Course Syllabus
About this Course
Course Description
This hybrid course provides contextualized instruction for non-native English speakers at an advanced level or higher. Students will develop skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, technology, and math through engaging and practical activities. Our class content will explore diverse topics, including science, food, education, employment, and the broader question of whether discovery is always beneficial.
In this course, students will participate both online and in person, with activities designed to foster growth and engagement. There are no traditional grades; instead, progress will be evaluated through attendance, participation (both in-person and via Zoom), Canvas activities, and project and/or presentation completion. Canvas will host quizzes, writing assignments, and collaborative projects, while regular self-reflections will help students identify strengths and areas for improvement.
At the end of the quarter, students will complete CASAS listening and reading assessments. A rubric-based evaluation of student work will guide planning for the next quarter, ensuring that students receive personalized support to achieve their academic and personal goals.
Prerequisites
Students take this advanced foundation class after intermediate foundations. Students skill level should be at the advanced level or higher.
Mode of Instruction
Our class is a hybrid one with an in-person only class on Tuesdays & Wednesdays.On Thursdays, we will be meeting on Zoom only. A portion of our class will be Canvas assignments. The rest of the class will be our class meetings.
Class Meetings
Tuesdays & Wednesdays, we meet 12:15-1:50 pm in person only in H-309.
Thursdays, we meet on Zoom only from 12:30-1:30pm.
- If you can't attend class one day, you can watch the class video on Canvas and complete the class activities on your own time.
- You will use CANVAS (rtc.edu/canvas) to do our online coursework. If you need more help with technology, you can make an appointment to meet with me. You can also make an appointment to meet with a tutor in the LRCC, building C on campus, for technology help.
Fall 2024 Important Dates (Instructional & Non-instructional Dates)
| Fall 2024 Quarter Begins | September 16th , Monday |
| Fall 2024 Quarter Ends | December 3rd , Tuesday |
| October 16th , Wednesday, Advising Day | No RTC classes |
| November 11th, Monday , Veterans Day | No RTC classes |
| November 28th-29th , Thanksgiving Break | No RTC classes |
About Your Instructor
Nizar Ali
Please contact me through the Canvas Inbox
Email me @ nali@rtc.edu
425-235-6819 (This is my office phone number, leave me a voice message or a text)
H309
STUDENT MEETINGS TIMES: Please contact me to arrange a time if you'd like to meet outside of class. I have many available times each week to meet with students.
I check email and Canvas messages M-F. I will respond to messages within 24 hours unless I receive them on the weekend. Then I will reply the following Monday.
Welcome!
Hi! I'm Nizar Ali, and I'm excited to welcome you to my class. I've been teaching ELA, ESL, and EFL for about 30 years, both in the U.S. and abroad in places like Libya and the UAE. I'm originally from Kurdistan, Iraq, and I speak Kurdish, Arabic, and English. My family includes my wife, Shaho Jaf, and our kids, Dilnaz, Hasan, and Dalya.
For me, the classroom is like a second home, and my students are like a second family. This class is a fantastic chance for us to learn from each other and share our experiences. Fall 2024 is going to be a great time to put our knowledge and skills to use. I'll be teaching in the hybrid more this quarter, and that gives me the opportunity to meet you in person and online!
Our class is a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone. No matter your gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, or culture, you are valued and appreciated here. We're all bringing our unique perspectives, and that's what makes our class special!
Materials and Textbooks
Required Textbooks
Book Title:
Oxford Bookworms Factfiles: Disaster!
By Mary Mclntosh Third Edition in
"Non-fiction makes up most of what we read today. Oxford Bookworms Factfiles gives students practice accessing information with high-interest topics." ELT , OUP
"From out of the sky, from under the earth, from far out at sea - disaster comes. We build and invent new things - and sometimes bring disaster on ourselves. Today television and the Internet mean that we can watch disasters as they happen, and see their terrible results. From Pompeii to the Asian Tsunami, from the Great Fire of London to Chernobyl, the stories of disasters are frightening, but they have much to tell us. Disasters bring stories of fear, pain, loss, and death - but also of people whose extraordinary bravery and feeling for others will touch your heart."
- Class content will be provided through Canvas, hard copies in class, Google Docs in our Zoom meetings, and online OER resources.
- We will read a few chapters from the reader's Oxford Bookworms Factfiles, Disaster!
Required Tools/Supplies
Free Online Open Education Resources
-
ESL , Book 1 : The Way You Like ItLinks to an external site.
- ESL , Book 2 : The Way You Like ItLinks to an external site.
- ESL Book 3: The Way You Like ItLinks to an external site.
- English 101 OER Grammar Guide.pdfDownload English 101 OER Grammar Guide.pdf
-
Communication Beginnings: An Introductory Listening and Speaking Text for English Language Learners
Course Outcomes
What you'll take away...
When you have successfully completed this course, you will be able to
-
1.Reading Skill
Apply effective strategies to analyze and critically engage with information derived from
diverse array of intricate texts, encompassing both academic and non-academic sources.2.Writing Skill
Communicate effectively across various genres by employing clear and concise ideas, utilizing the writing process to produce multi-paragraph writing, including five-paragraph essays and other forms of written communication.
3. Grammar (Language Structure)
Demonstrate a strong command of standard English grammar, proficient spelling, subject-verb agreement, and syntactic coherence within various academic and
non-academic language.4.Listening Skill
Apply listening strategies to understand a wide range of spoken English to effectively engage in academic, non-academic, and professional contexts.
5.Speaking Skill
Convey ideas fluently with clear pronunciation and intonation, appropriate vocabulary, and correct grammar while applying critical thinking skills.
6.Technology Skill
Use technology to research information and communicate it in a wide variety of
applications.7.Transition Skill
Transition smoothly into academic settings or the professional world with a solid understanding of financial aid processes and resources to support their journey.8.Math SkillUse math in everyday life and academic settings
You'll meet these outcomes by ...
- Completing your online Canvas assignments on time
- Participating in the group discussions held in Canvas , in class, and on Zoom
- Collaborating with your teacher and classmates in completing any required assignment , classwork or project
- Doing and passing any required quizzes online
- Actively be engaged in asking questions , reading feedback and responding to my emails and Canvas messages
- Being available in Canvas to complete what is required of you!
- Respond to any update announced on Canvas regarding your learning, teaching, assignments, or any other relevant thing!
Tips for Success
To be successful in this class it is important to:
- Attend your classes, complete Canvas assignments.
- Check your Canvas inbox and announcements daily. It is helpful to connect your email and/or cell to Canvas so you receive announcements and messages.
- Read and follow my feedback on assignments.
- Communicate with me about any questions on course content or any concerns you might have.
- Complete your online Canvas work each week by the due date.
- Set course goals specific to your own educational and learning goals, and independently work towards those goals.
- Show progress on end-of-quarter reading, writing, speaking, and listening assessments.
Course Policies
*Attendance
I will take attendance based on the assignments you complete in Canvas each week and attendance at our Tuesday class and Wednesday practice session. You can attend in class, or Zoom, or complete equivalent assignments in Canvas. Assignments will be due each week on Monday night. Each assignment will note in the title how many attendance hours it is worth. It is best to complete assignments by the due date, but I understand unexpected things happen in our lives. If something comes up and you can't complete your work, please communicate with me ahead of time so we can make a plan. I will keep assignments open until the end of the quarter. You can still get attendance credit as long as you complete assignments by the end of the month. If you start our class in the middle of the quarter, you are welcome to complete assignments from earlier in the quarter, but this is not necessary. If you need to miss class for 1 week or more, please let me know before you are absent.
Course Feedback
Course Feedback
Our class does not use grades. Canvas uses quizzes, assignments and discussions to assess students. We will also write paragraphs and complete projects. You will receive comments from me on Canvas assignments as appropriate, and I will use rubrics to give you feedback on projects and paragraphs. End-Of-Quarter feedback will be based on projects, Canvas work, and Zoom participation. Based on this and feedback from your other ELA instructors, I will give you recommendations for your next quarter. We will talk about your goals and make a plan for the next quarter. Most students study at this level for about 3 quarters or more. How fast you learn depends on many things, including your goals, how much time you study outside of class, completion of Canvas assignments and projects, and Zoom participation. In college, 2 hours of study outside of class are expected for every 1 hour in class. I grade Canvas on Tuesdays following the due date, but it may take me a few days to complete grading.
Zoom Class Recording
To provide equitable access for learning in this class, I will record our class lectures, lessons, and practice session. I will not record breakout rooms on Zoom. I will post portions of these recordings in Canvas. Our class recordings are for teaching and learning only and not to be shared outside our Canvas system and classroom colleagues. If you do not want to be identifiable in a class recording, turn off your webcam and change your display name. If you change your display name, please let me know what name you are using so I can use it when talking with you during class.
RTC Grading Scale
| GPA | Percentile | Overall Rating | Performance Indicators-- This student: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 95-100% | Excellent Performance |
|
| 3.9 | 93-94% | ||
| 3.8 | 92-91% | ||
| 3.7 | 90% | ||
| 3.6 | 89% | ||
| 3.5 | 88% | Above-Average Performance |
|
| 3.4 | 87% | ||
| 3.3 | 86% | ||
| 3.2 | 85% | ||
| 3.1 | 84% | ||
| 3.0 | 83% | ||
| 2.9 | 82% | ||
| 2.8 | 81% | ||
| 2.7 | 80% | ||
| 2.6 | 79% | ||
| 2.5 | 78% | Average Performance |
|
| 2.4 | 77% | ||
| 2.3 | 76% | ||
| 2.2 | 75% | ||
| 2.1 | 74% | ||
| 2.0 | 73% | ||
| 1.9 | 72% | Minimum Performance |
|
| 1.8 | 71% | ||
| 1.7 | 70% | ||
| 1.6 | 69% | ||
| 1.5 | 68% | ||
| 1.4 | 67% | ||
| 1.3 | 66% | ||
| 1.2 | 65% | ||
| 1.1 | 64% | ||
| 1.0 | 63-61% | ||
| 0 | below 61% | Unsatisfactory Performance |
|
Academic Honesty and Integrity
RTC values all students and their unique abilities and skills. In order to promote brilliance in all students, RTC expects students to contribute their own original works and submissions. Academic Integrity means:
- Do your own work. All of your assignments are your own.
- Recognize others with citations. If you use someone else's words or images, use their name as well.
- Ask questions if you don’t understand.
- Commit to a growth mindset; expect challenges and work to overcome them.
- Allow enough time to learn.
No matter what your background, you will be part of RTC’s supportive learning community culture, where you will be personally recognized as an adult learner with unlimited potential.
Engaging in acts of academic dishonesty--like cheating, plagiarism, or providing false information to an instructor--can have serious consequences. Refer to the Student Rights and Responsibilities page for more information.
Disability Resource Services
Disability Resource Services provides accommodations to students with disabilities, health conditions, or mental health conditions at Renton Technical College. DRS can also provide resources on and off-campus for students with disabilities.
Common Accommodations:
- Extended time on tests and quizzes
- Testing in a private or quiet location
- ASL Interpretation or Real-time captioning
- Braille, audiobooks, other alternative formats
- Note-taking during lectures
- Audio recording of lectures
- Ergonomic chairs, sit/stand tables
- Accessible Technology
If you are a student at RTC with a disability or health condition and you would like to find out if you can receive accommodations in your classes, please schedule an Access Meeting through the DRS website.
If you have information about your disability/ health condition such as paperwork from your doctor, L&I paperwork, an IEP or 504 plan from high school, or other paperwork, please bring that to your appointment. If you do not have information about your disability, you will fill out a Self- Report form during your appointment.
Student Religious Reasonable Accommodations/ Absence for Reasons of Faith or Conscience
Per RCW 28B.10.039 (resulting from 2019 Senate Bill 5166), Renton Technical College will grant reasonable accommodation so that grades are not impacted for students who are absent for reasons of faith or conscience, or for an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization.
If you know you will be absent from course activities due to reasons of faith or conscience, you may request reasonable accommodations so that your grades will not be affected. There is no penalty if you do this.
You must let your instructor know, in writing, within the first two weeks of the course if you will be absent, unless the purpose of the absence was not known until later. Follow the procedures as provided in the policy. The complete policy can be downloaded here.
RTC Support and Help
- College Technology Services
- Request help with college technology, like Canvas, college computers, passwords, email and Office365. There are options for phone, live chat and email, along with a searchable help system and service ticket portal.
- Canvas Guides
- Search the Canvas Guides to find answers for how to do things in Canvas.
- Emergency Resources
- Find links for help with things like jobs, food, childcare
- Learning Resource & Career Center
- LRCC provides tutoring, computer and calculator loans, career counseling, student ID cards, and the RTC Food Pantry.
- Mental Health Support
- Behavioral Health Services at Renton Technical College provides free and confidential services--including short-term individual counseling and crisis assistance--for current RTC students.
- Support Resources
- More links to resources to help you succeed!
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that RTC sits uninvited on the ancestral land of the Puget Salish people, including the Duwamish, Suquamish, Snoqualmie, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations. We are grateful to the original inhabitants of this land, upon which we gather and dialogue.
We also acknowledge our increasingly virtual world, in which RTC’s work is done across multiple indigenous lands, in some cases, away from Puget Salish territories. We thank the original caretakers of our local lands and waters, who are still here.
Beyond acknowledgment, we each have an obligation to learn about and support our local tribes. Find out how on the Student Resources course navigation menu tab, which includes scholarships for Indigenous students.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|