Synthesis
WRITING
Advanced
Course Map / Scope & Sequence (last updated 02/16/2022) designed for hybrid
D2L Brightspace Version 2022 (last updated 03/27/2024) designed for hybrid
Portland Community College instructors: Copy course shell #422207 (You may need to ask Tim or the Faculty Help Desk to add you as an instructor first)
Instructors outside of PCC:
Pressbooks Version 2022 (last updated 03/27/2024)
NOTE: Because of its multimedia content, these materials are available only in these formats and not as a traditional printed textbook.
This writing course for advanced students of ESOL was designed to be taught as a hybrid course that meets synchronously (face to face or on Zoom) once a week; students study lessons and complete writing assignments independently during the rest of the time.
This course offers an integrated approach to metacognition and critical thinking skills, research and source evaluation skills, standard composition and grammar skills, and academic vocabulary skills.
The course incorporates a variety of instructional materials, such as videos, self-correcting H5P exercises, Quizlets, and comprehension checks. After some preliminary activities, each unit follows a regular routine:
warm-up writing prompts that review previous concepts and generate authentic writing from which to observe and discuss common grammar and mechanics
vocabulary lessons that present useful academic words that also appear in the texts
big-picture concepts for college writing adapted specifically for ESOL learners from Amy Guptill's Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence
grammar lessons that review the basics and then focus on clauses
composition lessons based on moving from five-paragraph essays toward organic research papers, again adapted from Amy Guptill's Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence
"getting ready to write" lessons focused on research, source evaluation, reported speech, and academic formatting
essay writing/editing prompts
self-reflection writing/editing prompts
The appendix includes:
model essays
grading rubrics
peer review forms
The individual essay prompts are designed to culminate in a single, formal organic research paper under the general theme of technology; the individual self-reflection prompts similarly culminate in a single, informal reflection essay that fulfills Portland Community College's signature assignment requirements. However, these prompts could be easily replaced with more traditional standalone assignments, and the self-reflection prompts could be combined, reduced, or omitted.
The D2L Brightspace course shell is fully integrated. For example, the quizzes are in the Quiz tool and auto-graded, the discussions use the Discussion tool and linked to rubrics, etc. The D2L Brightspace course shell also features additional items, such as presentation slides, gradebook, announcements, calendar, and final exam. The content is specifically sequenced (e.g., the vocabulary and discussion tasks feature spaced repetition across two deadlines). The Pressbooks version contains the same videos and H5P exercises, but is otherwise a more static "flatpack" version with quizzes that are simple text and like things grouped together (e.g., vocabulary presentation, practice, and assessment are on a single page).
The D2L Brightspace shell and the teacher's manual include scope-and-sequence as well as lesson plans designed for a hybrid course that meets synchronously once a week (either face-to-face or on Zoom).
This project was funded in part by a grant from Open Oregon Educational Resources. Maintenance funds were subsequently provided by a grant from Portland Community College's OER Steering Committee.
UPDATE: I noticed that Quizlet has reduced the number of activities that are free without log-in. So I've created my own H5P activities for vocabulary practice. Here are direct links if prefer to use them (they also embed well into an LMS like D2L):
Vocabulary List 01: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047071219953278
Vocabulary List 02: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047165740386418
Vocabulary List 03: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047191036093648
Vocabulary List 04: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047202344162728
Vocabulary List 05: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047210897027458
Vocabulary List 06: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047220611794308
Vocabulary List 07: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047230294224568
Vocabulary List 08: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047242004017818
Vocabulary List 09: https://pcc.h5p.com/content/1292047253178984358
Also, here is a supplemental adjective clause exercise from Erid Dodson.