Course Syllabus

EAP 0320
Reading III [Fall 2022]

Faculty Contact and Course Information

Instructor: Wenfeng Li
Office Location: Room 203, Teaching Building A, Higher-Education Mega-Center Campus, GDUFS
Phone/Wechat: wenfengli2017

Department Phone: (020)39328830

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: 14:00-16:00 (Monday)

Course Description

This is a low-intermediate ESL reading course designed for students in English for Academic Purposes
(EAP) programs. It emphasizes vocabulary and comprehension at an intermediate level. Placement in
EAP0320 is determined by successful completion of assessment tests or department recommendations.
Students must acquire a minimum of a ‘C’ to pass the course and proceed to EAP0420.

General Course Outcomes

• Course Units:
o The News Media
o Education
o The World of Business
o Population Change and its Impact
o Design in Everyday Life
o The Brain and Behavior
• Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
o correctly identify main ideas and supporting details, recognize transition words and their
functions, and recognize patterns of organization.
o locate information in the graphs and charts within the text, and quickly scan for specific
information.
o read actively by taking notes from a reading in an organized way, and use efficient reading and
test-taking strategies consistent with the level.
 o increase your receptive and expressive vocabularies systematically; determine meanings of
words accurately based on their knowledge of word form changes and word parts; use
contextual clues to determine word meanings; employ dictionary skills.

Course Materials

• Course Books and Resources:

o Students’ Textbook: Making Connections: Skills and Strategies for Academic Reading (Second
Edition)
by Jo McEntire & Jessica Williams.
o English Dictionary: Oxford American Dictionary for Learners of English (or student’s
preferred dictionary as long as it is English only)
• Additional Course Materials:
o One Notebook: For vocabulary and note taking purposes

Computer Requirements

• You may need computers to complete your coursework or log in to BC Online /D2L. To ensure
proper communication flow, you are advised to check your email daily. In the event of any technical
issues you are advised to contact your instructor.

• BC Online/D2L – Logging In:

o Your BC email address serves as your username for BC Online/D2L.
o You are expected to remember your username and password for BC Online/D2L at all times.
• BC Online/D2L – Logging off: BC Online/D2L does not require you to log off to exit the
program. You can simply close the browser to log off.

Course Policy

• Syllabus: Your syllabus is a legal binding contract between you and your instructor. The syllabus
and course calendar are flexible and subject to change according to the needs and dynamics of the
class.
o The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus. In the event that changes
become necessary, students will be notified in advance through BC Online/D2L or Wechat.
• Student Attendance: Student success in college is largely dependent on attending class; it is
imperative that you make an effort to attend every class.
o You can ask for a leave for the following reasons: sickness, family issues, and unavoidable
transportation problems. In such cases, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor in
advance and to get the assignment for the next class.
 o Punctuality is paramount, thus you are expected to be on time for each class meeting.
Attendance is taken five minutes before each class. Any student who arrives after attendance
has been taken will be considered tardy. Three “tardies” equals one absence.
• Student Participation:
o Active participation and clear consistent communication with the instructor are critical for
your course success. Performance indicators are determined by the successful completion of
tests, assignments, and other class activities.

Course Assessment and Grading

In this course, the development of reading skills is assessed using a variety of assessment types as
highlighted in the table below. The grade you receive for the course will be derived using Broward College's
letter grading system, based on the following numerical values:

Grades Percentage
Graded assignments Numerical value Grade = A 90-100%
Quizzes 10% Grade = B 80-89%
Assignments 30% Grade = C 70-79%
Classroom Participation 10% Grade = D 60-69%
Grade = F 59% and below
Attendance 20%
Final Exam 30%
TOTAL 100%

Explanation of Assignments and Grading

While the instructor will provide detailed instructions on assignments and grading, general guidelines are
below.

• Quizzes: These are in-class quizzes to test your mastery of the individual course topics and skills.
The tests are related to all the material s covered in class and for homework. The dates of the tests will
depend on when individual topics are completed.
On the day of the test,
o it is a mandatory requirement to be 5 minutes early. If you come late to a test (after the students
have already started the test), you will not be permitted to take it.
o make sure your cell phones (and/or any other electronic devices) are switched off and given to
the instructors before proceedings .
o you are required to sit quietly after finishing your tests. It is not allowed to leave the test room
until your test papers and answer sheets have been collected.
o violation of the above procedures and rules will result in a 10% deduction off candidates’
grade.
 • Assignments:
o Homework will be checked for completion throughout the semester on due dates.
o Late work will not be considered and will result in points deduction unless proper evidence is
provided.
• Make-up Tests/Quizzes/Assignments Policy
o In-class tests, assignments, and quizzes cannot be made up; i.e., if you miss that day, you miss
the test/assignment/quiz.
o The instructor reserves the right to create alternate make-up exams for students who are not
able to take the scheduled, on-campus exams. Exams cannot be made up after the exam date
has passed unless prior arrangements have been made.
• Viewing Your Grades:
o Grades will be posted on the course’s BC Online/D2L page.
o Grades for tests and assignments will be posted in a timely manner.
o The final, official grade for the course will be available online under your MyBC account.

Academic Integrity and Other Course Policies and Procedures

• Academic Integrity: Students are expected to be honest in all of their academic endeavours. The
following acts breach academic integrity: cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, bribery, and the
unauthorized possession of examinations, papers or other class materials that have not been formally
released by instructors. A student’s academic work must be the result of his or her own thought,
research or self-expression.
o Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying the work of another person or permitting your
work to be copied by another person, discussing test answers or questions with people who
have not completed the test, distributing assignment materials to other students, possessing
course materials that have not been formally released to students in the course, and
collaborating on the completion of assignments not specifically designated in the syllabus as
being group projects.
o Breaches of policy on academic integrity may result in academic penalties and/or disciplinary
action. At the discretion of the instructor, academic penalties may include, but are not limited
to, a failing grade for a particular assignment or a failing grade for the course.
• Critical Event Procedure: If there is any other major event that might impact class schedules, the
instructor will post an announcement indicating what changes, if any, the event will have on the
course schedule and due dates.
• Copyright: The materials used on this course are protected by copyright and should only be accessed
by students enrolled on this course for the purposes aforementioned and may not be retained or
further disseminated.

Student Success Tips

In order to be successful in this course, you need to be organized and manage your time well so that you can
complete all assignments and assessments on time. Make sure that you do not allow yourself to procrastinate,
and that you communicate with the instructor or your classmates, if you have any questions on any course
materials or need assistance completing any assignments.

• Practice, practice, practice! – Attend all class meetings and complete all required assignments.
• Self Reflection – Proof reading and making necessary self-corrections combined with the instructor’s
constructive feedback will reap great rewards.
• Actively Seek Feedback – Students that have pre-prepared questions and overcome the feelings of
being embarrassed will propel themselves forward
• Vocabulary Retention Strategy – In student notebooks a section exclusively for new vocabulary is
recommended. A clear system of retention, recitation and refinement is necessary.

COURSE SCHEDULE
This course schedule is tentative. It is subject to change by the instructor depending on the class’
needs.

Homework
WEEK Day Date Plan Assignment;
Due Date
Complete Vocabulary Development
Introduction to the course;
Mon. Sep. 5 practice in the textbook; Find an article
Unit 1: The news media (Reading 1: The news
of no less than 500 words, select 10
media in the past)
new words/expressions and try to
Understanding vocabulary in context
determine their meanings using
Previewing and predicting
contextual clues.
Reading exercises
Vocabulary learning and exercises Due: 08:00 Sep. 8

1
Unit 1: The news media (Reading 2& Reading 3) Review the vocabulary and complete
Thu. Sep. 8 exercises in the textbook; Find an
Finding main ideas;
article on a topic that interests you
Previewing and predicting (exercises); (word limit: no less than 500),
select 10 new words/expressions
Vocabulary learning and exercises
and try to determine their meanings
using contextual clues.

Due: 08:00 Sep. 13

2

Review the vocabulary and complete

Unit 1: The news media (Reading 4)
Tue. Sep. 13 exercises in the textbook;
Understanding vocabulary in context (exercises);
Due: 08:00 Sep. 15
Finding main ideas (exercises)
Unit 2: Education (Reading 1)
Using the dictionary;
Previewing and predicting (exercises);
2
Finding main ideas (exercises);
Vocabulary learning and exercises

Review the vocabulary and complete

Unit 2: Education (Reading 2 & Reading 3)
 Previewing and predicting (exercises);
Thu. Sep. 15 exercises on the textbook; Skill
Finding main ideas (exercises);
review: Find the main idea and
Finding supporting details;
supporting details in a paragraph
Reading exercises;
Due: 08:00 Sep. 19
Vocabulary learning and exercises

Quiz 1: Vocabulary from Unit 1 & Unit 2 Review the vocabulary and complete
Mon. Sep. 19 exercises on the textbook;
Unit 3: The world of business (Reading 1 & Reading
Due: 08:00 Sep. 20
2)

The vocabulary of numbers;

Reading exercises;

Vocabulary learning and exercises

Tue. Sep. 20 Unit 3: The world of business (Reading 3) Review the vocabulary and complete
exercises on the textbook;
Finding information in graphs and charts;
Due: 08:00 Sep. 22
Reading exercises;

3 Vocabulary learning and exercises

Unit 4: Population change and its impact (Reading 1)

Identifying and using collocations;

Vocabulary learning and exercises;

Reading exercises

Thu. Sep. 22 Unit 4: Population change and its impact (Reading 2 Review the vocabulary and complete
& Reading 3) exercises on the textbook;
Due: 08:00 Sep. 26
Scanning for specific information;

Reading exercises;

Vocabulary learning and exercises

Mon. Sep. 26 Quiz 2: Vocabulary from Unit 3 & Unit 4 Review the vocabulary and complete
exercises on the textbook;
Unit 5: Design in Everyday life (Reading 1)
Due: 08:00 Sep. 27

Tue. Sep. 27 Unit 5: Design in Everyday life (Reading 2& Reading Review the vocabulary and complete
3) exercises on the textbook;
Due: 08:00 Sep. 29
Unit 6: The brain and behavior (Reading 1)
4

Thu. Sep. 29 Unit 5: Design in Everyday Life (Reading 4) Review the vocabulary and complete
exercises on the textbook;
Unit 6: The brain and behavior (Reading 1)
Due: 08:00 Oct. 10

Mon. Oct. 10 Quiz 3: Vocabulary from Unit 5 & Unit 6 Review the vocabulary and complete
exercises on the textbook;
5 Unit 6: The brain and behavior (Reading 2 & Reading
Due: 08:00 Oct. 11
3)

Tue. Oct. 11 Review;

Final exam
Have a wonderful semester!