Course Description
This course is designed for students who require greater ability with reading and writing in order to achieve a functional literacy level. The reading focus is on comprehension and developing a range of decoding strategies, and the writing focus is on composing sentences and paragraphs and developing a range of spelling strategies.
Students will identify short- and long-term personal goals for literacy learning. The course will emphasize behaviour and learning skills appropriate to the classroom and the community. Job-related skills will be identified and integrated throughout the course. Reading content will include current events.
Course Content
Students wil receive instruction in skills and strategies in the following areas (cumulative):
Reading
- identifying subject, main idea, details, sequence in short passages and paragraphs of familiar genres (e.g. descriptive and narrative);
- pre-reading and reflecting to self-evaluate findings on short written passages;
- using context to decode words;
- summarizing short passages;
- reading words accurately using a variety of word attack skills (e.g. using structural analysis to decode vocabulary - roots, affixes, syllabication, stress, compound words, contractions);
- identifying and reading using antonyms, synonyms and homonyms;
- using dictionary and thesaurus skills to find meaning;
- beginning to draw inferences and conclusions;
- expressing and supporting opinions.
Writing and Spelling
- generating, organizing and writing ideas (the writing process);
- using listing and/or mind-mapping pre-writing strategies;
- using a basic thesaurus as a writing aid;
- completing a variety of simple forms and documents;
- printing or writing complete simple declarative, interrogative and exclamatory sentences;
- using appropriate punctuation at the beginnings and endings of sentences;
- using commas in common coordinators;
- identifying subjects and verbs in simple sentences;
- using appropriate simple verb tenses correctly;
- using capitals for proper nouns;
- using a dictionary to find spelling;
- spelling approximately 300 (150) sight and (150) personal words;
- using a variety of strategies to learn the spelling of new words;
- spelling regular consonant-vowel-consonant (cvc) and cvc+e words;
- using compound words, contractions and common abbreviations;
- using compound words, contractions and common abbreviations (possessives and plurals);
- using assigned vocabulary in sentence writing.
Skills and Strategies for Classroom Learning
- identifying short and long-term goals for literacy learning;
- tracking assignments independently;
- moving on to other tasks while waiting for help;
- working independently;
- using deliberate strategies to take tests and manage stress;
- completing homework outside the classroom environment and meeting deadlines for assignments;
- communicating with others in the classroom by sharing basic information about topics important to them (and listening to others do the same);
- planning and completing activities with others, and answering simple direct questions about themselves and their experiences;
- making simple judgments using some evidence;
- providing and receiving help from classmates in a cooperative manner;
- communicating respectfully with instructors and classmates;
- employing strategies for learning and remembering;
- demonstrating awareness of personal learning strengths;
- following simple directions and instructions;
- questioning, predicting, and gathering information using sensory input;
- having a purpose in mind when they explore and use what they learn;
- demonstrating or explaining something about their thinking;
- helping develop and use simple criteria. (e.g. related to assessing their own writing);
- interacting with others in the classroom with respect, cooperation, inclusion, and kindness;
- respectfully sharing their own feelings and listening to others’ views;
- identifying when a situation is unfair to themselves or others;
- knowing when to ask for help;
- doing their share in the classroom, and identifing when someone else needs help;
- identifying their own individual characteristics and interests;
- describing their family, home, and/ or community (people and/or place).
Computer Skills
- using word processing skills to complete some writing assignments.
College and Community Resource Skills
- independently accessing the public library;
- accessing the college library with assistance;
- recognizing and using available services and recreational resources in the college and community and accessing those resources as appropriate to their needs;
- developing an understanding of the concept of municipal, provincial and federal governments in Canada.
Job-related Skills (in addition to those integrated above)
- maintaining and improving skills at the ENGU 0100 and 0115 level courses;
- arriving punctually
- working as a team
- managing time
- speaking and listening in a respectful manner
- following oral instructions
- reading words commonly used as safety warnings on job sites
- following simple written instructions;
- completing basic forms independently;
- communicating effectively in groups.
Learning Activities
A combination of instructional methods will be employed in order to balance instructional efficiency with individual student needs, such as:
- tutorial
- class and small group instruction
- individual assistance (in-lab tutorial or scheduled appointments)
- pair work on tasks
- in-class reading and writing practice
- computer assisted learning
- instructor feedback
Means of Assessment
Student achievement will be measured using formative assessment tools and the mastery system in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Evaluation will be based on learning outcomes and course content. Progress towards course objectives and personal literacy goals will be monitored on a regular basis by the instructor in consultation with each student. Students will receive ongoing feedback from the instructor and informal progress reports. A student will have completed the course when satisfactory completion of exercises and assignments demonstrate that the course objectives have been achieved. Mastery will be granted to students who maintain regular attendance and punctuality and achieve an average of at least 70% on the items listed below. Evaluation will include, but need not be limited to, the following tasks:
Reading
- summarizing short passages;
- answering comprehension questions based on text;
- using dictionary and thesaurus to find meaning;
- surveying text (titles, pictures, font size, underlined/bold/italic text);
- noting words that are repeated;
- reading the first and last sentences of the passage;
- describing what was easy/difficult about a reading passage;
- identifying difficult passages or words;
- re-stating difficult sentences or passages in own words;
- re-reading text to answer questions;
- reading and following a more complicated recipe; answer questions about it; share with family.
Writing
- writing sentences expressing opinions on news events;
- doing a paired writing exercise where students have an informal conversation on paper—no talking allowed;
- writing letters to family member, child’s teacher, friend;
- writing an email to instructor.
Sample grade breakdown (based on tasks):
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1
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Reading and summarizing three 5-7 sentence paragraph passages of familiar genres (descriptive/narrative), and answering questions based on the text
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10% (total)
|
|
2
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Reading 5-7 sentence paragraphs on familiar topics / short stories and identifying characters, main ideas, sequences, events in the paragraph/story
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10% (total)
|
|
3
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Writing and reading informal correspondence / life experience/written stories independently and answering literal questions and inferential questions using the words and phrases in the question
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15% (total)
|
|
4
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Reading and Writing tasks giving or getting basic information (phone messages, directions, emails, requests)
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15% (total)
|
|
5
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Reading and Writing tasks involving personal and common sight words/abbreviations/symbols and assigned vocabulary
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15% (total)
|
|
6
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Writing 5 complete simple and compound sentences independently with capitals, contractions, possessives and end punctuation in simple tenses
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15% (total)
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|
7
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Written tasks involving assigned vocabulary, capitalization/ use of punctuation / subject / verb / part of speech identification /completion
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10% (total)
|
|
8
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Participation & in-class activities
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10% (total)
|
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to:
Reading
- read three-paragraph passages of familiar genres (e.g. descriptive and narrative) including unfamiliar vocabulary;
- read seven to ten sentence paragraphs on unfamiliar topics including familiar or common vocabulary.
Writing
- write five to seven complete simple and compound sentences;
- write informal correspondence (e.g. personal letter, email) to a familiar audience.
Supporting
- improve decoding strategies;
- develop strategies to improve reading comprehension;
- extend their reading vocabulary;
- gain experience in reading narrative and introduce reading expository texts;
- increase background knowledge by developing awareness of current topics and concerns;
- improve sentence and paragraph writing competency;
- gain greater experience in using pre-writing strategies;
- develop strategies for proofreading their work;
- improve spelling and spelling strategies;
- improve basic word processing skills;
- apply appropriate affixes to modify familiar root words;
- continue to develop the classroom, workplace and learning behaviours introduced in ENGU 0100 and ENGU 0115.
Textbook Materials
Students are required to supply a three-ring binder, paper, eraser, pen and pencil.