Prerequisite/Co-requisite Courses: None
Fall 2008, Thursdays, 9-11:45
Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Y. R. Schoemaker
Phone: 510.628.8036
Office Hours: T-Th 11:45-12:390 and by arrangement
E-mail: profs4e@gmail.com
REQUIRED TEXT
Richek, Margaret. The World of Words: Vocabulary for College Students 7/e. New York, 2005. ( ISBN: 0-618-76678-2)
Course text site: http://college.cengage.com/devenglish/richek/world_words/7e/resources.html
Recommended texts: Dictionary, Thesaurus
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Course study involves the use of computer programs in building varied and precise vocabularies. Focuses include the historical development and present-day resources of the American English vocabulary, special attention to Latin and Greek vocabulary building prefixes, suffixes and bases, neologisms, field-related vocabulary, and idioms. (3 units)
COURSE OBJECTIVES
*Expansion of vocabulary to college level.
*Development of decoding skills through word analysis.
*Understanding of formal and informal registers, slang, jargon, and standard usage
*Explanation of the nuances in American English words.
Upon completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate acquisition of vocabulary decoding and encoding with appropriate use through a variety of applications, exercises and quizzes with increasing fluency and accuracy.
TOPICAL OUTLINE
Topics covered include: computer/net tools for vocabulary study, word analysis, levels of usage, registers, denotative and connotative values, contextual understanding and applications.
Word study e-journal and special projects--
Students will keep a journal of words for personal study. Selected vocabulary may be taken from class conversations, classroom materials, readings, texts, current events, popular media (newspapers, magazines, T.V., radio, film), and online sources.
For projects, students will select several semantic categories to develop word lists organized by conceptual themes:
1 People
2 Places
3 Actions
4 Nature
5 Time
6 Quantities
7 Qualities
8 Objects
9 Ideas
10 Values
SCHEDULE
| Wk | Date | Topic |
| 1 | 4-Sep | Dictionary Skills and Context Clues |
| 2 | 11-Sep | Words About People, WoW C1 |
| 3 | 18-Sep | Words in the News, WoW C2 |
| 4 | 25-Sep | Words for Feeling, Expression, and Action, WoW C3 |
| 5 | 2-Oct | Other Useful English Words, WoW C4 |
| 6 | 9-Oct | Word Elements, WoW C5 |
| 7 | 16-Oct | Word Elements: Prefixes, WoW C6 |
| 8 | 23-Oct |
|
| 9 | 30-Oct | Word Elements: Movement, WoW C7 |
| 10 | 6-Nov | Word Elements: Together and Apart, WoW C8 |
| 11 | 13-Nov | Word Elements: Numbers and Measures, WoW C9 |
| 12 | 20-Nov | Word Elements: Thought and Belief, WoW C10 |
| 13 | 27-Nov | Word Elements: The Body and Health, WoW C11 |
| 14 | 4-Dec | Word Elements: Speech and Writing, WoW C12 |
| 15 | 11-Dec | Finals week |
Instructional Methods Overall, the course sessions will include presentation, discussion, and application modes.
In addition, among methods and materials used are the following:
▪Structural Analysis of Words
▪Conceptual framework for vocabulary study – contexts and processes
▪ Computer and Internet resources
▪Word Lists
▪Automated vocabulary study programs
▪Word processing for vocabulary study
▪On-line dictionary, thesaurus, and other resources
Assessment Criteria & Method of Evaluating Students Class Participation 15%
| Class Participation | 15% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Projects | 15% |
| Term Paper | 30% |
| Presentation | 10% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
| 100-95 | A |
| 94-90 | A- |
| 89-87 | B+ |
| 86-84 | B |
| 83-80 | B- |
| 79-77 | C+ |
| 76-74 | C |
| 73-70 | C- |
| 69-67 | D+ |
| 66-64 | D |
| 63-60 | D- |
| 59 or < | F |
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