English Language Development and Reading, Level I
The purpose of this Course Syllabus is to:
· inform you about your English and Reading classes and
· encourage you to share your ideas and ask questions.
We will create a Mission Statement and Vision Statement in class.
Your best ideas will complete the syllabus.
How is the class structured?
Every day, you will copy, review, and practice learning objectives, using your notebook to create a record for study and review.
We will preview the objectives aloud, to practice speaking and listening, do activities that build proficiency in key skills and understanding of key concepts, then assess progress in a closing task. This structure for learning helps you in three ways:
· to understand the reason for activities,
· to focus on the lesson you are learning,
· to show your progress and address your needs.
One goal for the class Mission Statement could be:
"I will learn the English I need in order to take care of myself, support my family, serve my community, and make my dreams come true."
With your teammates, think of two more goals for your English and Reading classes that are important to all of you. Write them here:
1.
.
2.
.
Team Name:
How will I learn?
After you copy and say the learning objectives, they will be explained and modeled. You will learn in activities with classmates, using all your senses to understand, read, speak, and write English, so you can then practice your new skills and use new concepts independently. You will evaluate your own progress and needs in the “NER” section of your binder.
High Point and Edge texts and workbooks will be supplemented to meet the district standards (“power” TEKS) that guide your learning objectives. We will practice the rules and roles for teamwork, so that you will know how to do it and how it is graded. Homework and projects give you a way to practice and master the skills and concepts you are learning in class.
What will I learn?
· To understand, speak, read, and write about fiction (poems, stories, fables, dramas, films, novels) and nonfiction (narratives, articles, essays, documentaries, codices, reference books/websites);
· To find and create meaning in words but also "above" and "below" them, in the discourse and sound patterns of English;
· To understand English as "code" (a system of sound and sense);
· To participate in a cultural process that connects you, in English, with different times, purposes, values, and relationships.
In sum:
We live language. A language with no speakers, listeners, writers, or readers becomes "lost" or "dies." You enrich English with what you already know in your mother tongue. This is how English has changed over the centuries to become such a diverse and dynamic community of speakers and writers, and this is how it will continue to develop with the coming generations.
Teacher expectations for you: have fun, work hard, learn a LOT!
Course Materials, Texts, Teaching Practices, and Grading Policy:
· Required Materials: Each day, please bring your planner, a #2 pencil with a good eraser, and any English homework. Your learning log, interactive notebook (INB), binder, and textbooks stay in class.
· High Point Basics and Edge come with student practice books that you may keep at the end of the year. These and other resources will help you master the Texas high school standards (TEKS).
· The learning objectives that you copy in your notebook and practice in assignments should also guide your study for exams.
· Grading Policy: All assignments must be completed legibly and on time to receive a grade from 100% and timely feedback. Late work will not receive more than 70%. Please review Jefferson’s attendance and make-up work policies in your planner. Work is graded to show how well you have mastered the learning objectives. Daily assignments are 90% of your 9-week grade (for example, class work, teamwork, homework, quizzes, and projects). A nine-week exam accounts for the other 10%. There is also a semester-final exam.
NOTES:
· At the end of Parent-Teacher Conference Day, October 30, I invite you and your family to come to Room 106 to celebrate your learning with refreshments and view your portfolio (best) work and our class book!
· You may check this website for due dates, information, and other links.
The purpose of this Course Syllabus is to:
· inform you about your English and Reading classes and
· encourage you to share your ideas and ask questions.
We will create a Mission Statement and Vision Statement in class.
Your best ideas will complete the syllabus.
How is the class structured?
Every day, you will copy, review, and practice learning objectives, using your notebook to create a record for study and review.
We will preview the objectives aloud, to practice speaking and listening, do activities that build proficiency in key skills and understanding of key concepts, then assess progress in a closing task. This structure for learning helps you in three ways:
· to understand the reason for activities,
· to focus on the lesson you are learning,
· to show your progress and address your needs.
One goal for the class Mission Statement could be:
"I will learn the English I need in order to take care of myself, support my family, serve my community, and make my dreams come true."
With your teammates, think of two more goals for your English and Reading classes that are important to all of you. Write them here:
1.
.
2.
.
Team Name:
How will I learn?
After you copy and say the learning objectives, they will be explained and modeled. You will learn in activities with classmates, using all your senses to understand, read, speak, and write English, so you can then practice your new skills and use new concepts independently. You will evaluate your own progress and needs in the “NER” section of your binder.
High Point and Edge texts and workbooks will be supplemented to meet the district standards (“power” TEKS) that guide your learning objectives. We will practice the rules and roles for teamwork, so that you will know how to do it and how it is graded. Homework and projects give you a way to practice and master the skills and concepts you are learning in class.
What will I learn?
· To understand, speak, read, and write about fiction (poems, stories, fables, dramas, films, novels) and nonfiction (narratives, articles, essays, documentaries, codices, reference books/websites);
· To find and create meaning in words but also "above" and "below" them, in the discourse and sound patterns of English;
· To understand English as "code" (a system of sound and sense);
· To participate in a cultural process that connects you, in English, with different times, purposes, values, and relationships.
In sum:
We live language. A language with no speakers, listeners, writers, or readers becomes "lost" or "dies." You enrich English with what you already know in your mother tongue. This is how English has changed over the centuries to become such a diverse and dynamic community of speakers and writers, and this is how it will continue to develop with the coming generations.
Teacher expectations for you: have fun, work hard, learn a LOT!
Course Materials, Texts, Teaching Practices, and Grading Policy:
· Required Materials: Each day, please bring your planner, a #2 pencil with a good eraser, and any English homework. Your learning log, interactive notebook (INB), binder, and textbooks stay in class.
· High Point Basics and Edge come with student practice books that you may keep at the end of the year. These and other resources will help you master the Texas high school standards (TEKS).
· The learning objectives that you copy in your notebook and practice in assignments should also guide your study for exams.
· Grading Policy: All assignments must be completed legibly and on time to receive a grade from 100% and timely feedback. Late work will not receive more than 70%. Please review Jefferson’s attendance and make-up work policies in your planner. Work is graded to show how well you have mastered the learning objectives. Daily assignments are 90% of your 9-week grade (for example, class work, teamwork, homework, quizzes, and projects). A nine-week exam accounts for the other 10%. There is also a semester-final exam.
NOTES:
· At the end of Parent-Teacher Conference Day, October 30, I invite you and your family to come to Room 106 to celebrate your learning with refreshments and view your portfolio (best) work and our class book!
· You may check this website for due dates, information, and other links.