Course Outline for English 201B
Non-Credit Preparation for English Composition II

Effective: Fall 2021
SLO Rev: 10/04/2020
Catalog Description:

ENGL 201B - Non-Credit Preparation for English Composition II

45.00 Hours

May be repeated 99 time(s)
Non-credit course in which students will practice academic reading, critical thinking, and writing expected in credit classes or degree applicable classes. Students will build on the metacognitive skills from 201A and practice more advanced reading and writing strategies that will prepare them for success in a transfer-level English course. This is the second 9-week course in a two-course sequence but may also be taken as a stand alone course. Students completing both English 201A and 201B will earn a Certificate of Competency in Preparation for English Composition. The course is free to students and repeatable until mastery of the skills is met. Strongly Recommended: Informed Course Selection Tool (ICST)
Strongly Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 201A, Informed Course Selection Tool
1501.00 - English
Pass/No Pass/Satisfactory Progress
Type Hours
Lecture 45.00
Total 45.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. demonstrate critical thinking and reading skills in both class discussion and in writing;
    A. read actively and critically, and effectively use textual annotation;
    B. discuss how racism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and classism shape the contexts for thinking, reading, and writing;
    C. establish own purpose for reading the material;
    developing a flexible reading style which adjusts reading rate according to the purpose for and the difficulty of material
    identify and discuss abstract concepts found in readings;
    D. form and explain legitimate inferences from specific data;
    E. synthesize ideas and information to develop their own;
  2. demonstrate composition strategies preparing students for college-level standards of academic prose;
    A. organize ideas clearly and effectively in writing and building an argument;
    B. formulate a controlling idea to focus writing;
    support each point with adequate and varied evidence from multiple sources (provided by instructor);
    C. tailor writing to address a specific audience and purpose;
    D. develop sentences to relate and emphasize ideas;
    E. detect and correct major mechanical and grammatical errors;
    F. use metacognitive strategies to decipher and connect multiple and more complex texts.
Course Content:
  1. Instruction integrating critical thinking, reading, and writing.
  2. Student-Centered and Equity-Oriented Curriculum
    1. Relating course materials to the lives and values of students to create student-centered classrooms in which students are meaning makers; students provide cultural capital to engage in academic discourse; acculturation into academic pursuit does not diminish students’ histories and cultural wealth; there is transparency in recognizing a wide range of voices and media as text, including that of students.
  3. Reading and Critical Thinking
    1. Using metacognitive strategies to
      1. make meaning of texts;
      2. make connections between texts;
      3. explore the significance of text;
      4. complete a book-length text.
    2. Synthesizing ideas and information
    3. Forming a controlling idea in reading a variety of texts.
    4. Identrying evidence used for an idea.
    5. Deciphering primary ideas versus secondary ideas in texts.
  4. Critical thinking about reading
    1. Evaluate evidence.
    2. Analyzing context.
    3. Recognizing bias.
  5. Writing
    1. Building familiarity with Essay structure for creating longer papers, culminating in a 1500 word essay.
    2. Understanding the process of writing, including planning and assessing.
    3. Building familiarity with different rhetorical modes in essay writing.
    4. Achieving comprehension of the writing prompt and planning tasks for completion.
    5. Forming a controlling idea in writing.
    6. Evaluation and use of specific evidence from class and outside texts  to support general ideas.
    7. Recognizing the role of audience awareness in reading and writing.
    8. Introducing strategies for revising essays based on peer review.
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Collaborative learning in pairs and groups, which may include brainstorming, modeling close reading, developing analysis and synthesis, debate, role playing, and enactment.
  2. Lecture/Discussion that requires students to construct meaning and engage in academic discourse.
  3. Presentation and analysis of multimedia materials in support of primary texts and/or understanding of elements of multimedia composition.
  4. Revision activities to improve style, structure, and coherence, including peer review, self reflection.
  5. Student-instructor conferences.
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Do the assigned reading and annotate looking for the summary and analysis of the texts. Take notes in the book’s margins and underline important passages. In one typed paragraph, write a response to the reading we’ve discussed so far. Paragraph must begin with a topic sentence, supported by specific sentences, and conclude with an analysis. Remember, avoid using “I” statements, like “I think” or “I believe.” Write like an expert and relate your arguments to our text and our characters. Please write on one of the themes on the back of this assignment sheet. These will be the themes you will write on for your essay assignment, so use this as practice. Prewriting exercise: Fill out the outline below. Prewriting is an important step in developing strong arguments. Please turn in the outline with your typed paragraph. Students will work through the entire writing process (prewriting strategies, editing, and revision).
  2. Write an analytical essay (approximately 3-4 pages) to a non-fiction, memoir text. Students will need to create clear arguments about the text, using primary themes from the text. Students will need to correctly cite the text parenthetically, and on the Works Cited page. Students will need to accurately, effectively and thoroughly respond to the prompt. The essay needs to be in MLA format.
  3. Give an oral presentation in a small group evaluating an assigned essay from a text, demonstrating comprehension of text, and offering analysis.
  1. Essays and other assigned writing, including timed in-class writing, evaluated on critical thinking, development of thesis, and correct mechanical usage.
  2. Depth of understanding of assigned readings assessed via reading tests, final and/or midterm examination.
  3. Quality and consistency of class presentations, responses, and regular in class and/or homework assignments.
  4. Self-reflection and peer evaluation of reading and writing.
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. student can organize a paper so that it is unified and coherent;
  2. student can respond to a topic, demonstrate critical thinking, comprehension and use of text to support ideas;
  3. student demonstrates sentence-level fluency and control of grammar.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Colombo, Cullen, and Lisle, eds (2018). Rereading America Bedford Books.
  2. Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers (2018). Rules for Writers Bedford St. Martin's.
  3. Wright, Richard (2007). Black Boy Harper Collins.
  4. Nazario, Sonia (2004). Enrique's Journey Random House.
  5. Gladwell, Malcolm (2008). Outliers Little Brown and Company.
  6. Slater, Lauren (2004). Opening Skinner's Box Norton and Norton.
  7. Jacobs, Harriet (2000). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Penguin.
  8. Yousefzai, Malala (2015). I Am Malala Bay Back Books.
  9. Taylor, Dorcetta E (2014). Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility NYU Press.
  10. Yuval-Davis, Nira (2011). The Politics of Belonging: Intersectional Communities Sage Studies.
  11. Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2018). The Ties that Bind: Rethinking Identity Liveright.
  12. Guptill, Amy (2016). Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence Open SUNY.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Non-credit course in which students will practice academic reading, critical thinking, and writing expected in credit classes or degree applicable classes. This is the second 9-week course in a two-course sequence but may also be taken as a stand alone course leading to a Certificate of Competency in Preparation for English Composition. The course is free to students and repeatable until mastery of the skills is met. Strongly Recommended: Informed Course Selection Tool (ICST).
Strongly Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 201A, Informed Course Selection Tool
Discipline:
English*