The semester winds down

Oakton's semester is almost over, we have only 4 classes left. On Thursday we have a big assessement, and another next Tuesday. Next Thursday is the final. The last class, on the 12th, I will give them the results of all of this. Most of the students will pass the class, but I can't predict who will pass the assessments. They have to take two standardized reading tests, the best of the two will be considered for promotion to the next level of reading. Most of them are reading on the 6th-7th grade level now. They have to improve a lot to handle "college" reading.
Since most of my students are not native speakers of English, they have deficiencies in vocabulary. I am recommending that they take a one credit vocab. improvement class next semester. I am impressed that these recent immigrants are so willing to come to a class at night twice a week, mainly to improve their fluency and proficiency in English. The stars of the class are a middle aged woman from Iraq and a VietNamese manicurist. They really work hard on the assignments. I sure hope that they pass off on the tests and move on to a more advanced class.
After the 12th of Dec. I am off until the middle of January. We are getting a new textbook, so some of my time will be spent preparing my syllabus and lesson plans. I have decided that I will demphasize some reading skills--like evaulating computer sites-- and emphasize reading more articles and essays than I have this semester. I like to find articles in the New York Times. The reading level is challenging and the articles are well researched and interesting.