Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Note the Venue

To maximize student success, we will have regularly scheduled class time in the ILC. Our time will be 16:10-18:10 every Wednesday beginning this week! I will be available to help students get started. Your ongoing work will be tracked in a log.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Off and posting!

Congratulations to those who have created a blog and successfully sent me their links! Please check out yours and classmates' blogs in the student links section.

The next step is to post the procedure essays. Enter your dashboard and select new post. Copy and paste your essays from word docs. Always save a back up until your portfolio has been graded.The title for the first procedure essay should be: Procedure Essay: How to Fail the Portfolio. The title for your second post: Procedure Essay: The Hajj. Remember all procedure essays should be written using the imperative form of the verb and utilizing organizational words: first, next, then, after that, etc. Elizabeth is available in the ALZ to proofread assignments. Once again, I encourage you to make use of this resource. I will be commenting on your posts in the comments section. You may then edit your essays. They will not be graded until the portfolio deadline. This will be our drafting system; please do not send assignments through email.

If you are missing any assignment hand outs, there will be a sign up sheet available in the classroom today, so that I may get more printed.

I appreciate all your enthusiasm for a successful term.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Fresh Start

Greetings 125 Students,

Eid Mubarek! I hope you all have had a good holiday and are ready for the regular class schedule.

We have had a bumpy start in this class. With new students joining us throughout the weeks our class has grown dramatically.

To meet this challenge, we will take several steps to help everyone maximize opportunities for success. If you are a new student, please partner with one of the original students to ensure you have gotten all the information you need. Please see me if you are missing any handouts. I encourage everyone who has not yet registered in the ALZ to do so as soon as possible and to make use of the facility for extra help with writing process. Please also utilize the ILC IELTS programs for extra listening, reading and writing practice. Finally, we will be transferring from a binder style portfolio to an electronic portfolio. Your writings will be saved on a blog you create and linked to my blog. You may access future information about the class at this blogsite to remain up to date with assignments.

I look forward to getting to know you all in further detail as you develop your profiles and begin posting. Blog on!