This course is designed to help students improve their reading skills. The goals include increased comprehension, vocabulary, and the student’s ability to remember what they have read. These skills and strategies provide a foundation needed to succeed in other college classes which require college-level textbook reading. The student must attain a grade of “C” or better to advance. This is a three credit hour course. Prerequisite: TS 113 Developmental Reading or appropriate score on a placement exam

This course is designed to provide strategies to enable students to improve their overall reading skills. This course is a developmental course and there is no guarantee of transferability to all institutions of higher education. Please check with the receiving institution for transferability.

Required:

Breaking Through College Reading, 10th ed., Smith.

Suggested:

The following supplemental study aids are suggested:
1. An English Dictionary: There are many good dictionaries available for purchase.
2. Tutoring: Students may sign up for free personal tutoring at the NMJC Learning Assistance Center in Mansur Hall Room 121.
3. Writing Reference Book: Little, Brown Essential Handbook 7th ed. (2011), Jane E. Aaron, Pearson/Longman Publisher
4. Brainfuse: NMJC provides an online tutoring service free to students. You will find a link to Brainfuse under "Distance Learning" on the NMJC homepage.

You can buy your books online at the NMJC Bookstore.

Students attending New Mexico Junior College will be evaluated according to the following grading scale:

						90 - 100%	=	A
						80 -  89%	=	B
						70 -  79%	=	C
						60 -  69%	=	D
					 	 0 -  59%	=	F

Grading Distribution:
Homework/Daily Work 20%
Vocabulary 30%
Tests 50%

Tests/quizzes/exercises will be graded in the traditional manner.

Policies:
You will receive a zero for any daily exercises, quizzes, or tests that you miss unless you make arrangements to make up the missed work. Assignments not turned in at the beginning of the designated class period will be considered late and will receive a deduction of one letter grade for each (calendar) day thereafter for a period of three days. Students may submit work within the three day policy if they have not exceeded allowed absences. After three days, the student will receive an F/0 for the assignment. Any student who exceeds allowed absences may not submit work after the due date. If a student has extenuating circumstances, it is that student's responsibility to visit with the instructor before exceeding the allowed absences. If you are having trouble with an assignment, talk to me before it is due.

Grading Requirements to Pass the Course Satisfactorily:
The reading classes are graded by an A-F grading system. In order to pass the class, the student must have:
• a 70% class average
• 81 Compass Test Score
• Exit Conference

Mid-term Level Advance:
At mid-term, the student may try to 'test out' or advance to the next course/level by fulfilling the following requirements:
Strong consistent attendance
70% or better grade average at mid-term
Compass Score of 81 or better
Exit Conference

You may pass this course with a D, but you must pass this course with a C or better to move out of TS123.

This course is intended to help the student increase their overall reading skills by increasing their vocabulary and by building comprehension strategies. By doing so, students may increase their chances of success in other college courses.

The student should be able to:
* Identify and discuss vocabulary and definitions.
* Demonstrate the types of context clues to determine the meaning of words.
* Identify and discuss topic, main idea, supporting details, and central point.
* Identify and describe the reading stages: previewing, integrating knowledge, and recalling.
* Identify and describe organizational patterns.
* Recognize the author’s use of inferences, purpose, and tone.
* Apply annotating, notetaking, summarizing, outlining, and mapping to textbook passages.

Class begins promptly. If you are tardy, you must notify the instructor immediately after class; otherwise, you will be counted absent. If you leave class early, you will receive a tardy. Two tardies equal one absence. Students who have more than six absences in a MWF class, four absences in a TR class, or two absences in a night class may be dropped from this course. All absences and extenuating circumstances need to be explained during office hours, not during class. If students know they are going to be absent, they should make prior arrangements with the instructor. Please email me at hevans@nmjc.edu. The email works twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The instructor's class roll is the official record of attendance.

Should a student be dismissed from the classroom due to some sort of disruption, I expect to see such student before the next time the class meets. Permanent dismissal may result if I deem it necessary to take the problem to the dean. If a student is asked to leave class for any reason, the student will be counted absent for that class period.

If a student has a special health problem, he or she should (please) notify the instructor. (Please only discuss the situation with me during office hours.)

Handouts on various topics will be distributed to the class during the course of the semester. It is the responsibility of the students to make sure they receive all handouts.

You will receive a zero for any daily exercises, quizzes, or tests that you miss unless you make arrangements to make up the missed work. Assignments not turned in at the beginning of the designated class period will be considered late and will receive a deduction of one letter grade for each (calendar) day thereafter for a period of three days. Students may submit work within the three day policy if they have not exceeded allowed absences. After three days, the student will receive an F/0 for the assignment. Any student who exceeds allowed absences may not submit work after the due date. If a student has extenuating circumstances, it is that student's responsibility to visit with the instructor before exceeding the allowed absences. If you are having trouble with an assignment, talk to me before it is due.

If a student misses a test, he/she may NOT make up the test unless the student visits with the instructor before missing the scheduled test. Make-up tests must be completed within three days of the original test date.

Plagiarism is cheating, and any student found guilty of plagiarism will receive a zero on the assignment.

Upon entering the classroom, turn off cell phones and any other electronic devices. Students are not allowed to text and/or use the internet during class time. If this policy is abused, the student will be asked to leave the classroom. The student will receive a zero/absence for that day.

The instructor reserves the right to change the course outline or make exceptions to a policy if she determines it is warranted.

Students will be held responsible for the information on these pages.

Academic Honesty
Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in online academic and professional matters. The College reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or otherwise fails to meet these standards. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other College records. Cheating or gaining illegal information for any type of graded work is considered dishonest and will be dealt with accordingly.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information
Any student requiring special accommodations should contact the Special Needs Student Services Coordinator at (575) 492-2576 or by e-mail at specialneeds@nmjc.edu.

Attendance Policy
Attendance is required at every session of each course for which the student is enrolled. When unavoidable circumstances make attendance impossible, students must provide a satisfactory explanation of their absences to their professors. College-sponsored activities are considered excused absences and the appropriate sponsor of those students who will be absent from class will notify professors. Students having absences due to college-sponsored activities will need to make arrangements with the affected classes / professor to take care of required work; however, arrangements for make-ups should be made within a reasonable time frame, usually within one week of the absence. Regarding make-up work, absences due to late registration are considered the same as regular absences.

Cell Phones/Pagers
All cell phones and pagers must be turned off when the student is participating in any lecture, laboratory, or other learning activity.

Classroom Conduct
The professor is responsible for maintaining a class environment best suited for effective learning. By registering for this class, the student is assumed to have entered into an agreement with New Mexico Junior College and the professor to attend the class regularly and to behave in an appropriate manner at all times. Disruptive behavior may result in the student being removed from the class.

Food and Drink Policy
Food items and soft drinks may not be consumed in NMJC classrooms. Students are also discouraged from bringing food and drink items into the classroom even though these items remain in sealed packaging. Bottled water is permissible.

No Children in the Classroom
In order to adhere to instructional procedures as well as maintain the safety of children, NMJC’s policy of no children in the classrooms (lecture, lab, etc.) will be followed.

Plagiarism
Offering the work of another as one’s own, without proper acknowledgment, is plagiarism; therefore, any student who fails to give credit for quotations or essentially identical expression of material taken from books, encyclopedias, magazines and other reference works, or from the themes, reports, or other writings of a fellow student, is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism violates the academic honesty policy and is considered cheating.

Smoking/Use of Tobacco
New Mexico Junior College is cognizant of the health hazards associated with smoking / use of tobacco for the smoker, as well as the non-smoker. In an effort to provide a healthy environment for students, employees, and others who may frequent the campus, NMJC prohibits smoking / use of tobacco inside any campus building or facility.

Tutoring Assistance
Free tutoring services are available to all NMJC students through Brainfuse and the Learning Resource Center located in Mansur Hall room 121.

Withdrawal Policy
Regular, punctual attendance is required for all classes at NMJC. Although the professor has the right to drop any student who has missed the equivalent of 2 weeks of instruction (based on a 16 week semester) whether it’s a face to face, online, or a hybrid course, it is not guaranteed that the professor will drop the student. If the student chooses to stop attending a class, he/she should withdraw from the class by accessing your student account in the T-Bird Web Portal at www.nmjc.edu, or submitting the required paperwork to the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012. All students are encouraged to discuss their class status with the professor prior to withdrawing from the class.