ENGL 110: American Language & Culture 1

20172018

Time: Classroom:
Instructor Name: Dr. M.B. Harris Email: harri239@purdue.edu
Office: Office hours:

ENGL 110 is a foundational course for international students who learned English as a second language.
This class is part of the Purdue Language and Cultural Exchange (PLaCE for short), which is an
instructional and assessment program that helps students like you develop the academic, linguistic, and
cultural competencies needed to participate in university life and to compete for internships, graduate
school, and employment opportunities. This syllabus provide important information about course policies
and procedures. You should read it carefully at the beginning of the semester and review it several times
during the semester.

Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, students will be able to . . .
Speak English more fluently
Read English more fluently
Communicate in English with increased clarity
Develop and apply a process for cross-cultural comparison and reflection

General Expectations for Students

This class can help you in many ways, but only if you are fully present and purposefully engaged. This
includes the following expectations: attend class on time and bring course materials with you; be ready
for discussions and activities; complete assignments on time; and use English in class. If you do these
things, you can expect to become more confident and competent in your English proficiencies.

Course Textbook and Materials

There are two required textbooks:
American Ways: A Cultural Guide to the United States of America (3rd ed.) by Gary Althen &
Janet Bennett. Intercultural Press: 2011
ENGL 110 Course Reader (3rd ed.) by Matthew Allen and Sarah Fehrman. Van Griner: 2017.

You also need to purchase:

A composition notebook (see Journal Guidelines for more information)
A daily planner to manage your schedule (see Self-Regulated Learning Guide for more
information)
Headphones with a microphone and USB connection (more details provided by instructor)

For regular class meetings and assignments, make sure to have:

Access to your Blackboard Learn course page and other online materials (accessed via laptop,
tablet, etc.)
A binder with paper and/or a notebook
Pen or pencil

Grading Overview
Your grade in the course is based on a several types of assignments and projects (see table below). In
grading, ENGL 110 instructors evaluate the extent to which you meet the requirements of each
assignment, and ultimately, the extent to which you reach the learning objectives stated in this syllabus.
Your instructor will not compare the quality of your performance to that of other students in the class
(i.e., grades are not determined by spreading student performances on a curve).

Type of Assignment Percent of Grade

Classwork, Homework, Quizzes, and Participation throughout the semester,
including:
Conferencing with instructor
Self-Introduction video
SMART Goals
Personal skill profile
Quiz on Citation & Plagiarism 32%
Reading and vocabulary activities and quizzes
Writing exercises
Group and partner activities
Personality test
Language assessments
Surveys
Reading Assistant Units 15%

Journal Entries 12%

Unit 1 Final Project (written reflection) 5%

Unit 2 Final Project (recorded presentation and written reflection) 16%

Unit 3 Final Project (in-class and recorded presentations and written
20%
reflection)

Percentage Letter Grade Percentage

A 93-100% D+ 67-69%
A- 90-92% D 63-66%
B+ 87-89% D- 60-62%
B 83-86% F 0-59%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%

Note: Your instructor has the discretion to round up final grades slightly if there is strong evidence to do
so (i.e, sustained effort, not pestering or begging for better grades at the last minute). If you are especially
concerned about your grades, stay in touch with your instructor throughout the semester about your
performance about what you can do to increase your learning and improve your scores.