Instructor Contact

Cora Chen

• Please use Canvas Inbox   or Email: cchen@ccsf.edu
• CCSF Phone: (415) 452-5850
• Office Hours: Group help by appointment via Zoom video-conferencing
• I will respond to all course email within 48 hours Monday-Friday, exclusive of school holidays. Once the course begins, I prefer to get messages through the Canvas "Inbox". 
• You can visit my CCSF instructional website outside of Canvas 

Communication Plan

• I will respond to your messages within 48 hours during the workweek (Monday-Friday) excluding holidays or if you are notified otherwise.
• I will review and comment on your work within 48 hours of the due date unless you are informed otherwise. Please note that you will receive private comments on your discussion posts, and your project and final exams. Your weekly quizzes also contain feedback for your own self-assessment. 
• I will participate in the weekly discussions, but will not respond to each individual student. You will receive private comments on your discussion posts.

Building Community

The heart of this class is the three discussion forums (Please practice "netiquette" in all your communications--be kind and respectful to others and use full sentences). These three discussion forums provide ample opportunities for regular effective contact between instructor and students as well as student interactions by using a wide variety of communication tools such as video, audio or written text.  

• Each week in every module, you and your classmates will discuss the topics that are related to the theme in the class material this week, and share your cultures with one another to learn to respect others. Each of you will post the first post describing your ideas or experiences, and the second post to respond to a  classmate’s initial post. I’ll provide you with private comments within 48 hours after your first or second post.

• The Q & A (Questions and Answers) discussion forum is for you to post your questions about the course or ask for help, your classmates or I will answer your questions and help you. You can access the Q & A forum by clicking on the “Q & A” button on the homepage.
• The Student Lounge is a wonderful place to build a welcoming learning community. By clicking the icon “Student Lounge” on the homepage, you can share interesting experiences, videos or films, books, holiday celebrations in your native countries, etc. This is the place where you can communicate with and support one another. 

I have always enjoyed reading student discussion posts that reflect the thoughtfulness of all of you, and your responses to one another really spark my interest in learning from you. We learn from one another, from our varied experiences in different cultures, from our different world views. I look forward to participating in discussions with you.

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. 

• The very first announcement is the instructor’s welcome letter via Canvas Inbox and email outside Canvas one weeks before the starting date of the course. (Note: before the course starting date, students have no access to Canvas or announcements). 
• The Sunday before the course starts, I’ll send an email reminding students that class starts tomorrow and welcoming you.
• On the first day of my course, I’ll send out another welcome letter via Canvas announcement.
• I  will begin each week with announcements on Monday, mid-week and Friday to tell you about weekly assignments, optional CityZoom meetings or office hours, and to remind you of important due dates, events, or supplemental resources.
• When you log-into our course, the most recent announcements will be listed at the top of our course homepage.

Q&A Discussion

• The Q & A (Questions and Answers) discussion forum is for you to post your questions about the course or ask for help, your classmates or I will answer your questions and help you.
• You can access the Q & A forum by clicking on the “Q & A” button on the homepage.

High beginning speaking and listening focus course. Comprehension of important points and details in spoken English. Basic conversations on a variety of topics. 

Prerequisites/corequisites/advisories

Prerequisites/Corequisites: None

Advisory: ESLN 3200 or placement in ESLN 3300 (Beginning High 3)

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify main ideas and supporting details in spoken texts at a high beginning level in a variety of contexts.
2. Use high beginning structures and word choice in basic oral communication.

Class Meetings

This class meets entirely online (asynchronously) and may have some optional synchronous meetings in Zoom (8;30-9:20 am) on Tuesdays and /or Thursdays. I will offer a Zoom orientation in the beginning of the semester to help you understand the course, answer questions about important dates, and show you how to learn more about using Canvas. 

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system  [for 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.

Call the Canvas Help line at (844) 592-2198.

You can visit my CCSF instructional website outside of Canvas 

Textbook: Top Notch 1            

You can purchase this book directly from  Pearson California ESL bookstore   (Links to an external site.) and get the net catalog price ($29.50) with free expedited (2-day) shipping. 

Canvas

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system  [for 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.

Call the Canvas Help line at (844) 592-2198.

Zoom Video Conferencing

There are some optional synchronous meetings in Zoom (1:30-2:00 pm) on Tuesdays and /or Thursdays for group help. 

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: 8/29/2022  [Find the following dates in the  Instructional Calendar  or in the online Schedule of Classes by hovering over the deadlines link next to your class listing.]
• Day Class Ends:  12/20/2022

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it.  

• In two weeks, I (instructor) may drop you if... 
•   you don’t let me know why you stop participating in class activities OR   
•   you don’t complete at least one assignment OR 
•   you don’t participate in at least one discussion. 

Attendance

Students who fail to attend the first synchronous Zoom section for orientation or do not log-in to Canvas after the second week and participate in a learning activity will be dropped from the class. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than three homework assignments in a row that you contact me to avoid being dropped from the class.

Late Policy

Late work is okay since this is a non-credit class with open enrollment where new students are joining at different times. I’ll try my best to support new students and continuing students to achieve your learning goals.

Methods of Evaluation

Each week you will complete graded assignments. There is a Discussion, and a Quiz each week. Quizzes. All of these assignments can be completed after reading the textbook assignments and the summaries in the content modules. 

Quizzes/Assignments

There will be online quizzes and assignments throughout the course with 16 modules. The material comes from the textbook with videos and audios in each module, and supplemental multimedia online materials. If any quiz or assignment is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score. It is your responsibility to take the online quizzes and do the assignments in each module by the due date. 

Grading Policy

Visit the “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade and post grades and comments on the online Canvas gradebook.

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

• This is a non-credit ESL course. Students do not receive letter grades (A, B, C, F) or credit in units in non-credit courses, but they do receive Pass, Satisfactory Progress, or No-Pass non-credit grades. 
• You will receive a Pass grade if you complete 70% or more of all assignments for the class. This includes Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes in Canvas.  You will receive Satisfactory Progress if you complete between 40% and 70% of assignments.  You will receive No-Pass if you complete less than 40% of assignments.

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, please let me know as soon as possible. 

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 or email dspsacom@ccsf.edu for assistance. 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 quizzes, the final project, and the final exam on time.
• 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 during the week unless I inform you otherwise.
• I will treat you and your ideas with respect.
• I will grade Discussion posts and replies most often within 48 hours. (If you have posted late work, it may take longer.) Grades on the final project and final exam will be done within a week.
• You will see your grades in the Canvas Gradebook.
• I will work hard to make this a great class.