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READING COMPREHENSION (ENG 115, L2)

College of Languages & Translation

(Academic Term 2, 1444 H)

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Tariq A. AlKhaleefah

Office: 163
Tel: 2586197
E-mail: tariqkh.ksa@gmail.com
Office hours: Wednesdays, from 12.30 -14.15
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I. Course Description

ENG115 is a course designed to help EFL students (L2) develop their reading
comprehension abilities and skills by enabling them to be skilled and competent readers by
reading different topics from the assigned textbook. By the end of this course, students
should be able to develop their vocabulary-building skills, and important word- and text-
related strategies that include, for instance, contextual guessing of unknown words,
scanning for specific information, identifying main ideas in the text, making predictions
about text content, summarizing, identifying a writer's point of view, making connections
between parts of the text, and so forth. Moreover, students will be able to exchange ideas,
understand points of view, evaluate text content, and develop their critical-thinking and
critical reading skills.

II. Course Objectives (learning outcomes)

This course is specifically designed to familiarize students with:

▪ Developing students’ reading comprehension skills
▪ Increasing students’ abilities in speed and fluent reading
▪ Developing students’ vocabulary-building skills
▪ Developing students’ critical thinking skills
▪ Training students to use effective reading strategies to understand text content.

III. Teaching Methods and Strategies

▪ Lectures
▪ In-class reading tasks/activities
▪ Group work and class discussion
▪ Online teacher-student interactive platforms

IV. Course Assessment/Grading

▪ Mid-term Exam 30 marks
▪ In class unit-related exercises 15 marks
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▪ Unit-related homework 8 marks

▪ Attendance, participation, and group work 7 marks
▪ Final exam 40 marks

V. Assigned Textbook

Douglas, N., and Bohlke, D. (2019). Reading Explorer 3 (3rd ed.). Heinle ELT.1

VI. Course Week Plans

Unit Topics Covered No. of Week Contact

Weeks Hours
7 Energy Solution: A. Powering the Planet 2 2-3 2
Energy Solution: B. City of the Future?
8 Epic Engineering: A. China's Grand Canal 2 4-5 2
Epic Engineering: B. Highway of Dreams
9 High-Tech Solutions: A. The Power of Virtual Reality 2 6-7 2
High-Tech Solutions: B. High-Flying Helpers
10 All in the Mind: A. What's on Your Mind? 2 8-9 2
All in the Mind: B. Inside Animal Minds
11 Visual Pioneers: A. Van Gogh's World 2 9-10 2
Visual Pioneers: B. Seeing the Light
12 Far Out: A. Defying Gravity 2 10-11 2
Far Out: B. The Ultimate Trip

VII. Course Assignments & Requirements

1. Reading assignments: We will be reading six units (shown above) from the
assigned textbook this semester. Please do the reading assignments in advance and be
prepared to discuss the materials in class when asked.

2. Mid-term exam: This test aims to assess your reading comprehension skills by
presenting you with some unseen passages (not from the assigned textbook) and asking
you to answer some reading comprehension questions. The other part of the exam aims
to assess your reading and vocabulary skills from the units already covered in the
textbook. You will be notified about the exact date of the exam.

1This is the same textbook assigned for students last semester (L1), but students here are expected to cover the other part
of the textbook (from Chapter 7 to Chapter 12). This is a B2 according to the CEFR correlation.
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3. In-class unit-related activities: You're expected to engage in unit-related

reading tasks and activities (in group and individually) as prescribed by the textbook
exercises. The overall objective of such reading comprehension activities is to train you
develop and use your reading strategies and academic study skills.

4. A selected unit-related assignment/homework: You're also expected to do

an assigned part of a specific unit as a homework assignment. This involves a pre-
selected passage in one of the units from you textbook and complete the exercises that
follow.

5. Group work: Much of the advice and suggestions you will receive regarding your
reading skills will come from your classmates via group work. Several times throughout
the semester, we will be asked to get into small groups of 3-4 students. In these groups,
you should have the opportunity to share your understanding of the passages read and
your answers to the reading activities that follow each passage.

6. Participation: This course does not only expect that you attend classes regularly
and on time but it also requires that you should be prepared to answer questions and
discuss the materials with your classmates either in groups or individually. Your
thoughts and insights are important to the class. Remember that lack of participation
will result in a reduction of the marks assigned for classroom interaction/participation.

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Last update: 10 December 2022