SP 100 - Foundations of English Orthography and Conversation

0 lecture hours 0 lab hours 0 credits

Course Description
This elective course targets the development of skills essential to improving students’ literacy. Students will analyze and apply rules of English orthography (spelling) as they discover and master the use of practical, everyday vocabulary. Students will acquire words to help facilitate conversations on the college campus, such as at the library or in science and math classes. This class will also further refine students’ conversational competence by highlighting strategies that will help them to engage in polite, natural conversations with native English speakers. Emphasis is also given to rhythm, stress, and intonation as well as individual speech sounds that carry important grammatical meaning. Through in- and out-of-class activities, and formal and informal assessments, students will begin to build the foundation for a strong English vocabulary and enhance their conversational skills. (prereq: none)

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Academic Vocabulary:

Identify high-frequency vocabulary words through illustrations and context
Apply vocabulary words verbally in an authentic setting
Accurately pronounce targeted vocabulary
Write with vocabulary in context using word partnerships
Develop study skills to review and recall vocabulary words

Academic Spelling:

Recognize spelling patterns in prefixes and suffixes, parts of speech, etc.
Make phonetic connections between spelling and pronunciation
Identify general common spelling mistakes, as well as individual common spelling mistakes
Write using high-frequency vocabulary words with accurate spelling

Academic Speaking Strategies:

Initiate and rejoin a conversation
Clarify information and rephrase what someone has said
Elicit information
Solicit attention
Correct someone politely and repair a conversation
Summarize a conversation
Politely excuse yourself and end a conversation

Academic Pronunciation:

Recognize syllables and rhythm of speech
Correctly use stops and continuants with words
Pronounce linking sounds correctly
Understand and be able to produce word stress patterns
Identify emotions and interpret sentence structure from intonation
Use basic emphasis patterns in speaking

Prerequisites by Topic

None

Coordinator
Katherine Toske

Announcement

The Raider Return

Milwaukee School of Engineering

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SP 100 - Foundations of English Orthography and Conversation