Information:
Teacher: Ms. Sara Stephens
Email: [email protected] (Please feel free to email me anytime with any questions! I check my email often.)
American International School (AIS) HCMC, Vietnam
Academic Year 2013-2014
Room 304
Objectives:
Throughout this class, we will read a variety of short stories, poems, essays, one (or two) novels, and plays. Through these readings we will study basic literary and dramatic elements and work on comprehending what we are reading through writing, discussing, and reflecting. We will be doing A LOT of reading, writing, and sharing in this class, so be prepared! It is an English class after all. The more reading, writing, and feedback we give and get the better we will become at all forms of communicating in the English language. The goal of this class is to prepare you to take IB or AP English in the future. I do understand that not all of you want to be English majors, but I want you to have the opportunity to excel in English in the future if you choose to do so.
Teacher: Ms. Sara Stephens
Email: [email protected] (Please feel free to email me anytime with any questions! I check my email often.)
American International School (AIS) HCMC, Vietnam
Academic Year 2013-2014
Room 304
Objectives:
Throughout this class, we will read a variety of short stories, poems, essays, one (or two) novels, and plays. Through these readings we will study basic literary and dramatic elements and work on comprehending what we are reading through writing, discussing, and reflecting. We will be doing A LOT of reading, writing, and sharing in this class, so be prepared! It is an English class after all. The more reading, writing, and feedback we give and get the better we will become at all forms of communicating in the English language. The goal of this class is to prepare you to take IB or AP English in the future. I do understand that not all of you want to be English majors, but I want you to have the opportunity to excel in English in the future if you choose to do so.
Materials:
- Elements of Literature: Third Course (2009)
- an email address to register for Edmodo where I’ll be posting and collecting assignments
- A folder to organize handouts, writing assignments, and notes. If you need any help with organizing your classwork/handouts, please feel free to ask me!
- An A4 size notebook.
- Something to write with.
- A Vietnamese-English dictionary or another language dictionary if you feel you need it. If you feel you need this, make sure it is not an electronic version, as you will not be able to use electronics in class unless approved by me.
Grading:
Informal/Formative Assessments: 30%
Informal/Formative Assessments: 30%
- Homework: Most of your homework will consist of reading assignments from the text book or the novel we are reading. Sometimes I will ask you to answer questions about the reading, or write a response to the reading.
- In-Class participation: This will include any writing prompts I ask you to write to in class, active listening, responding to questions in class, paying attention. I understand that there are many ways to participate in class. If you are positive, helpful, responsive, and respectful, you should receive full points in this area!
- Reading Quizzes: These will be short quizzes to make sure you have done the reading homework. It will either be a writing prompt based on the reading, or a 1 or 2 question quiz.
- Essays: Every quarter, you’ll have one formal writing assignment. It may be an academic essay or something more creative, but you’ll be required to compose a rough draft, bring it to class for peer review and respond to feedback to create a polished final draft. I’ll collect essays on Edmodo.
- Projects & Presentations: Every quarter, you’ll have one project or presentation. These will either involve creating something artistic, using media and/or technology, or delivering a presentation in front of the class. You’ll also complete self and peer evaluations to help me grade these projects.
Policies:
Food and Drinks.
Your responsibilities in this class are to:
If you do not have a valid excuse for late work, you will lose 30 points every day it is late.
Laptops & Gadgets.
Food and Drinks.
- Only water is allowed in this class. Take care of your water bottles; I am not your maid.
- You are expected to be at your seat with the required materials when the bell rings. If you are not there, you will be marked tardy. If you have to leave the classroom to get a required material, you will be marked tardy.
- Three or more "tardies" in a quarter will result in a meeting with our disciplinary expert and a phone call to your parent(s)/guardian(s).
- If your absence is excused, you will have 3 school days to do the assigned makeup work. (This is negotiable depending on the reason and the length of absence.)
- If your absence is unexcused, I will not accept any makeup work, and you will take a zero for the assignment(s).
- If you know beforehand that you will be absent, please inform me so that I can help you plan your makeup work.
Your responsibilities in this class are to:
- Be prepared for class;
- Ask questions when you have them;
- Be actively involved as a member of the group;
- Pay attention, listen, and not be disruptive, and
- Do not talk while someone else is talking (either myself or your classmates).
If you do not have a valid excuse for late work, you will lose 30 points every day it is late.
Laptops & Gadgets.
- I will let you know when you need a laptop in class. You will not need them otherwise.
- You should never be playing games, chatting or social networking while I’m teaching.
- No cell phones or headphones should be used without my permission. If I see you using a cellphone in my classroom I will take it from you until the end of class. If this happens 3 times I will give the phone to our disciplinary expert. He can decide what to do with it from there.
- If you need a drink or to use the restroom, grab a pass and go.
- Many days we will take a short break in the middle of class. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHER CLASSROOMS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE HALLWAY. I don’t want to see you waving at your friends in other classes!! If you are unable to be professional in the hallway, then we will not take breaks in the middle of class.
- This is a huge deal. Your work should always be your own, unless you are working with a group of students, then the work will be all of your work.
- If it is found that you have copied something word for word from the internet, a book, or a friend, or allowed a friend to copy from you you will get an automatic 0 for the assignment, and I will get your parents and the principal involved. This is serious! You will be required to sign a contract proving that you understand this.
Schedule:
Quarter 1
4-5 weeks: Autobiographical Writing. We will be reading examples of autobiographical writing and creating our own examples.
4-5 weeks: Short stories. We will read a variety of short stories from your text book and
Quarter 2
4-5 weeks: Of Mice and Men. We will read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and respond in writing and through discussion. You will be required to write one formal essay.
4-5 weeks: Myths. We will read and study the myths of various cultures. We will also read The Odyssey by Homer. You will be required to complete one formal project.
Quarter 3
4ish weeks: Non-fiction. We will read various forms of non-fiction with a focus on current events and news articles. You will be required to do a small presentation.
5-6 weeks: Romeo and Juliet. We will read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a class. We will also watch a few adaptations of the movie on film. You will be required to write a formal paper and do a dramatic reading.
Quarter 4
4-5 weeks: Poetry. We will read various forms and authors. You will be required to do a small presentation.
4-5 weeks: A House on Mango Street. We will read A House on Mango Street. You will be required to write a formal essay.
Quarter 1
4-5 weeks: Autobiographical Writing. We will be reading examples of autobiographical writing and creating our own examples.
4-5 weeks: Short stories. We will read a variety of short stories from your text book and
Quarter 2
4-5 weeks: Of Mice and Men. We will read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and respond in writing and through discussion. You will be required to write one formal essay.
4-5 weeks: Myths. We will read and study the myths of various cultures. We will also read The Odyssey by Homer. You will be required to complete one formal project.
Quarter 3
4ish weeks: Non-fiction. We will read various forms of non-fiction with a focus on current events and news articles. You will be required to do a small presentation.
5-6 weeks: Romeo and Juliet. We will read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a class. We will also watch a few adaptations of the movie on film. You will be required to write a formal paper and do a dramatic reading.
Quarter 4
4-5 weeks: Poetry. We will read various forms and authors. You will be required to do a small presentation.
4-5 weeks: A House on Mango Street. We will read A House on Mango Street. You will be required to write a formal essay.