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ENGLISH 12 - EXPOSITORY READING & WRITING (ERWC)

Course Syllabus (adapted from Strom)

Mr. Winter, Room F101

Email: Benwi@fsusd.org

Overview

The Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC) is a full-year college preparatory English course for high school seniors. The ERWC focuses specifically on preparing you to engage in critical reading and critical writing identified by the California State University (CSU) English Placement Test Committee, and prepares students to meet the expectations of college and university faculty. Course assignments, organized into modules and based largely on non-fiction texts, emphasize the in-depth study of expository, analytical, and persuasive reading writing. The University of California has approved the ERWC for Area “b” credit (of the “a-g” requirements), and the course meets college preparatory requirements for both UC and CSU campuses. We will complete several modules over the course of this school year.

Over 50% of incoming freshmen in the CSU system alone are currently required to take remedial English courses due to the lack of preparation for university-level reading and writing. The goal of the ERWC is to prepare students effectively for the rigorous levels of both reading and writing that will be expected of them while attending college.

Course Goals Upon completion of ERWC.

You will know and show that you are able to do the following:

1. Use your understanding of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes to understand new words and interpret their denotative and connotative meanings;

2. Research, read, analyze, and understand informational, expository, and persuasive texts;

3. Read, analyze, and understand literature, particularly how and why the author wrote as he/she did

4. Create and sustain arguments [written and oral] based on readings, research, and/or personal experience;

5. Synthesize information from a variety of sources and combine into a coherent, structured, persuasive essay

6. Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English;

7. Develop persuasive and expository essays with a clear thesis statement; appropriate, specific evidence; cogent explanations; and clear transitions;

8. Move effectively through the stages of the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and evaluating);

9. Complete timed writings on impromptu essay topics while maintaining the flow of developed ideas and using concise introductions and conclusions; and

10. Use academic vocabulary and sentence structure in your writing.