdemott.weebly.com
regularly. You will find some of your
assignments on this site, as well as
information on the course, your
instructor, and helpful resources.

MIDTERM EXAM
NEW YEARS DAY
No Class
Reading 2 Bird by bird
Thesis Statements,
Introductions and conclusions
Reading 1 Can climate
change make us sicker?
Citing, Inform/Formal Writing
Reading 2 Tips for a greener
planet
Assign topic and groups, Note
cards
Reading 1 From student to
employee
Reading 2 Making my first
post-college decision
QUIZ 2
Reading 1 The promise of
play
Group preparation time
*ESSAY TWO DUE*
Reading 2 Childs play: Its
not just for fun
Review Game
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
FINAL EXAM