This document provides information about a Basic English I course taught at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus. It includes details about the instructor, course objectives, topics to be covered each week, evaluation methods, required materials and policies. The course aims to help students improve their English communication, reading, writing and critical thinking skills through the study of essays, films and current issues. Students will complete exams, presentations and assignments over the course of the semester to demonstrate their progress in meeting the course objectives.

1. University of Puerto Rico
Río Piedras Campus
College of General Studies
English Department
Dr. Eva de Lourdes Edwards
eedwards@uprrp.edu
787-764-0000, Ext. 2685, 2182
Office: 129, ERA Building
Office Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu
6:30-7:00; 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Course Title : Basic English I
Course Number : English 3101
Credits / hours : 3 credits per semester (3 class hours)
Pre-requisites : CEEB-ESLAT score: 470-580
Course Description :
This is an interdisciplinary course that fulfills the English requirement for the general education
component of the bachelor’s degree. This course covers the study of essays as well as other non-
fictional readings. It emphasizes an integrated literature approach focused on the study of inter
and multidisciplinary content. The course seeks to help students develop their ability to think
logically, read actively, and write clearly. Students develop the skills to move from a simple
literal understanding of ideas and events toward the more complex intellectual levels of analysis
and critical thinking. In addition, the course aims to help students use linguistic and research
tools effectively.
Meaningful communication (expression, interpretation and negotiation of meaning) is developed
around three major themes: education, language, and current social and scientific issues. These
are enhanced through computer-mediated communication for language learning – Blackboard,
Internet, Social Software, and movies. A communicative instruction, student-centered approach
is used to assist students in learning grammar through content, providing a forum in which
students acquire knowledge constructively.
General Course Objectives:
Consistent with the English Department’s general objectives, by the end of their first semester of
English, the students will demonstrate, through a variety of forms of evaluation and on the basis
of the standards for the different levels established by the English Department that they are
making progress in their ability to:
1. communicate orally and intelligibly in a variety of academic situations
2. apply comprehension skills in reading of non-fictional selections
3. apply interpretive-analytical skills in reading of non-fictional selections
4. evaluate the relevance and validity of information in non-fictional selections.
5. critically examine aesthetic, ethical, humanistic and cultural values in representative texts
(essays, films)

2. 6. express ideas in written form with clarity, precision, coherence, unity, and logic
7. collaborate in the inclusion of students with disabilities into all class activities
8. demonstrate the ability to use the library and computer technology for preliminary
research and communication
Outline and Time Distribution
Week of … Lecture/Outline Source
Aug 15-19 - The course syllabus Syllabus (bring to all
- Reading actively / Annotations classes)
- Keeping a journal
- Bob Greene: Handle with Care (p. 6) Chapter 1
Aug 22-26 - Writing in response to reading Chapter 1 & 2
- Building an essay Movie
- Blackboard and online communication
- Library systems/research skills
- Iain Softley, Dir: K-Pax (2001)
Aug 29- - Reading-writing connection Chapter 2
Sep 2 - Russell Baker: Learning to Write (p. 26)
- Exam 1
Sep 6-9 - September 5-Labor Day Chapter 10
- Aristotle’s Rhetoric External research
- Argument and persuasion
Sep 12-16 - Debate 1: Same-sex parents Chapter 10
- Presentation 1 Student presentations
o James Dobson: Two Mommies Is One
Too Many (p. 301)
o Jeff Pearlman: Mom’s the Word (p. 304)
Sep 19-22 - September 23-Grito de Lares Chapter 10
- Lisa Cholodenko, Dir: The Kids Are Alright Movie
(2010)
Sep 26-30 - Narration and description Chapter 3
- Evan Thomas: Rain of Fire (p. 36)
Oct 3-7 - Definition and explanation Chapter 5
- Isaac Asimov: What Is Intelligence, Anyway?
(p. 122)
- Exam 2
Oct 10-14 - October 12-Descubrimiento de América Chapter 10
- Debate 2: Reality TV
o Michael Hirschorn: The Case for Reality
TV (p. 317)
o Oliver James: Danger: Reality TV Can
Rot Your Brain (p. 319)
Oct 17-21 - Presentation 2 (group work) Chapter 10
Student Presentations
Oct 24-28 - Ron Howard, Dir: EDtv (1999) Movie, Presentations
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3. Week of … Lecture/Outline Source
Oct 31- - Compare and contrast Chapter 7
Nov 4 - Nancy Masterson Sakamoto: Conversational Movie
Ballgames (p. 188)
- Sofia Coppola, Dir: Lost in Translation (2003)
Nov 7-10 - November 11-Veteran’s Day Chapter 9
- Stephen King: Why We Crave Horror Movies Documentary
(p. 255)
- Adam Simon, Dir: The American Nightmare: A
Celebration of Films from Hollywood’s Golden
Age of Fright (2000)
Nov 14-18 - Debate 3: Can money buy happiness? Chapter 10
- Cynthia Crossen: Whether People Define
Themselves as Happy Depends on the Era
(p. 330)
- Pam Lambert and Alex Treniowski: The High
Cost of Winning (p. 335)
Nov 21-23 - November 24-25, Thanksgiving Chapter 10
- Presentation 3 Student Presentations
Nov 28- - Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan, Dirs: Slumdog Chapter 10
Dec 2 Millionaire (2008) Movie
Dec 5-7 - Journal reviews (movies and essays) Chapter 10
- The essay exam review Student Journals
- Final exam
TOTAL: 45 hours
Instructional Strategies
This course promotes communicative instruction and collaborative learning. Therefore there is
great emphasis on activities that encourage communication and collaboration, such as; the use of
guide questions, group work, oral presentations, the use of dictionaries, providing exercises for
practice on the elements of the essay, outlining, summarizing, visiting the library, movies, audio-
recordings, conferences and guest speakers. There is an additional emphasis in promoting online
communication through the use of Blackboard.
Evaluation Strategies Grading Systems
A. Class participation 20% A 100 - 90
B. Exams 30% B 89 - 80
C. Presentations, assignments, C 79 - 70
quizzes and lab work 30% D 69 - 60
D. Written work F 59 - 0
(including journal) 20%
TOTAL: 100%
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4. Required resources
Regular classroom
Language laboratory/Computer lab/Library Systems
Educational resources (Internet sources, movies, audio-visual equipment)
English Department Attendance Policy
Six contact hours of absence may lower average one whole letter grade. Failure to take the final
exam on the scheduled date and time may result in a zero or an incomplete grade.
Law 51 – Law 238
In accordance with the recommendation of the Dean of Students Office (Division for Persons
with Disabilities) students who are clients of the Office of Vocational rehabilitation must contact
the professor at the beginning of the semester in order to make arrangements for reasonable
accommodations and for any necessary auxiliary equipment. Other students with special needs
who require any kind of assistance or reasonable accommodations should also contact the
professor.
Textbooks
Funk, R., Day, S., Coleman, L., & McMahan, E. (2009). The Simon & Schuster Short Prose
Reader (6th ed.). New York: Pearson - Prentice Hall.
English/English Dictionary: The Merriam Webster Dictionary, Collegiate, 11th Edition
Bibliography
Dixon, R. (2004). Grammar Essentials. NY: Longman.
Funk, R., Day, S., Coleman, L., & McMahan, E. (2009). The Simon & Schuster Short Prose
Reader (6th ed.). New York: Pearson - Prentice Hall.
Longman Dictionary of American English Now with Thesaurus and CD ROM. (2004). New
York: Pearson.
More Grammar Practice 2. (2004). Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle.
Pearson Casanave, C. (2011). Journal writing in second language education. University of
Michigan Press.
Ruetten, M. K. (2004). Developing Composition Skills. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Heinle and
Heinle.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (11th ed.). (2004). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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5. Internet Resources:
Debate rubric. http://www2.lhric.org/ertc/Wendy/Wzrubric.htm
Dictionary online with pronunciation. http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Essay writing. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/
Presentation skills. http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/tips/present/present.htm
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (2004). http://idea.ed.gov/
Teaching for Inclusion. Loevinger, N. (1994). Teaching a diverse student body. University of
Virginia. http://ctl.unc.edu/tfi13.html
Other Information:
Work is due on the date announced. Please, hand in all assignments – even late ones – during
your assigned class period.
If you are absent to any class, please contact a classmate to discuss the assigned material and
come prepared to the next class meeting. You are responsible for all material covered in class
and for all assigned work, even if you are absent or late.
Quizzes may or may not be announced. There are no make-ups for missed quizzes. There will be
no make-ups for missed exams. One exam, and only one exam, may be eliminated. If absent to
one exam, that zero may be eliminated.
You must bring your own dictionary to class. Sharing dictionaries is not allowed during exams.
You are encouraged to attend workshops and tutoring sessions offered by the Centro para el
desarrollo de competencias lingüísticas. The last day to withdraw from this course is October 14,
2011.
Please turn off and put away cell phones during class, unless you have made arrangements with
the professor prior to the class period.
As our course develops, other reading selections may be integrated or omitted to satisfy the
needs of the students.
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