ENGL 5389 Seminar on Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking Fall 2012

Peggy Kulesz

Tim Morris

1400-1650 Th

200 Preston Hall

office hours
Kulesz by appointment 203E Carlisle Hall 817.272.2488
kulesz at uta dot edu
Morris 1100-1200 weekdays 420 Carlisle Hall no phone
tmorris at uta dot edu

office mailbox 203 Carlisle Hall

mailing address Box 19035, UTA 76019

to the schedule of readings and assignments

reading list

• Erika Lindemann, A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers, Fourth Edition
• Rebecca Moore Howard & Amy Robillard, Pluralizing Plagiarism: Identities, Contexts, Pedagogies
• First-Year Writing: Perspectives on Argument (UTA Custom Edition)
• Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, They Say/I Say, Second Edition
• John Ruskiewicz et al, The Scott, Foresman Writer (UTA Custom Edition)
• online packet at Blackboard

syllabus: This syllabus may be updated as the semester goes on. We may post updated versions that indicate readings, discussion plans, and reference materials. However, every component of your grade is shown here at the beginning. If you're reading this on a piece of paper, please refer to the date and time of printing (at the bottom of each page) to see when the version you are holding was printed. For continuous updates look on line at http://www.uta.edu/english/tim/courses/5389f12/5389main.html

course description and student learning outcomes: This seminar investigates problems and approaches to teaching composition and reading to first-year college students. Readings concentrate on current theories of composition, reading, and critical thinking. Although the course is specifically oriented towards training new graduate teaching assistants at UTA, it is possible to adapt material to other courses and other levels of instruction. Students will learn how to/be able to:

• Summarize the major approaches/theories for teaching first-year college composition and writing.
• Identify and analyze major problems typically involved in teaching first-year college composition and reading.
• Analyze and synthesize information in assigned readings.
• Apply information learned in class from readings to addressing typical challenges in teaching composition and reading to first-year college students.
• Share with instructors/classmates their own personal insights and observations about teaching composition and reading to first-year college students.

Descriptions of Major Assignments with Due Dates:

I. Summary-Responses. You will need to respond to specified articles/essays (those that are asterisked* in the schedule below). Summary responses are DUE weekly on the class day for which the readings are assigned. Incomplete assignments will not receive full credit. Write approximately 1-page-long (DS) summary responses. Be sure to have the following three parts in each of your summary-responses:

1. Summarize: In two or three sentences (a short paragraph – approx. 50 words), restate in your own words the author's main argument and support reasons.
2. Synthesize: In the next paragraph or two, weave together ideas/material from the reading with something else. That "something else" can be information/ideas from prior readings/class discussions or personal prior knowledge (especially try to draw on personal experience as a student or teacher).
3. Apply: Try to think of a way that the reading might apply to or influence your own teaching practice: is this an idea to try (how so)? Or is this an idea to avoid (why)?

II. Complete the major ENGL 1301 assignments:

• Discourse Community Analysis DUE 13 September
• Rhetorical Analysis DUE 4 October
• Synthesis DUE 25 October

  III. Observe an ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1302 class and write a brief (2 pages DS) report on the observation. DUE 1 November.

  IV. Reflective Paper. DUE 29 November: Consider the following questions throughout the semester, and write an essay (5-7 pages DS) that reflects on them. On 29 November, you will also give a five-minute presentation based on this reflective paper.

  1. Describe your own background, training, and experience in the teaching of composition.
  2. Why do you want to teach composition?
  3. What are your guiding goals, values, ideals or principles for teaching composition?
  4. What theoretical paradigms will inform your teaching? And why? Use specific references to texts you've read in the course of this syllabus.
  5. What specific classroom practices or strategies do you plan to use?
  6. Describe some negative examples of teaching or teaching composition and explain what you plan to do differently.
  7. Describe some examples of teaching that you will emulate and explain why.
  8. Consider to what extent teaching is a matter of personality or persona or performance. Consider how you can most effectively play on your own personality to develop a successful teaching style.
  9. Consider how your gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, social class, disabled/nondisabled status and/or religion will affect your approach. Consider whether and how your politicized identity categories – whether normative or not – will affect your teaching.

  grading: Your grade for the course will be based on your satisfactory completion of all four categories of major assignments (see descriptions & due dates above). This course is guided but ungraded: you will receive extensive feedback throughout the course, but you will not receive letter grades until the end of the semester. All GTAs must successfully complete the course in order to continue assistantships/fellowships in the spring. No incompletes will be given.

  attendance policy: Regular and prompt attendance are indications of professionalism and reliability. Missing class and/or coming to class late will jeopardize your grade and/or your assistantship.

  drop policy: A grade of W may be assigned if a student chooses to withdraw from a class after Census date, but prior to the last date to drop posted in the University’s Academic Calendar. However, the grade of W is not automatically awarded. Graduate Students must consult with their Graduate Advisor before withdrawing from a class. Further, graduate students must secure the permission of their instructors and be passing the course (have a grade of A, B, C or P) at the time they intend to withdraw to receive a grade of W.

  academic dishonesty policy: It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." [Regents' Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter Vi, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22]

  disability policy: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112--The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act - (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As faculty members, we are required by law to provide "reasonable accommodation" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty at the beginning of the semester and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels.

  student success: The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the University and achieve academic success. They include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.

  schedule of readings and assignments
  

  All readings and assignments are DUE by the start of class on the date listed.

  23 August Welcome and introduction, preview assignments and course calendar. Opening exercises.

  30 August What Is Composition? READINGS: Lindemann Chs. 1-3. Bartholomae, "Inventing the University"*; Bitzer, "The Rhetorical Situation"*; Hairston, "The Winds of Change"*; Horner & Trimbur, "English Only and US College Composition"*. Assign Discourse Community Analysis.

  6 September What Is Composition, Anyway? READINGS: Lindemann Chs. 4-6. Berlin, "Rhetoric and Ideology"*; Fulkerson, "Composition at the Turn"*; Rose, "The Language of Exclusion"*; Ruszkiewicz, "Advocacy in the Writing Classroom"*; Strickland, "Taking Dictation"*. Peer Review of Discourse Community Analysis.

  13 September Reading Processes. READINGS: Birnbaum, "Reflective Thought"*; Rabinowitz, "Against Close Reading"*; Wilson and Anderson, "What They Don't Know Will Hurt Them"*; Wood, "College Reading Instruction"*; They Say I Say Chs. 1-3. Discourse Community Analysis DUE.

  20 September Writing Processes. READINGS: Lindemann Chs. 7-8; Booth, "The Rhetorical Stance"*; Emig, "Writing as a Mode of Learning"*; George, "From Analysis to Design"*; They Say I Say Chs. 4-7. Best Practices: Commenting on drafts. Assign Rhetorical Analysis.

  27 September Writing Processes Redux. READINGS: Lindemann Chs. 8-12. Bartholomae, "Writing with Teachers"*; Elbow, "Being a Writer"*; Rose, "Rigid Rules"*; Sommers, "Revision Strategies"*; They Say I Say Chs. 8-10. Peer Review of Rhetorical Analysis.

  4 October Responding to Student Writing. READINGS: Lindemann Chs. 13-14; Levy, "Cynicism"*; Murray, "The Listening Eye"*; Porter, "Pedagogy of Charity"*; Skorczewski, "Everybody Has Their Own Ideas"*; Smith, "Genre of the End Comment"*; Sommers, "Responding to Student Writing"*. Rhetorical Analysis DUE.

  11 October Grading. READINGS: Bloom, "Why I (Used To) Hate to Give Grades"*; Elbow, "Ranking, Evaluating, and Liking"*. Assign Synthesis.

  18 October Authorship. READINGS: (All from Howard & Robillard): Robillard & Howard, "Introduction: Plagiarisms"*; Eodice, "Man Bites Dog"*; Robillard, "Situating Plagiarism"*; Day, "Time Is Not on Our Side"*; Carrick, "Where There's Smoke"*; Jamieson, "One Size Does Not Fit All"*. Assign Reflective Paper. Peer Review of Synthesis.

  25 October Authorship (the sequel). READINGS: (from Blackboard): Ritter, "Buying In"*; (from Howard & Robillard): Howard, "Plagiarizing (from)"*; Fountain & Fitzgerald, "Thou Shalt Not Plagiarize"*; Thompson & Pennycook, "Intertextuality"*; Anson, "We Never Wanted to Be Cops:"*; Yancey, "Beyond Plagiarism"*; Horner, "Plagiarism, Difference, and Power"*. Synthesis DUE.

  1 November Classroom Management. READINGS: Farber, "Teaching and Presence"*; Guillory, "The Very Idea of Pedagogy"*; Toner, "Pedagogical Ethics"*; They Say I Say Chs. 11-14. Teaching Observation DUE.

  8 November Library, Writing Center, and UTA First-Year English.

  15 November Diverse Populations. READINGS: Land & Whitley, "Evaluating Second-Language Essays"*; Moss & Walters, "Rethinking Diversity"*; Price, "Accessing Disability"*; Rothgery, "So What Do We Do Now?"*.

  22 November THANKSGIVING

  29 November Reflective Paper DUE (with presentations).

  6 December Technically the final-exam date; reserve in case a "snow day" is needed in the schedule.

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