EL500 Writing I (0 credits)

Michelle Morita, Adjunct Instructor in ESL
Fall 2005 Pasadena

DESCRIPTION:

This course is a practical workshop on how to write one of the most important types of writing in an American seminary: the academic essay. Students develop basic skills in the writing process--from prewriting, organization, development, to revision and editing. In addition, students learn how to construct the three most common essay formats: expository essay, summary-analysis essay, and persuasive-argumentative essay. Step by step, students write and read and rewrite to gain the confidence to do competent academic work, the skills to write well, and the eye to refine writing. Ultimately, students learn and practice principles of producing good writing that meet the expectations of an academic audience in terms of content, form, and language. This 10-week course prepares students to advance their writing skills from essay formats to longer (research) papers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

· Applying pre-writing strategies to paragraphs and essays
· Developing thorough thesis statements
· Developing and Supporting ideas
· Organizing main and supporting ideas in paragraphs to essays
· Self-editing grammar errors
· Accurate and organized note-taking
· Writing brief/extended definition essays, comparison/contrast essays, cause/effect essays, and argumentation essays
· Write and revise paragraphs and essays that explain a topic, evaluate written material, and argue an opinion about a controversy
· Demonstrate skills in writing essays under timed “exam” conditions
· Become an informed, independent reader of one’s own writing, with an ability to improve one’s own writing proficiency

COURSE FORMAT:

This class adopts a workshop approach to learning. Thus, students learn through lectures, class discussion, small group work, mini-conferences between teacher and student, peer activities, and individual “hands-on” practice in writing. Reading and grammar are addressed in the context of writing; that is, reading and grammar exercises focus only on those issues that are directly related to the production of written English. Both “timed” first drafts and revised, final papers reflect the kinds of writing tasks common in seminary.

REQUIRED READING:

Byrd, Patricia and Beverly Benson. Problem/Solution: A Reference for ESL Writers. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1994.
Reid, Joy M. The Process of Composition. (2nd edition) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, 1988.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Fuchs, Marjorie, and Margaret Bonner. Grammar Express. White Plains, NY: Longman, 2001.
Reinhart, Susan. Test Your Grammar. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1985.
Core, Deborah. The Seminary Student Writes. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2000.
An English or bilingual college dictionary.
An English thesaurus.

ASSIGNMENTS: This noncredit course is “Satisfactory” or “Not Satisfactory.” Students sharpen their writing skills in paragraphs, essays, and timed writing. Students in EL500 complete the course goals and assignments listed in the syllabus.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets partial requirements to advance within the ESL Program.

FINAL EXAM: ESL Exit Exam.

Last Date Edited: September 20, 2005