University of Santo Tomas

Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs-General Education

Department of English
Course Outline in English 2
Course Title: Enhancing Reading and Thinking Skills of College Freshmen
Professor/ Instructor:
Class Schedule:
Consultation Hours:
Mobile/ Email Address:
Course Description: The course aims primarily to develop students reading and thinking skills for
academic study. It equips students with an understanding of the reading skills and thinking
processes; and effective higher order reading strategies for understanding academic texts. It also
aims to prepare them for academic writing.
PART I: THE READING SKILL
Unit I: Familiarizing Ones Self with the Nature
of Reading and Its Developmental Stages
Defining Reading
Stages of Reading Development
Unit II: Explaining the Process and Types of
Reading
Unit III: Understanding New Forms of Reading
and the Text Types
Understanding Texts and Hypertexts
Reviewing Text Types
PART II: READING SELECTIONS AND
READING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Unit I: Reading for Self and Social Growth
Selection: History of Geek Civilization
Skill: Expanding Definitions
Selection: Zita
Skill:
Figures of Speech
Selection: Youthful Exuberance Skill:
Context Clues

Unit II: Reading About Life Around You

Selection: Preserving the Past
Photograph
Skills: Scanning, Skimming, and
Comprehensive
Reading
Selection: Cardiovascular Diseases
Skills: Reading Graphic and Semantic
Organizers
Selection: How the Forest Should Look
Skill: Critical Reading
Unit III: Reading for a Better Living
Selection: Courage- Grace Under
Pressure
Skill: Building Connection Between
Reading and Writing Selection: Painting,
Poetry, and Music in Artistic Synergy
Skill: Using Different Rhetorical or
Discourse Modes and Patterns in Writing
a Text
Selection: On His Blindness
Skill: Process Writing

Reference:
Aranda,M.R.,Baraceros, E.,& Visconde, C. (2011). Enhancing reading and thinking skills of college
students. Philippines:
University of Santo Tomas Publishing House.
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance
2. Active participation in class

Grading System:
Class standing
(recitation, quizzes, assignments, etc)

3. Individual/ Pair/ Group activities

4. Portfolio Assessment

Prelim and Final examination

5. Quizzes/ Major Examinations

Prelim (50%) + Pre-final (50%) = FG

60%
- 40%
100%

Classroom Policies:
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6.

Good academic standing requires the presence of students at all class and workshop meetings.
Students should communicate in English.
All students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity.
All students are expected to practice academic honesty.
Late submission of papers is not tolerated.
Letter of excuse must be submitted in case of unavoidable absences.