Woodbridge Campus

ESL 22 040W: English as a Second Language, Reading and Vocabulary

Spring 2025
Monday and Wednesday: 12:45 – 3:10 pm
In-person Room: WV1 A110

How can I contact my instructor?

Instructor Email/ Phone Office hours

Crystal Genduso cgenduso@nvcc.edu On campus: Mon. and Wed.: 8:00-9:30 am
571/286-9991 (WV3 – E109)
Virtual: Tues. and Thurs.: By appointment

Canvas: http://learn.vccs.edu
In the event of an emergency cancellation of class, please check Canvas for further instructions.

What will I learn in this course?

This course provides instruction and practice in reading and vocabulary development at the low-
intermediate level. Improves students’ reading fluency, proficiency, and vocabulary to enable
them to function adequately in ESL Level 3 and prepare for college-level reading. Credits are
not applicable toward graduation. Lecture 5 hours per week.

Goal 1 - Students will comprehend simple authentic text on a low intermediate level or short
sections of longer text.

Objectives
Students will be able to:
A. read to answer specific factual questions
B. read to answer inferential questions
C. begin to distinguish fact from opinion in the text
D. state the main idea of the text
E. participate effectively in group discussions of the ideas in the text
F. restate ideas from the text in their own words
G. respond to the text in writing

Goal 2 - Students will attain competence in vocabulary usage.

Objectives
Students will be able to:
A. use an English-English dictionary with increasing speed and accuracy;
B. rely on context clues, both for guessing and in conjunction with dictionary usage;
C. expand vocabulary by learning synonyms;
D. expand vocabulary by using suffixes to change word forms.
Major Topics to be Included

 reading to obtain information

 reading for fluency
 responding affectively to readings
 identifying main ideas
 summarizing short passages
 developing vocabulary
 improving reading and learning habits
 improving reading and processing rates
 understanding basic text structure: introduction, body, conclusion
 understanding and following oral and written directions

What textbook and materials do I need for this class?

1. Groundwork for College Reading (with Ten Steps Plus)

By Langan, John
Edition: 5th
Publisher: Townsend
ISBN 13: 9781591944799

2. Reliable access to internet

3. Webster’s Dictionary for Students

Edition: 6th
Publisher: Federal Street Press
ISBN 13: 978-1596951792

4. Pencil with an eraser

How will my grade be determined?

This is a Pass (S), Fail (U), Withdraw (W), or Re-enroll (R) course.
(S) 75% or higher on course work and can move to the next level.
(R) You are making satisfactory progress toward meeting the course requirements but need
more time to complete them. You must register for ESL 22 again.
(U) You have excessive absences and/or work is unacceptable or not complete. You must
register for ESL 22 again.
(W) by Feb.18 for $ refund
(V) by Apr. 3 without grade penalty/no $ refund

Your grade will be determined as follows:

1. Assignments, classwork, participation 50%
2. Test 1 15%
3. Test 2 15%
4. Final exam 20%

You can view grades and feedback on assignments in the Canvas Gradebook. Be sure to ask
questions if you do not understand something. You may do this via email. It is important for you
to take advantage of my office hours for help. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to
ask for help. It is much easier to take care of these problems when they are small.

Are there important things for me to remember for class?

Regular class attendance is important to your success. Missing more than four classes will
result in a grade of “U”. You will need to take the class again in another semester. Three (3)
tardies (more than 15 minutes late) count as a full absence towards your total of two allowed
absences. If you leave after the break, this will count as ½ absence.

Please exchange telephone numbers with one or two classmates so that homework
assignments can be made up in case of absence. If you are absent, you may also check
Canvas for the new assignment.

You are expected to submit every assignment by its due date. If unforeseen circumstances
prevent you from being able to submit an assignment on time, send me an email explaining the
situation BEFORE the due date. Failing to do this will result in a 0 on the assignment.

All written assignments MUST be TYPED, double-spaced, on a computer in size 10 or 12 type.

Many assignments will be submitted to Canvas.

Be considerate of yourself:
 Attend class regularly, arrive to class on time, stay through the full period, and bring all
necessary materials.
 Come to class prepared; in particular, you should have finished all required readings and
assignments for that day and you should have all work to be submitted in hand.
 Expect to work two hours outside class for every hour spent in class.

Be considerate of other people:

 Do not engage in behavior that detracts from the learning experience. Talking in class,
sleeping, working on assignments for other classes, and moving unnecessarily in and
out of the classroom all distract others and limit your own learning.
 Set all electronic devices that make noise to silent.
 Because the classroom should be a place for the free discussion of ideas, you should
conduct and express yourself in a way that is respectful of all people. A diversity of
opinion should be welcome in class.
 Wait to discuss your personal progress with your instructors until after class or in a
meeting during the instructor’s office hours. At the beginning of a class session,
instructors are usually concentrating on preparations for class.
 If you choose to bring a mobile device to class, your instructor has the liberty to decide if
it is being used appropriately.

Be considerate of property:
 Keep the classroom, library, computer center, and campus clean and free of litter.
 Leave the classroom as orderly as – or more orderly than – you found it.
 Do not misuse (infect, modify, or destroy) computer software, data, equipment, or
networks.

If you choose not to abide by this code of conduct, the following steps will be taken:
  You must see the Associate Dean before being allowed to return to class. Your access
to your course’s Canvas site will be made unavailable to you until you do so.
 If the issue is unresolved with the Associate Dean, you must see the Dean of Language
Arts and Social Sciences.

What do I need to know about cheating and similar types of misbehavior?

NOVA does not tolerate academic dishonesty. As outlined in more detail in The Student
Handbook, academic dishonesty can include, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam or quiz
and submitting work that is not your own (plagiarism). Because faculty members share a
responsibility for a student’s education and the value of a NOVA degree, they seek to prevent
unethical behavior and, when necessary, respond to infringements of academic integrity.
Penalties can include a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course,
suspension, or expulsion from the college. Procedures for disciplinary measures and appeals
are outlined in the NOVA Student Handbook and the Academic Integrity Policy.

Please note that assignments may be submitted through Turn It In on Canvas . This
application searches internet sources along with a database of previously submitted papers
from all over the country (NOVA and all other schools that use Canvas/Turn It In). This means
that papers previously submitted for other courses (whether written by you or other students)
along with papers purchased WILL be flagged. I strongly encourage every student to keep this
in mind when submitting their work. Do not share your writing with others and do not
submit writing that is not your original work.

No Generative AI Usage Permitted For the duration of this course, the use of Generative AI in
assignments is strictly prohibited. Assignments are opportunities for personal growth, critical
thinking, and applying your acquired knowledge. Your individual effort and creativity are
essential in demonstrating your understanding of the course material. Dependence on AI
undermines these objectives and compromises the integrity of the learning process. We
appreciate your commitment to academic honesty and dedication to upholding this course's
principles by refraining from using Generative AI in your assignments.

What do I do if I have a disability?

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), disability services are available to all currently enrolled students who have a
documented disability that substantially limits them in one or more of life's major activities and
who are otherwise academically qualified.

Northern Virginia Community College makes every effort to accommodate individuals with
disabilities. If you have accommodation needs, please call your campus Disability Support
Service within 14 working days prior to attending a scheduled event. ASL interpreter requests
may be made by emailing interpreters@nvcc.edu at least four weeks prior to attending a
scheduled event.

Woodbridge campus Disability Support Service, WV3, Building H

 Pamela Lucas
 (703) 878-5761
 plucas@nvcc.edu
Is there a policy for using email?

All professors and students should communicate via VCCS (Virginia Community College
System) e-mail accounts and NOT private accounts, i.e., yahoo.com, hotmail.com, etc. You
have access to your email through Canvas; however, emails from the college do not go through
Canvas, so you will need to check email in both places.

What if I need help with technology?

Here is a phone number for the IT Helpdesk: 703-426-4141

How do I know if class is cancelled?

If the college needs to close (i.e. due to inclement weather or other reasons), please check your
Canvas site for an announcement from me if it affects our class for instructions. I highly
encourage you to register with NOVA alert at https://www.getrave.com/login/nvcc so you can
receive text message alerts from NOVA. News of closures and delayed openings can be found
on the NOVA homepage www.nvcc.edu, by calling 703 323-3000, and on local television and
radio stations. For more information
visit https://www.nvcc.edu/student-life/college-safety/emergency-preparedness/closing.html

Continuity of instruction: In some circumstances, in-person classes may be held via Zoom. If
this happens, or if I need to be absent, I will send you an email and post an announcement in
Canvas. Remote classes are recorded to allow you to listen to them again as needed.

Are there important dates I should know?

 Feb. 4: First class meeting of ESL 22

 Feb. 18: Last day to drop ESL 22 with tuition refund
 Mar. 17-23: Spring break – No Class
 Apr. 3: Last date to drop without a grade penalty
 May. 5: Last class
 May 7: Final Exam 12:00 pm

Emergency and Safety Syllabus Insert (WO) - 2023.pdf

Fall 2023 Syllabus Insert.docx.pdf