University of Petra

Faculty of Arts and Sciences ‫كلية اآلداب و العلوم‬

Department of English ‫قسم اللغة اإلنجليزية‬

Course Syllabus
Year: 2020-2021 Semester: First
Credit Hours
Course No. Course Title Prerequisite Co-requisite
Lectures /Lab.
Reading and
402205 Summarization 402102 Three

Instructor Office No.

e-mail Office ext. Office Hours
Name
11:00 – 12:00
Dr Waleed Waleed.othman@uop.edu.jo Sun. & Tues.
Othman 9:45 – 10:45
Mon. & Wed.

Coordinator's Name:
Dr. Dima Al-Qutob

This three-hour course is designed to introduce students to a variety of

text types from different authentic sources. Students are expected to
interact with the contextual material and react to its organization and
content. Different reading comprehension strategies are presented and
practiced. Students are also introduced to the basic techniques of
summarization and paraphrasing through reading authentic texts. The
Short Course texts will be supported by carefully graded tasks to help students put
Description their thoughts on paper clearly and succinctly.
Vocabulary improvement is a major focus area.The course aims to
improve students’ vocabulary building skills through its focus on the
analysis of word parts and vocabulary recognition strategies.
Appropriate grammar that is needed to perfect the above mentioned
skills is also taught.

Course Objectives
 Teach students the necessary reading skills and strategies.
 Help students increase their reading fluency.
 Train students to organize information in given texts.
 Train students to identify the main idea in a text.
 Train students to distinguish between main idea and supporting details.
 Train students to summarize paragraphs then articles with accurate punctuation and spelling.
 Train students to paraphrase texts using their reservoir of academic vocabulary

FORM # QF ACA 012-02 E, Rev .B 1

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and their Alignment with Program ILOs,
Teaching and Learning Methods, and Assessment Methods:
Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to achieve the following learning
outcomes:
Assessment Teaching and Program Course ILOs
Method Learning ILOs
Method
Knowledge (K)
Written Detailed K1 k1- Identify the main idea and the supporting
tests explanation by details.
and home the teacher after
assignments which students
practice
skimming to
find the main
idea in selected
paragraphs.
Written Students are k2- Identify vocabulary strategies which will
tests and given enhance their speed in reading.
class handouts and
asked to
participation
guess the
meanings of
underlined
.words
Written tests Classroom K5 k3- Define concepts pertaining to the course
discussions
Intellectual Skills (I)
Classroom I2 i1Analyze ideas presented in given texts through the
discussions application of reading strategies.
Witten tests Classroom 15 i2- Differentiate between literal and implied meaning.
and discussions i3- Interpret a text or part of a text.
homework followed by pair i4 -Organize information in many kinds of charts.
assignments work or group i5- Make use of word formation to guess meaning.
work. i6- Paraphrase specific texts.
Home i7- Summarize specific texts.
assignments Fill T chart or a
venn diagram
chart with
information
from reading
selections.

Practical skills (P)

p1 - Use academic vocabulary related to the subjects
studied.
Written Classroom p2 - Make inferences to show full understanding of
tests discussions texts.

FORM # QF ACA 012-02 E, Rev .B 2

 Pair work and P2 p3 - Skim to Identify main ideas and supporting details
group work
Homework In class P4 p4 - Use appropriate cohesive devices in written texts.
Assignments assignments
to be Homework
assessed and assignments
graded
Transferable Skills (T)
Tests based Classroom T3 t1 - Differentiate between facts and opinions while
on world activities reading texts.
standardized t2 - Apply knowledge of reading strategies and
tests. writing summaries in different professional contexts.
T4

Course Schedule:
We Topic Details Course ILO Reference
ek number
1 Life and education in England (a reading I3 Interactions 2
selection). Getting meaning from context. K1
Types of context clues: punctuation, Unit 1
examples, synonyms, antonyms and logic.

2 Skimming to Identify the topic and main idea k1 Interactions 2

in , “Campus life is changing” Unit 1
3 Organizing information using a T chart. K2 Interactions 2
Giving short presentations on individual T Unit 1
charts and answering peers’ questions.
4 Students respond to the reading selection in T3 Interactions 2
writing by summarizing a paragraph from the Unit 1
reading selection. Students also write another
paragraph expressing their own ideas. K2
5 Discussing “A City that is doing something I3 Interactions 2
right” (a reading selection). Getting meaning P2 Unit 2
from context. Identifying the main idea. K1
6 Identifying supporting details in the reading K1 Interactions 2
selection. Understanding italics. Unit 2
Understanding contrast.
7 Making inferences. Making predictions about T1 Interactions 2
causes of indoor pollution in order to read” T2 Unit 2
Sick building Syndrome”. Working on parts
of speech; nouns, adverbs and adjectives by
activating prior knowledge.
8 Writing summaries for the reading selections P7 Interactions 2
and a general discussion on the areas of I6 Unit 2
weakness in the written summaries. Building I5
vocabulary
9 Business and Money. Banking on poor K1 Interactions 2
women (a reading selection) where new Unit 3
modern and work related vocabulary is

FORM # QF ACA 012-02 E, Rev .B 3

 discussed like entrepreneurship and micro I7
lending etc. Skimming for the main idea of
the whole reading passage, then the main idea
in each paragraph. Organizing ideas in the
reading selection in a Venn diagram.
10 Activity done at home. Students write their T1 Interactions 2
own Venn diagrams (graphic organizers) by T2 Unit 3
choosing topics according to their interests;
two authors or two artists or football teams on T3
condition that students research to give useful
information.
Consumerism and the human brain (a second K2
reading selection).Students guess meanings of
new words from context employing the
context clues which they had learned.
11 Jobs and professions, Changing career trends P1 Interactions 2
(a reading selection). Reading aloud with ease Unit 4
and fluency. Students identify cause and I8
effect in the reading selection and organize it
using a graphic organizer. Students use K1
modern work related concept words like,
telecommuting, outsourcing, workaholism, P3
job hopping, globalization and job security
etc. P1

12 Students identify the main idea and the K1 Interactions 2

supporting details in each paragraph. After Unit 4
that they summarize the second reading P2
selection, looking for work in the 20th cen.
Students write their own ideas on topics T1
related to the reading selection (homework).
Students discuss the meanings of proverbs
and quotations in groups then there is a class T3
discussion in which students explain why they
agree or disagree with these proverbs.

13 Interpreting. Understanding figurative I4 “TheRoad Less

language. Students practice practical criticism Travelled” by Robert
in order to get some training on understanding P4 Frost “A
multilayered literary texts. Blessing” by Richard
Students learn to differentiate between literal I3 Wright.
meaning and symbolic meaning and they are
encouraged to be imaginative.
14 Students practice paraphrasing and T3
summarization of longer texts without I4
prior discussions on new vocabulary items. P4
After a discussion of the students’ common
mistakes, students are provided with sample
answers.

FORM # QF ACA 012-02 E, Rev .B 4

 15 Revision

Assessment Methods and Grading System:

Comments Grade Assessment method

20% Test one
20% Test two
10% Quizzes
10% Home work
40% Final exam
100 Total

Learning References:
1- Textbook (s):
Pamela Hartmann and Elaine Kirrn (2007) Interactions 2.McGraw Hill
J. Millington Ward O Level English Practice ( 1989)
2- References:
Laurie Barton and Carolyn Dupaquier Sardinas (2009) North Star 3 Reading and Writing, Third Edition.
Pearson
Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren (1988) Understanding Poetry, Fifth edition. Heine &Heine
3- Other Resources:
<<Labs, computer resources, lecture rooms needed for the course>>

Course Policies1

 Attendance Policy: University regulations apply to attendance.

 Academic Honesty: Academic dishonesty is an unacceptable mode of conduct, and will not
be tolerated in any form at University of Petra. All persons involved in academic dishonesty
and plagiarism in any form will be disciplined in accordance with University rules and
regulations.
Approved by Name Date Signature
Coordinator of
Curriculum Committee
Faculty Dean/ Head of
Department

FORM # QF ACA 012-02 E, Rev .B 5

1
Additional information may be added in this section according to the nature of the course.