Course Description:  In this course we will study vocabulary in a variety of contexts both inside and outside the classroom.  Each week we will discover new vocabulary words and phrases related to thematic topics through readings, class discussions of the topic, and popular media such as newspapers, magazines, and TV/videos/movies.  Activities will include the study of word families, idioms, prefixes and suffixes, synonyms and antonyms, collocations, dictionary use and so on.  The course will also introduce/reinforce strategies for becoming independent learners of vocabulary.  By the end of this course you should be able to:

• generate a list of vocabulary words related to a specific topic
• create a word map to show relationships between groups of words
• know how to guess the meaning of a word without always using a dictionary
• understand the meaning of prefixes, suffixes, and roots introduced in class
• identify word forms (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) and word families
• identify synonyms, antonyms, and frequent collocations
• use a dictionary to identify the correct meaning of a word

Materials:
Pocket folder to keep your vocabulary lists and important papers
English - English PAPER dictionary (Longman English Dictionary is a good one  OR  Newbury House Dictionary of American English is also good)

Participation: Active participation in all class activities is required. If you participate actively, you will learn more in this class. Please try your best!

Expectations and Workload: You will have weekly vocabulary assignments; some assignments will be completed in class and others will be completed outside of class as homework.  We will also have weekly vocabulary quizzes, so you will need to study outside of class to pass the quizzes.

Grades: You will receive a letter grade (A-F) in this class.  If you come to class, participate in activities, pass the quizzes and complete all the assigned work, you will do very well!  Since our class meets only once a week, more than two absences will lower your grade by 10%.  The following breakdown will be used to evaluate your performance.

     Grading Breakdown
     90% - 100% = A
     80% - 89% = B
     70% - 79% = C
     60% - 69% = D
     50% - 59% = F
 

Lastly, I hope you will enjoy this class and increase your knowledge of vocabulary and how to build active vocabulary skills.  If you have any questions, please feel free to write or call me at the address and phone at the top of this page. Have fun!