This document is a syllabus for an ESL 201 course at Irvine Valley College. It provides information about the instructor, course description, student learning outcomes, required materials, class policies, assignments and grading. The course focuses on academic writing and covers how to develop a central thesis, organize paragraphs, integrate sources, and adhere to language conventions. Students will complete essays, blog posts, short writes and work in the Language Acquisition Center. Important dates include exams, drop deadlines and holidays. The final grade is calculated based on essays, exams, blog posts, portfolios and participation.

1. Syllabus 1
ESL 201 Spring 2017
Course Information
Instructor: Catherine Coleman. Please call me Mrs. C.
Web: ccoleman @ ivc.edu & Canvas Room: B354 Time: Tue /Thur 7 -9:15 a.m.
Office Hours: before/after class & by appointment LAC Schedule Tue /Thur 11 am – 3:20 pm
Course Description
Academic Writing III is the third and final semester of the academic writing sequence designed for non-native English writers who
need to gain proficiency in Academic English. Students write essays in response to assigned readings from a range of college-level
texts. The course covers how to state and develop a central idea of an essay, organize paragraphs into a logical sequence, and integrate
the ideas of others into a paper that expresses the writer's own analysis as developed through multiple drafts. The course also
introduces students to critical reading and writing to promote the study of language conventions used to construct academic writing.
ESL 201 is equivalent to WR 201 and WR 399; credit will be given in one area, but not all. Successful completion allows students to
enroll in WR 1.
Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work. ~ Oprah Winfrey
Student Learning Outcome:
Given a text-based, criterion-referenced prompt, students will write a process-centered, course-appropriate writing assignment that
reflects course-appropriate mastery of unity/focus (controlled by a thesis claim), development/support/elaboration,
coherence/organization, style and voice, and adheres to language conventions of standard written English.
It isn't where you come from; it's where you are going that counts” ~ Ella Fitzgerald
ESL 201L- Course Corequisite:
ESL 201 L is a required aspect of this class. You will be required to work for 24 hours over the course of the semester in the LAC
during which you will complete specific assignments for this class. See the Assignments on Canvas for grading specifics.
NOTE: Although you register for a specific hour, you can attend the LAC at any time the LAC is open. You are not required to
attend at the hour for which you registered.
Website: http://www.ivc.edu/student/lac/Pages/default.aspx E-mail: ivclac@ivc.edu. Phone: 949-451-5580
The least of the work of learning is done in classrooms. ~ Thomas Merton
Student Services
Irvine Valley College has a variety of great services to help students succeed in college.
*Disabled Students Services SSC 171 949-451-5630 http://students.ivc.edu/dsps/Pages/default.aspx
Language Acquisition Center B354 949-451-5580 http://academics.ivc.edu/languagecenter/Pages/default.aspx
International Student Center SSC 140 949-451-5414 http://students.ivc.edu/eops/Pages/default.aspx
Student Success Center: BST 110 949-451-5471 http://academics.ivc.edu/successcenter/Pages/default.aspx
Counseling Center SSC 210 949-451-5319 http://students.ivc.edu/counselingcenter/Pages/default.aspx
Health Services: SSC 150 949-451-5221 http://students.ivc.edu/healthcenter/Pages/default.aspx
Career & Job Placement SSC 230 949-451-5268 http://students.ivc.edu/careercenter/Pages/default.aspx
Financial Aid Office: SSC 120 949-451-5287 http://financialaid.ivc.edu/Pages/default.aspx
EOPS SSC 130 949-451-5243 http://students.ivc.edu/eops/Pages/default.aspx
*Irvine Valley College makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities. If you have a disability
that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), impacts your work for this class, and necessitates accommodations,
you should contact Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) at 949-451-5630 or Student Services Center SC 171 for
information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical
disabilities, or chronic health disorders, among others. Students can contact DSPS if they are uncertain whether a medical
condition/disability qualifies, or if they feel they may have a learning disability.
If you have questions about the available services here at Irvine Valley College, please ask me or visit the Student Services Center.
No one can make your feel inferior without your consent. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Syllabus 2
Required Resources
• Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Random House Trade Paperbacks. ISBN: 978-0-8129-8160-5. Available at the IVC
Bookstore. You MAY use hard copy or digital version.
• Writing Clearly: Grammar for Editing 3rd Ed. by Janet Lane & Ellen Lange. Heinle Cengage Learning, 2012 ISBN 978-1-111-
35197-7. Available at the IVC Bookstore.
• Multiple articles to be downloaded and printed.
• Assigned Memoir TBA.
• Access to a computer and the internet for Blackboard and Canvas.
• An English only dictionary.
• 3 Ring Binder for Portfolio Submissions
• 16 X 20 or bigger poster board
• *OPTIONAL two Green Books: one for midterm and one for final exam
The beginning is the most important part of the work. ~ Plato
Class Technology
• If you have issues with your IVC log in, refer to the technology support page.
http://academics.ivc.edu/de/Pages/studenttechnicalsupport.aspx
• Canvas will be our main course website. https://canvas.instructure.com/login/canvas .You will need to access IVC’s Canvas to
submit your work to Turn It In.
• I have access only to your official email address used through IVC. I will generally be contacting your through Canvas. If you are
using another email account, make sure to forward check your Canvas inbox on a regular basis.
• We will be using the computer lab at school, but you can bring your own laptop/tablet computer to work on if you prefer it.
Technology is the pen and paper of our time. ~ David Warlick
Course Work
• Due dates for all assignments will be listed online the Canvas Calendar.
• No work will be accepted after the stated due date (*Except for limited assignments with Bad Day Coupon.).
• All hard copy (HC) work must be submitted at the beginning of the class period it is due unless otherwise indicated. Arriving late
and turning in work after 7 a.m. will result in grade penalties. If absent in class when assignments are due, HC work must be
emailed by 7 a.m. the day that it is due (doc, pdf, or jpg) and the hardcopy assignment brought to class the next class session.
• Soft Copy (SC) copy work will be submitted to Canvas by the date and time assigned. Verify successful completion of work
online!
• All out‐of‐class writing assignments must be typed and follow format guidelines unless otherwise indicated.
• No make‐up in-class writing, group work, or presentations will be permitted.
• Students with verifiable disabilities who need academic accommodations are responsible for notifying the instructor and Disabled
Students Programs and Services as early as possible in the semester.
Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery. ~ Henry Miller
Attendance / Participation
• Class starts at 7 a.m. Arriving late will result in participation penalties.
• Per state regulation: missing more than 6 classes may result either in a failing score or being dropped from the course.
• Missing 3 classes in a row without contacting Mrs. C may result in being dropped from the course.
• It is always the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from classes. In no case should students presume they have
been dropped by the instructor.
• Students who miss a class meeting are responsible for all material presented and discussed in class and for any assignments
due. With little exception, late work is not permitted. Check Canvas regularly.
• Students are expected to attend and actively participate in class, which includes listening carefully, taking notes, following
directions, completing assignments, and bringing the assigned textbook, appropriate handouts, pens, and paper.
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. ~ Robert Collier
Writing Samples
I will use excerpts of some of your written work to use as examples of student work for this course, for future courses, or for research
purposes. If I do use a sample of your writing in class or for other reasons, I will remove your name from the paper to protect your
identity. Please keep this in mind when writing assignments, and if you do not want your work shared in this way, please notify me.
Don’t follow the crowd; let the crowd follow you. ~ Margaret Thatcher

3. Syllabus 3
Important Dates
Drop without W 2/5 P/NP Deadline 2/23 Drop with W 4/11
FINALS 5/19-5/25 No Class 2/17; 2/20/ 3/24-3/28; 5/18
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late. ~ William Shakespeare
Grading Procedure
It is not required that you pass every assignment to pass the course; however, not submitting the work will guarantee failure. The
course grades will be based on the following distribution:
Types Specifics %
Take Home Essays Essay 1, 2, & 4 30
In-Class Midterm Essay In-Class Essay 3 10
In-Class Final Exams Essay Exam & Poster Session 10
Short Writes SW 1-5 10
Blog Weekly Blogs 15
2 Portfolios of Homework Midterm & Final 16
Class Participation Attendance and Participation 6
ESL 201L 24 hours in LAC 3
Total 100%
Your final grade will be evaluated using the following point scale:
PASS NO PASS
A: 90%  B: 80 - 89.6% C: 70- to 79.6% D: 60 - 69.6% F: 59 
*Class participation grade will be based on your attendance, punctuality, preparation for class, and contribution to the class discussion.
Off task behavior, lack of preparation or materials, or tardiness/absence will cause points to be deducted from your participation grade.
**Expect to spend a minimum of two hours of homework for every hour spent in class to obtain a passing grade. This is a California
Community College Policy for credit classes.
One today is worth two tomorrows; never leave for tomorrow what you can do today. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Class Community
Building a classroom community is an integral part of a writing course. Working with your peers creates an enriching learning
opportunity that allows you to discover how other writers think and write. You will participate in pair and group work in class, peer
review workshops of student essays, group projects, and reading groups. These group/pair activities will count towards your class
participation grade. Plus, you will blog and respond to others blogs throughout the semester. The more active you are in this
community, the more you will learn throughout the class.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. ~ Michael Jordan
Classroom Behavior
All rules of conduct as detailed in the IVC Student Handbook must be met with respect being the guiding principle for all classroom
behavior. Any activity that disrupts learning is disrespectful to other students and the instructor; therefore, it will not be tolerated.
Disrespectful behavior includes but is not limited to:
• Coming in to class late
• Using a cell phone in off task behavior during class including talking or texting
• Listening to a personal music device during class
• Holding disruptive private conversations with others while the instructor or other members of the class are speaking to the
class
• Completing off‐task assignments during class
• Sleeping
• Using profanity or rude language with others
* I support the use of technology when used appropriately in class. We are in a computer lab to facilitate your learning. Also, you may
want to use a digital dictionary or read your digital textbook in class. I will allow this; however, no off-task work will be allowed. If
you are checking email, texting, facebooking, or any other off task activity during class time, you will lose participation points and
possibly even technology privileges if the behavior continues. If you are doing so on your cell phone, you will not be allowed to have
it in class.

4. Syllabus 4
Violation of the rules of conduct could result in a verbal warning, a loss of points, or even the removal from the class at the
instructor’s discretion. Such a removal will be reported to the applicable school authority who will take further appropriate action.
It is not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy.
The bee is praised; the mosquito is swatted. ~Marie O'Conner
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on exams, copying assignments, and collaborating on assignments
without explicit permission. Cheating and Plagiarism are defined as:
• Cheating‐ Using unauthorized sources of information for assignments or exams, using as one’s own the assignments of
others, or submitting for a grade previously graded work of one’s own or someone else’s.
• Plagiarism‐ Submitting another’s words, ideas, work, material or data as one’s own. Examples of intended or accidental
plagiarism occur when any ONE of the following exists:
1) Quoting or paraphrasing materials without citing the sources.
2) Copying or using another’s ideas, assignments, test answers, etc. and submitting them as one’s own work, or
allowing another student to do so.
3) Submitting as one’s own work material prepared by others or in collaboration with others without giving credit.
4) Purchasing assignments from an outside source such as Internet or student underground.
We will be using Turn It In this semester, which checks for academic dishonesty. For the purpose of our class, using 4 or exact
words in the same order from a source without quoting and citing the source will be considered plagiarism and academic
dishonesty.
The first violation of the rules of Academic Dishonesty will result in a zero for that assignment. With the second violation of
Academic Honesty, the student will be reported to the applicable school authority who will take further appropriate action.
Forget past mistakes. Forget everything except what you are going to do now and do it. ~ William Durant
Final Notes
Writing proficiently and using grammar correctly are powerful tools to convey precise meaning in written contexts. On paper, an
equal opportunity for success truly exists regardless of ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, or language background. Moreover in
our technology‐driven global society, writing and reading well are prized skills in most environments. Much of my own personal
success has occurred because of excellent reading and writing skills. As I communicate my own passion for reading and writing, I
hope to facilitate your personal development of these skills.
As the instructor, my responsibilities are to be prepared, explain the material to the best of my ability, assign tasks to help you master
the course skills, and treat everyone equally. As a student, the responsibilities are to come to class, be prepared, do the work, and take
an active part in the learning. You are responsible for your own behavior and performance.
If there are any questions or concerns, please contact me right away. Problems which are easily solved early in the semester can
become insurmountable issues by the end of the course. I want to help you succeed in this course. I have one hour set aside every
week for office hour when I will be available for you and I am in the LAC for over eight hours a week. You can also contact me
through email or Canvas inbox. Let’s work together to get you ready for English 1!
I look forward to a terrific semester with you!
Learning isn't a means to an end; it is an end in itself. ~Robert Heinlein

5. Syllabus 5
You will need to get your Canvas account set up ASAP. Here is the homework for the first week.
Homework for Tuesday 1/17
Required: Read Perkins-Gough Handout from today's class. Due In-Class Thursday 1/19
• Read Perkins-Gough article.
• Identify the MAIN IDEA of the article for class discussion.
• Create ONE question about the article for class discussion. Be prepared to ask this question in class.
• Review as needed the vocabulary from the reading here. The exercises are optional but would be helpful for your language
mastery.
Required: Introduce yourself to Mrs. C. Due online by Friday 1/20
Introduce yourself to me through email or canvas by Friday morning at 6 a.m. and reply to my response to your introduction once
you have received it. This is an aspect of good digital communication.
1) Introduce Yourself to me by answering the following questions:
• Do you have a particular nick name that you would prefer to be used this semester?
• What is your language background?
• What other ESL classes have you taken?
• What are your long-term academic goals?
• What are your goals for this semester?
• What difficulties have you had with writing? Language? Grammar?
• What is an interesting fact about you or experience you have had?
• Is there anything else you would like to share?
2) Respond to my reply to your original introduction.
A reply does not need to be lengthy. Basically, you are simply acknowledging that you received the response. When it
doubt, a simply Thank you Mrs. C will suffice.
Required: Get your Canvas account set up. Due online by 6 a.m. Sunday 1/22
1) For this assignment, you will update your profile by adding a brief biography and picture.
2) Once you have updated your profile, the assignment is complete.
Required: Buy your Supplies!
You will need Writing Clearly next week. You can use the RESERVE copy in the library, but you will have to make photocopies
of the materials to have in class. You will need Powers of Habit by Week 5. You should get your portfolio binder immediately.
Thursday 8/25
Required: Read Dweck and Complete Strategy 1. HC Due at the beginning of class Tuesday 1/24
1. Download and print the Dweck article. If you have problems accessing Canvas, email me and I will send you the link to the
article. Annotate the important ideas as your read. Review Adler's optional article on annotation article if you need to. As you
read the article, mark one or two quotes that you found particularly interesting or meaningful.
2. Complete the Reading Strategy 1. The HC is due at the beginning of class. Work submitted late will not receive credit. You
MUST complete it in one of the following ways: 1) download the form, print, and complete 2) open the editable doc and type
your answers; then print and submit OR 3) you can look at the form and hand write BOTH the questions and the answers on
another paper.
As you complete the questions, think about how you would present your answers in a class discussion. Are there any
important ideas that the questions don't cover? Be prepared to discuss this article in class in pairs, small groups, or as a class.
Participation points will be given for this discussion.
Required: Finish the In-Class Writing Assignment and Post to Canvas. SC by 6 a.m. Monday 1/23
*Note: If you have trouble posting to Canvas or if you do not yet have access to canvas, email me the .doc or .rtf file.
However, try to submit it first! This will be the main way our writing assignments are submitted this semester.

6. Syllabus 6
1. Finish your in class writing from Thursday. Type it according to the MLA format. Refer to the Modules/General Class
Information/ Submitting Papers online page for format.
2. Submit your finished paper to the Diagnostic Assignment page. Refer to the path above for details on submitting papers.
Required: Complete Blog Discussion 1. Both Post and Response by 6 a.m. Monday 1/23
Blog 1: Class Introduction- In 300 - 350 words, respond to the following prompt:
1. Explain your experience Reading and Writing in English. Is there anything that you have found particularly pleasant or
difficult? You may discuss previous classes if you like.
2. Explain your educational goals as a student in college this semester? Can you give 2-3 specific goals?
3. Discuss something that you are interested in or do on a regular basis that would help the class get to know you better. Can
you add a web link or picture to illustrate your interest? (This is optional but allowed!)
4. You can read my blog for an example.
Peer Response: In a 35 - 50 word reply, reply to TWO of your peers.
Remember, once a peer has THREE peer responses already, you cannot respond to him or her. I will also be responding to your posts,
but my response does not count as one of the allowable THREE posts. Every initial blog can have my reply and THREE student
replies, so FOUR total including mine.
Bad Day Coupon
Bad days happen to everyone from time to time. In anticipation of such days, you may use the Bad Day Coupon and turn in one
assignment or multiple assignments on the same day late.
• You may use the coupon only ONE time during the semester.
• The HARD COPY assignment will only be accepted with coupon on the next class following the due date.
• The DIGITAL COPY assignment will only be accepted with coupon 24 HOURS after the original due date.
• You MAY NOT use the coupon for an in-class quiz or an in-class writing assignment such as Midterm, Short write, or Final.
• You MAY NOT use the coupon for any in-class activity such as Book Exercises. Peer Review, or Poster Session.
• You MAY NOT use the coupon for either portfolio.
• You may NOT use the coupon for any extra credit assignment.
• You must have your name, the assignment, and the date filled out for the coupon, and it MUST be attached to your work
whether hard copy or digital.
• Be aware that in using the coupon, you WILL NOT RECEIVE your graded assignment back at the same time as the rest of
the class.
• If you choose not to use the coupon for a late assignment during the semester, you may submit for extra credit at the end of
the semester for 5 points extra credit in your Participation Grade.
Bad Day Coupon
This coupon entitles the student to submit ONE assignment late.
For HARD COPY assignment, the coupon attached to the completed assignment to be submitted the next class after it is due. If
due Tuesday, submit the following Thursday. If due Thursday, submit the following Tuesday.
For DIGITAL COPY assignment, the coupon pasted into the file to be submitted to black board 24 hours after the original post
time/date.
This coupon may be used only ONE time during the semester.
The coupon must be filled out completely and attached to your late work whether digital or hardcopy.
Your Name Assignment: Date: