The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSPE-011 Bergen Community College Division of Arts, Humanities, and Wellness Department of ESL Speech Departmental Policy Syllabus SPE 011: Idioms, Conversation and American Culture (Life and Work) Semester and year: Course and Section Number: SPE 011 Meeting Times and Locations: Instructor: Office Location: Phone: 201-493- Departmental Secretary: Mrs. Azize Ruttler Office Hours: E-mail Address: Course Description This course aims to develop cultural awareness and improve conversation skills in high intermediate and advanced English language learners through the understanding of idioms. In this course, students will recognize and produce the high-frequency idioms and expressions needed in a range of conversational and academic situations. Students will increase their ability to understand conversations through structured and communicative activities. This one-credit elective provides training for students who want to build their idiomatic vocabulary and cultural fluency for communicative success in a variet y of situations. 2 Lab hours, 1 credit (non-degree) Co- or Pre-requisite: SPE-002 or Accuplacer placement in SPE-002 or higher Text and Materials: All Clear 3 Listening and Speaking (2nd edition) Helen Kalkstein Fragiadakis, Heinle Cengage Learning ISBN: 13-978-1-4130-1705-2 This book is available to purchase in the BCC Bookstore. It is also in the library to borrow and is on reserve to read in the library. Student Learning Objectives: As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, students will:  Recognize high-frequency idioms and expressions  Accurately produce high-frequency idioms and expressions  Improve listening comprehension skills  Expand passive and active vocabulary  Increase knowledge and understanding of American culture  Enhance conversation skills Course Content:  Focused listening comprehension exercises  Inductive and deductive activities for comprehension of target idioms  Dialogues and small group discussion encouraging production of target expressions  Pronunciation practice of new expressions  Individual and group presentations Means of Assessment: The major assessment types used in this course are tests, graded discussions, homework assignments, presentations, and class participation. This includes active involvement in class discussions and being prepared for class by completing homework assignments by their due date. Grading Policy: Class Participation 20% Group Presentations 20% Homework 20% Quizzes & Tests 20% Individual Presentations 20% Grading Scale: A 90-100 B+ 86-89 B 80-85 C+ 76-79 C 70-75 D 65-69 F 64 or below Attendance Policy: BCC Attendance Policy: All students are expected to attend punctually every scheduled meeting of each course in which they are registered. Attendance and lateness policies and sanctions are to be determined by the instructor for each section of each course. These will be established in writing on the individual course outline. Attendance will be kept by the instructor for administrative and counseling purposes. American Language Program Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class regularly and punctually. Attendance will be taken at each class session. It is expected that class time will be spent so that students benefit from the lectures, class discussions and class work. If students occasionally arrive late, they should be encouraged to enter quietly, not disturbing the class. If students miss class, they should find out what they missed. It is probably a good idea for students to exchange telephone numbers with other students as a way to find out about missed classes. Make-ups for examinations should be allowed by the instructor if, in the instructor’s judgment, the student has presented a good excuse for missing the work. Instructors may penalize work which is late; however, the instructor’s policies for make-ups and late work must be clearly specified on the student guide. Attendance Policy in this Course: Poor attendance will affect a student’s grade. If a student misses more than 4 classes, the student’s grade may be lowered by one full letter grade. If a student is absent excessively, the student can expect to fail the course. Lateness counts, too. Two late arrivals of more than 10 minutes will equal one absence. Student and Faculty Support Services ELRC (English Language Resource Center) The ELRC offers free tutoring twice a week, conversation groups, and computerized speaking/listening practice. E-156 201- 612-5292 http://www.bergen.edu/pages/2182.asp Intercultural Conversation Program (ICP). The ICP offers students the opportunity to meet one-on-one with native English speakers for conversation practice L-125 201-447-7489 http://www.bergen.edu/pages1/Pages/4 624.aspx The Office of Specialized Services (for students with disabilities) S-131 201-612-5270 www.bergen.edu/oss The Sidney Silverman Library – Reference Desk L-226 201-447-7436 http://www.bergen.edu/pages/683.asp Tentative Course Outline & Calendar Note to Students: The following Course Outline and Calendar is tentative and subject to change. Week Date Topic Week 1 Introduction to the Course Behavior in Public -children’s behavior, cell phone usage, movie theater etiquette Week 2 Behavior in Public Week 3 Group Work; Group Presentation #1 Week 4 Quiz #1 Homelessness -workaholics, the glass ceiling Week 5 Homelessness Week 6 Review Group Presentation #2 (in-class work) Week 7 give Group Presentation #2 Quiz #2 Week 8 Individual Presentation #1 Luck -superstitions, lotteries Week 9 Luck Week 10 Group Work; Group Presentation #3 Week 11 Quiz #3 Media Issues -media violence, parental controls, movie ratings Week 12 Media Issues Week 13 Group Work; Group Presentation #4 Week 14 Review Week 15 Individual Presentation #2 Week 16 Final Exam