FABISH 880

READ 880: READING BASICS, LONG BEACHCITYCOLLEGE, SPRING 2008

Ms. Jordan Irwin Fabish, Instructor

Ms. Tara Saviet, Supplemental Instruction Leader

Class #30767, 3 units Fridays, 11A.M. – 2P.M.,Room B301ALAC Prerequisite: none Grading: CREDIT/NO CREDIT

Office (LAC trailers): TS Office phone: (562) 938-4919

Instructor email: S. I. Leader email:

Office Hours in TS
Monday / 11A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Tuesday / By appointment
Wednesday / 11A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Thursday / 5:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M.Room B303C
Friday / 10 A.M. – 11 A.M.

Or by appointment

Reading Program Mission Statement

A thorough, thoughtful reader will enjoy success in any discipline. That is our goal. At the foundation of Long BeachCityCollege’s Reading Program is a team of educators who bring expertise, energy, and deep commitment to each course, to each student. Knowing the text-based challenges awaiting students in college and the workplace, our program offers a varied, balanced, rigorous curriculum to strengthen all levels of thinking.

Course Description, Objectives, and Benefits

Welcome to Read 880! I commend your decision to attend Long BeachCityCollege, a truly student-centered place to learn. This course will help you to become a better reader and thinker, thus increasing success in all your other classes and increasing your personal confidence, as well. Specifically, you will acquire the many benefits ofmaking the decision to read ACTIVELY. If you make that decision you will:

  • Fill in the gaps in your understanding of consonants, vowels, and syllables
  • Increase your ability to use context clues for both vocabulary and comprehension
  • Become experts using a dictionary
  • Learn LOTS of new words (“A solid vocabulary is a source of power.” Smith, Johnson, Mohr)
  • Practice finding topics, main ideas, details, and relationships in text so that you can see
    what is important
  • Enhance your reading enjoyment

More benefits:

In addition, the course’s activities will lead you to:

  • Think at a higher level
  • Develop responsibility for your own learning in a safe place
  • Work together to learn
  • Feel better about yourself
  • Write better
  • CHANGE YOUR BRAIN! In a reading course, this is our ultimate goal—not to acquire facts (although you will), but to teach your brain to see print with stronger understanding.
    Note: it takes courage to change!

HOW TO SUCCEED

I want you to succeed in this course, in your college experience, and in reaching your goals in life. There are many people who can help you to make the most of this class:

  • I am your first resource. Please let me help you! Visit me in my office, or call or email me.
  • Participate in Supplemental Instruction, designed especially for our class because I will be working closely with Tara Saviet. Students who attend S. I. enjoy the class more, learn more in it, and get better grades than those who “go it alone.”
  • Stay in touch with an academic counselor, so you are always taking the appropriate courses.
  • If you are feeling anxious or emotionally troubled, LBCC has psychological counselors, too.
  • The WritingReadingCenter and Learning and Academic Resources both have tutoring, and I have invited reps from these terrific programs to tell you how to use them. Use them!

In short, successful students:

  1. Show up
  2. Do their best work on every assignment
  3. Participate actively

I will come to class well prepared, treating you with courtesy and fairness, and I expect the same from you. Please understand that there are no make ups; for this reason, and also because our class meets only once a week, attendance is critical. Your commitment to attending each class is an ideal first step to success in the course. (Show up!) In accordance with LBCC’s policy, I may drop you if you miss more than two weeks in a row or more than 20% (about 10 hours) of the course. Being late to class and leaving early count, too. How? You may have three “free” academic hours (150 minutes); if you are absent more minutes than that,whatever the reason, your grade will go down. If you ever do come late or leave early, please sign in/out on the sheet near the door. To make up time, see me and I will tell you how. But remember, you may NOT make upworkthat you miss because you are absent.(I suggest that you do not make appointments or trips during this or any class hours. There may be some situations, however, where you can arrange with me to turn in homework or take a test AHEAD of time, if you know you will be absent.)

Also, IDO NOT ACCEPT LATE WORK without a “No Questions Asked” coupon(distributed later). Choose carefully if/when/how to use them. I do not accept late work, and when we

get to Paired Readings, I will not even accept a coupon.

If you must be absent (due to such things as ordinary illness, transportation problems), do the following:

  1. Most importantly, prepare for the following class by contacting me or a classmate for missed lecture notes, handouts, and assignments. DO NOT neglect this important step!
  2. Bring your assignment early, or have a friend bring it, or use the NQA coupon.
  3. Although the first two are the most important, please, as a courtesy, let me know about your absence.

On an individual basis I will consider emergencies(such as long-term illness, serious illness on a test day, death in the immediate family), but you must CALL or EMAIL ME immediately to discuss the problem. Do not assume that the serious nature of your problem means you do not need to contact me.

No immediate discussion on your part = no consideration on my part.

Required Materials (Books and Materials You Must Have)*
  • Groundwork for College Reading (with Phonics),4th ed.—B. Broderick & J. Langan
  • Frindle—A. Clements
  • Read 880 packet
  • 3-ringed notebook with paper. If you want to use a spiral notebook, that is fine, but I will not accept papers with those little fringes!
  • Large 5½ x 8½-inch index cards (at least 4 x 6) for flashcards and feedback
  • 3 or 4 882 scantrons
  • A good home dictionary such as The American Heritage College DictionaryorInternet access to an online site such as dictionary.com or m-w.comor willingness to spend time using the library dictionaries.

*Except for the home dictionary, please bring ALL materials to EVERY class. If for some reason you have trouble getting materials, you must let me know so that I can help you. There is NO WAY you can pass this or any class without the required materials.

Recommended Materials (helpful tools, but not required)
  • Nitty-Gritty Grammar—A Not-So-Serious Guide to Clear Communication—Fine & Josephson
  • An email account. It’s the easiest way to reach me.
  • Not a “material,” but I do recommend that you HAVE YOUR VISION CHECKED.
Grading (all point values may vary)

In-class participation, quizzes, and assignments...... 35 points (5%)

Graded homework...... 110 points (15%)

4 Frindle Vocabulary Quizzes @ 10 points each...... 40 points (6%)

Frindle Vocabulary Test and test-day flashcards.……………………….. 75 points (10%)

Post-midterm 15-minute conference with me ……...... 10 points (1.5%)

Midterm...... 150 points (21%)

Frindle Paired Readings…...... 60 points (8%)

Frindle Comprehension Test...... 80 points (11%)

Final...... 160 points (22%)

Approximate total points possible 720 points

Although I will give you letter grades as we go, this is a CREDIT/NO CREDIT class. To receive a CREDIT you must earn 75% of the total points, and you must take and pass the final. If you find the class too easy or too difficult, I can give you individualized, supplemental work to make it a better match.If you should decide to drop this class, consult your SPRING 2008 Schedule of Classes, p. 144, for the school’s withdrawal policy. In fact, please read pages 144 – 147 (especially the “Creating a Collegiate Environment” section, p. 147) to be aware of all of your rights and responsibilities at Long BeachCityCollege. Because I expect scholarly work and adult behavior, I may ask you to leave class if you are unprepared or to move your seat for excessive or inappropriate talking. Do your homework in your home; that is, NOT EVER in class. I will not accept an assignment you work on during class, unless it is an in-class assignment!

Speaking of homework, the LBCC course outline requires two hours of outside work for every hour of class, which should be enough time to absorb the comprehension concepts that will make you a better reader and a successful student, rather than a “victim.” When victims have problems, they complain, blame others, make excuses, give up, or ignore the problem. When successful students have problems, they face them, take personal responsibility, create workable alternatives, and ask for help. The most important thing you can learn in school and in life is successful behavior.

SOME SPECIFICS

Cell Phones, Pagers, etc.—They distract you and others; please turn them off or to silent during class. If your device rings, beeps, or buzzes, simply turn it off. Let us also consider the newest electronic distraction: texting, a very tempting activity. Don’t do it! That is, don’t do it during class. Don’t even CHECK! Put away any other “plug-in-the-ear”-type players, too.

You can text, talk, and listen before and after class and at the break. If you use your electronic device for any reason during class, take it and your belongings out; you have chosen to be absent for the day. If you must be “on call” for, say, a sick parent or child, let me know ahead of time.

Academic Honesty

Cheating or plagiarism, even ifunintentional, including copying, will betreated very seriously. If you are unclearabout plagiarism (copying texts, Websites, orfellow students), please ASK me. Workingwith a partner or a group is often a terrifichelp, and I encourage it, but the final

product must be your own work in yourown words.

Supplemental Instruction

Rejoice! LBCC has a Supplemental Instruction program as one of many ways to help you learn. Tara Saviet, our S. I. Leader, will be in class with us every day and will hold an “S. I. Session” at convenient, regular times each week. Go to one session, to three, to all! Students who participate in S. I. learn from each other, enjoy the class much more, and get WAY higher grades than those who study alone. I will always be available to work with you one on one. I love to help individual students, I hope to be working with you often, and I expect to see you in my office for your required visit. However, I understand that, for many of you, a group of your peers, anonymous to your instructor, is a very effective learning strategy. Do yourself a favor and make the time to attend Supplemental Instruction for our class.

My Absence?

Finally, I am usually setting up for class well before it starts; in other words, I am never late. However, if one day I am not there, please check with someone in the English Department office (562 938-4036) for a message from me. If my whereabouts are still a mystery, wait twenty minutes, sign a piece of paper to show who was there, and go home.

Note: Sometimes students seem to forget these policies as the semester goes by, but please remember them! The policies outlined in this syllabus are in effect for all students at all times.

Again, WELCOME! I anticipate a rewarding semester for all of us.

Tentative Schedule of Assignments, Spring 2008

Our schedule should serve our needs, not the other way around, but the following is approximately what you can expect:

Week 1 / Fri., Jan. 18
Introduction
Pre-test / Introduction to course and each other. Buy books and supplies. Start Groundwork, Part II, ch. 2, Dictionary Use,
p. 173 and Frindle. Read Frindle for enjoyment.
Please read the following BEFORE class; write in additional assignments.
Frindle vocabulary & study pages are DUE on the dates shown.
GROUNDWORKFORCOLLEGE READING / FRINDLE
Week 2 / Fri., Jan. 25
SYLLABUS QUIZ / Dictionary Use, p. 173
Introduce flashcard & Consonants / Keep reading for fun.
Do FrindleGuide to Act. PK in class. Note what is DUE for next time. ↓
Week 3 / Fri., Feb. 1 / Consonants, p. 9
3 sample flashcards due
Introduce Vowels / Ch. 1-4 + book check
Vocab., p. 3 - 5
Study Guide, p. 6
Week 4 / Fri., Feb. 8
FR VOCAB QUIZ on ch. 1 – 4 / Vowels, p. 47
Introduce Main Ideas / Ch. 5 & 6
Vocab., p. 7 + QUIZ, ch. 1 – 4
Study Guide, p. 8
Week 5 / Fri., Feb. 15 / NO CLASS—LINCOLN’S DAY
Week 6 / Fri., Feb. 22
NO FR QUIZon 7-9
FR QUIZ on ch. 5 & 6 / Main Ideas, p. 243 / Ch. 7 – 9
Vocab., p.9 & 10, QUIZ ch. 5 & 6
Study Guide, p. 11
Week 7
NADE Conf.? / Fri., Feb. 29
FR VOCAB QUIZ on ch. 10 - 12 / Main Ideas, cont.
Introduce Supporting Details / Ch. 10 – 12
Vocab., p. 12 & 13 + QUIZ
Study Guide, p. 14 & 15
Week 8 / Fri., March 7
FR VOCAB QUIZ on ch. 13 – 15 / Supporting Details, p. 275
Introduce Vocab. in Context / Ch. 13 – 15
Vocab., p. 16, 17, 18+ QUIZ
Study Guide, p. 19
Week 9 / Fri., March 14
FR VOCAB TEST / Vocab. in Context, p. 209
Preparation for midterm / Vocabulary Test on ALL Frindle words.
Week 10 / Fri., March 21
MIDTERM / MIDTERM
Week 11 / Fri., March 28 / NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK
Week 12 / Fri., April 4 / Review Midterm
Introduce Finding (More) MIs / Review Frindle vocab. test
Paired Readings Intro & Organization
Week 13 / Fri., April 11
Grade Profile DUE / Finding Main Ideas, p. 309
Introduce Signal Words I / Practice Paired Readings
Week 14 / Fri., April 18
Grade Profile OK / Signal Words I, p. 339
Concept Review / Practice Paired Readings
Week 15 / Fri., April 25 / Pt. III, Selection 3, “Joe Davis,” p. 491 / Practice Paired Readings
Story Map, p. 2, due
Week 16 / Fri., May 2
Paired Readings / Present Paired Readings
Preparation for Frindle test
Week 17 / Fri., May 9
FR COMP TEST / Catch up? / Frindle Comprehension Test
Week 18 / Fri., May 16 / Preparation for final / Review Frindle test
FINALS / Fri., May 23 / FINAL

FINALS WEEK IS MAY 19 – 28, 2008.
The final for READ 880 is scheduled for Friday, May 23, in the regular classroom at the regular time.

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