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The City University of New York ENG BW: Foundations for College-Level Reading & Writing
- 0 credits, 4 hours Catalog Description: This course is required for students who need to improve their reading and writing skills. Students create a portfolio of essays based on extensive reading selections. ENG BW emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills required for reading and writing competency in both the high school and college English classroom. Upon completion of the course, students will be better prepared to take Regents and university entrance exams. College Now Description: This course is required for students who need to improve their reading and writing skills. Students create a portfolio of essays based on extensive reading selections. ENG BW emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills required for reading and writing competency in both the high school and college English classroom. Upon completion of the BW course, which can be taken independently or consecutively for two semesters as an 8 hour course, students will be better prepared to take Regents and university entrance exams. Explanation: Beginning Fall 2000, CUNY changed its admissions procedures. Applicants to the University are now required to demonstrate competence in reading and writing by scoring 75 or above on the English Language Arts (ELA) Regents or 480 and above on the verbal portion of the SAT. Students who do not achieve appropriate scores on either of these tests take can take the CUNY/ACT Basic Skills Tests to demonstrate competence. Students who offer appropriate scores on any of these three measures are placed into College Composition I (freshman English) at their colleges. Students who do not meet the above levels of competency are placed into developmental reading or writing courses in college. The Eng BW curriculum has been designed to introduce students to college-level English curriculum and to help students strengthen the reading and writing skills necessary to pass both the high school ELA Regents and the CUNY/ACT Basic Skills Tests. Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Methods of Teaching: Emphasis is on a developmental approach to writing. Multiple drafts of the respective assignment will be completed using self/peer/teacher revision. Attention will also be focused on the relationship between reading--whether from either one of the two sets of the American Dreams curricula, Newsweek magazine, or from a collection of essays/stories and other writing selections--and writing. Since writing fluency normally evolves from discussions/analysis of the reading material, students will be required regularly to read a good deal of college-level material. A reading journal is recommended. It is also important to emphasize idea relationships, for example, generalization and example, time order, cause and effect, and comparison and contrast when analyzing material. Lecturing should be minimized. Assignments: Assignments should vary in size and format. Reading/writing should be assigned for every class session, for example, journals and draft revision. Discussions of assignments are appropriate. Method of Evaluation: The students will be evaluated in terms of their development toward being prepared to take the ELA Regents and college-level writing courses for credit. Holistic grading by other students and the instructor is a typical procedure, with work kept in portfolios. The comments on each paper should be informative, detailed, and supportive. Progress will be evaluated throughout the term using class work, the portfolio, and the instructor's final examination. Reading Resources: A. Required:
B. Recommended: (note: text subject to availability)
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