• learning how you learn
• learning how others learn
• helping others learn
• playing
• being willing to learn new things
• putting learning first (before grades)
• developing personal intellectual goals and a plan for achieving them

1. One question: September 10th and on—could we meet at 6 p.m. instead of 7?
2. Summarizing big issues:

• Be in class.
• Be prepared for class (reading completed, reading responses completed, group work completed, etc.).
• I will extend deadlines on formal papers with no penalty. (Not weekly writing or exams.)
• I encourage you to revise your work, to work, read, and research together, to peer review.
• Give yourself appropriate time to prepare for a class—the university says 2-3 hours for every class hour (about 5 - 7.5 hours a week for us). If you can do this, you will be successful.

1. Find as many gender-specific terms as your group can think of that fill in this blank:
She is a ____________.
2. Come up with a similar list for:
He is a _____________.

(Basically, words for women tend to be negative. Words for or about women's sexuality are always negative, no matter whether the woman chooses to be sexual or not. Words about straight men tend to be positive or neutral; negative language about men suggests they are feminine, etc. How is gender and our understanding of it shape by language?)

• Readings: Reader, Part One, "Structure and Agency in Language: Theorizing the Sign" 1-47
• Due: Reading response #1 (Shall we go over that assignment together?)

Elizabeth Birmingham
Assistant Professor, Department of English
320J Minard Hall
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota 58105

Office: (701) 231-6587
e-mail: Elizabeth.Birmingham@ndsu.nodak.edu

Prospective students may schedule a visit by calling: 1-800-488-NDSU.