EN410 - Methods and Materials in Secondary English
Dr. Gloria D. Bunnell
Painter Hall #103B - Phone 329-7172 office, 328-7042 home
Text: Bridging English, (3rd
ed.), Joseph O’Beirne Milner & Lucy F. Morcock Milner
“You Gotta BE the
Book”: Teaching Engaged and Reflective
Adolescents, Jeffrey D.
Wilhelm
E-mail Account
Course Content: This
course encompasses an overview of major theories of
language, composition, and literature and reading instruction, a study of the
standard
methods of secondary English classroom instruction and organization, experience
in lesson development, lesson planning and teaching, and opportunities for
practical application of methods and theories to classroom situations.
Goals: To foster development of a
philosophy of English language arts instruction;
To enrich knowledge of theories of
language instruction including information about language acquisition and
development;
To enrich knowledge of theories of
composition instruction including information
about the
composing process;
To enrich knowledge of
theories of literature instruction including ways students
respond to
literature;
To develop an understanding of
preparation of daily lesson plans and instructional units in the English
language arts matching the MS Language Arts Frameworks and NCTE standards;
To provide knowledge of
methods of teaching language, composition, and literature and reading as parts of
an integrated curriculum;
To provide knowledge of
methods of selecting materials and organizing activities to accommodate various
age groups, learning styles, and reading abilities;
To encourage application of research in teaching and in making informed decisions about issues in the profession.
Course Requirements:
1. Field Experience: This course offers
opportunities for field experiences that allow students to work with certified,
experienced teachers in the classroom. Required field experiences include
20 hours of assistant teaching in a 7-12 classroom in 4-hour blocks (preferably
completed in one week’s time) and 2 hours of observation in a 7-12 classroom
other than the one to which the student has been assigned. A journal is
required for all field experiences so that students will be able to reflect on
their work and time spent in the secondary classroom.
2. Instructional Units/Lesson
Presentations: Each student must complete one instructional unit
written in the STAI format. The unit must include lesson plans for five
days matching MS Language Arts Frameworks standards, examples of formal and
informal assessment, remedial and enrichment activities, and a technology
and/or media component, among other specifics. The unit must include an
introduction stating its purpose and objectives and a list of all printed
materials to be used. Lessons must be
included exemplifying the four basic organizational patterns for teaching
covered during the semester. Lessons from the unit will be taught to other students
in the methods class (simulated teaching).
Further guidelines will be provided by the instructor.
3. Summaries/Responses to Outside
4. Mid-Term Exam: This exam will address specific methods and their application in the classroom covered in class up to this time.
5. Brochures: Create two brochures. One brochure will describe a workshop for parents for the purpose of explaining statewide testing and one brochure will describe a workshop you will plan for your peers at a future date on a subject of your choosing or a brochure to present yourself to a future employer.
6. Final Exam: As 50% of the exam, each student will prepare an essay regarding his/her perception of the teaching of English in the secondary school. The purpose of this assignment will be to allow each teacher candidate to reflect on his/her reasons for choosing to teach and on his/her goals to be accomplished as a teacher of the English language arts. Journal entries will be assigned each week to stimulate thoughts and ideas toward this end. The intent is to have each student leave the methods class with a personal philosophy of teaching. The remaining 50% will address specific methods and their application in the classroom covered in the class from mid-term.
7. Professional Portfolio: A Professional Portfolio, begun in ED300, Education as a Profession, and continued through ED302, Art & Science of Teaching, EN410 Methods & Materials in Secondary English, and completed in ED409, Observation & Directed Teaching in Secondary Education, is required of each student for this course. The portfolio should contain a collection of samples of teaching performance including artifacts, experiences, and examples of what the student has accomplished in preparation for the teaching experience in line with INTASC standards. This collection documents the candidate’s teaching readiness skills and abilities, provides the candidate with a means of reflection, and an opportunity to critique one’s own work. Six artifacts are required at the completion of EN410 with four to be added during the professional semester. The portfolio will be evaluated during Methods class and the final grade will be assigned as part of the ED409 class.
8. Grammar Exam: All students will be required to pass an English Grammar
exam with a minimum grade of 80% in order to complete this class successfully.
Each student will have three (3) opportunities to meet this
requirement.
Method of Evaluation:
The final grade will be determined as follows:
Field Experience
10% Instructional Unit 30%
Summaries
15% Lessons 10%
Brochures 10% Mid-Term Exam 10%
Final Exam 15%
Grading Scale: 100-92=A, 91-83=B, 82-74=C, 73-65=D, 64=F
Attendance: All students are required to attend class regularly and to report to the
assigned schools for the field experiences as scheduled. This class is a simulated
professional classroom experience and should be treated as such by the student. No
classes should be missed for any reason except emergency situations. Excused
absences=2. Any absences after two will result in a 5 point deduction from the student’s
final grade for each absence unexcused. Note: No student will receive credit for any
course for which he/she is not properly registered.
Important Dates this Semester:
Aug. 19 Last
day to enter classes for credit and change from grade to pass/fail
Sept. 4 Labor Day Holiday
Sept. 17 Last day
to drop a course without receiving a grade of WP or WF or
change from Credit to Audit
Oct. 6 & 7 Fall Break
Oct. 15 Last day a course may be
dropped
Oct. 20
Spring pre-registration
Nov. 7 Last day to withdraw from the university
Nov.26-29 Thanksgiving Holidays
Students with Disabilities: It is the responsibility of students who have
professionally diagnosed disabilities to notify the instructor so that necessary
and/or appropriate modifications can be made to meet any special learning
needs.
Relationship to Conceptual Framework:
This course requires students to reflect critically and creatively on
their preparation for teaching secondary English. Since the reflective
teacher is constantly engaged in decision-making, the focus of this course is
on developing teaching candidates’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes for
effective decision-making in the classroom.
Knowledge and Skills:
1. To understand the central
concepts, tools of inquiry, structures, and professional standards of the
discipline(s) he or she teaches and to create learning experiences that make
these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
Candidates will demonstrate skill in planning lessons and units with appropriate goals and objectives, instructional patterns, procedures, and assessment techniques through the development and teaching of an instructional units and lessons. Through these lessons and units, the candidates will demonstrate their understanding of the English subject matter and their ability to apply that understanding to specific learning experiences.
2. To
understand how children learn and develop and to provide learning opportunities
that support their intellectual, physical, psychological, social, moral and
personal development.
Candidates will demonstrate their understanding of adolescent development through
their choice of materials for their instructional units and their explanations of the
purpose of their choices.
3. To understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and to create instructional opportunities that challenge diverse learners.
Candidates will demonstrate their understanding of the differing approaches to
learning through the development of remedial and enrichment activities for their
instructional units, the inclusion of literature from various cultures, reading strategies
chosen,
and language activities.
4. To understand and use a
variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development
of critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
Candidates’ instructional units must include lessons at each level of Bloom’s
Taxonomy, lessons presented in four different teaching strategies, and a technology and/or media component, components for critical thinking, enrichment and remediation.
5. To use an understanding of individual and group
motivation and behavior
to create a learning environment that
encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and
self-motivation.
Candidates will demonstrate their understanding of issues in classroom management
in the secondary classroom through research of current issues in discipline and the
presentation of a summary of an article on several current topics.
6.
To use knowledge of effective verbal and nonverbal communication, along
with technology, to foster
active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive
interaction in the classroom.
Candidates will research current issues in the field of teaching secondary English, prepare summaries of their research, and share the research with the class. They also
prepare a technology/media component
in their instructional units and receive evaluation by instructor and peers on
the effectiveness of their communication in their class presentations of
lessons.
7. To plan instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, student, the
community, and curriculum goals.
Candidates will be able to incorporate the MS Language Art’s Curriculum Framework
into their instructional units, designating the standard met on their lesson plan sheets.
8. To understand
and use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and insure the
continuous intellectual, physical, psychological, social, moral and personal development
of the learner.
Candidates will be able to demonstrate their ability to use formal and informal
assessment strategies in their instructional units and will be able to create a
rubric for the student assessment as well as create assessments for
enrichment and remediation.
Attitudes and Self Understanding:
1. To
be a reflective decision maker who continually evaluates the effects of his/her
choices and actions on others (e.g. students, parents, and other professionals
in the learning community) and who grows professionally, actively seeking out
opportunities for self understanding.
Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the role as a
reflective decision-maker by maintaining a reflective journal of their field
experiences where they analyze and evaluate classroom situations and reflect on
how these experiences will affect their future teaching situations.
Candidates will also demonstrate their professional growth through a
personal journal and the development of their own philosophy for the teaching
of English.
2. To work collaboratively with students,
colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support student learning
and well-being.
Candidates will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with fellow
students in the classroom by developing lessons together, evaluating each
others’ units and lessons, and sharing journal entries.
Syllabus:
Week 1 (Aug. 13) Course
introduction and Matters of Professionalism
Professional Portfolio; Field
Experience Description
“Envisioning English,” Chapter 1
Week 2 (Aug. 20) Discussion of and Prep for Grammar Exam;
Reading
Assignment - Chapter 2, “Organizing Instruction”
Interdisciplinary
Lessons; Discussion of Organizing
Instruction
Week 3 (Aug. 27) Curriculum & Instruction;
Reading Assignment - Chapter 14, “Planning the Lesson”
Frameworks Curriculum Guides; Discussion of Planning
Lesson
Week 4 (Sept. 3) Language
in the Classroom; Discussion of Language
Reading Assignment, Chapter 3, “Centering on Language”
Grammar Exam
Written
Summary #1 due Sept. 5 (Issues in language
and grammar
instruction)
Week 5
(Sept. 10) Grammar
and Oral Language in the Classroom
Reading Assignment - Chapter 4, “Developing an Oral
Foundation”
Language/Grammar Lesson
Week 6
& 7 Reading Strategies and Literature in
the Classroom
(Sept. 17-24) Reading Assignment - Chapter 5,
“Responding to
Literature”;
Wilhelm Chapters 2, 3, 6
Written Summary #2 due Sept. 26 (Issues in
literature or
reading instruction)
Week 8 (Oct. 1) Selection of Literature
Reading Assignment -
Chapters 7, “Opening Texts”; Wilhelm
Chaper 4, 5
Literature/Reading Lesson
Week 9 (Oct. 8) Mid-Term Exam
Media & Technology in the
Classroom
Reading Assignment – Chapter 10 “Making Media Matter” Week 10 (Oct.15) Media Unit
Written
Summary #3 due Oct. 17 (Issues in using
technology/media in the classroom)
Week 11
(Oct. 22) Teaching Composition
Reading Assignment – Chapters 11
& 12,“Inspiring Writing”
& “Enabling Writing”
Written Summary #4 due Oct. 24 (Issues in
composition
instruction)
Week 12 (Oct. 29) Writing Skills
Composition
Lesson
Week 13 (Nov. 5) Assessment & Evaluation
Reading Assignment – Chapter 13, “Evaluating
Learning”
Written
Summary #5 due Nov. 7 (Issues in school
safety/discipline in the classroom)
Week 14 (Nov.12) Teaching as a Profession
Reading Assignment – Chapter 15, “Becoming a
Complete
Teacher”
Brochures
due (2 –one for parent, one for
colleagues)
Week 15 (Nov. 19) Wrap Up & Review for Exam
Content Portfo1ios Due
Professional Portfolio Discussion
Week 16 (Dec. 4) Final Exam- Thursday, December 4,
(The instructor reserves
the right to alter and/or change this syllabus as
necessary.)
References
Professional Journals:
English Journal
Language Arts Journal (lower secondary)
Phi Delta Kappan
Research in the Teaching of English
Books/Articles:
Applebee, Arthur N. “English Language Arts Assessment: Lessons from the
Past.”
English Journal Apr. 1994: 40-46.
Atwell, Nancie. In the
Middle:
Ballard, Leslie. “Portfolios and Self-Assessment.”
English Journal Feb. 1992:
46-48.
Bushman, John H., and Kay Parks Bushman. Using Young Adult Literature in the
English Classroom.
Chomsky, Noam. Language and Mind.
Christensen, Linda. “Teaching Standard English: Whose
Standard?” English
Journal Feb.
1990: 36-40.
Cooper, Charles, and Lee Odell. Evaluating Writing;
Describing, Measuring,
Judging.
Elbow, Peter, and Pat Belanoff.
A Community of Writers.
1989.
Gilles, Carol, et al. Whole Language Strategies for Secondary Students. New
Greenlaw, James. C. English Language Arts and
Johannessen, Larry R. “Enhancing Response to
Literature: A Matter of Changing
Old Habits.”
English Journal Nov. 1994: 66-70.
Moffett, James, and Betty Ann Wagner. A Student-Centered Language Arts
Curriculum, K-12.
4th ed.
Rosenblatt, Louise. Literature as
Exploration. 3rd ed.
Noble, 1976.
Classrooms.
Schuman, Baird R. “Assessing Student Achievement in the
Study of Literature.”
English Journal Dec. 1994: 55-58.