PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
MASTER SYLLABUS

DEVELOPMENTAL READING
 DSPR 0800

Class Hours: 3.0

 

Credit Hours: 3.0

 

Laboratory Hours: 2.0

 

Revised: Fall 06

 

 

 

 

 

Catalog Course Description:

 

 

 

The developmental reading course is the second of two reading courses offered in the English department for under-prepared students.  It presents effective comprehension techniques for college-level selections.  The course emphasizes (a) organizational strategies for retention and recall, (b) typographical devices and cues to the organization of ideas, (c) reasoning and analysis for critical comprehension, (d) flexible reading rate, and (e) vocabulary development activities.

Entry Level Standards:

 

 

 

Scores earned on the placement test and verified by the scores earned on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test will be used to determine placement in the class.

Prerequisites:

 

 

 

 None

Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:

 

 

Bragg, Rick.  All Over but the Shoutin’.  New York: Vintage Books, 1997.
Conley, Robert J. Mountain Windsong: A Novel of the Trail of Tears.  Norman: University of     Oklahoma Press, 1992.
Gaines, Ernest J.  A Lesson before Dying.  New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1993. 
Olsen, Amy E.  Active Vocabulary:  General and Academic Words. 2d ed.  New York:  Pearson, Longman, 2005.

IBM formatted HD computer disk; earphones for computer

I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:

 

 

 

Week 

Topic

 

1-6

Reading, thinking, and writing about Native Americans in the South

 

7-11

Reading, thinking, and writing about African Americans in the South

 

12-14

Reading, thinking, and writing about poor whites in the South

 

15

Final exam period

II. Course Objectives*:

 

 

 

A.

Students will learn skills to support their success in college-level curricula and to enable them to achieve their educational goals. I, II, III, IV, V, VII

 

B.

Students’ post-test results will show improvement when compared to their pre-test results. I, II, III, IV, V, VII

 

C.

Students who successfully complete the R/D reading program will experience about the same or better success rate in college-level classes as students who did not enroll in the R/D reading program. I, II, III, IV, V, VII

*Roman numerals after course objectives reference TBR’s general education goals.

III. Instructional Processes*: 

 

 

Students will:

 

 

 

 

1.

Draw upon interactions with other readers to construct meaning from text. 
Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

2.

Read a wide range of assigned texts and participate in class discussion.  Communication Outcome, Humanities and/or Fine Arts Outcome, History Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

3.

Write appropriate responses to reading, such as reflections, summaries, essays, notes, outlines, graphic organizers, concept maps, graphics.  Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

4.

Develop research skills using the Internet and library sources to find information for oral or written projects, to build background knowledge, and to evaluate sources. Technological Literacy Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

5.

Develop oral presentation skills to present individual and group information from research. Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

 

6.

Internalize the work ethic by regularly attending class, being punctual, being dependable, cooperating with the teacher and other classmates, contributing to class discussion and projects, and acting in professional manner while in class.   Transitional Strategy, Active Learning Strategy

*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR's goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.

IV. Expectations for Student Performance*: 

 

 

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

 

1.

Read and comprehend a wide range of texts as a means for personal development, for learning across the curriculum, and for solving problems in response to demands of society and the workplace. A, B, C

 

2.

Comprehend text at the literal, interpretive, evaluative, and creative level. A, B, C

 

3.

Draw upon prior experience to construct meaning from text. A

 

4.

Draw upon interactions with other readers to construct meaning from text. A

 

5.

Build receptive and expressive vocabularies through reading. A

 

6.

Use reading process elements appropriately for the text, audience, purpose. A, B, C

 

7.

Recognize conventions of language usage appropriate to purpose and audience. A

 

8.

Use technological and informational resources to gather, evaluate, and synthesize information. A,C

 

9.

Listen, speak, read, and write to accomplish his/her own purpose. A,B,C

 

10.

Understand and practice critical thinking skills as defined in Bloom's Hierarchy of Thinking Skills: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation. A,B,C

*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.

V. Evaluation:

 

 

 

A. Evaluation Procedures:

 

 During the semester, students will be evaluated on a variety of lecture and lab assignments. Assignments, point values of assignments, and criteria for evaluating these assignments will be explained when assignments are made. 

1.     Vocabulary assignments count 30% of total grade; Conley assignments count 15%, Gaines assignments count 25%, and Bragg Assignments count 30%.

2.     Assignments should be submitted on the dates announced by the instructor.  Points are awarded based on quality, accuracy, neatness, and punctuality.

3.     Homework papers are to be submitted at the beginning of the class period.  Late papers (after the beginning of the class period) will not be accepted and will receive a grade of zero.

4.     Papers that are not turned in due to absence are due the next day of attendance and will receive a penalty of one letter grade.

5.     Five chapter tests and one unit test in vocabulary may be made up during the semester. Chapter tests must be made up prior to taking the respective unit tests. Unit tests must be made up within one week of the original testing date.

6. Daily reading quizzes MAY NOT be made up.

7. In-class assignments and group assignments MAY NOT be made up.

 

B. Grade Breakdown:

 

Grades will be assigned according to the following percentages with vocabulary counting 30%.

 94 - 100% of total points possible = A 
 87 -  93% of total points possible = B 
 80 -  86% of total points possible = C 
 below 80% of total points possible = F

VI. Policies:

 

 

 

A. Attendance Policy:

 

Regular attendance is essential for successful completion of DSPR 0800.  Attendance will be monitored and recorded by the instructor.  PSTCC requires that a minimum of 75% of class sessions must be attended to receive credit.  Furthermore, to encourage attendance, the following policy will be followed:
    4 absences for 3-day classes are allowed without penalty (10%)
    3 absences for 2-day classes are allowed without penalty (10%)

Each absence beyond those allowed without penalty will result in a 1% reduction in total points for the course. 

It is each student’s responsibility to keep a personal record of his or her own absences and tardies.

Tardiness:
Promptness is an important characteristic of successful students.  Late arrivals are disruptive to the instructor and the other students.  Late arrivals rob you, the learner, of the opportunity to prepare yourself to receive information and instructions about class activities.  As a result, students are expected to arrive for class before attendance is taken and remain until class is dismissed.  Arriving late and leaving early are considered tardies.  Three tardies count as one absence.

 

B. Academic Dishonesty:

 

Any student found engaging in an act of academic dishonesty will be promptly dismissed from the course with a grade of F. Prohibited activities include but are not limited to the following practices:
•    Cheating, including but not limited to unauthorized assistance from material, people, or devices when taking a test, quiz, or examination; writing papers or reports; solving problems; or completing academic assignments
•    Plagiarism, including but not limited to paraphrasing, summarizing, or directly quoting published or unpublished work of another person, including online or computerized services, without proper documentation of the original source
•    Purchasing or otherwise obtaining prewritten essays, research papers, or materials prepared by another person or agency that sells term papers or other academic materials to be presented as one’s own work
•    Taking an exam for another student
•    Providing others with information and/or answers regarding exams, quizzes, homework or other classroom assignments unless explicitly authorized by the instructor
•    Any of the above occurring within the Web or distance-learning environment.

 

C. Accommodations for Disabilities:

 

If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately. Please see the instructor privately after class or in his/her office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 127 or 131 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153.

 

D. Other Policies:

 

Withdrawal:
Students placed and enrolled in a DSP course are not permitted to withdraw except for serious circumstances.  Students wishing to withdraw should discuss this matter first with their instructor and then must confer with a student development counselor.  The counselor will notify the student of the decision to allow him/her to withdraw.