Programs

Course Details

Course Code: ENGL 040

Precluded Courses: None

Calendar Description:
The goal of Advanced English is to assist learners to develop a critical approach to reading, writing, listening, viewing, and speaking. These communicative skills prepare a learner to participate more effectively in career and technical training or further academic study.

Date First Offered: 2006-09-01

Hours:

• Total Hours: 120
• Lecture Hours: 6

Total Weeks: 20

This course is offered online: No

Pre-Requisites:

• Grade 10 reading level
• OR ENGL 030 Intermediate English

Non-Course Pre-Requisites: None

Co-Requisites: None

Rearticulation Submission: No

Course Content:
Critical Thinking:

• Recalling, summarizing, and interpreting information
• Identifying subject/topic, main idea, supporting ideas, and sequences
• Making inferences by using prior knowledge; synthesizing information; evaluating information for accuracy, relevance, and importance; recognizing underlying assumptions (bias and tone); identifying purpose and audience.
• Comparing, contrasting, classifying, defining, thinking creatively, drawing conclusions
• Responding to information by creating solutions, identifying impact of solutions, and modifying solutions

Oral/Aural Communication:

• Asking questions to clarify meaning
• Taking messages, paraphrasing, summarizing
• Using verbal language, style, tone, level of complexity, body language, and voice appropriate to the audience and the occasion
• Effective listening skills
• Actively participating in conversations and group discussion, providing useful feedback, and responding appropriately to listener feedback

Reading, Research, Reference:

• Recognizing and defining business and technical terms common to industry
• Explaining business, scientific, and technical information from text
• Skimming and scanning techniques
• Recognizing point of view, illogical argument, fallacies, stereotypes, bias, and propaganda
• Developing outlining, note-taking, and research skills
• Using the library cataloguing system
• Using quotations properly from secondary sources
• Preparing a list of works cited
• Identifying and critically discussing literary elements in writing, audio, and visual material: plot, character, setting, conflict
• Critically evaluating a book, movie, play, television program, documentary or piece of music in order to write a review
• Using documentation styles (MLA and/or APA)

Written Communication:
Grammar:

• Using parallel construction and correcting misplaced or dangling modifiers
• Using compound and complex sentence structure
• Editing for grammar
• Recognizing clichés, jargon, slang, and wordiness in sentences

Writing:

• Editing for spelling
• Using expanded vocabulary
• Writing essays of greater length and complexity than at the intermediate level with particular emphasis on expository and persuasive structures
• Writing analytical reports responding to some of the following: editorials, magazine articles, technical writings, investigative writings or advertising
• Describing workplace documents: business reports, agendas, memos, e-mail, letters
• Gathering research and organize it into a research paper
• Using approved style guide format
• Identifying and critically discussing literary elements in written, audio and visual material: plot, theme, character, setting, conflict
• Critically evaluating a book, movie, play, television program, documentary or piece of music and write a review
• Explaining the use of adjuncts to writing i.e. graphics

Co-operative Communication

• Establishing co-operative working relationships with others
• Recognizing and respect diversity and individual differences
• Recognizing non-verbal cues
• Recognizing workplace customs
• Problem solving
• Building consensus
• Resolving conflict
• Establishing goals and priorities
• Preparing and following schedules
• Responding appropriately to thoughts, opinions, and work of others
• Challenging assumptions and traditions constructively

Media Literacy

• Identifying and tracking a theme, topic or specified content from a variety of media
• Taking notes, organizing notes and writing summaries
• Interpreting common graphics (graphs, charts, tables)
• Identifying and discussing examples of fact and opinion
• Exhibiting a critical awareness of media messages
• Recognizing the structural differences and impacts upon audiences of various media presentations

Computer Literacy

• Using computer hardware and peripherals (keyboard, mouse, printer)
• Using the word processing software including spell check and thesaurus, and import information from other sources (e.g. spreadsheets, databases, Internet)
• Communicating effectively using electronic mail

Learning Outcomes:
The learner will be able to:

• Demonstrate language, communications and critical reading skills
• Demonstrate writing skills
• Analyze and formulate research skills in locating information and researching topics
• Demonstrate reading comprehension competencies
• Practice a critical approach to and analyze works of fiction and non-fiction
• Employ specific study skills and reading strategies and techniques
• Write paragraphs, compositions and selected communicative pieces
• Produce summary writing pieces
• Write formal reports and critical essays
• Employ listening, viewing and speaking skills

Performance Tasks:
The learner will be able to:

• Edit for sentence skills, spelling, slang, cliches, jargon, wordiness, and sentence variety at an advanced level
• Demonstrate prewriting and outlining techniques at an advanced level
• Write well-structured five-paragraph essays (300-500 words)
• Write various types of essays (e.g. process, compare and contrast, persuasive) at an advanced level
• Write a research essay with citations and works cited page using the MLA and/or APA format
• Read assigned novels, essays, and short stories; critically discuss elements of these genres; and write paragraphs and short essays on these works

Passing Grade: D (50%)

Grading Weight:

• Final Exam: 30 %
• Quizzes and Tests: 20 %
• Assignments: 50 %

Writing Assignments:

• 5-6 general essays
• 1 research essay
• 1-2 literature-based essays

Percentage of Individual Work: 100

Course Offered in Other Programs: No

Additional Comments:

• Number of Assignments: 15-20

Text Books:

• Required - Langan, J., 2003, College Writing Skills with Readings 3rd Canadian Edition (Toronto). Chapters Covered: Varies