Thank you all for a great semester!

Final grades have been submitted, which means the course is officially finished! Thank you all so much for your hard work this semester. I really enjoyed having each of you in my class and seeing your writing improve over the semester. I hope to see you in another class in the future. I will be emailing you with the grading rubrics for the blogs. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great winter vacation!

Final Reflections

For your very last blog post of the semester, please share some of your thoughts about the course. You may write freely, but the following questions may be a helpful way to guide your writing. You do not need to answer each of these questions.

1. Do you feel like your writing has improved this semester? Why or why not? In what ways has it improved? In what ways do you want to continue improving your writing?
2. Do you feel like your reading comprehension skills have improved this semester? Why or why not? In what ways have they improved? In what ways do you want to continue improving your reading skills?
3. In what other areas do you think you have improved during the semester (grammar, speaking, vocabulary, confidence, etc.)? In what areas do you still need to continue improving? What will you do in order to improve in those areas?
4. Was this the first time you kept a blog? Did you enjoy blogging? Was blogging a helpful way to practice writing? Did you enjoy reading your classmates' blogs? Do you think you will continue blogging in the future?
5. What did you learn this semester? What do you want to learn in future semesters?
6. What were some of the best and/or worst aspects of this course? Would you recommend this course to others? Why or why not?
7. Please share any other thoughts about the semester.

Please post final reflections by 12/12. All previous blog posts must also be finalized by 12/12.

Final Exam Review

The final exam will be on 12/9. It will be structured similarly to the midterm and will cover Units 8-10. There will be four main sections: 1) vocabulary, 2) reading comprehension, 3) reading skills, and 4) language for writing. Please review the following pages:

Vocabulary:
Unit 8, Lesson A - p. 166
Unit 8, Lesson B - p. 174
Unit 9, Lesson A - p. 190
Unit 9, Lesson B - p. 198
Unit 10, Lesson A - p. 214
Unit 10, Lesson B - p. 222

Reading Comprehension:
Unit 8, Lesson A - "The Healer of Cordoba" pp. 167-169
Unit 8, Lesson B - "Pioneers of Medicine" pp. 175-178
Unit 9, Lesson A - "The Future of English" pp. 191-193
Unit 9, Lesson B - "Vanishing Voices" pp. 199-202
Unit 10, Lesson A - "The Fear Reaction" pp. 215-217
Unit 10, Lesson B - "Breath of Life" pp. 223-225

Reading Skills:
Unit 8 - Finding subjects in complex sentences - p. 172
Unit 9 - Understanding degrees of certainty - p. 196
Unit 10 - Identifying adverbial phrases - p. 220

Language for Writing:
Unit 8 - Referring to sources using quotes and paraphrases (p. 182 and p. 186)
Unit 9 - Using words and expressions for presenting counterarguments (p. 206 and p. 210)
Unit 10 - Using past form for narration (p. 228 and p. 234)

Blog Post #7 - Unit 9 (Languages)

For this blog post, you will write a persuasive essay about using languages. Revise the draft that you worked on in class on 11/18. You may want to refer to the example persuasive essay on p. 208. There are two options for this blog post:

1. Should there be one world language that everyone speaks?
2. Should Korea have more than one official language?

Posts should be made to your blogs before class on 11/25. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Essay #2 - due 11/20; Rewrite due 12/5

For the second formal essay, you will be writing about a debatable topic. You should write a persuasive essay convincing your readers to agree with your opinion on the topic. Essays should be properly formatted using Microsoft Word.  See the sample essay here to review the formatting and organization requirements.

Select one of the following topics. If you have other ideas for topics, please let me know.

1. Cyber bullying is an issue impacting elementary and secondary students in many countries around the world, including South Korea. What is the best way to prevent cyber bullying? Who should be responsible? The government? Schools? Parents? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers to follow your plan to address cyber bullying.
2. Many people volunteer their time to help others, either through non-profit organizations, churches, or other charitable venues. Think of an example of volunteer work you are familiar with and write a persuasive essay convincing readers to volunteer their time working with this organization.
3. The South Korean government has recently announced plans to issue new history textbooks in middle and high schools. Who should be responsible for writing history books, the government or private companies? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers to agree with you on whether the Korean government's plan is positive or negative. 
4. More universities are offering online courses, and it is even possible to earn a full degree without ever visiting the campus. Do you think students should be able to take all their classes online? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers why they should or should not take online classes.
5.  Proponents of all-girls schools believe that girls learn better when they aren't competing with or intimidated by boys, who statistically get more attention in the classroom. Do you think single-sex schools are a good idea? Why or why not? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers why they should or should not attend an all-girls school.
6. All Korean men must serve in the military for about two years. What do you think of this policy? Should military service be compulsory? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers why all men should or should not be required to serve in the military in South Korea.
7. According to some health organizations, many foods on our grocery store shelves are made with genetically modified ingredients. Many of these foods, however, do not have a GMO (genetically modified organism) label. Do you think there should be a law requiring manufacturers to label foods containing GMOs? Write a persuasive essay convincing readers whether or not foods with GMOs should be labeled.
8. Other ideas? If there is another debatable topic you would like to write about, please let me know.

Essays should be emailed to me at kbrebner@gmail.com by Friday, 11/20 at midnight. In the email, please include your essay as an attachment to the Microsoft Word file. In the email subject line, please write: IERW04 - Your Name - Essay #2.

Post the rewrite of your essay to your blog by 12/5.

As always, let me know if you have any questions.

Blog Post #6 - Unit 8 (Innovations)

For this blog post, you may choose to write about a new medical innovation or a new technological innovation. Do some basic research online and introduce a new and exciting advancement. This can be a new medical procedure, a  new type of technology, or a new invention. Explain the new innovation and why it is exciting, important, or significant. You can refer to the example on p. 184.

Revise the draft that you started in class on 11/4, and upload the final version to your blog before class on 11/11.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Formal Essay #1 - Rewrite (post by 11/11)

After looking over the comments and feedback I gave you on your first formal essay, please make some revisions. You should post the rewrite on your blog by copying and pasting it. You may also choose to create a Google Doc and share the link to the essay that way.

Your rewrites should be posted before class on 11/11. Additionally, please resubmit the paper that I wrote feedback on so that I can refer to the original when I look at your rewrite.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Blog Post #5 - Unit 7 (Ensuring a Sustainable Future)

For this blog post, you will write a persuasive essay about what people should do to ensure a sustainable future. Revise the draft that you started in class on 10/14. You can use some of the ideas from the Unit 7 reading passages, or you can suggest different actions. Your essay can be organized in two different ways:

Option 1: Choose two different actions people can take to ensure a sustainable future. Each body paragraph will explain a different action.

Option 2: Choose one action people can take to ensure a sustainable future. Each body paragraph will explain a different reason for why this action is important. The example essay about becoming a vegetarian on page 160 follows this option for organization.

Please upload your essay to your blog by 10/28.

Midterm Review

The midterm will be on 10/21. There will be four main sections: 1) vocabulary, 2) reading comprehension, 3) reading skills, and 4) language for writing. Please review the following pages:

Vocabulary:
Unit 5 - p. 96 and p. 103
Unit 6 - p. 118 and p. 125
Unit 7 - p. 142 and p. 150

Reading Comprehension:
Unit 5, Lesson A - "The New Face of Tourism"(pp. 97-99)
Unit 5, Lesson B - "Geotourism in Action: Three Success Stories" (pp. 104-106)
Unit 6, Lesson A - "The Poet of the Outback" (pp. 119-121)
Unit 6, Lesson B - "Retracing the Mother Road" (pp. 126-129)
Unit 7, Lesson A - "Straining Our Resources" (pp. 143-145)
Unit 7, Lesson B - "Eight Steps toward a Sustainable Future" (pp. 151-154)

Reading Skills:
Unit 1 - Identifying main and supporting ideas (p. 9)
Unit 2 - Identifying a sequence of events (p. 31)
Unit 3 - Identifying reasons (p. 56)
Unit 4 - Organizing your notes (p. 77)
Unit 5 - Analyzing causes and effects (p. 101)
Unit 6 - Understanding referencing and cohesion (p. 123)
Unit 7 - Interpreting visual information (p. 148)

Language for Writing:
Unit 1 - Making comparisons (pp. 17-18 and p. 22)
Unit 2 - Review of modals of obligation and possibility (pp. 41-42 and p. 46)
Unit 3 - Using the simple past and used to (p. 64 and p. 68)
Unit 4 - Using parallel structure (pp. 87-88 and p. 92)
Unit 5 - Using If..., (then)... (p. 109 and p. 114)
Unit 6 - Adding information with appositive phrases (pp. 132-133 and p. 138)
Unit 7 - Using adjective clauses to add information (p. 157 and p. 162) 

That's it! Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Audio files for Pathways 3 textbook

If you would like to listen to audio files of the reading passages, you can find them here.

Blog Post #4 - Unit 6 (Explanatory essay about the importance of place in a movie or book)

For this blog post, you will revise the essay you worked on in class today (9/30). You should write about a movie or book in which the setting/place is very important. The essay should include details and examples to explain why the place is such an important part of the movie. You can see the example essay about Midnight in Paris on page 136 of the textbook. Use the suggestions made by your partner to improve your essay and then post the final version on your blog.

Posts should be made before class on 10/14.

Grading Rubrics

Click below for the grading rubrics for the formal essays, blogs, and class participation. These provide details on all the grading criteria. Please comment below or let me know privately if you think something is unclear or unfair. Questions, comments, and suggestions regarding the grading rubrics are welcome!

Formal Essay Grading Rubrics

Blogs Grading Rubrics

Class Participation Grading Rubrics

Blog Post #3 - Unit 5 (Geoturism)

I am so sorry for posting this late! I posted it on the blog for my Tuesday class, and I didn't realize I forgot to also post it on the blog for this class until just now.

For this post, see textbook pages 109-114. You will write a short cause-effect essay focused on the possible effects of geotourism for a particular tourist destination. You can choose to focus on a destination in Korea, or any other part of the world. Think about what ways geotourism might change this destination. These changes can be positive and/or negative changes. Try to include some of the language for writing about cause-effect relationships (If..., (then)...). Think creatively, and as always, let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

Posts should be before class on 9/23. However, since I made a mistake and failed to get this note posted earlier, I will not count your posts late if you get them in by later this week.

Essay #1 - due 10/7

You will need to type, print, and submit your essays in class on 10/7. You may choose one of the following options:

Option #1. Art - Write a descriptive essay about your favorite painting. Provide some background details about the painting, then describe (what you see), interpret (what you think it means), and evaluate (what you like and/or dislike) it.

Option #2. Literature - Think of two fictional characters from books you have read. Write a comparative essay explaining some of the similarities and differences between these two characters.

Option #3. Education - Imagine Korean universities decided to stop using the Suneung exam for university admissions. Write a cause-effect essay discussing the possible effects of this decision.

Option #4. Global Issues - There is currently a refugee crisis in Europe as millions of Syrians are forced to leave their homes due to the war. Germany is welcoming many of these asylum seekers, but more countries need to help. Write an opinion essay explaining whether or not you think the Korean government should welcome more Syrians into the country.

An essay about writing essays

As we prepare for the first formal essay, which will be due on 10/7, I thought it might be helpful to give you an example of an essay that explains the formatting and organization requirements. Please find the link to the example essay here

Blog Post #2 - Summary of one reading from Units 1-4

Although we will not be spending much time with the first part of the book, please choose one of the readings from Units 1-4. You should write a short summary of the reading passage. You may also choose to share some of your opinions and reactions to the readings. Posts should be a minimum of one paragraph, but feel free to write as much as you'd like. Remember, these are your blogs.

Here are the options for the reading passages. Again, just choose one (although you are certainly welcome to read more):

1. Unit 1, Lesson A: "The Ape in the Office" (pp. 5-7)
2. Unit 1, Lesson B: "Gender in the Wild: Three Studies Reveal New Findings" (pp. 12-14)
3. Unit 2, Lesson A: "Tech Detectives" (pp. 27-29)
4. Unit 2, Lesson B: "King Tut's Family Secrets" (pp. 34-38)
5. Unit 3, Lesson A: "Living on an Urban Planet" (pp. 51-53)
6. Unit 3, Lesson B: "The Urban Visionary" (pp. 59-61)
7. Unit 4, Lesson A: "Coping in a World of Risk" (pp. 73-75)
8. Unit 4, Lesson B: Yellowstone's Smoking Bomb" (p. 80-84) 

Summaries should be uploaded to your blogs before class on 9/16.

Skills from Units 1-4

Sorry to go so quickly through the skills in class today. Remember that we will be able to slow

down and spend more time on each unit as we move forward in the course. You might want to go back and review some of the skills we briefly discussed. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Unit 1 – Social Relationships

Reading and Critical Thinking Skills

                  Evaluating supporting arguments (p. 8)

                  Identifying main and supporting ideas (p. 9)

Writing Skills

                  Making comparisons (pp. 17-18 and 22)

                  Reviewing paragraph writing (p. 19)

Unit 2 – Science and Detection

Reading and Critical Thinking Skills

                  Distinguishing fact from speculation (p. 30)

                  Identifying a sequence of events (p. 31)

Writing Skills

Review of modals of obligation and possibly (pp. 41-42 and 46)

                  Writing an opinion paragraph (p. 42)

Unit 3 – City Solutions

Reading and Critical Thinking Skills

                  Evaluating sources (p. 55)

                  Identifying reasons (p. 56)

Writing Skills

                  Using the simple past and used to (pp. 64 and 68)

                  Writing a thesis statement (p. 65)

Unit 4 – Danger Zones

Reading and Critical Thinking Skills

                  Analyzing and evaluating evidence (p. 76)

                  Organizing your notes (p. 77)

Writing Skills

                  Using parallel structure (pp. 87-88 and 92)

                  Writing an introductory paragraph (p. 88)

You might also want to read the example paragraphs and essays in Lesson C of each unit (pp. 19-20, pp. 44-45, p. 67, and p. 90).

New Classroom - 성-706

I requested a classroom change, so our class will now be meeting in 성-706. I hope that works for everyone! See you next Wednesday in our new classroom, where we will meet for the rest of the semester.

First blog post - self introductions

Please write a paragraph introducing yourself to me and your classmates. You may choose to mention some of the details you talked about in class today, such as your hobbies/interests, study abroad experience, future goals, favorites, reasons for taking this class, goals for the semester, etc. Please write freely and share as much about yourself as you would like. Also, try to let me know what you hope to get out of this class (goals/expectations) and any questions or concerns you might have about it at this time.

Make sure to post your self introduction before class on 9/9.

Welcome to IERW!

Hello, everyone!

I look forward to working with you all this semester. I hope you find this blog useful. Please save the link and check back often for new updates and announcements.  This semester, you will need to create your own blog to post writing assignments. Once you set it up, send me the link. Then you will be able to find you classmates' blogs through this page.

Get ready for a great semester!

Kyle