Augsburg College
ESE 350 Methods: Literature and Reading
Fall 2003
Credits: 1.0
Prerequisites: Admission to the Teacher Education Program
Instructor: Dr. Colin Irvine Office hours: T Th 10:00-12:00
Office: 216 Memorial Hall Email hours: T Th 10:00-12:00
Email: irvinec@augsburg.edu Office phone: 330-1367
Required Texts:
Burke, Jim. The English TeacherÕs Companion. Portsmouth, New Hampshire:
Boynton/Cook Publishers, 2nd Ed. 2003.
Keene, Ellin Oliver and Zimmerman, Susan. Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, New
Hampshire: Heinemann, 1997.
AutobiographiesÑstudents will select one of the following:
Bragg, Rick. All over but the ShoutinÕ. New York: Vintage Books, 1997.
Crow Dog, Mary. Lakota Woman. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.
Gates, Henry Louis. Colored People: A Memoir. New York: Vintage Books, 1995.
Fong-Torres, Ben. The Rice Room. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
Soto, Gary. Living up the Street. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1985.
Course Description: This course is designed to introduce you to the teaching of literature and reading in the middle and high school and to provide an overview of adolescent literature. Emphasis will be on instructional strategies and curriculum development intended to help you work with a diverse student population. In accordance with the standards for effective practice, you will familiarize yourself with Òcentral concepts common to the teaching and learning of communication arts and literature.Ó This means that you will effectively utilize skills and approaches that cultivate your studentsÕ interest in reading, nurture their appreciation for literature, and facilitate their ability to find and make meaning through language. In more general terms, the course is intended to emphasize the importance of being a positively self-conscious and reflective reader, scholar, and teacher. To this end, we will explore the innumerable approaches and styles connected with the teaching of communication arts and literature, and we will gladly take the time to talk at great length about teaching, the greatest profession. Finally, as people embarking upon a career marked by collaboration and cooperation, and as scholars skilled in the areas of inquiry and critical analysis, you will join in the ongoing academic conversation that accompanies the study of pedagogy. Specifically, you will survey and assess what has been said about the teaching of reading and literature, and you will begin to lend your voice to this conversation by developing your own teaching philosophy and toolkit of strategies based upon our readings, discussions, and your experiences as an observer in the middle school classroom.
Education Department Mission Statement: The Augsburg College Department commits itself to developing future educational leaders who foster student learning and well-being by being knowledgeable in content, being competent in pedagogy, being ethical in practice, building relationships, embracing diversity, reflecting critically, and collaborating effectively.
Mission Themes (MT) Assessed in this Course: Being competent in pedagogy, ethical in practice, knowledgeable in content; being able and eager to embrace diversity, reflect critically, and collaborate effectively.
Applicable Standards for Effective Practice:
G. evaluate teaching resources and curriculum materials for comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness for presenting particular ideas and concepts;
I. develop and use curricula that encourage students to understand, analyze, interpret, and apply ideas from varied perspectives.
O. use information about studentsÕ families, cultures and communities as the basis for connecting instruction to studentsÕ experiences;
P. bring multiple perspectives to the discussion of subject matter, including attention to a studentÕs personal, family, and community experiences and cultural norms.
¤ Standard 4. Instructional Strategies. A teacher must understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. The teacher must:
D. enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of materials and human technological resources;
F. demonstrate flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary for adapting instruction to student responses, ideas, and needs;
L. use educational technology to broaden student knowledge about technology, to deliver instruction to students and different levels and paces, and to stimulate advanced levels of learning.
G. understand how participation supports commitment;
I. establish peer relationships to promote learning;
P. develop expectation for student interactions, academic discussions, and individual and group responsibility that create a positive classroom climate of openness, mutual respect, support, inquiry, and learning.
F. use effective listening techniques;
K. use a variety of media communication tools, including audiovisual aids and computers, including educational technology, to enrich learning opportunities.
G. implement learning experiences that are appropriate for curriculum goals, relevant to learners, and based on principles of effective instruction including activating student prior knowledge, anticipating preconceptions, encouraging exploration and problem solving, and building new skills on those previously acquired.
Teachers of Communication Arts and Literature: Applicable Subject Matter
Standards:
3A. A teacher of communication arts and literature understands central concepts
common to the teaching and learning of communication arts and literature content. The teacher must understand and apply:
2. the phonological, grammatical, and semantic functions of language;
3. philosophy and theories of communication arts and literature instruction;
5. language for independent learning and enjoyment;
9. the integration of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing;
10. strategies for selecting and using texts and materials that correlate individual student ability with developmentally appropriate learning experiences;
11. strategies for selecting and using texts and materials which recognize and accept a broad range of common and diverse perspectives;
B. A teacher of communication arts and literature demonstrates understanding and skills
essential to the teaching and learning of reading, writing, speaking, listening, media literacy, and literature. The teacher must demonstrate the:
1. knowledge, skills, and ability to teach reading, including:
a. the interactive and constructive nature of reading comprehension and
how it functions in the literal, inferential, and schema-based levels of understanding;
b. the stages of the reading process so as to model and teach strategies
that occur before, during, and after reading;
c. content area reading strategies to encourage competence and
independence for lifelong learning;
d. comprehensive strategies for a variety of purposes to various materials
and tasks, including everyday life situations;
e. the ability to find and synthesize information from a variety of textual
and nontextual sources;
f. the selection and teaching of vocabulary in all settings;
g. the use of books and other printed sources for personal growth and
lifelong learning.
6. knowledge, skills, and ability to teach literature, including:
a. a repertoire of literary texts, including fiction and nonfiction, classic
and contemporary works, and works written for preadolescents and adolescents by a diversity of authors;
b. characteristics of various literary genres, including poetry, drama,
novel, short story, and essays;
c. tools of interpretation including literary devices, critical theories, and
various methods of analysis, interpretation, presentation, and evaluation of literature;
d. how to help students respond to, interpret, and evaluate texts in a
variety of ways, including text-centered and reader-centered approaches;
e. how to encourage students to respond to texts through written and oral
communication, both privately and publicly;
f. how to help students construct meaning out of texts through various
processes applied before, during, and after reading;
g. how context shapes meaning;
h. how to encourage students to become lifelong readers and writers.
C. A teacher of communication arts and literature demonstrates an understanding of
the teaching of communication arts and literature that integrates understanding of communication arts and literature with their understanding of pedagogy, students, learning, classroom management, and professional development. The teacher of communication arts and literature to preadolescent and adolescent students in grades 5 through 12 shall:
2. understand and apply the research base for and the best practices of
middle level and high school education;
3. develop curriculum goals and purposes based on the central concepts
of communication arts and literature and know how to apply instructional strategies and materials for achieving student understanding of this discipline;
4. understand the role and alignment of district, school, and departmental
missions and goals in program planning;
5. understand the need for and how to connect studentsÕ schooling
experiences with everyday life, the workplace, and further educational opportunities;
7. understand the role and purpose of cocurricular and extracurricular
activities in the teaching and learning process;
8. understand the impact of reading ability on student achievement;
recognize the varying reading comprehension and fluency levels represented by students, and possess the strategies to assist students to read more effectively.
Course Objectives:
a. knowledge of:
the functions of language (3A)
the stages of the reading process (1G, 1I, 7G)
the role that student individuality plays in learning (3O, 3P, 4F, 4L, 5P, 7G)
a variety of instructional strategies to create a community learning
environment (3O, 3P, 4F, 4L, 5P, 7G)
available resources from texts to technology (1G, 4D, 4L, 6K, 7G)
various literary genres and multiple methods for teaching communication arts/literature
(1G, 4D, 4L, 6K, 7G)
b. skills in:
communicating effectively (6A, 6E)
evaluating instructional effectiveness (4B)
developing learner self-esteem (5C)
correlating student ability with appropriate learning experiences (1G, 1I, 4L, 7G)
assigning age-appropriate and ability-based literature (1G, 1I, 7G)
planning and managing instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter,
students, community, and the district/state curriculum goals (1G, 1I, 3O, 3P,
5G, 5I, 5P, 7G)
developing curricula that encourages students to understand, analyze, interpret,
and apply ideas (1G, 1I, 3O, 4D, 4F, 4L, 5P, 6K, 7G)
c. professional attitudes related to:
appreciating diverse learning styles (3A)
reflecting on and addressing the needs of the whole learner (9C, 9H, 10D)
demonstrating an understanding of various issues of concern that surface in the classroom
and investigating different ways of resolving the problems (3O, 3P, 5G, 5I, 5P, 6F, 6K, 7G)
reflecting on the educational profession and demonstrating an understanding of his/her
vision as an educator (1G, 4D, 5G, 5I, 7G)
Course Goals:
To create a community of learners.
To reflect (individually and as a community) on ourselves as learners and teachers.
To inquire actively into theories of content pedagogy and critical pedagogy in the teaching and learning of literacy.
To appreciate and enjoy good literature and great company.
To learn to love learning even more than we already do. To laugh often.
Assessment Summary:
Personal Literacy Profile Personal reflection on educational 1I; 3 O, P; 4 F; 5G; 7G; 9C, H
experience and its impact on
teaching philosophy; 3-5 pages
Student Literacy Profile Interview student; identify areas 1G, 3A5, 3A10, 3A11, 3O, 3P strengths as reader/interpreter 4F
3-5 page analytical essay with
an emphasis on synthesis
Synthesis 4-6 page synthesis of insights 1I; 3O, P; 4F; 5G; 7G; 9C, H
gained from readings, 1G, 3A5, 3A10, 3A11, 3O, 3P
discussions, and field placements
Autobiography Presentation In collaboration with others, 2A, 3A5, 3A10, 3A11; 3C5; 5I, 5P
and Response plan and teach a lesson 6K, 6E, 7A, 8B,
individually, write reflection
Electronic Reflections on Field placement experience 3A, C, I; 5C, F, G, H, K; 6A;
Field Placement Observation of students/teachers 9C, h; 10B;
Reflection, analysis, and discussion
Micro-teaching lessons Plan and teach a lesson 3C2, 3, 7; 4B; 7A, 7G, 7D
Peer and self-evaluation
Toolkit and Working Journal Textbook, readings discussion; 2A, 3A3, 4, 9, 10; 3B1, 3B 1, 3B6;
Reflection, analysis, synthesis 3C2,4, 4F, 6E, 7A Includes a teaching philosophy
Literature Unit Plan Assignment sheet; assessment 3A3, 4, 9, 10; 3B1, 3B 6; 11; 4D,
plan/grading rubric; handouts 4F, 6F, 1G, 5G, 7G, 1I, 5I, 6K, 4L, 30 , 3P, 5P
Quizzes Textbooks and readings 1B, 2A, B, C; 3A, C, I; 4B; 5A, C,
F, H, J, K; 6A; 7A, C, E; 8B; 10B
Assignment/Assessment Descriptions:
You are expected to show up on time for each class prepared to participate. It is expected that you will have read and reflected upon the assigned readings prior to class, and it is expected that you will share your viewpoints and opinions in a manner befitting a professional educator. (5% = 5 percentage points)
Personal Literacy Profile
In this 3-5 page essay, you should reflect on your literary experiencesÑfrom your earliest memories to school to your adult lifeÑand the factors that shaped that literacy experience. First draft due September 11th. Final draft due September 18th.
Arrange to interview one of the students in your field placement (assign the student a pseudonym). Look for someone who is very different from you (gender, class, race, language, academic Òsuccess,Ó etc.). Ask them questions similar to the questions you asked yourself in preparing your Personal Literacy Profile. In particular, look for all the sources of strength and encouragement for literacy the student may have experienced. Since the student will be different from you, the types of strength and encouragement they have experienced will be different. (DonÕt fall into the thinking that Òdifferent is deficitÓ here.) Due October 23rd.
This 4-6 page paper will be based on your personal literacy profile, the student literacy interview, and insights you have gained from the readings, discussions, and field placements that are helping you see how your personal history will impact you as a teacher. The purpose of the synthesis is to think through whether your assumptions about literacy development have changed and to update your ideas on how you as a teacher of English can grow from your own literacy experiences to build on the strengths of all students and assist them in their literacy development. Due November 6th.
Toolkit and Working Journal
As we progress through the semester, you will encounter many instructional tools and strategies related to the theories we are studying. You will be asked to keep track of these tools and strategies and the theory they demonstrate to create a toolkit/working journal. Feel free to add to your toolkit and working journal from sources other than this class (for example, practical ideas you glean from watching your cooperating teacher as well as from other classes you are currently taking at Augsburg). In each weekly entry, you are expected to speak in some measure to the following topics:
Strategies: One or two a day. Scenarios: What would you do and why?
Sources: Ones to rememberÑa working bibliography.
Readings/Discussions: Your thoughts on them.
Micro-teachings: your feedback and reflection
Questions: One or two a day about issues that come up in reading/discussion
Notes to Self: ÒAvoid rhetorical questions whenever possible.Ó ÒBuy milk.Ó
These will be graded as satisfactory (full points) or unsatisfactory (zero points); however, periodically I will collect and assess them, assigning them 5, 3, or 0 points extra credit based upon how thorough and thoughtful the entries are. Also, as part of the journal, you will write your teaching philosophy as it pertains to the teaching of reading and literature. You will share and discuss these during the last day of class. Due Finals Week.
Micro-teaching Lessons
Each of you will present a short lesson (10 minutes) that demonstrates a strategy for
teaching a concept germane to language arts and reading. These lessons will fit into our ongoing discussions about such topics as teaching fiction and teaching with technology.
During the semester, you will be assigned topics/questions to focus your observations during your time in the classroom. These topics/questions will form the basis for an electronic reflection/dialogue with your classmates. The dialogue will take place on Blackboard, with each of you posting your thoughts and responding to at least one of your classmatesÕ ideas. These will be assessed on the basis of completion, depth of reflection, and incorporation of class readings and discussions.
You will read an autobiography in groups of four or five. Each group will present its text to the class. You will have approximately 30-35 minutes for your presentation. You will need to provide a brief synopsis of the book for the rest of the class, but the rest of the presentation must take some form of teaching other than lecture (art, drama, role-playing, music, discussion, technology, writing, combinations of several, etc.). In your presentation, you will discuss how you would effectively work with a student such as the one who wrote the autobiography, noting, for instance, particular strategies you would use and why. Following the presentation, you will write a two-three page essay reflecting on what you learned from the experience about yourself as a reader, student, and teacher, including your experience in preparing and delivering the presentation.
These are designed to measure how well you are keeping up with the readings.
Each of you will create a 2-3 week unit plan. You will take a thematic approach built around a specific text (or set of texts) with supplemental work including more than one genre of literature. (For example, if using a novel, include related poetry, articles from magazines, visual art, or music to supplement the primary piece.) These will be done in conjunction with the units listed on the calendar.
Grading:
Participation 5%
Personal Literacy Profile 10%
Micro-teaching Lesson 10%
Electronic Reflections on Field Placement 10%
Autobiography Presentation and Response 10%
Technology Requirements:
Field Experience Requirement:
This course requires 20 hours of field experience in a classroom or in another setting that has education as its purpose. [I wasnÕt sure what to put here, since we had talked a bit about the changes taking place in this area. If there is this requirement, do the students get there experience at the middle school level, the high school level, or do they have an option for one or the other?]
Policies:
Attendance Policy:
Because many of the class sessions involve demonstrations, discussions, and videos which cannot be made up, it is strongly recommended you attend all class meetings to insure you do not miss any important material. If you know ahead of time that you will miss class, please let me know. You may make-up unavoidable absences (emergencies) by engaging in equivalent learning and teaching activities which you will design and document. Other avoidable absences may not be made up and will like affect your grade. Attendance qualifies for class participation points, so it has a direct bearing on your grade for this course.
Late Work:
Course assignments handed in on time may be re-done and reassessed if they are deficient in some significant way. Late assignments may be docked up to a full grade per week. NO work will be accepted after the last day of regularly scheduled classes (December 11th.)
Special Needs:
Students with diagnosed learning needs may have legal rights to course modifications. If you have been identified as having a physical or learning disability, please let me know what special considerations need to be made. All students have the right to use the Augsburg College Counseling Center and Student Development staff services, as well as to receive tutoring assistance with this policy.
Honesty Policy:
The Augsburg College policy on academic honesty applies to this course. You will be required to acknowledge your compliance with this policy.
Technology Expectations:
Students who do not posses these skills should contact personnel in the student-computing lab in Lindell Library for help in developing these skills. Students will receive training in Augsburg specific software such as Blackboard and AugNet in college orientation programs and/or in beginning coursework. Augsburg computer labs all have Microsoft Word for those students who do not have access to this software elsewhere.
Course Schedule (Flexible, functional, working Course ScheduleÑit will change!)
Sept. 4th Class #1Ñ
Introductory activities
Expectations
Syllabus
Materials/resources
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, pages1-26
Keene & Zimmerman, Prologue through Chapter 3
Write first draft of your Personal Literacy Profile
Begin working in and on your Toolkit
Sept. 11th Class #2Ñ
Talking about Teaching and Teachers
TEACHING READING
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Keene & Zimmerman, chapters 4-10
Finish Literacy Narrative
Sept. 18th Class #3Ñ
Literacy Narrative Due
Discussing the Big Debate
TEACHING READING
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, Chapter 4 (p. 28-100)
If you havenÕt already, contact school for field experience
Sept. 25th Class #4Ñ
Classroom Scenario
Micro-teachingÑ3 presentations
TEACHING FICTION
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Begin field experience (set up expectations for site visit)
Burke, Chapter 10
Oct. 2nd Class #5Ñ
Quiz
Micro-teachingÑ3 presentations
Classroom Scenario
TEACHING FICTION
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Begin working on the autobiography projectÑenjoy a good book
Burke, Chapters 5 and 6
Oct. 9th Class #6ÑNo class
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, Chapter 11
Oct. 16th Class #7Ñ
Micro-TeachingÑ4 presentations
Classroom Scenario
Finding Effective ways to teach Grammar and Vocabulary
TEACHING POETRY
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Complete Student Literacy Profile
Oct. 23rd Class #8Ñ
Possible Quiz; Micro-TeachingÑ4 presentations
TEACHING POETRY
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Schedule interview with student for literacy profile
Oct. 30th Class #9Ñ
Micro-TeachingÑ4 presentations
TEACHING DRAMA
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, Chapters 12-14
Write final draft of Personal Literacy Profile
Nov. 6th Class #10Ñ
Quiz
Micro-TeachingÑ4 presentations
Teaching with Technology
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Nov. 13th Class #11Ñ
Classroom Scenario
Micro-TeachingÑ4 presentations
TEACHING MEDIA LITERACY
Autobiography presentation
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, Chapters 16-17
Nov. 20th Class #12Ñ
Classroom Scenario
Unit Plan and Presentation on Teaching Reading
Autobiography presentation
Readings/Assignments for next class:
Burke, Chapters 18-19
Dec. 4th Class #13Ñ
Autobiography presentation
Writing your personal teaching philosophy
Reading/Assignments for next class:
Complete and assemble if necessary Toolkit and Working Journal
Dec. 11th Class #14Ñ
Autobiography presentation
Sharing and discussing toolkits and working journals
Readings/Assignments for next class: