College and Career Readiness-Language I Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

AERW-0051-415 College and Career Readiness-Language I

Prerequisites

Course Description

Intro to a workforce training course that assists with basic skills for developing critical reading and writing skills for ABE levels 2-6. Practice in writing compound and complex sentences; mastering subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage; using all punctuations marks and overcoming major spelling problems. Emphasis on reinforcing paragraph skills and writing short essays in Standard American English. Special emphasis on workforce training in a career cluster.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(0 sem hrs)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

No Workbook               

 

 

Supplies

Spiral Notebook

Pen/Pencil

Computer/Laptop (Computers available in computer labs on each campus and open to current students with a student ID)

Student Performance

After studying the material presented in this course, the student will be able to do the following:

1. Use comprehension skills, including main idea, inferences, supporting details, drawing conclusions, making generalizations, point of view and authors purpose to engage with the text to answer questions.

2. Recognize and utilize clarity and command of language skills including sentence sense, grammar, and mechanics.

3. Use critical analysis to read opposing articles and write an extended essay response using evidence from the text, organizational structure, development of ideas and clarity and command of standard English conventions. 

4. Students will learn to employ academic strategies specific to the Texas high school equivalency test, GED^Ò, including test-taking and study skills.

_{Objectives align with the Texas Adult Education and Literacy Standards 2.0
Subareas: I.2 (A)(B)(C)(D)(E)(F) I.3 (A) I.4 (A) I.6 (A)(B)(C)}

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

You are expected to behave in the classroom in a manner that is supportive of the learning environment. Behaviors that are not supportive include, but are not limited to: tardiness/leaving early; electronic device noises; talking during lecture; abusive, offensive, or disrespectful language; abusive, offensive, or disrespectful demeanor toward AC faculty, staff, students and/or property.

If you fail to comply with the standards outlined in the syllabus and/or “Student Rights & Responsibilities” you will be subject to disciplinary action which may include but is not limited to: removal from the classroom; consultation with the Dean of Academic Success and/or other AC authority, withdrawal from the course and/or the college.  

Grading Criteria

GRADING SCALE:
< 60% = U (Fail)
60% - 100% = S (Pass)
 

Grading will be weighted as follows:
Speed Sentences: 20%
Read & Responds: 30% 
Creative Compositions/Discussion Board: 5%
Midterm Exam: 15%
Final Exam: 15%
Attendance: 15%
** There are no grade recovery options in this course and no extra credit opportunities are available.

A grade of “F” will be earned as follows:
You complete the course with an overall average below 60.
You do not complete the course and do not withdraw from the course in time to receive a grade of “W”.
You violate the cheating and plagiarism policy.

Automatic Pass Policy:
Any student that passes the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Test at any point during the course AND has attended 12 or more hours will automatically receive a passing grade in the class.

COURSE MATERIAL DESCRIPTIONS:
Speed Sentences, Read & Responds, Creative Compositions, Pearson Practice Midterm and Final are all graded. Homework including Read & Responds, Speed Sentences, Creative Compositions, and Pearson Practices are done outside of class and due as noted on the Schedule of Instruction.

Speed Sentences (Blackboard Homework)
Speed Sentences are language homework practices that reinforce class lessons that focus on building various language skills that are necessary for success on the grammar portion of the GED exam. Speed Sentences are crucial to the learning and retention of course material and success on the GED exam.

Practice Readings (In Class Practice) (Not Graded)                                                   
Practice Readings will be used in class to reinforce and practice the reading skill taught in that day's lesson. Practice readings are not graded but require student participation in class. 

Read & Respond (Blackboard Homework)
Read & Responds are quizzes that reinforce reading skills covered in class.  A reading passage is given and students answer questions about the passage. Each Read & Respond can be taken twice for a higher score.Each Read & Respond can be taken twice for a higher score. Read & Responds are crucial to the learning and retention of course material and success on the GED exam. 

Essay Essentials: (Blackboard Discussion Board Homework)
Essay Essentials are Discussion Boards with two purposes: 1) To build essential skills for writing essays 2) To give the students experience interacting in a Blackboard Discussion Board which is essential for many college courses. Essay Essentials are written tutorials posted in a Blackboard Discussion Board, and students are expected to complete the assignment in the reply box. Essay Essentials are crucial to strengthen students “writing” skills, like reading the prompt, organizing their ideas, clearly communicating in print, etc. Completing these exercises will prepare students for the GED Writing lessons that come later in the course.

Midterm Exam & Final Exam
The Midterm and Final Exam, will be taken outside of class in an Amarillo College computer lab on the dates according to the Schedule of Instruction. Tests must be taken on the assigned dates or with special permission before the assigned date. No retakes.
No outside material, phones, or help from another person allowed during the exams.

 

GED TESTING:
GED Tests and GED Ready (Official Practice Tests) can be taken at any time the student is ready. 
A score of 145 is passing. A score of 150 on the GED Ready (Official Practice Test) can earn the student a voucher to pay for up to two GED exams.
Once the Reasoning through Language Arts GED exam is passed the student will have officially passed the class, even if the course is not over, and the student does not need to return to the language class and will receive a passing score.

 

ACCESSING YOUR GRADES ONLINE:
To view your current course grades.
Go to www.actx.blackboard.com, log in using your AC ID and password.
Click on your course.
Click on My Grades on the menu to the left.

 

TUTORING

Math Outreach Center (806-371-5119)
Located on the Washington Street Campus in Durrett 104. (Math only)
When using the Math Outreach Center you are required to scan in and out with your Amarillo College I.D. and you must have your math homework/workbook with you. Tutors will not give you answers but will reinforce concepts taught in class to help you answer the homework questions yourself. Tutors cannot help on any quizzes.

Success Centers
Located on the Washington Street Campus on the 3rd Floor of the Ware Student Commons (Math and Language)
When using the Success Center you are required to scan in and out with your Amarillo College I.D. and you must have your homework/workbook with you. Tutors will not give you answers but will reinforce concepts taught in class to help you answer the homework questions yourself. Tutors cannot help on any quizzes.

Located on the West Campus Building B (Language Only)

Attendance

Career Ready You  Departmental  Attendance = Success Policy

Only students who complete 12 or more direct hours in the CRU program are considered to be official students. 

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore, it is your responsibility as a student to attend class and be on time for daily attendance check.  Nonattendance will be recorded as an absence and no differentiation will be made as to excused or unexcused absences.  Repeated leaving class early or coming in late will be counted as an absence. 

After dropping or stopping out of the course twice, you may not be allowed to attend CRU courses until the next school year.

Calendar

Additional Information

The Career Ready You department is located on the 3rd floor of the Ware Student Commons on the Washington Street Campus.