Transitional English Course
Contact information:
Ms. Murphy, Room 156; Office171
Laurel High School
8000 Cherry Lane
Laurel, Maryland 20707
E-mail: kathleen.murphy@pgcps.org
Table of Contents:
Contact Information; Introduction; Texts; Syllabus- Overview of Course; Four Quarters; Proposed Grading Factors; Requirements; Class Procedural Guide; Manuscript Format; Portfolio; Homework; ESOL Classroom Expectations; Successful Report Card
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Introduction and Accomplishments:
Welcome to the second quarter of the 2007-2008 school year. Below are both the syllabus for the Transitional English and some suggestions for succeeding in my high school classes.
But first, here are three impressive accomplishments of transitional English students and a few former ESL students.
Our '07 Laurel High School valedictorian was Yong Mu Huang, of China.
Congratulations are long overdue to the LHS 2005-6 ESL students who surpassed their ESL peers around the entire state in the High School Assessments for English. Their courage to compete seriously against that challenging test in a second language should make them very proud of themselves. It also should open doors for them. The 2006-07 HSA takers also met our required level.
Congratulations also to the staff of the 06-07 literary magazine, "Writers Without Borders," and its many contributors. The poetry, fiction, and non-fiction - written and illustrated by international students from across Latin America, South Asia, Africa, and beyond- can inspire all of us.
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Transitional English Texts
- The Language of Literature, McDougal Littell;
- Interactive Reader Plus for English Language Learners by McDougal Littell;
- Language Network by McDougal Littell (These hardback grammar books stay in the classroom);
- Grammar, Usage, Mechanics workbook;
A copy of the literature book, the literature workbook and the paperback grammar workbook will go home for homework.
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Syllabus 2007-08
Overview of the Transitional English Course
In our Transitional English course, students work toward fluency in academic English pertaining to literature. To appreciate the literature, students address critical questions about each genre’s textual elements and about each writer's techniques. Students learn to use literary terms and to improve their reading strategies. Using Writers Workshop, we regularly write creative and critical pieces that pertain to the genre we are studying. Students often read aloud their original compositions and make class presentations. We address grammar and syntax in mini-lessons, in context, and directly during this final ESOL class.
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Four Quarters, Five Genres
Over the first semester in Transitional English, we read and discuss short stories and poems. We begin the first quarter by reading short stories. Such authors as Edgar Allan Poe and Guy de Maupassant are on our reading list. We also write a number of personal essays and responses to questions about literature. Students begin to work with the terms used in literary criticism, including tone words.
In the second quarter of the first semester, we focus on poetry. We read and listen to numerous poets from the United States and other countries. Our emphasis is on free verse. Students each write commentaries on others’ poems.
In addition to literature and writing, we work on mastering a list of 50 English word roots in order to be able to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words. Our first semester grammar focuses on identifying parts of speech, verb conjugation, diagramming sentences, and punctuation. Test-preparation and reading strategies are discussed and practiced too.
During the second half of the year, we work on three literary genres, non-fiction, the novel and drama. In the third quarter of the second semester, our class considers non-fiction, to include speeches, autobiographies, biographies, adventure tales, and essays. We begin by analyzing important speeches from modern culture, such as Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream." The rhetorical devices used is examined, so students can move toward critical appraisal of form as well as content.
Our writing efforts focus on various organizational patterns used in essays, so students can broaden their range of effective expression. Students are expected to fully develop their essay writing skills at this point in the year. Our vocabulary study turns to prefixes and suffixes. We also learn to discern the meaning of new words by seeking context clues in texts.
The grammar we address for the third quarter is the construction of phrases, clauses and combinations of both. We practice more study skills as we go.
In both the third and fourth quarters of the second semester, students also will read a novel, to be determined. We finish the year with drama, namely Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet."
By the end of the year, our writing program will have progressed from personal narratives to expository and persuasive essays. Students will have worked with the typical literary material they will face in their future academic careers. They should be familiar with strategies that can help address their remaining questions about English vocabulary and grammar. If they meet the requirements, they should finish the transitional course capable of independent school work in English.
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Proposed Grading Factors— Transitional English
30 % —Projects that include writing, BCR’s, ECR’s (Brief Constructed Responses and Extended Constructed Responses) and creative pieces.
15% — Classwork: Warm-ups, journals among other activities. Topics are announced daily in class) and .
15% — Homework: Assignments are detailed in class.
40% — Tests and Quizzes: Includes standardized tests, such as PGCPS Benchmarks.
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Transitional English Requirements Overview
Students usually will have daily homework and weekly quizzes. All standardized tests that are required by Laurel H.S. of 9th grade English students do also include Transitional students, though we may have extended time. Daily in-class assignments demand each student’s conscientious participation. Each student will be required to bring to class daily a loose leaf binder (notebook with ring clips) with six section dividers.
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Transitional English Class Procedural Guide
3-Ring Notebooks with 5 Dividers*
1. Warm-ups
2. Class work
3. Homework
4. Tests & Quizzes
5. References
*Open book quizzes will be given on material in various parts of the notebook.
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Manuscript Format for All Papers
Your First Name Your Last Name
Class Title: Transitional English— Teacher Name: Ms. Murphy
Date: Month/Day/Year Example: 8/22/06
Title of Project or Assignment: To Come
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Portfolio
Writing samples that are kept in a student’s folder stored in class should include all versions of his or her original written text, from graphic organizers through final copy. Each step should be clearly labeled on the top line, ie: "First Draft" or "Final Copy."
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Homework
Students can expect homework at least three nights per week, to be assigned in detail in class.
First Semester Homework
Self-selected readings: Students are required to read for a half hour nightly. In addition, they should record their reflections based on the reading in a loose-leaf "journal" twice a week, to be checked on Fridays. These entries should have the manuscript format, listed above. The title should include the text title, the author, the publisher and the publication date. If the piece is in a magazine or newspaper, the periodical’s name, date, the article title, along with the author, should be stated. For example, "Cool Summer Days Raise Global Climate Questions." Jon White. New York Times, Sunday, 8/22/04.
Additional homework will be assigned in class daily and is due at the beginning of class on the due date.
Ten points will be deducted for each day a homework assignment is late.
All procedures are subject to change at the teacher’s discretion, based on scheduling and class needs.
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ESOL Classroom Expectations- All Courses
A few simple guidelines help everyone get through each school day happily.
1. Respect all people and all their things.
2. Come to class prepared to work hard.
3. Encourage other students to succeed.
4. Give credit to anyone whose ideas or words are being used in your work. (Don’t cheat or copy!)
Any violation of the above guidelines may result in points deducted from a student’s behavior grade and can impact his or her final grade. Some violations will result in student, parent, and administrative conferences.
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The Road to a Successful Report Card — Basic Study Habits — All Courses
A few simple study habits can help students to master their subject and earn a good grade.
- Class participation is key to language learning and is graded as such. So, pay attention in class; be prepared; and participate.
- Complete all the class work with the group in class to hand it in on time and get full credit for the work. Every day a paper is late, it goes down by 10 points.
- Complete all the home work on time to get the full benefit and the full credit.
- Develop a personal dictionary and add to your vocabulary list any words you read or hear that are unfamiliar. Try to use them in speech or writing to see how they
work.
- Make up any work that you do miss so that you don't let a score of "0" pull down your average. The student is responsible both to find out about all work missed during an absence and to arrange to make it up.
- Prepare for the announced quizzes and tests.
- Keep your quizzes, class work and notes organized in a binder so you can better study for the cumulative test at the end of the units. Review these papers frequently to secure your mastery. These practices should prevent the need to cram for the exams.
- Watch, listen to, and read the media in English (but always question the bias in the sources and information).
- Extra credit work when available, only after completion of all required work.
Note: If there are any skills or topics we have finished studying and you do not yet understand, review all the completed papers on the topic and please request help.
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