ESL 21B Homepage Orientation
Course Home

1. You should have an active email account.  If you don't have one, you will be able to set one up in step two, below.  

2. Make sure you have an active SMC account.  Even if you use a different email account (like Hotmail), you should activate your SMC account as it will provide you access to the SMC Library . Be sure to make a note of your user name and password.

3. The SMC Library also maintains a Reserve Desk, where a set of course textbooks is available to borrow for 2-hour use inside of the library.  Look up "ESL 21B" and click on "All Instructors" to see textbooks currently on reserve for this course.

4. The Course Website. Please browse through the course website.  It is under construction and will change often.  I recommend planning to work in the course website three or four times a week.

5. Online Forum. You should plan on visiting the Online Forum part of the course website weekly.  You will have an online assignment due most Sundays, before midnight.

6. Send me an email.   In the subject line of the email, write "21B email address - your first name, your last name" (PLEASE include your first and last name since many email addresses don't reveal who you are!!)  My email address is: sucher_kathryn@smc.edu  I will then add your name and email address to the class e-mailing list.

7. Check your email for my reply to your email for confirmation that you have been added to the class e-mail list.

8. Grades online.  K. Sucher's students can access their most current grades online.  You will need your SMC student ID number and a PIN number.  Your teacher will give you your PIN number in two weeks, after all students have been added to the class.  Be sure to make a note of your SMC ID number and your PIN number.

9.  Writing Clearly Keys. You will be able to access the answers for the grammar and editing exercises in our book, Writing Clearly after we have gone over each unit in class.  You will need to have Adobe Acrobat installed (a free application) in order to download.  See the Downloads section of the course website.

10. Blue Bookmark. You will need to keep track of your several account numbers, passwords, and your PIN number.  Be sure to complete all information on the blue bookmark your teacher will provides to you next week, and keep it in a safe place! 

11. Virtual Office Hours: You can contact your instructor at sucher_kathryn@smc.edu if you have questions about how to use the course website.

12. As you have seen, you will need to access a computer and printer in order to complete many of the assignments for this class. This page, and the entire course website, can be accessed from any home computer or any lab on campus.  See Campus Computer Labs Schedule.  The Computerized Writing Lab (in Drescher Hall, room 203) lab provides priority access to computers for English and ESL students.  Additionally, this lab is now the home to the ESL software titles "Focus on Grammar" and "Connected Speech" that you may use to improve your skills in grammar and speaking.

13. You have now completed all the tasks in this Orientation. Please visit your online syllabus to complete your assignments that are due by our next class meeting: Monday, February 28th.