課程要求

課程要求/ Course Requirements and Policies

In-Class Policies:

Speak English!  Speaking a language other than English in class will result in a reduced participation grade.  There are times when I will allow writing students to use Chinese to discuss difficult writing issues together; however, Oral Training students will receive a stricter penalty for speaking a language other than English in class. 

Electronic devices: Cell-phones, smart phones, texting, open lap-tops, tablets (iPads), MP3 recorders, or electronic dictionaries are not allowed during class time.  If you have vocabulary questions, please ask me first – of you still don’t understand, wait until the break or after class to check your dictionary. 

Stay awake!  Students who fall asleep in class will get a zero in participation for that class even if they wake up later and continue participating in class.

Ask questions often.  (You can never use the excuse, “I didn’t know” or “I didn’t understand the assignment.”)  It is always the student’s responsibility to find out if he or she doesn’t know something.  Don’t feel embarrassed to ask.  If you don’t ask (especially about assignments), you might waste your time doing something incorrectly or unnecessary.

Don't be late.  Come to class on time.  If you are 30 minutes late (including coming back after the break late), you will be counted as absent.  If you may be a few minutes late because you have a class before ours in another location on campus, please let me know.

If you are absent:

There are many reasons why you might be absent.  If you have an emergency, or a situation that you cannot avoid, please email me and explain your situation. (email: davidg@nccu.edu.tw)

If you are sick, please wear a mask.  If you have a fever, do NOT come to class; go to the doctor.  This also applies for tests.  You can make up the test when you come back to class.

If you are absent, you are still responsible for the work.  Contact a classmate to find out what you missed and what you should have ready for the next class, and you should check the blog for updates to homework that is due the next class.

Attendance Policies:

Attendance is mandatory.  If a student is absent 3 or more times, he or she will automatically fail the course.  If a student is late more than twice, it will count as an absence.

There are no excused absences, so save your absences for emergencies.

Make-up Work:

Tests or Presentations:  If you are sick or absent on the day of a presentation, test, or conversation test, you must make up the test on the following week.  Students are only allowed to make up a test ONCE in the semester at the instructor’s discretion.

Oral Training:  If you are absent once from an Oral Training class, you must make up the work that we did in class.  If you are absent more than once, you must make up the work that you missed and give a make-up presentation for each absence after the first.

Writing Assignments: ONE late assignment will be accepted for a lower grade during the semester, due the next class meeting.  Beyond that, I will not accept anything late.  If you are absent, you must turn in the assignment on the day you return to class.

Plagiarizing Penalty:

Plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as your own) and cheating (using any unauthorized aids or help from another) are not tolerated.  Students who intentionally plagiarize will receive a failing grade and be reported to the English Department Chair/Foreign Language Center Director for further disciplinary action. Don’t forget to cite the source and use your own words on all papers and presentations!