UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO

RIO PIEDRAS CAMPUS

COLLEGE OF GENERAL STUDIES
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Course Title

Basic English I

Course Number

English 3101

Credits/hours

3 credits per semester (3 class hours)

Pre-requisites

CEEB-ESLAT score: 470-580

Course Description :
This is an interdisciplinary course that fulfills the English requirement for the
general education component of the bachelors degree. It is a course of English for
academic purpose. This course covers the study of essays as well as other nonfictional readings. It emphasizes an integrated literature approach focused on the
study of inter and multidisciplinary content. The course seeks to help students
develop their ability to think logically, read actively, and write clearly. Students
develop the competencies to move from a simple literal understanding of ideas and
events towards the more complex intellectual levels of analysis and critical thinking.
In addition, the course aims to help students use linguistic and research tools
effectively.
On the basis of the standards of language proficiency of the ACTFL (American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), the students of English 3101 range
from intermediate mid to intermediate high.
General Course Objectives:
Consistent with the English Departments general objectives, by the end of their first
semester of English, the students will demonstrate, through a variety of forms of
evaluation and on the basis of the standards for the different levels established by
the English Department that they are making progress in their ability to:
1. Communicate orally and intelligibly in a variety of academic situations.
2. Apply comprehension competencies in reading of non-fictional selections.
3. Apply interpretative-analytical competencies in reading of non-fictional
selections.
4. Evaluate the relevance and validity of information in non-fictional selections.
5. Critically examine aesthetic, ethical, humanistic and cultural values in
representative literary works.
6. Express ideas in written form with clarity, precision, coherence, unity, and logic.
7. Demonstrate the ability to use the library and computer technology for
preliminary research.
8. Demonstrates the ability to access the needed information effectively, efficiently,
ethically and legally.
9. Collaborate in the inclusion of students with disabilities into all class activities.

Outline and Time Distribution

(Each professor will establish the specific topics and content of his/her course)
Sample topics
I. Introduction
A. Initial diagnostics
B. Presentation and discussion of the course outline

(3 hrs.)

II. Unit on Education

A. Reflections on Educational Issues
B. What True Education Should Do
C. Why Go To a University
D. Becoming Educated
E. Keys to College Success

(12 hrs.)

III. Unit on Language

A. Language
B. The Key of Language
C. Symbols of Humankind
D. The Miracle Worker

(9 hrs.)

IV. Current Social Issue

Each professor will select a topic of interest.

(12 hrs.)

V. Integrative Sessions
(9 hrs.)
A. Oral presentations integrating readings and class discussions.
B. Other activities such as panel discussion focusing on semester issues
Instructional Strategies

TOTAL: 45 hours

In the teaching of English 3101, professors carry out a number of activities with
students. Some of these are: guide questions, group work, oral presentations, the
use of dictionaries, providing exercises for practice on the elements of the essay,
outlining, summarizing, visiting the library, movies, audio-recordings, conferences
and guest speakers.
Required resources
Regular classroom.
Educational materials (films transparencies, audiotapes, among others)
Audio visual equipment
Evaluation Strategies
Each professor will determine the specific weights and strategies.
Alternate evaluation methods will be provided to students with special needs.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Exams
Quizzes and homework assignments
Class participation
Written work
Final Exam

40%
10%
20%
20%
10%
TOTAL: 100%

Grading Systems
A 100 - 90
B 89 - 80
C 79 - 70
D 69 - 60
F 59 - 0
Law 51 Law 238
In accordance with the recommendation of the Dean of Students Office (Division for
Persons with Disabilities) students who are clients of the Office of Vocational
Rehabilitation must contact the professor at the beginning of the semester in order
to make arrangements for reasonable accommodations and for any necessary
auxiliary equipment. Other students with special needs who require any kind of
assistance or reasonable accommodations should also contact the professor.
Bibliography
Bothwell, Etta K. and Clara Costa, Eds. The Essay and Short Story Reader. Fort
Worth: Harcourt Brace, 2002.
Costa, C., Ed. Reading and Thinking About Essays and Short Stories. NY: Thomson
Heinle, 2007
Dixson, Robert J. Grammar Essentials. New York: Longman, 2004.
Holder, Victoria. Inside Out Outside In. Houghton Mifflin, New York, 2001.
More Grammar Practice 2. Heinle and Heinle Publishers, Boston, 2004.
Ruetten, Mary K. Developing Composition Skills. Second Edition. Heinle and Heinle
Publishers, Boston, 2004.
Internet Resources:
Antonette, Marissa L.; Examining how the inclusion of disabled students into the
general classroom may affect non-disabled classmates. Copyright 2003
Fordham Urban Law Journal. Sept. 2003. http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com
Avoid Plagiarism http://www.writing.nwu.edu

ESL Resources for Students http://owl.english.purdue.edu

Heuman, Judith E. Making a good law better: IDEA proposal stresses greater
parental involvement and student inclusion. (Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act) (includes related information) (Education).
http://web.infotrac.galegroup.com
How to Search the Internet Effectively http://www.media-awareness.ca
Net Lingo The Internet Dictionary http://www.netlingo.com
Resources for the teacher: Web pages and tutorials on the use of the
www. http://www.webteacher.org.
Study Skills for Students
http://vark-learn.com
http://www.ucc.vt.ed
http://www.sas.calpoly.edu
Teaching for Inclusion, Strategies for Inclusive Teaching, General Strategies.
http://ctl.unc.edu/tifloc.html
Revised February 2012