Eastern Illinois University

The Keep
Spring 2014 2014

Spring 1-15-2014

ENG 3401-001: Methods of Teaching

Composition in Secondary Schools
Melissa Ames
Eastern Illinois University

Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_spring2014

Part of the English Language and Literature Commons

Recommended Citation
Ames, Melissa, "ENG 3401-001: Methods of Teaching Composition in Secondary Schools" (2014). Spring 2014. 72.
http://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_spring2014/72

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 31...f CJ(-Q{)f

English 3401:
Methods of Teaching Composition in Secondary Schools
Course Policy & Syllabus
ENG 3401-TR-2:00-3:15pm- 3120 & 3130 Coleman Hall

Instructor: Dr. Melissa Ames

Office: 3821 Coleman Hall
Office Hours: TR: 10-11; 12:30-2
Or by Appointment
Email: mames@eiu.edu

Course Description: This course explores various best practices and approaches to teaching and
evaluating written composition in secondary schools. Course work will consist primarily of
reading and responding to pedagogical texts, applying the findings in such to contemporary
educational concerns, and crafting/modeling instructional tools both independently and
cooperatively in ways that mirror professional learning communities. The required work for this
course includes crafting lesson plans, thematic units, a course design, and various reflective
essays. This course requires on-site observation hours and the live-text submission of one
required assignment.

Course Objectives: Following the NCTE Guidelines and Illinois Content Area Standards, after
the completion of this course, students will be able to:

l. demonstrate how reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and thinking are
interrelated;
2. recognize the impact of cultural, economic, and social environments upon language;
3. show a respect for an understanding of diversity in language use/patterns/dialects across
cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social settings;
4. demonstrate the influence of language and visual images on thinking and composition;
5. demonstrate how written discourse can influence thought and action;
6. display an understanding of the role of technology in communication;
7. use major sources ofresearch and theory and understand the relationship between
research and practice;
8. examine, evaluate, and select resources for classroom use and teacher planning;
9. design instruction to meet the needs of all students and provide for students' continuous
progress and success;
l 0. organize classroom environments and learning experiences that promote effective whole
class, small group, and individual work;
11. create learning environments that promote respect for and support of individual
differences of ethnicity, race, language, culture, gender, and ability;
12. use assessment as an integral part of instruction and learning.

Required Texts and Materials:

Atwell, Nancy. In the Middle: New Understandings about Writing Reading and Learning. 2"d
ed. Portsmouth, NJ: Heinemann, 1998.
Hillcocks, George. Teaching Argument Writing, Grades 6-12. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann,
2011.
Kirby, Dan, et al. Inside Out: Strategies for Teaching Writing. 3rd ed. Portsmouth, NJ:
Heinemann, 2003.
McCourt, Frank. Teacher Man: A Memoir. New York, NY: Scribner, 2005.
Maxwell, Rhoda J. and Mary Jordan Meiser. Teaching English in Middle and Secondary
Schools. 4111 ed. Columbus, OH: Pearson, 2005.
Romano, Tom. Blending Genre, Altering Style. Portsmouth, NJ: Heinemann, 2000.
Weaver, Constance. Teaching Grammar in Context. Portsmouth, NJ: Boynton/Cook, 1996.
3401 Course Pack- available at University Print Shop - Panther Print & Copy Center.
(A three ring binder w/ divider tabs is suggested to organize this course pack)
USB-compatible device for saving documents (i.e. a jump drive)

Course Requirements: You must complete all major assignments to be eligible to pass the
class. Your grade will be based on a point system that factors in all scores you earn on major
writing assignments/projects, minor assignments/products, and in-class work/participation.
Attendance is mandatory and will be factored into your in-class grade. Detailed assignment
instructions and scoring rubrics will accompany all major assignments as the course progresses.
In accordance with NCATE content-area guidelines, five clinical experience hours, in addition to
required College of Education hours, are required for course completion. Also, College of
Education Live Text requirements will apply to one required course assignment.

In-Class Work/Participation (200pts):

Daily work- includes in-class activities, writing, peer response, informal group work,
and oral presentations.
Response Pieces - includes short formal or informal written responses to the required
reading, the media critiques, and class discussion/debates.
Participation - includes attendance, participation in class activities, and course
preparation. Points may be deducted due to tardiness/early departure, lack of
participation, failure to bring texts and other needed materials to class, and/or behavior
that distracts from class activities.

Major Writing Assignments/Projects (550pts):

Unit Plan Project - compose a conceptual unit plan demonstrating your awareness of
teaching composition. Use the class readings, discussion, oral presentations, personal
experience, and your additional scholarly research to inform your choices. Your unit
plan should reflect knowledge of contemporary practices of teaching writing. (Note: a
printed copy of this project will be turned into Dr. Ames on the initial due date and a
revised copy will be re-submitted inside the professional portfolio; this revised copy will
also be turned in through Live Text as a required component of the course). (lOOpts)
Course Design - craft a skeleton for a semester long Language Arts course. (The course
that you envision can utilize your completed unit if you so choose). This course design
will demonstrate your ability to map out an entire course, link units together, and plan
student activities/assignments that build off of previously mastered skills. This
assignment will be utilized again at a later date for an in-class assignment. ( 1OOpts)
Writing Pedagogy Essay - select an area of writing pedagogy to research (i.e. writing-to-
learn, writing-across-the curriculum, teaching creative writing, peer responding, revising,
literacy, assessing writing, teaching English Language Learners, journaling, teaching
persuasive writing, teaching awareness of audience, teaching grammar in context,
teaching genre, mini-lessons, publishing student writing, gender issues, collaborative
writing, writing with technology, etc). Based on substantive research on your chosen
topic, prepare a professional, argument-based paper in MLA or AP A style on the issue or
practice you selected. Include a Works Cited or Reference Page (depending on the
documentation style selected). Blend information from your research with assigned
readings and your experiences to make an assertion. (1 OOpts)
Authentic Assessment Assignment - create a non-traditional writing assignment that could
serve as an assessment of student learning at the closure of a lesson or unit. Possible
choices include (but are not limited to): multi-genre research paper, thematic project,
presentation/speech, artistic/creative literary response/interpretation, or writing portfolio.
(lOOpts)
Evaluation Simulation & Reflection Assignment - participation in a grading simulation
that includes grading a set of composition essays, recording the time that it takes to
complete this task, and reflecting on the experience and your state of mind at various
points throughout the process. (50pts)
Professional Portfolio - a collection of documents and work that demonstrate your
competence as an instructor and teaching philosophy will be instrumental once you
embark on the job hunt. Being so, you will compile this portfolio and submit during this
course. Included within its contents will be: a table of contents, teaching philosophy,
resume/curriculum vitae, essay on writing pedagogy, (revised) unit plan, course design,
and evidence of professional organization membership. (1 OOpts)

Minor Writing Assignments/Products (250pts):

Instructional Planning Tools -includes Course Design Modification (50pts), Cooperative
Leaming Lesson (25pts) and Grammar Mini-Lesson (25pts).
Student Activities/Assignments - includes Peer Editing Rubric (25pts), Research/MLA
Activity (25pts), and Pre-Writing Graphic Organizer (25pts).
Curriculum Expansion Items - includes Creative Writing Justification (25pts), Visual
Rhetoric/Media Analysis Prompt (25pts), and Real World Writing Assignment/Activity
(25pts).

Course Grade: Your grade in this course will be calculated using a straight point system
and standard grading scale. Your final grade will be determined by the following
breakdown and grading scale:

Major Writing Assignments/Projects: 550pts

Minor Writing Assignments/Products: 250pts
In-Class Work/Participation: 200pts
Total Points Possible: lOOOpts

A = 90%-100% D = 60%-69%
B = 80%- 89% F 0%-59%
c = 70%- 79%
Instructor Class Policies:
Submitted Assignments: All documents should be submitted on time and must have a
professional appearance. Every assignment should be typed on white, 8.5 x 11 paper and
formatted according to MLA guidelines and standards when applicable. All assignments
should be submitted in a slim 2-pocket folder that houses the final assignment and
scoring rubric (and drafts/peer-editing checklists when applicable). For larger
assignments (course design, unit plan, portfolio), a larger binder can be used if needed.
For your own protection, keep copies of all completed work.

Assignment Due Dates: LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND

WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF ZERO (0). Assignments, including drafts, are due
at the beginning of class. Computer Classroom printers are for in-class activities only, so
bring hard copies of your assignments to class. E-mail attachments will not be accepted
as substitutes for hard copies of your work. Computer and printer problems are not an
excuse for turning in late work, so draft and print well in advance.

In-Class Work: In-class activities must be completed in the class period they are
assigned. No make-ups will be given on any of these activities unless arrangements have
been made with the instructor in advance.

Class Attendance: Because this course emphasizes writing as process and as

collaborative activity, attendance is essential. During the projects, your classmates will
rely on your feedback. Class exercises, peer responses, and group work cannot be made
up and their lack of completion will negatively affect your in-class work/participation
grade. After three absences, each additional absence will also result in a penalty of
one full letter grade subtracted from your final course grade. For an absence to be
excused it must be considered a legitimate and verifiable emergency and documentation
must be provided. Legitimate and verifiable emergencies include those instances for
which you can provide documentation for why you had to miss class. Acceptable
documents include accident reports, doctors' notes, hospital forms, and employer notices.
Although these documents will be accepted, any pattern of documented absences will be
questioned and addressed. If it is an excused absence, attending a pre-approved workshop
or lecture appropriate to the course description, you can make up the time but not the
work missed. Perfect attendance merits the addition of 20 extra-credit points to the in-
class work/participation category.

Proper Documentation o[Emergency: Assignments may only be turned in late ifthe

student provides documentation of an emergency that prevented him/her from attending
class. Proper documentation must be an original document (no photocopies), containing
the student's name, and cover the date(s) in question, and be signed by a professional (i.e.
doctor). An email is not proper documentation.

Presentations: Please be present when you are scheduled to give a presentation. If you
miss class on the day of a scheduled presentation and your absence is undocumented
you will receive a zero and will not be able to make up the presentation.

Plagiarism: In accordance with English Department and University policies, "Any

teacher who discovers an act of plagiarism- 'The appropriation or imitation of the
language, ideas, and/or thoughts of another author, and representation as one's original
work' (Random House Dictionary of the English Language)-has the right and
responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an appropriate penalty up to an including
immediate assignment of the grade of F for the assigned essay and a grade of F for the
course, and to report the incident to the Judicial Affairs Office." The best argument
against plagiarism is that you cheat yourself out of the education you are here to obtain
when you copy someone else's work. If you believe that a specific instance in your
writing might constitute plagiarism, please consult me prior to turning in the final draft.

Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability and wish to receive
academic accommodations, please contact the Coordinator of the Office of Disability
Services.
 English 3401 Course Schedule

NOTE: This course is allotted both an Integrated Technology Classroom & a Traditional
Classroom for its use throughout the term. The schedule below is broken up into "weeks". On
ODD weeks this class will utilize the Integrated Technology Classrooms (the computer lab)-
3120 Coleman - and on EVEN weeks we will meet in the Traditional Classroom - 3130
Coleman. Please make sure that you are present in the room assigned for us on any given week.

Week #1: The Joys of Teaching (and the Pains of Teaching the Overwhelmingly Large
Curriculum Category They Call Language Arts)
T 1/14- Course Introduction & Overview
R 1/16 -The Myth & Mystique of the "Great" Teacher (From Hollywood Portrayals
Our Profession to Textbook Snapshots) I The Classroom as Writing Workshop
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapters 1 & 2, Middle Chapter 1

Week #2: Teaching Composition

T 1/21 - Writing Across the Spectrum
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 6
R 1/23- Debating with the Experts on Teaching Dos and Don'ts I The Collins Writing
Program I Pre-Writing Strategies I Graphic Organizers
Prepared Reading: Inside Chapter 1 & 2; Binder Needed
Topic Selections for Writing Pedagogy Paper Due

Week #3: Writing for Different Purposes

T 1/28 - Revision (the student as editor and as peer editor) I Publishing, Performing, or
Sharing Student Writing
Prepared Reading: Inside Chapter 10 & 15; Binder Needed
Assignment Due: Pre-Writing Graphic Organizer
R 1/30 - Writing to Learn: Note-Taking and Close Reading /Logs & Journals
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 8, Inside Chapter 5; Binder Needed
Assignment Due: Peer-Editing Checklist

Week #4: Conceptualizing YOUR Language Arts Classroom (and then Getting There)
T 2/4 - Voice & Style - to Each Their Own
Prepared Reading: Inside 6
Must Have Copy of Favorite Poem or Fiction Passage in Class
R 2/6- Your Vision & Procedures -The Classroom as Utopia I Peer Editing For
Writing Pedagogy Paper
Prepared Reading: Middle Chapter 4 & 5; Binder Needed
Rough Draft of Writing Pedagogy Essay Must be in Class

Week #5: Backwards Planning - Course Designs, Unit Development, and

Lesson Plans
T 2/11 -Curriculum Goals I Writing Objectives
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 3; Binder Needed
Suggested Reading: Inside Chapter 3
R 2/13 - Crafting Units & Lesson Plans - The Hook: Anticipatory Sets I Bellwork I
The Components of a Traditional Lesson Plan
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 13 & 5; Binder Needed
 Assignment Due: Writing Pedagogy Essay

Week #6: Differentiated Instruction and Authentic Assessment

T 2/18 - Making Writing Meaningful I Memoir I Portfolio Writing I Rubrics
Prepared Reading: Middle Chapter 11; Binder Needed
R 2/20 - Different Types of Writing Activities & Assignments I Layered Curriculum I
Collaborative Writing & Cooperative Learning
Prepared Reading: Inside Chapter 4; Binder Needed

Week #7: The Wide World of Research - From Traditional Term Papers to
Multigenre Papers
T 2/25 - Research Evolutionalized? The Multigenre Paper vs. The Traditional
Term Paper
Prepared Reading: Blending Chapters 6-10, 14; Binder Needed
Assignment Due: Course Design
R 2/27 - Teaching Research (and Finding Plagiarism) I MLA
Prepared Reading: Blending Chapters 1-5

Week #8: Assessing Quality Writing - The Evaluation and Grading Dilemmas
T 3/4-Reading Informational Texts I Defining "Assessment"
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 9 & 12, Blending 24; Binder
Assignment Due: Research/MLA Activity
R 3/6 - Analyzing Common Assessments & Writing Prompts
Prepared Reading: Inside Chapter 14, Argument Chapters 1-3; Binder Needed

Spring Break-No Class

Week #9: Teaching (and Scoring) Writing in a Test-Crazed World

T 3/18-Teaching to the Test? Standardized Tests & Beyond I Peer Review Session
for Unit Rationale
Prepared Reading: Middle Chapter 9, Argument Chapters 4-5
Finished Rough Draft of Unit Rationale Must be in Class
Assignment Due: Authentic Assessment Assignment & Rubric
R 3/20- Unit Workshop Day-No Class
Prepared Reading: Middle Chapter 7, Argument Chapters 6-7

Week #JO: Writing Skills and Grammar Debates

T 3/25- Creating "Traditional" Assessments I Exams I Informal vs. Formal Assessment
Prepared Reading: Inside Chapter 8, 9; Binder Needed
Assignment Due: Evaluation Simulation
R 3/27 - Writing Skills & Grammar Concepts
Prepared Reading: Grammar Chapters 1-3; Binder Needed

Week #11: Two Sides of the Same Coin? Composition and Creative Writing
T 4/1-The Art of the Mini-Lesson
Prepared Reading: Grammar Chapter 5; Middle Chapter 6; Binder Needed
Suggested Reading: Teaching English Chapter 7
Assignment Due: Grammar & Language Mini-Lessons & Peer Critique
R 4/3 - Beyond the Standard Curriculum - Fiction Writing
 Prepared Reading: Blending Chapters 11, 12, & 17; Binder Needed
Assignment Due: Creative Writing Justification Letter
Assignment Due: Unit Plan & Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan
Saturday-April 51\ 2014 -10am-2pm: Mandatory Attendance at the English Studies Conference

Week #12: Composition Beyond the Classroom Walls

T 4/8 - Blending Genre & Connecting to Pop Culture - Music as Poetry
Prepared Reading: Blending Chapter 15 & Inside Chapter 11; Begin
Teacher Man - Part I
R 4/10-The Real World of Teaching- Discussion ofMcCourt's Memoir (heavy focus
on the opening chapters) I Resume Overview (bring material)
Prepared Reading: Teacher Man - Part I complete; Binder Needed
Response Paper Due
Bring Portfolio Works-in-Progress to Class for Continued Drafting

Week #13: Real World Teaching & Writing

T 4/15 - The Time Crunch & Schedule Alteration Game
Prepared Reading: Continue Teacher Man; Binder Needed
In-Class Assignment: Course Design Modification & Rationale
(Have Graded Course Design in Class)
R 4/17 - Workshop Day for Portfolio - No Class

Week #14: Reality Check- Fitting it All In Under Time (and Curriculum) Restraints
T 4/22-The Writings of the World-Discussion ofMcCourt's Memoir (heavy focus
on Chapters 6, 13, & 14)
Prepared Reading: Teacher Man -Part III complete; Middle Chapter 14
Response Paper Due
Assignment Due: Visual Rhetoric/Media Analysis Writing Prompt

R 4/24 - Peer Editing & Peer Portfolio Conference

Prepared Reading: Teacher Man -Part II complete, begin Part III
Assignment Due: Resume & Clinical Experience Drafts
Assignment Due: Real World Writing Activity/Assignment

Week #15: Teaching Composition in the Digital/Computer Age

T 4/29 - Technology: Friend or Foe?
Prepared Reading: "How Computers are Making Kids Dumb," "Young
and Wired," "Why Heather Can Write" (found in course binder); Binder
Assignment Due: Professional Portfolio
Live Text Version Unit Plan Must Be Submitted
R 5/1 - From Theory to Practice: Final Thoughts & Closure
Prepared Reading: Teaching English Chapter 14

Final Exam Week I End of Semester

(Note: This Schedule is Subject to Change at the Instructor's Discretion & Reading
Selections are Abbreviated by Title)