Syllabus

ESL Upper Intermediate Grammar University of Mississippi Spring 2008: ESL Location: Hill Hall, Computer Lab Instructor: Daniela Munca E-mail: dvmunca@olemiss.edu Office: Hill Hall 105 Office hours: MWF 9am-12pm To schedule an appointment, please contact me at : dvmunca@olemiss.edu or 662-801-5231. Course description: This course aims to provide students with the language skills they need to communicate accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately through clear and comprehensive grammar explanations, extensive practice exercises, and lively communicative activities. The course is built on contextualized grammar explanations focused on form, meaning, and use as well as communicative activities which expand the target structures and increase language communication. It integrates video and web activities meant to expand students’ participation and access to authentic materials beyond the regular classroom. Course objectives: (1) Students will practice their reading, writing and speaking skills and to acquire the grammar structures and features they need to communicate and write accurately and appropriately in English. (2) Additionally, students will have the opportunity to develop some basic web 2.0 application related skills and work collaboratively using the ESL Class blog and the grammar wiki the instructor developed especially for this term:[typeclass. Course texts: Grammar Dimensions 3, Fourth Edition - Form, Meaning, and Use , Diane Larsen-Freeman, Stephen Thewlis, Author - San Francisco State University , 4th Edition, 2007 , ISBN: 1413027423 Additional required and recommended readings assignments will be posted on Blackboard: http://blackboard.olemiss.edu/. And on the class blog: http://dvmunca.blogspot.com/ Recommended Websites (also featured in the Tools and Resources Section of the ESL Class Blog: http://dvmunca.blogspot.com/ ) 1. Grammar Girl: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ 2. English 4 you: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar 3. Dr Grammar: http://www.drgrammar.org/errors.shtml Course requirements: (1) Class participation (15%): Students are expected here,to complete the both the reading and writing assignments before the class for which they are assigned, attend class, and participate actively and knowledgeably in class discussion and any other in or out of class activities. (2) Homework completion (20%): Students are required to complete all homework assignments and submit them on time, either by e-mail or hardcopy in class. (3) Presentations (25%): During the first week , each student will chose one of the grammar topics list included in the syllabus and will choose a topic he/she will be presenting with the instructor. This could be: - an oral presentation supported by Power Point - a poster/chart/demonstration designed by the student - an ice-breaker activity the student will play with the rest of the class - a Jeopardy game (see example http://www.uark.edu/depts/aeedhp/jdmhome/game/start.htm ) Check on the following sites for examples: · http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blpassive.htm?once=true& · http://www.eslgold.com/grammar/explanations.html · http://www.zozanga.com/grammar.htm · http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar Grammar games · http://www.esl-lounge.com/board_gamesindex.shtml · http://www.esl-galaxy.com/board.htm · http://bogglesworldesl.com/esl_games.htm · http://www.eslflow.com/games1.html In addition, students will prepare a final project: Photostory 3 for Windows/Windows Movie Maker on the topics they will choose from the list provided by the instructor. All the presentations will be saved on the ESL class blog/wiki for further comment or attachpeer evaluation: http://dvmuncaesl.wetpaint.com/ (4)Blog/Wiki entries (5%): Since a lot of activities will be posted/conducted through the class blog/wiki, each and every student is required to post comments, useful links, and entries to each topic posted online and reply to other students’ comments. (5) Grammar Tips List (10%) By the end of each month, all ESL students will have to submit a list documentof 5 grammar tips they learned about from Grammar Girl and Dr Grammar. The list will be put together according to the following example:

Grammar Tip	Explanation	Example
It's versus Its	It's with an apostrophe means it is (or, a little less often, it has); Its without an apostrophe means belonging to it. An analogy: think of "he's" ("he is" gets an apostrophe) and "his" ("belonging to him" doesn't). What about its', with the apostrophe after the s? — Never, never, never.	It’s a pity you can’t come to my party next week. (= It is) They built a new school in town last year. Its cost went up to $5.000.00. (The cost of it, the building)

(5) Tests, midterm and final exams (25%) All ESL students are required to pass all class tests, midterm exam and final exam with a minimum of 61% each. Grading system: %91-100 (A), % 81-90 (B), %71-80(C),%61-70(D) - %60 and below - Fail List of Grammar Topics which will be covered in class:

1. Overview of the English Verb System
2. Adverbial Phrases and Clauses
3. Passive Verbs
4. One-Word and Phrasal Modals
5. Infinitives and Gerunds
6. Intensifiers and Degree Complements
7. Modifying Noun Phrases
8. Connectors
9. Relative Clauses
10. Prsent Tenses, Present Perfect and Future
11. Modals of Prediction and Inference
12. Hypothetical Statements - Conditionals
13. Quantifiers, Collective Nouns, and Collective Adjectives
14. Indirect Quotation

How to Create: 1) A Photostory and 2) A Movie Photostory 3 for Windows: 1. Have a look at some of the photo stories created by other ESL students: a) Present Continuous http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=52d66769bb655c37032c b) Adverbs: http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d6705ac341eb17690d55 2. To create a photo story, you need to download Photostory 3 for Windows from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=92755126-a008-49b3-b3f4-6f33852af9c1&DisplayLang=en 3. Useful tutorials: a) http://youtube.com/watch?v=OtB6_D_toVQ b) http://www.jakesonline.org/photostory.htm Windows MovieMaker 1. Have a look at some of the movies created by other ESL students. Passive voice: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gLcqw0xNpmI Present Perfect: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OwEW0cTgMew&feature=related Present Continuous: http://youtube.com/watch?v=b7Gw6MFRfLI&feature=related 2. To create a photo story, you need to make sure you have Windows Moviemaker in your programs (go to search and type it in to find the program location) 3. Here is a link with useful tutorials on how to use this page]program: a) http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/create/default.mspx b) http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jjSqZSxEF0 Tentative Schedule Week 1: Introduction Textbook - Unit 1-2 – Overview of the English Verb System 1 & 2 Workbook: Unit 1-2, Week 2: Adverbial Phrases and Clauses Textbook - Unit 3 Workbook: Unit 3 Week 3: Passive Verbs Textbook - Unit 4 Workbook: Unit 4 Week 4: Modals (Present and Past) Textbook - Unit 5 & 24 Workbook: Unit 5&24 Week 5 Infinitives and Gerunds
Textbook - Unit 6 & 7 Workbook: Unit 6 & 7 Week 6: Intensifiers and Degree Complements Textbook - Unit 8 Workbook: Unit 8 Week 7: Modifying Noun Phrases
Textbook - Unit 9 Workbook: Unit 9 Week 8: Connectors Textbook - Unit 11 Workbook: Unit 11 Week 9: Relative Clauses
Week 10: Prsent Tenses, Present Perfect and Future
Week 11: Modals of Prediction and Inference
Week 12: Hypothetical Statements - Conditionals
Week 13: Quantifiers, Collective Nouns, and Collective Adjectives Week 14: Indirect Quotation FINAL Project DUE DURING EXAM PERIOD
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