NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title: Reading Techniques II
Course Prefix & Number: READ 0305	Section Number:  330	Semester: Summer III 2017
Semester Credit Hours: 3	Lecture Hours: 3	Lab Hours: 0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): Development of reading and higher order thinking skills necessary for college readiness. Reading Techniques II is a course intended to continue the improvement of reading skills with particular emphasis on critical and analytical reading strategies. The course begins with a review of active reading strategies for informational text and ends with an emphasis on critical reading of persuasive texts.  Critical reading skills covered include identifying an author’s purpose, tone, bias, and logic. This course does not count toward graduation at NCTC.
Course Prerequisite(s): Pass READ 0300 with a “C” or better, or earn satisfactory TSI Assessment placement score, or earn satisfactory placement score on another approved assessment.
Required or Recommended Course Materials: Flemming, Laraine, Reading for Thinking (8th ed.), 2015, Cengage Learning MyReadingLab access code (MyLabsPlus format) A college dictionary is recommended.

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Michelle Adams
Campus/Office Location:	Flower Mound
Office Hours:	By Appointment
Telephone Number:	Email in CANVAS or madams@nctc.edu
E-mail Address:	madams@nctc.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
8	Vocabulary Homework (8 x 15 pts)	120 pts (12% of total grade)
4	Vocabulary Tests (4 x 20 pts)	80 pts (8% of total grade)
10	Quizzes (10 x 20 pts)	200 pts (20% of total grade)
10	Practice Readings (10 x 20 pts)	200 pts (20% of total grade)
1	MYLABSPLUS Lexile Level (1 x 100 pts) Students must improve their initial lexile level by 100 pts	100 pts (10% of total grade)
10	Discussion Boards (10 x 20 pts)	200 pts (20% of total grade)
1	Final Exam (1 x 100 pts)	100 pts (10% of total grade)

Grade Scale:   900– 1000 = A;   800 – 899 = B; 700– 799 = C;     Below 700 = F

 

1000- 900 pts =A

 899 -800 pts = B

 799- 700 pts = C

 699 –    0 pts = F

 

1. Graded homework assignments cannot be made up or turned in late for any reason.
2. No late work of any kind will be accepted the last week of classes (the week before finals).
3. All assignments are released in Canvas on Monday at 12:00 am and are due the following Sunday by 11:59 pm CST.

 

Detailed Grading Procedures:

Your grades are divided into the following categories:

 

1. Vocabulary Study (200 pts): Each week students will be assigned a list of 12 new words to study and a homework assignment to help review those words. Vocabulary homework will consist of matching, fill-in-the-blank, and writing your own sentences. You will be given a vocabulary test over each chapter at three week intervals. Tests will include matching and fill-in-the-blank items. There are 8 vocabulary homework assignments worth 15 points each and 4 tests worth 20 points each.

 

2. MYLABSPLUS (100 pts): Your My Reading Lab grade is determined by improvement in your reading (lexile) level. You will receive your initial lexile level when you take your pretest. Each student is expected to improve this score significantly by the end of the semester. A student’s grade for this aspect of MRL will be determined by how much a student improves his/her lexile score. An improved lexile score of 100 points or more will earn a score of 100. Each lexile point of improvement is worth 1 point, so a student who improves his/her score by 86 points will earn an 86% in this category. Any student who improves his or her lexile score above 100 points will be awarded 10 points extra credit for every 25 lexile point interval. For example, a student improving his/her lexile score by 150 lexile points would earn 100 % for the lexile grade, plus an additional 20 extra credit points for the 50 lexile points above the initial 100.

 

3. Quizzes: (200 pts): Students will have 10 quizzes covering the content and skills taught each week. Each quiz is worth 20 points. Check the calendar for the quiz schedule.

 

4. Practice Readings (200 pts): Students will complete 10 practice readings throughout the course of the semester. These readings will cover the skills taught in the week the practice reading is assigned. Each practice reading is worth 20 points.

 

5. 5. Discussion Boards (200 pts): Students will complete 10 discussion boards demonstrating an understanding of the weekly topic or topics.  They will interact with other students to receive full credit in the discussion.  Each discussion will be worth 20 points.

 

6. Final (100 pts): The final will be during the last week of class.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

	At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1.	Locate explicit textual information, draw complex inferences, and describe, analyze, and evaluate the information within and across multiple texts of varying lengths.
2.	Comprehend and use vocabulary effectively in oral communication, reading, and writing.
3.	Describe, analyze, and evaluate information within and across a range of texts.
4.	Identify and analyze the audience, purpose, and message across a variety of texts.
5.	Describe and apply insights gained from reading a variety of texts.

 

STUDENT EMAIL

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.
1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)

2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).
3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.
4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

 

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.

 

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with the College Prep Attendance Policy or any other school policies. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

 

TSI COMPLIANCE

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly from North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences. The Department of College Preparatory Studies will notify students of absences reported by instructors and one courtesy warning e-mail notification (Lion Pride email) will be sent to the students’ current NCTC student e-mail address (Lion Pride) when the student accrues 1 week absence in this online course. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail (Lion Pride) is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail and local and permanent addresses with the college.

After a student has been absent from class 2 weeks (not necessarily consecutive), the student may be dropped.

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

 

An absence in this online course is defined as the following:

 

1. Our week will run from Monday to Monday.

 

2. You must log in and complete required assignments at least once every week (at any time during the week) or you will be considered absent for the week. Optional activities (ungraded activities) do not satisfy the attendance requirement. You must complete at least one graded assignment for that week (module) to be counted present.

 

3. After the first week of absence, you will receive a warning email to your NCTC Lion Pride email. After three weeks of absence (not necessarily consecutive absences), you will be dropped from the course.

 

 

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 

 

Class Date	Topic	Reading	Assignment	Due
Week 1   6/05/2017	Introduction to Class Getting Started	Syllabus Course Information/ Calendar Canvas My Labs Plus	Getting Started -Read syllabus and calendar -Complete and submit    attendance policy -Set up MyLabsPlus Account   -Take MLP pretests for                       reading level and reading  skills. -Discussion Board 1   Getting to know you
	Vocabulary Strategies	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking- Chapter 2	Module 2:  Vocabulary Strategies -Quiz 1:  Vocabulary Strategies -Lexile Reading -Discussion Board 2	6/11/2017
Week 2   6/12/2017	Active Reading Preview- Survey and Question   Vocabulary Study	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking- Chapter 1	Module 3:  Active Reading Strategies -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Homework 1 -Quiz 2:  Active Reading -Practice Reading 1 -Discusion Board 3 SQ3R	6/18/2017
Week 3   6/19/2017	During Reading: Paragraph Essentials Topic/Main Ideas and Supporting Details   Vocabulary Study	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking- Chapter 3	Module 4:  Paragraph Essentials -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Homework 2 -Quiz 3:  Paragraph Essentials -Practice Reading 2 (Mapping)
	During Reading: Transitions/Writing Patterns	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking- Chapter 4	Module 5:  Writing Patterns -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Test 1 -Quiz 4 -Practice Reading 3 (Mapping Patterns) -Discussion Board 4	6/25/2017
Class Date	Topic	Reading	Assignment	Due
Week 4   6/26/2017	Implied Main Ideas   Recite and Review       Vocabulary	Handouts Reading for Thinking Chapter 6	Module 6:  Implied Main Ideas -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Homework 3 -Quiz 5 -Practice Reading 4 (Summarizing) -Discussion Board 5	7/02/2017
Week 5     7/03/2017	Active Reading:   Putting it all Together!   Vocabulary	Handouts Reading for Thinking- Chapter 5	Module 7: Reading to Learn -Practice Reading 5 -Vocabulary Homework 4 -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Test 2 -Discussion Board 6	7/09/2017
Week 6   7/10/2017	Fact/Opinion Purpose and Tone   Vocabulary	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking- Chapter 8	Module 8:  Fact and Opinion -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Homework 5 -Quiz 6:  Fact and Opinion -Practice Reading 6 -Discussion Board 7	7/16/2017
Class Date	Topic	Reading	Assignment	Due
Week 7   7/17/2017	Purpose /Tone Bias	Lecture Notes Reading for Thinking – Chapter 9	Module 9:  Purpose and Tone -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Homework 6 -Quiz 7:  Purpose and Tone -Practice Reading 7 -Vocabulary Test 3 -Discussion Board 8	7/23/2017
Week 8   7/24/2017	Inferences     Vocabulary	Reading for Thinking – Chapter 6	Module 10:  Inferences -Lexile Reading -Quiz 8: Inferences -Practice Reading 8 -Vocabulary Homework 7 -Discussion Board 9	7/30/2017
Week 9   7/31/2017	Argument:  Faulty Logic	Lecture Notes/Handouts Reading for Thinking- Chapter10	Module 11+12:  Argument -Lexile Reading -Quiz 9:  Basics of Argument -Practice Reading 9 -Vocabulary Homework 8 -Quiz 10:  Advanced Argument -Practice Reading 10 -Discussion BOard 10	8/06/2017
Week 10   8/07/2014	Critical Reading Practice Final Review Vocabulary Final	Lecture Notes/Handouts Reading for Thinking – Chapter 10	Module 14: Finishing Touches -Lexile Reading -Vocabulary Test 4 -Final Review -Final Exam 8/7/2014	8/10/2017

 

 

 

 

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (OSD)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2016-2017/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook

 

 

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Elizabeth Howell
Office Location:	Corinth 324
Telephone Number:	940.498.6209
E-mail Address:	ehowell@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean:	Sara Flusche
Office Location:	Gainesville 1306
Telephone Number:	940.668.3351
E-mail Address:	sflusche@nctc.edu

 

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

 

Campus Carry: Current law prohibits the open carry of firearms on college campuses including all property such as parking lots.  For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/Police/gun-laws-campus-carry