POWER READING - READ 110	Professor Thomson
San Marcos Campus
Office Hours:  San Marcos Campus/RC-5	T/TH 2 - 3 pm; M/W 2 - 3:30 pm
Phone: 744-1150 EXT. 2792	Reading Center Phone:  744-1150 EXT. 2568
Email: cthomson@palomar.edu	Reading Services Department Homepage:   http://www.palomar.edu/reading/

Thomson’s Web includes links of specific interest to your class.

Statement of Purpose: 

          Power Reading is a skills course designed for students reading at or near college level. The primary purpose of this course is to enhance the student’s existing reading efficiency and effectiveness in the following areas:

          Comprehension:  Students will improve their literal comprehension skills, increasing concentration and retention. Students will also improve critical reading/thinking skills with emphasis on evaluation, analysis, reflective judgment, and application. Additional improvement in the area of affective comprehension will include increased awareness of writing style, technique, and quality.

          Vocabulary:  Students will increase vocabulary by developing strategies for practice and application in their academic work as well as increasing vocabulary awareness and strength in all types of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking.

             Study Skills:  Students will learn efficient and effective study reading strategies and techniques designed to improve concentration and memory.      

          Writing:  Students will improve individual writing skills with emphasis on logic, coherence, and depth of thought. Additional emphasis will be placed on improved written expression in response to a variety of reading selections.

          As students improve and develop mastery in the above areas, an additional objective will be to enhance reading enjoyment – reducing the level of difficulty and drudgery often associated with college level reading and learning.

Student Learning Outcomes:   

          Students will demonstrate significant growth on pre/post standardized reading tests. 

          Students will demonstrate their ability to utilize critical thinking/reading skills such as recognizing the author’s purpose, bias, tone, figurative language, fact vs. opinion, and inference, as well as the ability to draw conclusions and predict outcomes in analyzing college-level reading material.

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of and ability to utilize textbook management skills in content area courses across the curriculum. 

          Students will demonstrate their ability to read and analyze at least 6 books on an independent basis during the semester.

Methods:  Instructor will work closely with students to reach the above objectives. Methods of instruction include lecture, demonstration of strategies, class participation, small group work, discussion, exercises in and out of class, individualized lab assignments, and testing. There will be regular in-class timed readings and group exercises for which no make-up is possible.

Textbooks:  Developing Reading Versatility, 11th Ed., by W. Royce Adams and Becky Patterson; 1100 Words You Should Know, 5th Ed., Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

Other Required Materials:

Lab Fee Receipt

Independent reading books/texts (to be announced)

Pocket Dictionary:  By this stage in your college career you should own a hardbound dictionary. A paperback dictionary is also useful for work in class.

Scantrons (as announced)

To earn an “A” in the course, a student must have:

        earned an “A” in each of the above categories,  

        completed at least 45 hours work in reading lab,  

        moved at least 2 years on standardized college level reading tests,  

        and have missed no more than three hours of class.

To earn a “B” in the course, a student must have:  

        earned at least a “B” in each of the above categories,  

        completed at least 37 hours work in reading lab,

        moved at least 1.5 years on standardized college level reading tests,  

        and have no unexcused absences.

Any one of the conditions for a grade may be waived at the instructor’s discretion.

Students must take the Nelson Denny posttest, turn in a final, and complete 110L with a passing grade to pass the class.

Attendance/Participation Points:  Attendance is mandatory for Read 110. Because of the nature of this course, regular attendance is essential for success. Students are expected to arrive on time, be prepared, and remain until the end of class. Students may be dropped at the discretion of the instructor for excessive absences (more than 6 hours), habitual tardiness, or repeated failure to complete assignments.  

            Classwork and attendance are vital for at least 20% of your grade. Credit is given for activities completed in class. If you miss class, you miss the credit.  

          In addition, you will have the opportunity to earn 10 attendance/participation points each class meeting.  The following inappropriate behavior will result in loss of points:

          There will be no makeups of tests or quizzes without prior consent of the instructor. Such consent will be reserved for serious and documented circumstances. Tests cannot be made up unless the instructor is notified of the absence before the test. If you must miss a test, call before the day of the exam to arrange for a make-up. No shows, unless excused,  will receive an “F” on the missed test or quiz.  

          If you are absent, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor about any assignments you may have missed and/or to arrange makeups, or exchange phone numbers with one or more classmates who can give you the assignments.

Weekly Work:   Weekly assignments should be regarded as your ticket in the door; i.e., they are to be completed before class, not in class. The assignment may be collected (turned in to be graded), checked off for completeness (I walk around the room and check that yours is complete), or simply reviewed in class (I will call on you for answers). Each daily assignment that I choose to collect is assigned a point value based on the amount of work and difficulty. It is your responsibility to show me your completed homework before the next class if you have been absent.  

          All work is due at the beginning of class on the date specified by the instructor. If you are absent the day an assignment is due, the work will be marked late. Late work receives half credit and will only be accepted up to one week after a recorded absence. If you must miss class, let the instructor know before class. No late work will be accepted finals week.  

Pagers and Cell Phones:   Pagers will be allowed in the classroom and reading lab on vibration signal ONLY! Sound pagers and cell phones disrupt learning and distract focus and concentration. They are not allowed in the classroom or the reading lab. Students disrupting class or lab with such devices will lose their participation points for the day. NO WARNINGS WILL BE GIVEN.  

Advice:   If you should have to miss a class, arrange to borrow notes and check your exercise answers with a reliable classmate. Improving your reading efficiency and fluency depends upon your listening and participating in class, practicing the skills presented, and asking questions if you do not understand. You are strongly encouraged to see me whenever you encounter any difficulties or have questions about the class or a specific assignment.

            You should be aware that the progress you make in this course is a direct reflection of the effort expended by you on your own, and on your readiness to take the course.

Students with disabilities who may need academic accommodations should discuss options with me during week 1  

Study Partner:                                                                                               Phone #:                                       

Study Partner:                                                                                               Phone #:                                      

Study Partner:                                                                                               Phone #:                                      

Late Add Policy:  Only students who are officially registered may participate in this class. If you are given a permission code to add this class, you must officially add the class prior to the next class meeting. If you have difficulty using the eServices system to add, please notify the instructor immediately. The deadline for adding any class or using a permission code to add is Sunday, January 29. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to add this class after the add deadline.  
 

READING SERVICES

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY CODE OF CONDUCT

Academic integrity is a code of conduct for students that requires honest and ethical academic endeavor

Violations:

• Cheating.
• Plagiarism or false representation of another’s work as one’s own.
• Falsification of lab hours or work.

Consequences:

At the discretion of the instructor, a student who violates this code may receive any or all of the following:

• Failing grade for the assignment or lab grade.
• Failing grade for the course.
• Short term suspension for the course (see section IV. A of the Rules and Regulations for Student Behavior).
• Referral to the Department Chair of Reading Services Department and then the Dean of Languages and Literature for further action.