All resources in OTC

English Composition I

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This course promotes clear and effective communication by sharpening critical thinking and writing skills. The first unit is designed to change the way in which students think about writing--as a conversation rather than a solitary act. The second unit focuses on academic writing and explores the PWR-Writing or Power-Writing Method (PWR Pre-Write, Write, Revise). The remaining units will focus on the minutiae of good writing practices, from style to citation methodology. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Demonstrate mastery of principles of grammar, usage, mechanics, and sentence structure. Identify the thesis in another individual's essay. Develop a thesis statement, structure it in an introductory paragraph, and support it with the body of the essay. Organize ideas logically within an essay, deploying adequate transitional devices to ensure coherence, flow, and focus. Differentiate between rhetorical strategies and write with an awareness of rhetorical technique and audience. Differentiate between tones and write with an awareness of how tone affects the audience's experience. Demonstrate critical and analytical thinking for reading and writing purposes. Quote, paraphrase, and document the work of others. Write sentences that vary in length and structure. (English 001)

Material Type: Assessment, Full Course, Lecture, Reading, Syllabus

Joseph Conrad and Postcoloniality - Part 1: Conrad and Chinua Achebe

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Professor Peter McDonald talks to Great Writers Inspire about the Post/Colonial aspects of Joseph Conrad's writing. In this first part, Peter takes Chinua Achebe's 1975 critique of Conrad as a starting point. Achebe deemed Conrad a 'bloody racist', and McDonald considers how Conrad's relationship to language and narrative complicates this. This audio recording is part the Interviews on Great Writers series presented by Oxford University Podcasts.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Peter McDonald

Thanksgiving 1 - Pilgrims and American Indians - Beginning Level

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The Thanksgiving unit is divided into three separate lessons, Thanksgiving 1—Pilgrims and American Indians, Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story, and Thanksgiving 3—Traditions. In planning this first lesson, consider whether you wish to cover this material in one or two class sessions. It introduces the Pilgrims’ arrival and first year in North America as well as the life of the American Indians who helped them. On the handouts, you will find Reading Paragraphs and Word Banks with visuals to help illustrate the teaching points and to engage the students in discussion. There is new vocabulary that your students will not need to know for the Civics Test. For example, the readings cover historical background to the Thanksgiving story but these details are not on the test. The story of the Pilgrims’ experience presented here will be explored further in, “Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story,” when the students have an opportunity to share their own stories. Covers civics test items 58, 59, and 87.

Material Type: Lesson Plan