Day 1: Welcome Message and Course Expectations

Welcome Message
Welcome to ESL 111A! 

In this course, we will learn more about how to write quality academic papers in English that will help us succeed in our course of studies here at the University of Illinois.  This includes how to:

• Avoid accidental plagiarism by learning how to successfully cite our sources
• Write strong paragraphs
• See writing as a process
• Analyze written text and much more!

In this class, you can expect to learn skills that will be useful in all of your classes in the University, improve your English, join a community of learners and friends, and have some fun.  In order for these things to happen, I and the other students in the class have expectations for you.  We expect you to be on time for the beginning of class, to listen attentively, to not use cell phones or your own, personal computers, and to participate.  We are creating a safe environment where we can share and learn from one another.  This means we respect what everyone contributes and we all participate. Each one of us has something to learn. When we all meet these expectations, we will have one remarkable class! 

For more details on this, please use the links on the left and the right, reading especially the First Day Handout.  Also, if you have not yet purchased the required textbook for this course, Writers Help, please do so now.

Schedule of events for the day:

[5 minutes] Welcome and Attendance Check

[15 minutes] Introductions

• First, I will introduce myself.  How can you learn something from someone you do not know? 
• Second, you will introduce yourself with a little game. :) 

[15 minutes] Overview of course materials

1. First day handout
• Pay close attention to the important class policies.  You will be held responsible for all of the information provided here.  
2. Technology
• Google Drive
• What to do with this course website
• Turning in major assignments
3. Writer's Help
• Have you purchased this yet? 

[7 minutes] Explanation of the upcoming diagnostic essay

Description:

The diagnostic essay is a short essay that you will write in-class that will help me learn about your writing, identifying your particular strengths as a writer and areas that we can target for improvement and growth.  It is comprised of reading an article that will be provided and responding to a prompt.  You will respond to the prompt by writing the best argumentative essay you can that takes a stance on the issue at hand and argues it thoroughly.  

Instructions:

1. Be on time or early (early is preferred)
2. Promptly log in to the computer
3. Open Microsoft Word
4. Wait further instructions

[5 minutes] Assigning homework

Homework: 

1. Please make sure you have logged in, created a Google Drive folder, and shared it with me.
• Please share it with this email address: jonathon.bair@gmail.com 
• Instructions
2. Please fill in this form with a little bit about yourself 
• (Adapted by: Jon Bair; created by: Eunice Nam)
3. Buy the Writer's Help ebook, register it to my class, and complete any exercise that interests you on the site. 
• Please put my UIUC email in for your instructor's email address: 
• jpbair2@illinois.edu