History of the English Language

Course Description

This nine-week course meets two days out of the six-day cycle. Students will gain awareness of the history of the English language, including the three significant periods of English. Students will understand how and why language changes, evolves, and adapts to the needs of speakers. An important component of the course will be the exploration and identification of words from other western languages. There will be a specific focus on the influence of Latin and other Romance languages. A rationale will be provided for studying the western languages that have significantly influenced English. In the final component of the course, students will build vocabulary through Latin and Greek root word study. 

Class Objectives

• Identify significant events in the history of the English language

• Understand how and why language changes, evolves, and adapts to the needs of speakers

• Explore and identify words from other languages

• Build vocabulary through root word study

What Successful Students Do

1. Follow the classroom rules

2. Complete all assignments

3. Participate in class discussions and activities

4. Work both independently and cooperatively

Classroom Rules

1. Follow all school rules as outlined in the Student-Parent Handbook, which can be found on the school website

2. Show respect to your teacher and fellow students through positive and appropriate words, actions, and body language; this includes online behavior

3. Arrive on time with the necessary materials

4. Follow directions the first time they are given

5. Pay attention and be engaged in the learning process

Supplies

Other than a charged Chromebook, you do not need to bring anything to class. 

Google Classroom

Daily plans will be posted in the Google Classroom Stream, and assignments will be posted in the Classwork tab. The due date is the day the work is posted, but the actual due date is the last day of the quarter. Therefore, there is no penalty for “late” work.

Assignments

Assignments must be complete and correct to receive credit. Work that does not meet these criteria will be returned for revision. Each resubmission will result in a deduction of one point. Work that is repeatedly submitted incomplete or incorrect is subject to a 0/10 score. There is ample support so that assignments can be correct and complete on the first submission. 

Grades in CSIU

All assignments have been posted in CSIU with a due date of the end of the quarter. As each task is opened, this date will be changed to the day the work is introduced in class. Although you have until the end of the quarter to finish assignments, the change is meant to reflect the day the work was begun. If you miss a task for any reason, you will receive a temporary zero grade, but you can make it up without a point deduction. Two asterisks (**) mean that you were absent. A grade of 0/10 means that you were present, but the work needs to be corrected or completed. The purpose is to show you what your grade will be if you do not finish the work. Scores are generally updated on Sundays and on the days class meets when possible. Some classes may not complete all assignments. At the end of the quarter, this work will be excused.

Make-Up Work

All work is due by the end of the course. You are responsible for obtaining and completing assignments when you are not in class. There is no expectation that you will complete missed assignments on the day(s) you are absent. You must complete all class assignments, but you should wait until the next class meeting for further direction. Doing so is preferable because some tasks may be confusing without teacher instruction. Students and parents should not be concerned about the 0/10 grade that is recorded temporarily.

Academic Honesty

Students who submit work that is not their own will not receive credit for it and may be subject to disciplinary action.