Course Outline for English As A Second Language 120
Writing Workshop for Non-Native Speakers: Emphasis on Pre-writing & Paragraph Organization

Effective: Fall 2024
SLO Rev: 12/13/2016
Catalog Description:

ESL 120 - Writing Workshop for Non-Native Speakers: Emphasis on Pre-writing & Paragraph Organization

0.50 Units

Individualized and group instruction in writing with emphasis on pre-writing and paragraph organization. Student develops and reinforces academic writing skills through conferencing with instructor, group workshops, completing online exercises, completing and revising writing assignments, and working with instructor and tutors on individual writing needs.
4930.84 - English as a Second Language - Writing
Pass/No Pass
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Laboratory 0.50 27.00 0.00 27.00
Total 0.50 27.00 0.00 27.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. generate and organize ideas for an essay using prewriting techniques such as brainstorming, conceptual mapping, free writing, and outlining;
  2. write well-organized paragraphs with clear topic sentences and
    coherently connected supporting sentences;
  3. develop a topic using example, analysis, and/or explanation.
Course Content:
  1. Pre-writing techniques
  2. Proofreading strategies
  3. Topic sentence development
  4. Paragraph organization
  5. Introductions and conclusions where appropriate
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Individual Performance
  2. Practice/Demonstration
  3. Computer-based interactive curriculum
  4. Class and group discussions
  5. Supervised Tutoring
  6. Group Activities
  7. Independent Study
  8. Review
  9. Distance Education
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Brainstorm ideas for your next essay assignment and share them with your small group.
  2. Read your rough draft and circle the subjects and underline the verbs. Then check for subject-verb agreement and make any necessary edits. Then meet with a tutor to clarify any questions you may have about this.
  3. Schedule a conference with your instructor, attend it, and complete conference checklist afterwards.
  4. Complete the online grammar exercises for the unit about using the present perfect verb tense.
  5. Attend the break-out workshop on editing strategies.
  1. Assigned activities
  2. Class Participation
  3. Lab Activities
  4. Attendance
  5. Online Assignments
  6. Demonstration of practice and skills
  7. Group Projects
  8. Final Examination or Project
  9. Portfolios
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. plan the organization of level-appropriate paper using a prewriting method of their choice.
  2. use a topic sentence to organize a paragraph in their own writing.
  3. follow the instructions for their academic writing assignments.
  4. write a composition of an appropriate length and depth for their level.
  5. use feedback from the instructor and coaches to revise their work, so that the connections between ideas are clear and the organizational structure is easy to follow.
  6. use feedback from the instructor and coaches to self-edit their work for grammatical correctness in a way that makes meaning clear.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Lane, J. and Lange, E (2012). Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide (3). Heinle and Heinle.
  2. Wilson, P. and Glazier, T. F (2018). The Least You Should Know about English: Writing Skills (3rd). Cengage Learing.
  3. The Modern Language Association of America (2021). MLA Handbook (9). The Modern Language Association of America.

NA

Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
This course is for non-native speakers of English who are taking English courses or other courses that require academic writing. It is also open to students enrolled in ESL courses. Pre-writing and paragraph-level organization are emphasized, but all aspects of the writing process are addressed as needed on an individual basis.
Discipline:
English as a Second Language (ESL)*