English 098 Basic English Skills provides instruction in basic writing skills, particularly sentence patterns and paragraph development. The course also introduces students to concepts of grammar, mechanics, punctuation, spelling, word usage, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and reading fluency. See course notes: some sections of this course require co-enrollment in additional classes as part of a learning community.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge or skills:
- Comprehend new vocabulary including affix identification and word function in reading texts.
- Define words in order to read texts fluently both silently and orally.
- Comprehend the general meaning of a text and both explicit and implicit ideas in a text.
- Identify and correctly apply the conventions of standard written English including mechanics, grammar, syntax, and word choice in writing.
- Identify, express, and support a main idea in writing.
- Craft focused paragraphs leading to a short essay.
- Identify and use appropriate resources to help with reading and writing processes
Course Content Outline
- Resources
- The reading and writing process.
- Plagiarism
- Using word processing and formatting a document
- Using Canvas
- Using the Writing Center or Online Writing Tutors
- Using the library
- Using a dictionary
- Reading and Vocabulary
- Author’s main and supporting ideas
- Author’s purpose
- Before, during, and after reading strategies
- Vocabulary in context; connotation and denotation
- Writing
- The basic sentence, sentence types, sentence combining
- Grammatical relationships, mechanics, spelling
- Paragraphing, topic sentence, supporting details
- Revising and editing
- Introduction to the essay
Department Guidelines
Students will complete at least 10 double-spaced pages of writing excluding drafts in progress of writing assignments. These writing assignments could include journal writings, paragraphing projects, a short essay, personal reflections, and responses to assigned readings, for example. Except for journal writings, all writings should be edited and revised. 2. Students will have weekly non-fiction or fiction reading assignments in or out of class. It is recommended that students’ writing assignments are written in response to the reading assignments. 3. Students complete a final assessment during finals days. Assessment instrument will be agreed upon by the Department. 4. At least 70% of the final grade will be based on written assignments. 5. ENGL 098 students who successfully complete the course requirements for ENGL 099 may move to ENGL & 101.