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Required texts
Brown, H. D. (2014). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
Schaller, S. (1995). A Man without Words. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Both texts are available on reserve at the Library. Other readings will be uploaded to Blackboard.
Course grades
Assignments will receive letter grades based on the percentage of all points a student receives for a
given assignment. Similarly, final grades will be assigned based on the percentage of all points possible
in this course (1000 pts) that the student has received during the semester. The percentages and
corresponding letter grades are:
Dr. K will generally grade each assignment within one week. It is YOUR responsibility to check
Blackboard regularly to monitor your grades and notify Dr. K if you have any concerns. If you have any
questions or concerns about a given grade, you must contact Dr. K within 10 days of receiving the grade.
Assignments
Points will be awarded in the following amounts, for a maximum of 1000 pts:
Quizzes 50 pts (10 x 5 pts)
Linguistic Autobiography 50 pts
A Man Without Words Report 100 pts
Textbook Critique 100 pts
Course Reflections 150 pts (3 x 50 pts)
Midterm Exam 200 pts
Research Paper & Presentation 250 pts
Attendance and Participation 100 pts
Quizzes
You will take a total of 10 in-class Quizzes. The Quizzes are intended to serve as a brief
comprehension check to make sure that you’ve done the assigned readings for the day and that you
are prepared for class. You will be able to use the textbook and your notes when taking the Quizzes.
The Quizzes canNOT be made up.
Linguistic Autobiography
In this informal essay, you will identify events, experiences, and/or individuals who have impacted
your linguistic growth and your linguistic identity. Next, you will formulate your own definitions of
“first language acquisition” and “second language acquisition.”
Textbook Critique
You will write a critical review of a textbook for English language learners. You will describe and
discuss the book’s layout, structure, content, and other features. In addition, you will evaluate and
ENGL 4013 Syllabus 3
critique the book’s usefulness and appropriateness, given what you have learned about second
language acquisition and teaching.
Course Reflections
You will submit three Course Reflections this semester (on 1/31, 2/28, and 4/18). A Reflection is an
analytical and reflective response to the readings and ideas we have been discussing in class (any
readings/ideas discussed up to that point; not just those scheduled for a given day). A Course
Reflection is NOT a summary of the readings! Instead, it is a text that demonstrates your critical
thinking about the ideas encountered in this course—for example, by extending key concepts and
applying them to new situations, analyzing the ideas and providing novel examples, synthesizing the
information in novel ways and connecting them to your own life, evaluating the ideas, theories, and
concepts, or creating/proposing new frameworks, interpretations and applications. Each Reflection
should be 400-500 words, typed on a computer, and submitted as a Word file to Blackboard by
midnight. In evaluating Reflections, Dr. K will consider the following criteria:
The text has a clearly stated thesis or central idea early in the text.
The text shows the author has thought carefully about the issues raised in the readings and
class discussions.
The author supports his or her own argument/opinion with relevant, detailed evidence,
examples and sound logic (try to avoid generalizations).
The text clearly and directly references the ideas from the readings or class discussions
(make sure to specify the source or author of the idea).
The author considers alternative viewpoints to his or her own.
The text is well organized (uses multiple paragraphs or sections to make distinct points;
stays focused and effectively moves from one idea to another; has a clear thesis/central idea
and conclusion).
The writing is clear and uses appropriate academic vocabulary, spelling, and grammar.
Midterm Exam
You will take an in-class midterm exam that covers the first half of the course.
regular semester or after seven calendar days during a summer session, a student may be
dropped from the class for excessive unexcused absences at the request of the instructor. If this
occurs, a grade of WF (withdrawal with failure) will be given for the course.”
In this course, if you miss more than one class meeting, you may be dropped!
If at any point during the semester you become seriously ill or are facing other serious, unavoidable
circumstances (personal, financial, or other) that prevent you from coming to class, submitting
assignments on time, or turning in your best work, you must contact Dr. K as soon as possible. Some
absences may count as excused and some deadlines may be extended, but you have to let Dr. K
know in a timely manner!
Deadlines
All major assignments and deadlines are listed in the course schedule, but during the semester Dr. K
may change some assignments or deadlines, or create new assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to
stay informed about what is due and when. You should attend all classes and check your SAU e-mail
and Blackboard regularly.
Technical difficulties
Technical difficulties—including broken computers, problems with
Internet connectivity, etc.—are NEVER an excuse for late or
missed work! You should always plan ahead to ensure that you
will can submit your work before the due date and you should
regularly back up all your work. Consider using a free
cloud/storage service, like Dropbox or Google Drive.
Contacting Dr. K
To contact Dr. K, please use the information listed on the first page of
this syllabus. When e-mailing Dr. K, use proper email etiquette:
Include an informative subject line, begin with an appropriate
greeting, use appropriate grammar and spelling, and sign with your
full name, class number or title, and class meeting time. Moreover,
you should allow at least 24 hours for Dr. K to respond to e-mails
during the week and longer during weekends and holidays. Finally,
please keep in mind that Dr. K will NOT discuss your grades in an e-
mail. If you wish to discuss your grade, you must set up an
appointment with Dr. K.
While class is taking place, you may NOT wear headphones in your ears or chew gum or tobacco.
You are expected to participate cooperatively, constructively, and to the best of your ability in
all class activities, while respecting the different experiences, beliefs and values expressed by
everyone in this course. Any behavior that could be distracting to Dr. K or your classmates—
including but not limited to off-topic conversations, use of cell phones, or chewing/spitting
tobacco—is considered disrespectful and should be avoided. If you fail to behave in an engaged
and respectful manner, you may be asked to leave a class meeting and will receive an unexcused
absence. In both your in-class and online interactions with classmates, you are expected to
avoid any language that may be construed as hate speech—in other words, any words or
phrases that could be understood as threatening, insulting, or degrading to a person or group
based on characteristics such as race, gender or gender identity, or sexual orientation.
It is the policy of SAU to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal law, state
law, and the University's commitment to equal education opportunities. Any student with a
disability who needs accommodation should inform the instructor at the beginning of the
course. Students with disabilities are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disabilities
Support Services, 216 Reynolds Center, 870-235-4154.
Academic integrity at SAU is an organizational and individual responsibility to honesty in all
learning experiences. Any act of dishonesty in academic work constitutes academic misconduct
and is subject to disciplinary action. Acts of dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
A. Plagiarism—the act of taking and/or using the ideas, work, and/or writings of another
person as one’s own.
B. Cheating—an act of dishonesty with the intention of obtaining and/or using information in
a fraudulent manner.
C. Fabrication—faking or forging a document, signature or findings of a research project.
D. Resubmission—submitting a work you have submitted for credit in a previous class.
If you are caught committing plagiarism or any other act of academic dishonesty, you will
automatically receive a grade of 0 on the assignment and be required to meet with the dean of
the College of Liberal and Performing Arts; other penalties may be assessed at the instructor’s
discretion, depending on the severity of the offense.