2016 Summer Institute

Office of International Initiatives / Georgia State University

AL 2290: Academic English

July 6-27, 2016

Instructor:Sharon Cavusgil

Office:Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL, 25 Park Place, 15th Floor

Phone:404-413-5183

E-mail:

Time:Monday-Friday, 9:00-11:20 a.m. / 2:00-4:20 p.m.

Location:310-Classroom South

  1. COURSE DESCRIPTION

AL 2290:Academic English is designed to improve your academic and general English skills. Instruction focuses on developing reading, writing, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. Through a variety of activities, we will:

  • Read and analyze a book of approximately 250 words and supplemental readings
  • Participate in conversations and discussions about the readings
  • Write answers to different types of questions (true/false, short answer)
  • Use the writing process (pre-write, draft, share your writing with others, revise, edit) to complete short essays
  • Organize and give short presentations
  • Use general and academic vocabulary and structures in your writing and speaking
  1. REQUIRED MATERIALS
  • Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.(You will be given this book.)
  • a folder or binder for handouts—bring to class daily
  • a USB flash drive or e-storage system
3.SUGGESTED WEBSITES

(Newbury House dictionary)

(academic word list)

(academic word list exercises)

4.COURSE GRADING

Your course grade will be computed as follows:

Class activities, homework, quizzes … 80%
Final project …20%

Letter grades have the following meanings:

A+ 97-100% A 93-96% A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79% C 73-76% C- 70-72%
D 60-69% F below 60%
  1. ACTIVITIES

Activities may include book club discussions, written reflections, written diary entries, short answer/short essay writing, academic and general vocabulary activities, reading activities (e.g., identify main ideas, make inferences about characters), quizzes about the content and vocabulary of the book, poster presentations on the book, listening to portions of the book on tape, acting out scenes from the book, and a visit to Atlanta’s Center for Civil & Human Rights Museum and the Martin Luther King Center.

For most assignments, you will receive points ranging from 0-5.

5very well done with no/very few minor errors (A)

4well done with only a few minor errors (B)

3mostly completed; acceptable work with some errors (C)

2unsatisfactory work due to type and/or amount of errors (D)

1incomplete; improvement needed (F)

0work not submitted (F)

If you are unable to complete work, please talk with the instructor as soon as possible.

  1. REFLECTION REPORT

You will write a reflection report about your experiences at Georgia State University (GSU). Your report should include your reflections (thoughts and experiences) on:

(1) living in Atlanta

(2) learning at GSU

(3) suggestions for future students and program administrators

You will submit a draft paper to the instructor forfeedback. Your final typed report will be submitted to GSU’s Office of International Initiatives at the end of the program. Information you share will help us understand your experiences and make improvements for the future!

  1. ATTENDANCE

Attendance is essential for success. The Office of International Initiatives will be notified of any absences.

  1. ACADEMIC HONESTY & PLAGARIASM

You must submit your own work and conduct yourself in an honest manner. One aspect of academic honesty is plagiarism. Plagiarism can include one or more of the following situations:

a.Copying information from another student’s work or from other materials, and submitting that work as your own.

b.Using other people’s ideas, words, or data without properly documenting or acknowledging the source.

c.Overusing sources without incorporating your own ideas.

This syllabus is a guide. Changes can be made by the instructor.

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