Course Name:Beginning Pronunciation I 
Course Prefix: ESL
Course Number: 0050
             Submitted by (Name & E-Mail):  Giana Curtis, gcurtis@weber.edu

Current Date:  10/1/2012
College: N/A
Department:   ESL                              
From Term: Summer  2013 

Substantive

new 

Current Course Subject N/A
Current Course Number

New/Revised Course Information:

Subject:  ESL            

Course Number: 0050

Check all that apply:
    This is for courses already approved for gen ed.
    Use a different form for proposing a new gen ed designation.

DV  CA  HU  LS  PS  SS 
EN  AI  QL  TA  TB  TC  TD  TE

Course Title: Beginning Pronunciation I

Abbreviated Course Title: ESL 0050 Begin Pronun I

Course Type:  LEC

Credit Hours:  1  or if variable hours:    to

Contact Hours: Lecture 2/week  Lab    Other

Repeat Information:  Limit 0   Max Hrs 0 

Grading Mode:  standard

This course is/will be: a required course in a major program
a required course in a minor program
a required course in a 1- or 2- year program
elective

Prerequisites/Co-requisites:

Course description (exactly as it will appear in the catalog, including prerequisites):

Students learn the English sound system through spoken, written and reading exercises incorporating consonants, vowels, and consonant clusters in their most common pronunciations. Concurrent vocabulary-building is emphasized.

Justification for the new course or for changes to an existing course. (Note: Justification should emphasize academic rationale for the change or new course. This is particularly important for courses requesting upper-division status.)

At present, entry-level students in the LEAP (ESL) Department take a total of 6 credit hours per block (12 contact hours/week). However, as a result of our self-study this past year, we have found that these students would benefit from more contact hours per week, especially in the areas of grammar and pronunciation. These findings are also supported by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). They state "The LEAP calendar and schedule of contact hours (18 per week) provides for sufficient time for most students in levels 3 through 7 to meet the student learning outcomes assigned to the levels. However, it is not clear that the 12 contact hours/week for students in levels 1 and 2 are sufficient to enable students testing into those levels time to achieve the specified student learning outcomes." It was established in our self-study and also by CEA in their on-site visit that some number of students in these lower levels do not progress as expected. Entry-level students with no knowledge of English can benefit from a pronunciation course in which they become familiar with the English language sound system. This will provide them with a foundation for recognizing and applying commonalities and patterns in English pronunciation and spelling.

INFORMATION PAGE
for substantive proposals only

1. Did this course receive unanimous approval within the Department?

true

If not, what are the major concerns raised by the opponents?

2. If this is a new course proposal, could you achieve the desired results by revising an existing course within your department or by requiring an existing course in another department?

No. The students need a specifically designated pronunciation course with the additional contact hours per week of language instruction.

3. How will the proposed course differ from similar offerings by other departments? Comment on any subject overlap between this course and topics generally taught by other departments, even if no similar courses are currently offered by the other departments. Explain any effects that this proposal will have on program requirements or enrollments in other department. Please forward letters (email communication is sufficient) from all departments that you have identified above stating their support or opposition to the proposed course.

No other department offers a course similar to this.

4. Is this course required for certification/accreditation of a program?

yes

If so, a statement to that effect should appear in the justification and supporting documents should accompany this form.

5. For course proposals, e-mail a syllabus to Faculty Senate which should be sufficiently detailed that the committees can determine that the course is at the appropriate level and matches the description. There should be an indication of the amount and type of outside activity required in the course (projects, research papers, homework, etc.).