Developmental Education
Academic Skills Math
The Math Skills Faculty strongly believe in the student’s right to succeed by providing:
- accurate placement
- flexible ways to move forward in the program
- courses that satisfy varied learning styles
The goal of the Math Skills Department at Camden County College is to provide students with the opportunity to prepare for college level mathematics. We use various modes of instruction where students utilize textbooks and technology to pursue mathematical investigations, construct mathematical ideas, and apply math to the real world. We strive to build a classroom environment where mathematical content, thought processes, and communication are cultivated and valued.
Academic Skills English
The reading and writing program provides a supportive environment of small classes and trained professionals with the aim of preparing all students for success in the full college curriculum. The skills developed in these courses are helpful for students who have been out of school for a period of time or for students who have not been able to maximize their ability to learn. Active student learning is fostered through classroom discussions, collaborative peer interactions, and an integration of reading and writing. Portfolios are used for writing assessment and exams are used for reading assessment.
ASE Courses
The Academic Skills English Department offers six developmental courses designed to help students prepare for reading and writing in college-level courses and one additional course designed for students entering workforce training tracks. Placement into the various levels is determined by scores on the College Placement Test. Students who test into any of the developmental levels must successfully complete the Level 3 courses to be eligible to register for English Composition.
Here is brief description of each of the developmental courses offered in the department:
Workforce Track
ENG-005 Pathways to Reading and Writing – This course integrates reading and writing skills related to job-seeking and career goals. Instruction provides strategies for thinking about relevant readings and decoding meaning in them as well as expressing ideas in writing. Course instruction will be flexible, responsive, interactive, and multi-sensory across a broad spectrum of basic reading and writing exercises. Students should expect to work in a collaborative learning environment to develop reading, writing, and communication skills.
Academic Track Reading Placement Course Sequence
ENG-012 Reading Skills II – This course teaches the student to become an efficient and flexible reader. The skills taught in Reading Skills I are applied to longer and more complex reading selections; standard organizational techniques, including example, sequence, and process, are introduced.
ENG-002 Reading II Express – Reading II Express is designed for students who require only brief instruction in the reading required prior to the Reading III level. Preparing students for Reading Skills III in a rapid format, this course quickly covers the concepts of topic, stated main idea and implied main idea, supporting details, and general comprehension of paragraphs and essays. If successful in the 4 day express class, the student would move into ENG 013.
ENG-013 Reading Skills III – This course seeks to improve the student’s reading comprehension skills. Instruction reviews strategies for understanding non-fiction by identifying main ideas and supporting details, and drawing inferences and conclusions. Focus of the course is identification and understanding of standard organizational techniques, such as comparison, contrast, process analysis, and argument.
Academic Track Writing Placement Course Sequence
ENG-022 – Writing Skills II – This course teaches how to extend and support ideas in grammatically correct impromptu and expository essays; sentence variety and coherence are emphasized as are standard patterns of organization, such as process, comparison/contrast, classification, and definition. Since papers will be composed on a computer, students with no typing skills are urged to enroll in a one-credit basic keyboarding course.
ENG-023 – Writing Skills III – This course teaches how to write effective essays in correct English using standard organizational patterns, such as comparison/contrast, process, exemplification, and the like. While there is a review of grammar and usage, emphasis is on written summaries and responses to college level readings, and impromptu essays. Since papers will be composed on a computer, students with no typing skills are urged to enroll in a one-credit basic keyboarding course.
Learning Labs
Reading and Writing Learning Labs are now available on both the Blackwood and Camden campuses to give students additional opportunities to master skills for their developmental classes. Staffed by department faculty, students can receive assistance with MyWritingLab, essays, and other class work.
The labs are located in Taft 104 in Blackwood and College Hall 323 in Camden. Open hours vary and are posted each semester.
ASE Resources
- owl.english.purdue.edu (grammar and the writing process)
- www.chompchomp.com (grammar tips and interactive exercises)
- www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com (to sign in to your MWL account)
- www.quickanddirtytips.com (grammar tips and explanations)
Accuplacer Preparation
Students entering Camden County College (CCC) are required to take the College Placement Test (Accuplacer), which determines which English course the student may take. Students who score above 550 on the Critical Reading section of the SAT are exempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, we do not provide first-day test outs. We do allow for early-exit of a course at midterm and we have an exemption policy for students in level two. Exemplary students in Writing Skills II (students with A averages and teacher recommendation) are able to submit final portfolios for the next level of Writing with the purpose of exempting Writing III. Students are chosen at teacher's discretion Exemplary students in Reading Skills II (students with A averages and teacher recommendation) are able to take the final exam for the next level of Reading with the purpose of exempting Reading III. Students are chosen at the teacher's discretion and final exam is administered by the instructor after the student has taken all three exams for the registered course.
The general policy on attendance is a limit of absences totaling two weeks of the course. If a student exceeds that many absences, it is advised that the student be assigned an NA grade (Not Attending), though each instructor is entitled to create his/her own attendance policy.
Each Writing Skills course requires a minimum of 6 writing assignments, some of which must be done in class, whether timed (40 minutes) or untimed. These move from one paragraph to several paragraphs in Writing Skills II, and five paragraphs each in Writing Skills III. Be sure to check the specific instructions for the final portfolio for your level, as each has its own criteria.
Reading Skills II and III each have two departmental exams and a departmental final. The majority of the final grade (usually 70%) is the average of these three exams.
Our department does not use the D grade as a final grade and does not consider it passing. Final passing grades are A, B, or C. Final grades that require one to take the course again are F, MP, NA, or XA. We also give an RV grade for students eligible for the Reading 2 Express four-day review course (see "Courses" tab for more info).
It is incorporated into the student's semester GPA, but not the cumulative one. In other words, it is used for institutional purposes, but not for graduation credits or overall GPA.
Contact
Department Telephone Number: (856) 227-7200, ext. 4442
Reneé Pollard, Secretary
(856) 227-7200, ext. 4442
rpollard@bjjdwxw.net
Lesley Fredericks, Coordinator
(856) 968-1246
lfredericks@bjjdwxw.net
