ESL 104 - Advanced Academic ESL Writing

Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: General

This course develops academic writing skills for students whose first language is not English. The course emphasizes familiarizing students with writing academic essays. This course addresses the linguistic and instructional needs of non-native English-speaking students. It focuses on essay expansion and modification, the writing process and developing research skills. It may be taken concurrently with carefully selected college courses.
Prerequisite: 81 or above on ESL Test in ACCUPLACER
Competencies

Compose a variety of paragraphs of varying lengths on different academic topics, ending with writing multiple paragraphs on a single topic
1. Practice brainstorming, listening, clustering, and free-writing
2. Be able to do brainstorming and create an outline.
3. Expand knowledge of transition words and phrases
4. Distinguish general points from specific details
5. Practice the overall and inner paragraph organization of the traditional paragraph modes, including chronological, spatial, and most-to-least important order within textual structures
6. Organize written material using topic sentence, supporting sentences, and conclusion
7. Develop language sensitivity and practice the necessary skills for analyzing audience, purpose, and context in academic writing
8. Become familiar with academic rhetorical traditions
9. Understand the process of creating a thesis statement
10. Develop understanding of paragraph structure
Demonstrate knowledge of academic English grammar
1. Review rules of basic grammar
2. Apply standard rules of punctuation and mechanics for academic genres of writing
3. Practice proofreading and editing grammar and sentence structure
Use reading as an active part of the writing process
1. Be able to read for fluency and understand vocabulary through context
2. Demonstrate ability to analyze the content, expression, and context of the writing
3. Distinguish between objective and subjective material
Introduce standard documentation format
1. Learn and develop basic academic citation methods within working knowledge of plagiarism
2. Be able to paraphrase source material
3. Learn how to use academic handbooks
Develop critical thinking skills within an ESL writing context
1. Analyze academic and audience related aspects of writing
2. Understand the philosophy of presenting written materials in different writing genres
3. Apply content knowledge to academic tasks
Operate research resources applicable for each written assignment
1. Become familiar with the idea of using on online catalogue and the resources available in the library
2. Practice using the Internet for paragraph and essay development
3. Practice comparing and assessing sites and resources