Freshman English Reading
BEN10802 英文閱讀 Ｂ組
Required texts:
- American Ways, 4th Edition, by Maryanne Kearny Datesman
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis
Class Objectives,
The purpose of this class is to help students become comfortable reading intensively and extensively in English without relying on translation. Students should be able to read in English as a primary means to gain knowledge as well as for personal pleasure. Students should become comfortable expressing personal ideas about how they read and the things they read orally and in writing.
- Improve fluency in reading (read rapidly with few pauses with improving comprehension)
- Increase skills for reading (understand purposes for reading and use appropriate strategies in particular reading situations).
After completing this course, students should be able to
- Speak in English comfortably about what they have read.
- Read at length in English without using a dictionary (Extensive reading).
- Analyze difficult texts with the use of aids, such as dictionaries (Intensive reading).
- Consciously apply reading skills appropriate for a wide variety of texts and purposes.
- Format papers in English correctly and clearly.
- Write papers in English that clearly and accurately communicate personal ideas.
The Practice and Feature of Class
- Structure. The class is organized according to reading skills. Each week, students will read articles and short stories in English while focusing on particular reading skills and strategies.
- Group discussion. Students will spend time discussing ideas about reading and ideas from their reading in small groups and with the whole class.
- Extensive Reading. Students will do their own reading outside of class each week, using The Giver for the first half of the semester, and The Fault in Our Stars for the second half.
- Book Presentations. Each group will give one 10-minute presentation helping classmates to better understand the assigned novel reading for that day.
- Reading Notebooks. Students will fashion their own creative Reading Notebooks with two or more entries per week.
- Quizzes. Each class will begin with a short quiz related to the reading for that day.
- Exams. Midterm and final exams will cover the class articles, stories, novels, and reading skills and strategies, and reading of a new article or short story.
Grading
- 20% Participation (extensive reading, and class involvement, Reading Notebook)
- 10% Writing (2 short papers)
- 20% Quizzes
- 20% Midterm
- 30% Final exam
- Missing more than two classes will lower grade.
- Missing four or more classes will probably lead to a failing grade.
Weekly Schedule
A week by week schedule of reading, assignments, tests, and due dates can be found on the class website accessible through the teacher's website. Students are responsible to check the website frequently and to know when all assignments are due whether or not the teacher reminds them.
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