Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater
Curry 303
Wednesdays 6:30-9:20
Office: McIver 114
Email: e_chiser@uncg.edu
English 522: Teaching Composition: Theories and Applications
This course introduces participants to a range of pedagogical theories and
research methodologies in the field of Composition Studies. It prepares students
to undertake their own research projects as well as to interpret the professional
literature in the field. We’ll begin by grounding ourselves in contemporary
theories and key terms that define the field and guide classroom approaches
to teaching writing. Over the semester, we’ll explore the methodologies
used in composition research, along with articles and book chapters that
reflect these approaches. Our goal will be to understand how different research
questions demand different methods and methodologies that result in findings
that guide and shape different approaches to teaching writing. My personal
goal for the class participants is for them to feel competent at reading
and evaluating the usefulness of research studies for their own teaching
of writing. And, of course, I want the course to be personally meaningful
to each of you.
English 522 is a required course for all students in the M.ED in English
Education and will cover many of the readings on the composition list for
the comprehensive doctoral exams in that area.
“Research is the name we give to the activity of writing...whatever it searches for, it must not forget its nature as language.” Roland Barthes
Readings:
Heilker, Paul and Peter Vandernberg. Key Words in Composition Studies. Heinemann:
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 1996.
Kirsch, Gesa and Patricia Sullivan. Methods and Methodologies in Composition Research. Southern Illinois Press, Carbondale, Illinois. 1992.
Tate, Gary, Amy Rupiper and Kurt Schick, A Guide to Composition Pedagogies. Oxford University Press, New York, 2001.
There will also be an e-reserve list.
Learning Objectives:
Seminar participants will become familiar with the range of scholarly journals
in the field and consult them throughout the course as they prepare their
research portfolios. Some of these journals include: Research in the Teaching
of English, College Composition and Communication, College English, Journal
of Advanced Composition, Journal of Basic Writing, Journal of Teaching Writing,
English Education, Anthropology and Education, Harvard Educational Review,
Written Communication, Writing Program Administration, Teaching in the Two
Year College, Journal of Technical Writing. And there are others. Some of
these journals are available online and others such as Kairos are exclusively
online.
More explicitly, these are the skills each student should master in English 522:
1. To learn and apply research methods appropriate to composition research (historical, feminist, ethnographic, linguistic, cognitive, etc).
2. To understand and critically analyze various research methodologies and professional studies.
3. To design a research project focused on ways of researching writing instruction.
4. To research and write a review of the literature on some aspect of writing instruction.
5. To become familiar with current approaches in the field, i.e. educational reports, theoretical perspectives, and pedagogical approaches to various issues of writing instruction.
6. To understand the relationship between research methods, findings and implications for the purpose of curriculum and instruction. To understand the relationship between research
7. To make decisions related to curriculum and pedagogy based on research in the field.
Rituals and Routines
Since this is a graduate course, I expect everyone to attend each class and arrive on time. You should not miss any classes except in an extreme emergency which you would discuss with me by phone or email. As graduate students, I also expect you to be prepared, engage in our class discussions, and collaborate with one another in every possible way. You will be asked to do group work and will be encouraged to write your final papers collaboratively if possible.
Course Overview
There are two major projects in this course. One is to assemble a research
portfolio and the other is to either design a possible research study or
to write a bibliographic essay related to an area of interest in composition
studies. Both of these projects will be turned in at the end of semester
but the research portfolio will also be turned in at midterm. Combined with
your class participation, these two projects comprise the major part of your
course grade. You are welcome to talk about your course evaluation at any
time during the semester.
Research Portfolio
You will begin your research portfolio with your first entry on Keywords in Composition Studies and continue descriptions and critiques of your reading, adding weekly to your portfolio. The overall purpose of the portfolio is to provide you with bibliographic resources for future research and inquiry. We’ll share portfolios throughout the semester and at the end of the course when you will submit a reflection on the process of keeping a research portfolio.
Final Project
You will choose to either propose a research design for a possible study you might want to conduct (M.ED students will need to do this) or to write a bibliographic essay related to an area of composition studies of interest to you as a teacher and scholar. While both projects involve bibliographic grounding in a specific research area, the research design focuses on methods and procedures for a potential classroom study where the thrust of the bibliographic essay is on the assimilation of other studies on a topic such as writing centers, assessment, invention strategies, peer editing, response strategies. There are many sample bibliographic essays in A Guide to Composition Pedagogies. The approximate length of these projects will be between 10-15 pages with the rough draft due about three weeks before the course ends.
In addition to doing one of these two final projects, you will be asked to lead a class discussion, give a report on a professional journal, and present your final project. Participants are encouraged to collaborate with one another on any aspect of the course.
Outline of Topics and Readings
Week One (8/18) What Is Research?
Introduction to the course, to one another, and what it means to ask research-based
questions about teaching writing.
Week Two (8/25) Keywords
Reading: Keywords in Composition Studies. Read the introduction, browse the
entire book and select two entries that particularly interest you. Write
a one or two paged paper about two of the terms, responding to what you found
interesting, surprising, or confusing about the keyword. Make one copy of
your paper to hand in and keep one copy for your research portfolio.
Week Three (9/1) What Is Composition Pedagogy?
Reading: Introduction to A Guide to Composition Pedagogies and two chapters
by Ladd Tobin, “Process Pedagogy” and Christopher Burnham, “Expressive
Pedagogy.” Write a two paged paper about one of these two essays and
bring three copies to class to share.
( Attend Johnnetta Cole and Beverly Guy Sheftall’s discussion of their
new book, Gender Talk in the Virginia Dare room of the Alumni House at 4:00
Thursday Sept. 9th)
Week Four (9/8) What Are Methods and Methodologies? Historical/ Rhetorical Approaches
Reading: Introduction by Sullivan and Kirsch and chapter by Robert Connors, “Dreams and Play” in Methods and Methodologies. In A Guide to Composition Pedagogies, read essay by Covino, “Rhetorical Pedagogy.” Write a response to both of these essays for your portfolio.
Week Five ( 9/15) Quantitative and Positivist Approaches
Reading:”Experimental and Descriptive Research Methods in Composition” by
Richard Beach in Methods and Methodologies and e-reserve, “Writer Based
Prose: A Cognitive Basis for Problem Solving” by Linda Flower. Choose
a professional journal which includes articles on writing (see list) and read
several issues to prepare for discussing the journal with the rest of the class.
Write a two-to three paged journal summary and critique for your portfolio
and make a copy to be handed in.
Week Six (9/22) Feminist Approaches
Reading: “Feminism and Methodology in Composition Studies” by Patricia
Sullivan in Methods and Methodologies and e-reserve, Flynn, “Composing
as A Woman” and Susan Jarrett, “Feminist Pedagogy” in A Guide
to Composition Pedagogies.” Choose one article to respond to for your
research journal.
Week Seven(9/29) Linguistic and Textual Approaches
Reading: E-Reserve, Shaughnessy, Introduction and Chapter 1 from Errors and
Expectations and “On The Academic Margins: Basic Writing Pedagogy” by
Deborah Mutnick in A Guide to Composition Pedagogies.
Have the topic for your bibliographic essay or research study ready at this
class period and bring your research portfolio to share and be evaluated.
Week Eight (10/6) Narrative or Case Study Methods
Reading: “The Narrative Roots of the Case Study” by Thomas Newkirk
in Methods and Methodologies and e-reserve,”Lynn: Profile of a Twelfth
Grader” and Herrington and Curtis, “Claiming the Essay for Himself,
Nam” from Persons in Process. Respond to Newkirk’s article and
one of the two case studies. Schedule a conference with me this week to discuss
plans for final project.
Week Nine (10/13) Ethnographic Approaches
Reading: “Studying Language at Home” by Beverly Moss in Methods
and Methodologies and e-reserve, “Anatomy of a Discourse Community” from
Academic Literacies by Chiseri-Strater.
Respond to one of these articles for your portfolio.
Week Ten (10/20) Action or Teacher-Research
Reading:“Composition from the Teacher-Research Point of View,” by
Ruth Ray in Methods and Methodologies and e-reserve draft of What Works by
Bonnie Sunstein and Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater. Be prepared to summarize one
article you have found most useful for your final project.
Week Eleven (10/27) Collaborative Pedagogy and WAC
Reading: “Collaborative Pedagogy” by Rebecca Moore Howard and “The
Pedagogy of Writing Across the Curriculum” by Susan McLeod in A Guide
to Composition Pedagogies and Roen and Mittan, “Collaborative Scholarship
in Composition: Some Issues” in Methods and Methodologies. Write about
one of these articles for your portfolio.
Week Twelve ( 11/3) Critical Pedagogy
Reading: “Critical Pedagogy: Dreaming of Democracy” by Ann George
in A Guide to Composition Pedagogies and e-reserve, Paulo Freire, “The
Banking Concept of Education” and bell hooks, from Teaching to Transgress.
Write about one of these articles for your portfolio.
Week Thirteen (11/10) Workshop
Reading: “Methodological Pluralism, Epistemological Issues,” by
Gesa Kirsch in Methods and Methodologies. Draft of your project due. Bring
3 copies to share in small groups.
Week Fourteen: ( 11/ 17)Alternative Pedagogies
Reading: “Technology and the Teaching of Writing” by Charles Moran
and “Community Service Pedagogy” by Laura Julier in A Guide to
Composition Pedagogies. Write about both of these articles for your portfolio.
Meet with me about your projects.
Week Fifteen (No Class, Thanksgiving Vacation)
Week Sixteen (12/1) Last Class
Researcher Portfolio due with final projects. Each student will give a five
to six minute presentation with a handout about their project.
Please do not hesitate to meet with me before class when I will hold office
hours from 5:30-6:30 in my office in McIver 114. Do not hesitate to email
concerning any assignment that you don’t understand. Let me know if
there are any learning issues that may affect your performance in this course.