Instructor Contact

Jessica Buchsbaum

• Once the course begins, I prefer to get messages through the Canvas "Inbox". 
• I will respond to all course email within 48 hours Monday-Friday, not including school holidays. If you send a message on the weekend or on a school holiday, it may take me 48 hours from the following regular workday to respond to your message.
• Outside of course dates, you can email me at jessica.buchsbaum@mail.ccsf.edu
• You can visit my CCSF instructional website outside of Canvas

Communication Plan

• I will respond to your messages within 48 hours during the work week (Monday-Friday) excluding holidays.
• If you submit work before the due date, I will check your work and give you feedback within 72 hours of the due date. If something happens and I can't respond right away, I will send an announcement to the class.
• Sometimes you will receive private/personal comments on your discussions and other assignments. Sometimes I will give more generalized feedback to the whole class or group.
• Your weekly quizzes and practice activities also contain automatic feedback for your own self-assessment. 
• If you need to talk to me privately, we can meet via Zoom video-conferencing. Send me a message to set up a time.

Building Community

The heart of this class is the discussion. Each week you and your classmates will use the vocabulary and grammar we study to discuss topics and ideas from the lesson. We learn from each other, from our varied experiences, from our different world views. I look forward to participating in discussions with you. This is a safe space for everyone to communicate.

Instructor Announcements 

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement. 

Q&A Discussion

• The “Q&A Discussion” is located in Module 1. This discussion is for you to ask for assistance of your classmates or of the instructor. You can help the class by answering other students' questions in the Q & A.

High intermediate speaking and listening focus course. Comprehension of essential points and details of spoken English. Extended conversations and discussions on a variety of topics. Oral presentation skills. Course Outline of Record.

Prerequisites/corequisites/advisories

None

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify central ideas and supporting details in spoken texts at a high intermediate level in a variety of contexts.
2. Use high intermediate language structures and word choice in extended oral communication.

Class Meetings

This class will be conducted online through the Canvas LMS. There may be some optional synchronous video-conferencing meetings.

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system for studying grammar and vocabulary, communicating with teacher and classmates, viewing assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.  I can help with the course material and with some Canvas issues. But, if you need help uploading an assignment or with the mechanics of Canvas, Canvas help is the number to call.

For 24/7 help with Canvas call: +1-833-249-3993.

You can visit my CCSF instructional website outside of Canvas 

Textbooks

• Evolve 4B with Practice Extra, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9781108409254

Canvas

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system for studying grammar and vocabulary, communicating with teacher and classmates, viewing assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.  I can help with the course material and with some Canvas issues. For more help with Canvas you can:

• Go to the Canvas Student GuideLinks to an external site.
• Have a live chat  (Links to an external site.)with Canvas support
• Click the (?) Help button  in the menu to the left
• Visit the CCSF Online Course Support Center
• Canvas 指南中文版. Links to an external site.(Chinese)
• Guías de Canvas. Links to an external site.(Spanish)
• Guias Canvas Links to an external site.(Portuguese - Brazil)
• Manuels CanvasLinks to an external site.(French)

CambridgeOne (Practice Extra)

For additional practice and self-assessment, students may use the CambridgeOne Practice Extra system included with your textbook. If you ordered the book with Practice Extra, you will find a student access code inside the front of your textbook. Our class key is BpGR-c8A8

Zoom Video Conferencing

If you need to talk with me live, please send me a message in Canvas Inbox and we can schedule a Zoom video-conference meeting.

Required Software

• Adobe Reader (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
• Update your browser (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Important Dates

• Day Class Begins: Monday, January 31st, 2022 
• Day Class Ends: Wednesday May 25, 2022

Noncredit (Adult Education)

This is a "noncredit" class, part of California's Adult Education system. When the course finishes, you will receive a Pass, Satisfactory Progress or No Pass mark. 

Attendance

This class is very flexible and you can participate in the class around your work and family schedule. However, if you don't login or do any assignments for more than 2 weeks, I will send you a message. If I don't hear back from you, I may drop you from the class. If you are dropped, you can rejoin the class later, but you will lose any work you did before. If you need to miss more than 2 weeks, please send me a message in the Canvas Inbox.

Late Policy

This class has due dates. As your teacher, I will focus my attention on the assignments for the current week. If you join the class late, or need more time to do an assignment, you are welcome to participate in all assignments, even after the deadline. However, if you submit your assignment after the due date, I may not give you personalized feedback for that work. 

Methods of Evaluation

Each week you will complete assignments that earn points. There may be a Discussion, VoiceThread conversation, and several grammar and vocabulary practice exercises and quizzes each week. Quizzes may be taken as many times as you wish. All of these assignments can be completed after reading the textbook assignments and the lesson pages in the content modules. 

Final Presentation

In the last 4 weeks of the class, we will work on recording presentations on a topic of your choice. 

Grading Policy

Visit the “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your points. I evaluate your work once a week and post points and comments on the online Canvas gradebook.

  How do I view my grades, teacher comments, and an assignment rubric as a student?

Final course grades will be assigned as follows:

If you need classroom or testing accommodations because of a disability, or have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements for any other reason, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to speak by Zoom video-conferencing.

Students seeking disability-related accommodations are encouraged to also register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library (415) 452-5481. Please see the DSPS website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for more information and alternate locations.

Students who register in CCSF classes are required to abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Office of Student Affairs (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:

Encourage Academic Integrity and Prevent Plagiarism (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Citing Information Sources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Student Expectations

You will succeed in this course if you meet the following expectations:

• Complete the assigned activities. Please let me know as soon as you can concerning difficulties that you may have in getting assignments in on time. 
• Complete the discussion posts and replies within the given window of time. Our discussions are much more vibrant when we all participate!
• Complete the weekly activities, quizzes and the final project on time.
• Don't use Google Translate or any other translations software. Do your best to build on your own English knowledge to improve your English.
• Do your own and your best work. 

Instructor Expectations 

Here is what you can expect of me:

• I will respond to your email or message within 48 hours Monday-Friday (excluding school holidays) unless I inform you otherwise.
• I will treat you and your ideas with respect.
• I will grade your Discussion comments and replies most often within one week. (If you participate in a Discussion after the deadline, I may not grade or give you feedback) 
• You will see your grades in the Canvas Gradebook.
• I will work hard to make this a great class.