LIN 3680 - 1845 Modern English Structure Fall 2008

Orientation: Welcome to Modern English Structure, a survey of English grammar based on principles of descriptive rather than prescriptive grammar. Our focus is on preparing you to help English language learners understand how the English language works. Every week we will look at different points of grammar and how they can be taught in fun ways. If you are not interested in learning how to teach English grammar and how to work with English language learners, you should probably drop the class. Though we meet only twice a week, we have three periods. In Thursday we'll take a break between the two scheduled periods. We will not meet the first week of class as the professor will be out of town. Starting September 4, there will be short two point preparaton quizzes at the beginning of each period based the assigned reading for the day.

Grading: Grades will be based on the following criteria:

90 points	Participation and preparation (3 pts x 30 periods starting Tue Sep 2, two-point reading quizzes start Sept 4)*
300 points	6 fifty point grammar quizzes *
10 points	A grammar activity reinforcing an assigned point of grammar*
30 points	Conversation partner *

The points are totaled and divided by 430.
Grades follow this breakdown: 90-100 A, 87-89 B+, 80-86 B, 77-79 C+, 70-76 C, 67-69 D+, 60-66 D.

• Participation and preparation. If you are not here, you can not take part in the activities. There are no excused absenses.  Starting September 4, two of the preparation points will come from a two-point reading quiz based on the assigned chapter for the period. If you are late, you'll miss the quiz and lose the two points.
• Grammar quizzes are a combination short answer, identification, and "explain the broken rule." e.g. *Never I have had such a great time.--what rule was broken? 
• Grammar activities are short 10 minute activities that help English language learners practice some aspect of a grammar rule. There are sample activities in each chapter. You and a partner will select and schedule your grammar topic September 9.  Based that topic, you will choose a grammar rule that you want us to practice in a fun way. The teaching ideas in the text should spur your imagination. Your activity should be action filled and well focused, making use of multiple senses.. Grading: 2 points: timing, 3 points: creatively involving the class in a focussed manner, 3 points: well thought out, well presented, 2 points: materials used. 
• Conversation partner.  Go to  the English Language Institute at 315 Norman Hall and sign up to be a conversation partner with a non-native speaker of English. To get the 30 points you will need to meet with your assigned student at least 6 different times (6 hour minimum). For each meeting keep a log recording who you met with, when and where you met and how long, what you did, and discussing something you noticed about their English grammar in relationship to the topics we talk about in class. On the last day of class, hand in your report log with a 2 page summary of grammatical insights the experience gave you. Have your conversation partner sign your log. DUE: Nov 22 Grading: 6 points: when met, how long, six times, 18 points: six logs include what done and grammar observation, 6 points: two page summary of grammar insights as related to class topics.

	Tuesday	Thursday Part I	Thursday Part II
Week 1 Aug 26/28	XXX	XXX	XXX
Week 2 Sep 2/4	Introduction	1. Word order	2. Articles
Week 3 Sep 9/11	3. Presents	Review	Quiz 1
Week 4 Sep 16/18	4. Pasts	5. Futures	6. Adjectives
Week 5 Sep23/25	7. Some/any	Review	Quiz 2
Week 6 - Sep 30/Oct2	8. Modals	9. Prepositions	10. Genitives
Week 7 - Oct 7/9	11. Compounds	Review	Quiz 3
Week 8 - Oct 14/16	12. More modals	13. Passives	14. DO complements
Week 9 - Oct 21/23	15. Autosegmentals I	Review	Quiz 4
Week 10 - Oct 28/30	16. Indirect speech	17. Phrasal verbs	18. Autosegmentals II
Week 11 - Nov 4/6	19. Subjunctives	Review	Quiz 5
Week 12 - Nov 11/13	XXX	20. Conditionals	21. Waifs
Week 13 - Nov 18/20	22. Future developments	Appendix 6 Spelling	Review CONV PART DUE
Week 14 - Nov 25/27	Quiz 6	THANKSGIVING	THANKSGIVING
Week 15 - Dec 2/4	XXX	XXX	XXX
Week 16, - Dec 9	XXX