WELCOME TO MY CLASS! —Fall 2006

Instructor: Mr. Michael Krigline, MA

  ü  www.krigline.com.cn  ü 

English majors should have the best English ability on campus. I want this to be true for YOU, and with plenty of hard work and the right help, you CAN succeed!  Your oral, listening and written abilities are important, but so are work habits and attitude. To make the most of your time here you must work hard, do your homework, prepare for quizzes and tests, and generally surround yourself with English as much as possible. Your teachers, friends and parents can help, but your success or failure is YOUR responsibility! Here are some of my expectations:

--COME TO CLASS on time and be prepared to work. Please call me “Mr. Krigline” during class. Outside of class “Michael” is OK. If you can’t remember my name, you can use “Sir.”

--HELP IS AVAILABLE: If you want additional help, just ask! I am sure we can find time to meet by appointment (or before/after class). I also have weekly office hours.

--QUIZZES, TESTS AND GRADES: My students will have several vocabulary quizzes. All students will have a written final exams and will probably also have a midterm quiz. Your syllabus will show how these affect your grade, along with attendance, homework, class participation, and more.

--ATTENDANCE: If you miss class, you must give me a note of explanation on or before our next class (in English, but signed with your Chinese name, class number and student number). After one “excused” absence, additional absences will deduct 3 points from your final grade (unless you have a note of excuse signed by the Dean). If your classmates turned in homework, you must also deliver the same homework to me (by special appointment or at my home) before the next class.

--HOMEWORK: ASK if you do not understand an assignment. I do not grade late homework (it automatically gets 50% at best) unless you missed class (see above).  Do homework on loose paper (not in a notebook), and be sure to follow guidelines concerning length, spacing, etc. Avoid contractions when you write. Use ink (not red) and write neatly (or type if required)—if I can’t read it, I mark it wrong. ALWAYS double space, and ALWAYS attach “originals” behind revisions. Writing class assignments MUST bear the name of a fellow student who proofreads your work before class. Written work may receive separate grades for language and content. I assign textbook homework to prepare you for class, help you review, or give you writing practice. IN-TEXT WORK IS NOT OPTIONAL! In addition to what I assign, you should REVIEW what we discuss/present in class, review vocabulary, and if possible read additional related resources on the Internet or in print. You should think of homework as a way to improve your English, not as a “minimum requirement” to pass a class.

--ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Studying with a friend and checking each other’s homework AFTER you do it is wise scholarship, but do NOT copy someone else’s work (this is cheating) or copy verbatim from printed works or the Internet without documentation (this is plagiarism). The same wrong answer on two “neighboring” tests/quizzes will result in BOTH students getting a zero for that whole test (so cheating hurts you and the person you cheat from; and learn to protect your exam paper from the eyes of others!). Plagiarism or other forms of dishonesty will earn a zero on that assignment/test AND have 30 points taken from your final exam score. If I think you have cheated in any way, I will also report it to the Dean.

--ENGLISH ONLY: From the moment you step into this room, I expect you to speak ONLY ENGLISH to me and to your classmates. THIS IS IMPORTANT. If you need Chinese help, ask me (in English). Also note that oral ability is VERY important, so do not only try to do well on tests/homework. Make the most of every opportunity to work with a partner or a small group—classmates make great conversation partners, both in and out of class! Try to interact in class and SPEAK IN ENGLISH as much as possible!!

--DICTIONARY & ELECTRONICS: I encourage you to bring a dictionary to class. Electronic dictionaries are OK, but paper dictionaries usually help you more. Cell phones, MP3 players and other electronics must not be used during class hours (this includes “short messaging”).

--READING:  Daily reading (I recommend 30 minutes) is one of the best ways to improve your English. Reading aloud will also help your pronunciation. Books with a tape or mp3 disc are also great, if you listen and repeat what the speaker says. My website can link you to other websites with audio components.

--LIFE: Students often experience pressure from grades and many other areas. Your teachers (like me!) were students once, and we can help you keep things in perspective when you feel sad. Come talk to us!

I try to make class interesting and helpful, but language-learning IS HARD WORK! TOGETHER we can reach our goals and develop the ability to USE ENGLISH WELL!

This resource was created for our students under my understanding of "fair use" for educational resources.  

© 2007 Michael Krigline, all rights reserved. As far as I am concerned, people are allowed to print/copy it for personal or classroom use.

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