In this course, you will improve your reading comprehension and vocabulary development. You will also improve your reading proficiency to a level which will allow you to function adequately in the ESL 17 reading class and other college courses.

You will learn through practice, online activities, group activities, and critically thinking about and writing about what you read.  In a typical on-campus reading course, students discuss what they read; in this online course, you will write critically about what you read.   Writing critically means that you examine the deeper issues of what you read and you make connections to yourself and the world around you.  Therefore, there is a large writing component to this course.  You will participate with your classmates in group reading rooms where you will interact about assigned readings.  You will react through discussion to what you read and you will react to your classmates' opinions and ideas.  Online, you will explore different reading strategies through interactive exercises, and you will search for websites related to reading that could benefit your learning and your classmates' learning.  Above all, you will practice reading.  You will critically read, think, and write in this course so that you will leave this course with the ability to read, comprehend, and respond to reading more easily.

Prerequisite :

This course requires a sense of paragraph structure and development, appropriate use of verb forms, and a command of basic sentence structures with some coordination and subordination, as indicated by a placement exam and writing sample, or teacher recommendation from a previous level.

1. Students will acquire the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills necessary to succeed in the reading-related requirements of advanced ESL reading courses and some other college courses.
2. Students will integrate their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to promote thinking and learning.
3. Students will be active, independent learners able to apply integrated strategies appropriate to the reading-related task.
4. Students will increase their self-confidence in their ability to be effective readers.
5. Students will understand the role of reading in their academic, professional, and personal lives.

The required textbook for this course are:

• World Views: Multicultural Literature for Critical Writers, Readers, and Thinkers

        Author: Patricia A. Richard-Amato

        Publisher:  Thomson Heinle

        ISBN: 0155065653

• Wish You Well

Author: David Baldacci

ISBN: 0446610100

For information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/

Using eBooks

Your course allows open-book exams.You will only be allowed to use a hard copy of the textbook at the Testing Centers. If the publisher offers an electronic version of the textbook (called an “eBook”), you will not be able to access it at the Testing Centers. Also, you will not be able to use the printouts of the electronic text or copies of the pages of a hard copy textbook at the Testing Centers. You will only be allowed to use a hard copy of the textbook. If you have purchased an eBook and wish to use a textbook during your open-book exam, we suggest that you check the NOVA libraries, and/or contact your instructor, to try to locate a hard copy you could borrow for the exam.

Academic evaluation

A. Participation                   15%

B. Assignments                    40%

C. Novel exam                     15%

D. World Views Exam #1    10%

E. World Views Exam #2    20%

Your final grade will either be "S" or "Satisfactory" or "R" for "Retake."

You must have at least 75% to receive an "S".  Below 75% is an "R".

1. Participation: How do you earn your participation grade in an online course?  Every time that you communicate with me, you earn your particpation grade.  Remember that you can communicate with me via email or telephone, or you can meet me during my posted office hours.  Also, every time you participate with your classmates in the Discussion forums, you earn your participation grade.
   
2. Assignments: Students will work on Discussion forums on a weekly basis. Students will be graded on Discussion Forums #1-16. If a student fails to do one, he/she will receive a zero (0) for that forum. Copies of the work posted on Blackboard must be e-mailed to me. Students are not only required to do the forums but also respond to other students' forums. By reading and responding to forums of others, students will expose themselves to other points of views and other styles of writing.  Students will be given multiple homework assignments every week.  The instructions for submitting these assignments are extremely specific--pay careful attention to all instructions. 
   
3. Proctored reading exams: You will take three proctored reading exams.  The first exam will be over the novel.  The second exam will be over the chapters 1 and 2 of World Views.  The third exam will be over chapters 3--5 of World Views.  Please read the section on Exams for detailed information on proctored exams

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : sharm@nvcc.edu
Telephone : (703) 878-5799.
You may also call me to schedule a meeting in person, either at ELI or my campus office in Woodbridge. 

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.