Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Placement by ESL matriculation assessment process or completion of ESL 530C or 532G with grade of “C” or better or completion of ESL 830C or 832G with grade of “Pass”
Advisory: Concurrent enrollment in ESL 25C or 840C
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Multi-skill course emphasizing academic grammar and editing skills for non-native speakers. Focus on verb tense usage and sequence, clauses, passive voice for academic writing, conditionals, editing strategies, and application of grammar appropriate to writing purpose. Open to students eligible for ESL 25 level/840 level. (pass/no pass grading) (noncredit)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Distinguish the variety of uses and formulate and utilize verbs in present, past, and future simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive to convey intended meaning.
  • CSLO #2: Construct sentences using a variety of adjective clauses and phrases, adverbial clauses and phrases, and noun clauses (including reported speech, direct quotes, and embedded questions) as appropriate to context and register.
  • CSLO #3: Differentiate and formulate active and passive for all verb forms and tenses.
  • CSLO #4: Evaluate grammar usage and written discourse for clarity, accuracy, punctuation, and sophistication by applying level-appropriate editing strategies.

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Noncredit

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

1. Evaluate advanced-level non-native speaker errors to formulate and apply editing strategies to improve the grammatical accuracy and mechanics of the text (e.g., locating errors, noticing error context, applying grammar rules and exceptions, applying punctuation rules);
2. Analyze writing, and modify forms to increase sophistication of grammatical expression and utilize structures appropriate to register (written/spoken) and purpose;
3. Distinguish grammatical structures in written text and evaluate the reason for use based on context;
4. Sequence verb tenses in written discourse to convey intended meaning (distinguishing full range of tenses in simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive aspect and applying appropriate use);
5. Identify, distinguish, and apply diversity of clause types (dependent vs. independent, adjective, noun, adverb, reduced clauses) and phrase types (adjective, adverb, noun, prepositional) with appropriate use, purpose, and punctuation;
6. Apply and evaluate writing for accuracy in agreement, including agreement in relation to nouns and quantity (non-count nouns, collective nouns, abstract nouns, and gerunds), subject-verb, pronoun reference, and conjunctions;
7. Distinguish and apply quantifiers and determiners (including articles) appropriate to noun-type and context;
8. Differentiate active and passive verb forms and apply appropriate form using the full range of verb tenses;
9. Distinguish and formulate hypothetical conditionals (present and past) and real conditionals (present/future and general truths);
10. Differentiate and apply various uses of prepositional phrases in writing (e.g., noun modification, introductory phrases, adverbials);
11. Formulate passages using passive voice and reported speech to report information from research and other sources;
12. Identify and use noun modifiers (prep phrases, adjective clauses and phrases, nouns) to enhance description and accurately portray meaning;
13. Identify grammatical, sentence structure, and mechanics error patterns in samples of writing

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
      • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
        • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

          Articulation Information

          • Not Transferable

          Methods of Evaluation

          • Objective Examinations
            • Example: 1. Students will fill in missing verbs by analyzing for correct verb tenses and passive or active form in a passage on a test. Sample Question: Yesterday, the criminals _________________________ (hold) at the police station until the bus _________________________ (arrive) to transport them to the prison. 2. Students will choose and circle the correct clause or part of the clause to complete a sentence using context to determine the best answer. Sample Questions: 1. May 5, 2013 is the 1st anniversary of the date (on which/ which / who) he successfully completed the exit exam. 2. Could you please tell me when (does the next show begin / the next show begins / if the next show begins / begins the next show)?
          • Problem Solving Examinations
            • Example: 1. Paragraph-level editing: Students will read a multi-paragraph text and analyze it for grammatical and punctuation errors. Students will find and correct 10 errors in the text. 2. Sentence-level editing: Students will analyze sentences or the exam for errors in grammatical structures they have studied for the exam. Students will find and correct the errors. 3. Sentence combining: Students combine two shorter sentences into one longer, complex sentence utilizing targeted clause structures and punctuation while maintaining the same meaning. Exams will be graded based on accuracy of error correction, clause structures and punctuation.
          • Skill Demonstrations
            • Example: 1. Students will write a response to a prompt, questions, or a reading and will include specific targeted structures requested by the instructor in their writing. Instructor will check that structures were used correctly. 2. Students will analyze samples of their own writing for errors and will complete a form outlining their error patterns/areas in need of improvement and explain what steps they will take to improve in those areas. Grade based on student's ability to identify their own patterns of errors and select appropriate steps for improvement. 3. Students analyze examples of errors in an instructor-provided passage or article and work in groups to discuss and correct the written errors. Grade based on accurate correction of errors.

          Repeatable

          Yes

          Methods of Instruction

          • Lecture/Discussion
          • Distance Learning

          Lecture:

          1. Instructor will present sample sentences or a paragraph utilizing a new target structure (e.g., noun clauses and noun clause subjunctive). Some sentences will contain errors and others will not. Students will analyze the sentences to determine which they think are incorrect/correct and why (individually or in discussion with a partner). The instructor will then provide a lecture or presentation of the new grammar (noun clauses & noun clause subjunctive) and then ask students to re-evaluate their choices about which sentences contain errors. The instructor will check the answers with the class and discuss any questions that arise. Instructor will provide a mini-lesson on how to determine whether active or passive voice is needed in the context of a sentence or passage. Then instructor will ask students to complete an exercise in which they complete a passage by analyzing the context of missing verbs and filling in the missing verbs using the best verb tense in either active or passive form, as appropriate. Instructor will circulate while students are working to answer questions and provide needed assistance. Then instructor will assign students to groups to discuss why they chose passive or active and the verb tense for each context in which a verb was missing. After groups complete the discussion, the instructor will check answers with the class and respond to questions as needed. Instructor will ask students to read a passage to find and analyze usage for grammatical accuracy of a target structure (e.g., agreement, quantifiers, clauses) to review and/or introduce a new topic. Instructor will lead a class discussion about the structure form and purpose for use or will ask students to discuss in groups/pairs followed by full-class check in. Students and instructor will focus on why the grammatical structure is needed/used in the context.

          Distance Learning

          1. Instructor will provide a video lecture clip of a grammatical topic that students will watch before class (e.g., using Past Perfect and Past Perfect Progressive with Past Simple). In hybrid class, instructor will provide samples of the structure in use and a brief review to provide students an opportunity to ask questions. After reviewing/clarifying the topic, instructor will provide students with practice exercises using the new structure (e.g., editing for errors or writing sentences in response to a questions or a textbook exercise) individually or in groups or pairs. In an online class, instruction and practice exercises will be provided via a course module and students will respond using a discussion board.

          Typical Out of Class Assignments

          Reading Assignments

          1. Read a current news article and identify examples of passive voice. Analyze the article to determine what verb tense the passive voice verb is in and note the reason why each example of passive voice is used in the context of the writing. 2. Read an instructor-provided text and analyze the text for grammatical errors in the use of adjective clauses/phrases and adverbial clauses/phrases. Note the type for each error and the reason it is an error. 3. Read a section of the textbook explaining the various past verb tenses and forms. The section will include grammar usage examples, rules and explanation for each verb tense, mistakes to avoid, and texts using the target structures. Read a follow-up article in the text utilizing the verb tenses and complete a verb noticing exercise.

          Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

          1. Write a reflection about a campus event or past event you participated in. (e.g., Write a one-page reflection about how you participated and what you learned at People and Culture Days.) Include at least three different past verb tense forms, two passive voice structures, two adjective clauses, and one noun clause of opinion in your writing. 2. Read an instructor-provided passage in discussion board and find and correct 8 mistakes in the use of various types of noun clauses (noun clauses expressing beliefs/thoughts, noun clause subjunctive, embedded questions, and reported speech). Highlight and correct the errors. Respond to other students’ posts to help classmates find any mistakes, and explain the reason for necessary corrections. 3. Rewrite a paragraph or passage to improve grammatical sophistication of the writing by combining shorter sentences into longer ones using clauses and rewording phrases, using some passive voice and advanced verb tenses as appropriate. Then examine the new passage for grammatical and punctuation accuracy. 4. Read a current news article which includes several quotations. Report the quotations from the article using reported speech with back shifted tenses.

          Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

          Log (in a journal, blog, or discussion board) how to utilize grammatical structures learned in ESL 25G in the writing they need to do in their writing courses, other courses, and/or daily situations.

          Required Materials

          • Grammar for Writing 2
            • Author: Cain
            • Publisher: Pearson
            • Publication Date: 2012
            • Text Edition: 2nd
            • Classic Textbook?: Yes
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Think About Editing
            • Author: Asher
            • Publisher: Heinle
            • Publication Date: 2004
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?: Yes
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Focus on Grammar 5
            • Author: Maurer
            • Publisher: Pearson
            • Publication Date: 2016
            • Text Edition: 5th
            • Classic Textbook?: Yes
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • Grammar and Beyond 4
            • Author: Bunting, Diniz, & Reppen
            • Publisher: Cambridge
            • Publication Date: 2104
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?: Yes
            • OER Link:
            • OER:

          Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.