A willingness to try new things, to grow and to learn

Transcription

1 Reading & Study Skills (RSS) 1510A: Advanced College Success Skills SPRING 2015 CRN (3 sh) Ms. Christina S. Long, M.S.Ed., PC, BCPC Under the direction of Dr. Karen Becker Prerequisites: Placement in this course is based upon the candidates COMPASS Reading Test scores, which indicated a reading score between the grade levels of 10 and 12. The candidate s raw score/placement may be obtained from the candidate s academic advisor. Class Meetings: SPRING 2015 (CRN 22031) Time 2:00-3:50 Days/Location: Tuesday and Thursday Maag Lower Level Room 164 CAI Lab: Day: Time: Room: Tutor Name: Reading Lab (small group tutoring): Day: Time: Room: Tutor Name: Text: Becker, Karen The Art & Science of Quality Learning, 3 rd ed (2013) Van Griner Publishing, Cincinnati OH ISBN-13: Approx: $69.00 Textbook Website: Materials needed: Materials needed: 1 inch 3-ring notebook (for learning course portfolio) Page dividers with 3 tabs including the following: Syllabus/Reaction Cards, Learning Portfolio Guidelines Handouts/Notes, Homework, Tests 15 large note cards A willingness to try new things, to grow and to learn Instructor: Ms. Christina S. Long Office: RSS Office: Maag 154 (lower level) RSS Office: Maag 154 (lower level) Office Phone: RSS Phone: cslong@ysu.edu Office Hours: by appointment RSS Website: Catalog Description: 1510A. Advanced College Success Skills. A course designed to develop students skills essential for college studying. The primary focus is improving the comprehension and retention of college textbooks. Major topics include reading rate flexibility, vocabulary growth, learning style preferences and critical reading skills. Candidates meet for classroom instruction, computer-aided instruction and small group tutoring sessions to discuss and practice strategies. Open to students based on Composition and Reading Placement Test (CRPT). Grading is A, B, C, NC. Does not count toward a degree. Course Objectives: A. Knowledge: The candidate(s) will: 1. Gain an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as college learners. 2. Apply study strategies to textbook and workbook exercises in class with instructor, in small tutor groups, and in content area textbooks outside the class. 3. Improve self-management relating to the college learning process. 4. 1

2 B. Skills: The candidate(s) will: 1. Practice and adopt a variety of reading & study skills strategies for college learning, include note-taking, test-taking and making visual study tools. 2. Work to improve reading rate and comprehension through computer assisted instruction. C. Dispositions: The candidate(s) will: 1. Learn to view him/herself as responsible for and capable of adopting strategies to increase his/her academic successes. 2. Consider the role of self-awareness, self-responsibility and life long learning in the learning process. 3. Focus upon his/her success through specific goal setting steps. Classroom Policies: ATTENDANCE/ABSENCES: Prompt attendance is expected at each class and lab session. Attendance is part of your grade in this class. Assignments may not be made up for unexcused absences. If your grade goal is an A, you have no more than 2 unexcused absences; More than six unexcused absences will lower the final point total (10%). Eight or more absences will result in a grade of No Credit or NAF!!! An excused absence means you have informed the instructor via , or phone, that you will be absent AND have written medical notification of your absence. You may use your excused absence coupon ONE time to turn an unexcused absence into an excused one immediately upon your return to class (this option only applies to class time not tutoring). Only medical excuses are acceptable for missing tutoring sessions. If you miss an exam due to illness or uncontrollable circumstances you must notify the instructor BEFORE the exam begins. You must make-up the exam immediately and will be given a different but equally challenging exam. If you are unable to make-up the exam within the allotted one week time period, you will be assigned a score of 0 for the exam. DUE DATES: All due dates are listed by week on your course schedule. Specific due dates will be announced throughout the semester. All work is expected to be turned in on time and by the end of the class session. Anything turned in after class has ended, on the due date, is considered late. For every class day an assignment is late 10% will be deducted from your assignment grade. I will NOT ACCEPT assignments via . CLASSROOM CONDUCT: In order to have a cohesive, inviting and learning environments all students are expected to be courteous, respectful and non-disruptive to not just me but your fellow classmates as well. If I believe you are being disruptive and challenging the cohesion and learning environment of the classroom I will ask you to leave the class and /or the tutoring. See the Student Handbook regarding disruptive behavior. PLEASE TURN OFF AND PUT AWAY ALL CELL PHONES, IPODS & MP3 PLAYERS, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS. ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES SHOULD BE STORED IN BAGS OR PURSES NOT ON YOUR DESK. NO TEXT MESSAGING, FACEBOOKING, TWEETING, INSTAGRAMING etc IN CLASS. If you must make or receive a phone call during class or tutoring please leave the room quietly before answering the phone. Take out all ear buds, ear phones, Bluetooth devices and sunglasses before class begins. Participation in class and tutoring is expected. Participation is factored into each student s final grade. DIAGNOSTIC PRE & POST TEST: These tests are mandatory. Please DO NOT miss class on this day. These are standardized tests required of all RSS 1510A candidates. These tests will be administered to the class during the allotted class time. If you miss this test you must make the test up outside of class within one week. Your test 2

3 scores do not count toward your final grade however, if the diagnostic tests are missed your final grade will be reduced by 20 points. READING ASSIGNMENTS: It is expected that you prepare for class. I understand that you may have other obligations and courses to prepare for, but I expect you to attend to your assignments in a professional manner. Reading the assignments will help you to complete the journal activities homework, understand the material when presented and prepare you to ask questions for clarification. It is expected that you bring your textbook to every class and tutoring session as you will be using it for in-class assignments. For those who may not be able to immediately afford the textbook, copies are on closer reserve in Maag Library and the Curriculum Resource Center in Beeghly Hall. You may use these reserved textbooks to complete readings and assignments while IN the library or the CRC. If you miss a class, you must arrange with another student to obtain class notes, assignments, and handouts. READING LAB: The Reading Lab is an integral part of the 1510A course. Attendance is mandatory for the twohour lab assignment each week. No make-up hours are permitted. What you put into the labs and this course is what you will get out of it!!! CONCERNS/FRUSTRATIONS: If at any time you are feeling frustration at your progress in this class or believe you are having trouble in the course PLEASE come see me sooner as opposed to later. I understand life happens however you are now a college student and should act accordingly. I will work with you as long as you have shown an effort to take responsibility for your grade. In other words, I can t help you if a) you do not ask for help and b) you do not care for help. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: In accordance with University policy, if a student has a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in the course, please contact me at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Candidates with disabilities must verify their eligibility for accommodations with the Office of Disability Services at ; TDD Location: 275 Fifth Ave. CAMPUS ASSISTANCE Students requiring additional academic assistance should consider contacting the following FREE campus services. *Center for Student Progress Kilcawley Center *Writing Center Maag *Language Lab DeBartolo Hall *Career Services Jones Hall 1034 * Maag Library Maag *Counseling Services Jones Hall 3009 * Math Assistance Center Lincoln *Office of Veterans Affairs Tod Hall *Reading & Study Skills Center Maag *Disability Services Fifth Avenue COURSE FEE: Each candidate registered for an RSS course is charged a $35 course fee to cover costs for items consumed in and or maintenance of the CAI Lab, a required component of the RSS curriculum. ACADEMIC CONDUCT: Cheating on exams, submitting work of other students as one own, or plagiarism results in penalties ranging from an F on an assignment to expulsion, depending on the seriousness of the offense. 3

4 NOTE: It is perfectly OK to have someone at the Writing Center review your written assignments and other papers. This is NOT cheating!!!!!! It is taking advantage of the resources and assistance that your tuition is paying for and it will help you to improve your writing. CLASS CANCELLATION: If the class is being cancelled for any one day (at the last minute) because of instructor illness, or other reasons, notification will be sent to the student s YSU as soon as possible. If class will be cancelled and it is known in advance, students will be informed in class at least one week prior to that class session: GRADING METHOD: A point system will be used to determine the final letter grade that was earned by your performance in this course. These are 1000 possible points. The structure of this course assumes that every student is capable of earning a grade of A, provided that the student completes all the assignments in a timely and prescribed fashion. Therefore, every student will begin with 1000 points, (an A grade). Your goal throughout this course will be to maintain this assumed grade, by earning as many points as are possible for your performance in the following areas: 4

5 Course Requirements 1. Attendance & Class Participation in class and tutoring sessions. 2. In-Class Assignments: In order to show that you have understood and are applying the material learned in this course you will complete various assignments from your textbook as well as your weekly journal worth 20 points, describing the Art and Science of your own unique learning. This journal should be typed (double -spaced) and should clearly identify the author s name and date of submission. You should put some thought and organization into these journals since they will account for a maximum of 20 pts each time. Hand written journals will automatically lose 10 points. Your weekly journals and activities will be a part of your learning portfolio. 3. Reaction Cards: Purpose to communicate effectively with the instructor and react to your college experience by examining the history of your study strategies, and analyze how these strategies can be improved to create further success as a college student. These 5-point reaction cards will be completed in the last class session every week. Therefore, you have to stay until the end of class to gain your points for the week. If you are unable to attend that day then you are responsible for completing 2 reaction cards for the following week. If you have not attended class for three consecutive weeks, you will not be able to make up those reaction cards. Twelve (12) reaction cards will be assigned. Think about the material we cover and respond in FIRST PERSON, keeping these three questions in mind: 1) What did I learn? 2) How did the information relate to my past learning? And 3) How can I use the information in my future learning?. 4. PORTFOLIO -- (You do 8 pieces worth 10 points each + the instructor gives an overall professional appearance grade of 0 to 10 points = 90 POINTS TOTAL). This is an ongoing display of your application of knowledge and strategies from this course to other courses you re taking this term. Complete guidelines will be distributed and discussed in class. The final portfolio may be discussed individually with me at any time. I will provide up to 10 points on the basis of the overall professional quality of your work based in neatness, appearance, cohesion and format. For example, handwritten units will receive less credit than those typed in standard formats, and units that include color or additional materials will receive more credit than those that do not. HOWEVER, the professional quality score is only 10 points of 80. Put your emphasis on doing at least six complete units and try to submit them in groups of two or three between in weeks 5 and 15. Do this to avoid a big load of work at the end of the term. 5. Lab Work: Reading lab work and CAI lab work play an integral part in this course. Grades are assigned from the tutor based on motivation and attendance NOT PROGRESS. Any material covered in tutoring can and will be on your exams. 6. Note-taking Project: Several note-taking strategies will be reviewed during the course. You will be required to use three different note-taking strategies and apply them to one of your other courses. 5

6 7. Exams: Three 100 point exams are given in this course (Exam 3 during finals week). Study guides will be provided prior to the exam. The assumption is that you have been keeping up with coursework, readings, and reviewing notes throughout the semester. The study guide is ONLY to be used as a guide to help focus your studies. There may be additional material covered on the exam that is not on the study guide. You will have 50 minutes to complete each exam (exam 3 will be allotted 2 hours per University policy). Do NOT ARRIVE LATE on exam day. Once the first student has completed the exam and left the room, no other student will be permitted to START the exam. You will receive a 0 for that exam if you arrive after the first student has left. 8. Extra Credit: Extra Credit assignments will be available to everyone and will be announced throughout the semester. Here are some of your already available extra credit for you to do: a) Diagnostic Exams (Pre Post). Upon successful completion of your tests you will automatically receive 10 extra credit points, granted there is an at least 50% success rate on each one. b) Student Success Workshops. You can attend one of the student success workshops located on the back of the semester calendar. You must obtain an attendance verification slip from the facilitator and write up a short paragraph on what you learned/did in the workshop. You can receive up to a maximum of 5 pts for turning in the slip and paragraph (typed). You can receive extra credit for a maximum of 4 workshops. c) Student Intercultural Awareness: During the semester you will be given two opportunities to meet and discuss with international students, learning English within various level of education and skill. Upon completion of specific objectives, which will be shared later in the semester, the student will receive a maximum of 20pts. 6

7 Tentative Course Schedule (The Instructor has the right to modify and change the syllabus as needed throughout the course of the semester) WEEK DATES Topics/Modules Reading / Learning Portfolio Assignments** Week 1 Week 2 1/13 1/15 Icebreakers, Overview of Course, Syllabus Introduction You Think You Can Read and Problem solve ( p. 1-11) **Diagnostic Pre-test** RSS Student Background Survey Read Introduction (p. 1-11) * Reaction Card 1* Bring book, #2 pencil and student i.d to class 1/20-1/22 Module 12 Resources Beyond the Classroom (p ) Read Module 12 ( p ) Do Activity 12.4 (p.342) Week 3 1/27 1/29 Module 8 Reading For Quality Learning (p ) **First week of tutoring** Module 1 Studying to Learn: A Science and an Art (p ) Read Module 8, (p ) Do Journal Entry 8.1 (p.220) * Reaction Card 2* Read Module 1 ( p ) Do Activity 1.8 (p.36) * Reaction Card 3* Intro to PACE : Pace Process For Quality Learners (Supplement) ( p. 1-16) Read PACE Supplement after downloading printout from website Week 4 Week 5 2/3-2/5 Module 2 Learning to Study: the Art and Science of YOU Module 2 continued Read Module 2 (p ) Do Activity 2.2 (p.46-47) * Reaction Card 4* Read Module 2 continued 2/10-2/12 Exam #1: Intro, 12, 8, 1, 2, Pace Do Activity 2.7 (p.60-61) Week 6 Week 7 2/17 2/19 2/24 2/26 Module 3 Strategies For Quality Learners: Be Your Own SPECIAL MENTOR (p ) Module 4 A Quality Foundation (p ) Read Module 3 ( p ) Do Activity 3.5 (p.88-89) * Reaction Card 5* Read Module 4 ( p ) Do Journal Entry 4.5 (p ) * Reaction Card 6* 7

8 Week 8 3/3 3/5 Module 5 Taking Notes from Text: Making your Own Study Guide (p ) Read Module 5 ( p ) * Reaction Card 7* Week 9 3/10-3/12 SPRING BREAK!!!! Enjoy your time off Week 10 Week 11 3/17-3/19 3/24-3/26 Module 6 Taking Lecture Notes (p ) **Mid-term Exam II** (3,4,5,6) Module 7 Test Prep & Test Anxiety (p ) 10/25 **Last Day to Withdraw** Read Module 6 ( p ) Note Taking Project DUE * Reaction Card 8* Review Activities pertinent to Midterm Exam Read Module 7 ( p ) Do Activity / Journal 7.1 (p. 191) Do Activity / Journal 7.2 (p.193) * Reaction Card 9* Week 12 3/31 4/2 Module 9 Reading to Learn (p ) Read Module 9 ( p ) Do Activity / Discussion 9.1 (p ) * Reaction Card 10* Week 13 4/7-4/9 ** Last week of CAI **(if attended 10 sessions) Module 11 Reading Tune Up (p ) Read Module 11 ( p ) Do Activity 11.1 (p ) * Reaction Card 11* Week 14 4/14 4/16 Module 10 Structure: Anatomy of reading a Text (p ) Read Module 10 ( p ) *Reaction Card 12 * Week 15 4/21-4/23 ** Last Week of Tutoring ** ** Writing Center Tour** Module 13 Reading to Research & Write (p ) Read Module 13 ( p ) Do Activity 13.3 ( p.359) Week 16 Week 17 FINALS WEEK 4/28 4/30 5/5 5/7 **POST TEST Diagnostic Test ** Individual Conferences Learning Portfolio Presentation/Final Review **Final Exam** Review for Final Exam --- This syllabus is available at:

9 Grade Sheet Name: Please keep track of all of your points earned AND keep all graded work/exams until final grades have been posted. Please place this grade sheet in the introduction portion of your learning portfolio. Attendance/Participation: /20 Tutoring: CAI Lab /100 Reading Lab /100 Reaction Cards Journal Entries RC 1 /5 RC 7 /5 JE 1 /20 JE 7 /20 RC 2 /5 RC 8 /5 JE 2 /20 JE 8 /20 RC 3 /5 RC 9 /5 JE 3 /20 JE 9 /20 RC 4 /5 RC 10 /5 JE 4 /20 JE 10 /20 RC 5 /5 RC 11 /5 JE 5 /20 JE 11 /20 RC 6 /5 RC 12 /5 JE 6 /20 JE 12 /20 Projects: Note-taking /40 Portfolio /90 Exams Exam 1 /100 Exam 2 /100 *Exam 3 /100 Extra Credit /10 + /20 + /10 + /10 => / 50 TOTAL /1000 * Students who have a grade of A prior to Exam #3 are exempt from taking Exam #3. Any student who does not have a grade of A prior to Exam #3 is expected to complete the final/3 rd exam. You must have at least 660 points prior to Finals Week to earn a grade of A in the course. Final Grading Scale: A = B = C = NC = 549 & below Non-Attendance F = If the candidate fails to attend and/or complete the majority of assignments a grade of non-attendance F will be assigned. EXCUSED ABSENCE COUPON Please excuse my absence on. Name: This can only be used once, in class sessions and immediately upon you return to class 9