Course Syllabus

ED3380-501
Curriculum and Instruction in English
2009 FALL

Professor Contact Information

Lynne Weber,
hagarl@utdallas.edu
Classroom: CBW 1.206; Office: CBW 1.201, Cubicle C
Office Hours: by appointment
Daytime Phone: 214-346-8126 (my office and voice mail number)
Class Hours: Tuesday/Thursday, 5:30-6:45 P.M

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

Students must complete 20 hours of classroom observation in DISD during the semester

Course Description

ED 3380 is a methods course designed to prepare English teachers to become practiced in the knowledge
and skills required of effective professionals in English education on the secondary level. Students in this
course will research and practice strategies pertinent to curriculum, methods of teaching, and classroom
management.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

1. Students will write skill-based lessons and curriculum units that address all levels of Bloom’s
Taxonomy, that strengthen students’ composition, grammar, and reading skills, that employ best
teaching practices, and that are engaging, active, and student-centered.

2. Student will use a variety of effective strategies and techniques for planning classroom discussion,
student projects, group interaction, teacher-based modeling of skills, grammar instruction, reading
instruction, and composition instruction.

3. Students will construct, administer, and interpret meaningful developmental and summative
assessments for language arts classes, including rubrics, scoring guides, performance assessments,
and skill-based tests.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Burke, Jim. The English teacher’s companion, Third Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Press, 2008.
Photocopied handouts (keep these in a small ring binder or folder) to be distributed in class

Suggested Course Materials

Barton and Hudson: A Contemporary Guide to Literary Terms

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Hacker, Diana: A Writer’s Reference or another grammar handbook of your choice

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Required Papers, Projects, and Assignments:

All assignments should be submitted in typed, double-spaced form, using a standard

12-point font.

“Philosophy of Teaching” essay…

(3+ pages in length) in which you explore your own ideas about what teaching is and how a
teacher should “be.”

“Purpose of Education” short paper (2+ pages in length)

Two lesson plans

One thematic six-week unit

This assignment must be done on a computer using Microsoft Word so that you can e-mail copies
of the unit to your fellow students. You will also prepare a PowerPoint presentation introducing
the unit.

Reading: The occasional unannounced quiz will assess completion of reading assignments, as
will discussions of the reading at the beginning of each class.

Reading reflections as assigned

Student-led reading discussions and website presentations: each student must lead a
discussion of one of the reading assignments or present an analysis of a website useful to
English teachers

Two field observation papers: papers analyzing the instructional methods used by the teachers
you observed and the effect of these methods on their students.

You must also turn in the log of class hours signed by the teachers you observe.

Students who are exempt from field observation because they are full-time teachers or full-
time teacher aides must observe two other teachers in their building for at least one period
each and must write both of the two field observation papers.

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Grading
Tests and Major Papers: 70%
• Thematic unit (double weight)
• Grammar and literary terminology tests. Students must achieve a grade of at least 80%
on both tests to receive a passing grade in the course.
• Lesson Plans
• “Philosophy of Teaching” essay and redraft
• “Purpose of Education” paper
• Field observation papers (2)
Discussion: 20%
• Discussion of reading assignments
• Reading reflections
Final examination: 10%

Students who earn “A”s do exemplary, distinguished work. The A+,A,and A- student participates actively
and thoughtfully in class, completes all required reading and related assignments in a timely and
professional way, completes well-written papers, makes oral presentations confidently and effectively, and
consistently demonstrates the ability to make connections between theory and practice.

Please note: grammar and punctuation errors will lower grades on all assignments. Strive for
elegance, accuracy, and excellence in your writing and speaking!

20 hours of field-based observation hours are required of you as a condition of your

certification. Failure to complete and properly document such observation will result in failure of
the course.

University guidelines require a grade of “A” or “B” in ED 3380/ED 5300 before a student is
permitted to enroll in student teaching.

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Course & Instructor Policies

Attendance Requirements

Regular attendance and punctuality are required in order for students to receive a passing grade in
the course. Missing more than 4 classes, (including the Four “virtual” classes in which attendance
is documented by turning in a paper electronically) will result in a failing grade for the course.
Late arrival counts as ½ an absence. If you must be absent, please e-mail me any assignment that
may have been due that evening. Those students with perfect attendance will receive an extra “A”
test/essay/project grade.

Late Assignments

Assignments turned in late without the instructor’s permission carry a penalty of ten points per
day.

Course Content by Week

August 20 Course orientation and introductions
Sign up for student-led discussions and website presentations
Goal-setting: What do you need to learn from this class?
Hand out Slouka article

Reading Assignment for August 26 : Harper’s Magazine article (Slouka,

Mark. “Dehumanized: When Math and Science Rule the School.” Harper’s
Magazine, September 2009, pp. 32-40.) Write a 1- page reaction to the Slouka
piece.

August 25 Discussion of Harper’s article (small/whole group activity)

Turn in reaction papers on Slouka article
Literary terminology diagnostic test

Reading Assignment for next time:“Teaching Thinking in the English Class,”

Ch. 9, Burke text

August 27 Group Activity and Discussion:

“What Do English Teachers Do…and Why?”
Introduction to skill-based planning and thinking skills

Reading Assignment for next time: “Teaching Speaking and Listening,” Ch.
8, Burke text. Write a 1-page reflection on the piece and on your personal
experience of speaking and listening in an English classroom.

September 1 Grammar diagnostic test

1-page reflection due
Student paper line-editing simulation
Grammar websites and resources

Reading assignment for next time: “Teaching English in the Twenty-First

Century,” Introduction to Burke text

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September 3 Student-led discussion of reading assignment
Planning and brainstorming for “Philosophy of Education” paper
What does research tell us about best teaching practices?
“Favorite Teacher” exercise
Requirements for the paper

Reading Assignment for next time: “August” and “Thinking about Teaching
and Learning (Ch. 1 and 2, Burke text). This reading assignment will help you
do your “Philosophy of Education” paper

September 8 Out of Class Assignment

Write “Philosophy of Teaching” paper (3+ pages, typed) outside of class. You
must e-mail the paper to hagarl@utdallas.edu by 9 P.M. this evening. Receipt of
your paper will document your attendance at this “virtual” class meeting.

No reading assignment for next class

September 10 Lesson planning

Demonstration of lesson planning techniques
Class lesson planning/assessment activity
For next time: Find your grammar handbook and bring it to class, along with
some sticky notes.

Reading assignment for next time: “Putting Grammar in its place,” Ch. 6,
Burke text
.
September 15 Return and review of diagnostic grammar test
Review: “The Least You Should Know About Grammar and Mechanics”

Reading assignment for next time: “To Grammar or Not to

Grammar”(handout) by Constance Weaver
Write a one-page reflection on the reading assignment.

September 17 Student-led discussion on reading assignment

1-page reflection due
Techniques for teaching grammar through composition

Reading assignment for next time: “The Place and Purpose of

Vocabulary Instruction,” Chapter 5, Burke text

September 22 Student-led discussion of reading

Wordplay activities
Syntax and meaning in reading and writing

Reading assignment for next time: “Teaching Writing: From Practice to

Performance,” Ch. 7, Burke text

September 24 Grammar Test (It’s the Real Thing)

Student-led discussion of reading assignment about composition
Return of “Philosophy of Teaching” paper

Before Next Time: Revise your “Philosophy of Teaching” paper

Bring both your edited and revised drafts to turn in.

September 29 Teaching composition/Assessing composition

Collect revisions and edited drafts of “Philosophy of Teaching” paper

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 Reading assignment for next time: “Teaching Reading in High
School: The Continuum of Possibilities,” Ch. 4, Burke text

October 1 Student-led discussion of reading

Close reading and literary analysis techniques
Choosing skills and texts for your lesson

Before Next Time: Decide on a text and a set of skills for your first lesson

October 6 Seminar and questioning techniques

Explanation of lesson planning process
Distribution of guidelines and scoring rubric for first lesson plan assignment

Before Next Time: Write your first skill-based lesson. Make copies of the
lesson for your workshop group and the instructor (4 copies).

October 8 Skill-based lesson due

Analyze, review, and assess lesson plans in workshop groups

Before next time: revise your lesson and prepare your revision for submission
to the instructor as a final draft; also, read : “Issues in Teaching English—
Inevitabilities,” pp. 377-435, Burke Text

October 12 Special topic: “The Disengaged Student”

Website presentation
Submit lessons for instructor review

October 14 Midterm Grades Posted

October 15 Library Day: Read an entire current (2008-09) issue of English Journal
(available in the UTD library) and write a bulleted list of techniques and ideas
that you found in it. At the end of the list, document the issue’s date and
publication information in MLA format. We will not meet in the classroom
tonight—you will be working independently in the library. By 9 PM, e-mail a
copy of the bulleted list to hagarl@utdallas.edu to document your attendance in
this “virtual” class session. Bring a hard copy of the list to class next week.

October 20 Explain to the class one of the ideas you found in English Journal.
Literary terms review activity and test
Website Presentation
Website Presentation

Reading Assignment for next time: “Measuring Student

Progress,” Ch. 11, Burke Text

October 22 Discussion of reading assignment (student-led)

Focus on Assessment
Activity: Construct a rubric and score a set of papers

For Next Time: Choose a short text that would be a good

vehicle for learning about grammar and syntax; bring a copy of the text to class
next time
.
October 27 In-class writing of a lesson plan on grammar and composition

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 Reading assignment for next time: “Composing a Curriculum,” Ch. 10,
Burke text

October 29 Website presentation

Introduction to the thematic unit.
Construction of the preliminary skeleton unit
Return of Lesson 2 (with scored rubric)

Before Next Time: Write Field Observation #1

November 3 Discussion of field observation experiences

First two-page paper on field observation due; in-class check of progress on
field observation hours. Bring your documentation sheet to class.
Check of ideas for thematic unit

Before Next Time: Gather the materials you will need to create your thematic
Unit. Bring these materials and a laptop or notepad so that you can work on
your unit in class next week.

November 5 Workshop session on creating the thematic unit. Bring the resources you will
need, including a laptop if you have one.

Before Next Time: Complete the rough draft of your thematic unit. Make
copies of the unit for your workshop group and the instructor (4 copies).

November 10 Peer analysis, review, and assessment of unit plans

Website Presentation

Before Next Time: Revise unit plan according to the advice of your group
Make a PowerPoint for your classroom presentation (detailed
instructions to follow)

November 12 At-home work on thematic units and PowerPoints (no class meeting)
Post Unit on Web CT by 9 PM on November 16 to get credit for this “virtual”
class.
.
November 17 Showcase of units/PowerPoint presentations

Reading assignment for next time: “New Directions in

Teaching English: Implications,” pp. 319-275, Burke Text
Write a 1-page reflection on the reading

November 19 Showcase of units/PowerPoint presentations

November 24 Out of class assignment: work on your field observation

paper and shop for your thanksgiving turkey.

Before Next Time: Write your second field observation paper and make sure
all of your observation hours have been completed. Bring documentation of your
observation hours to class.

November 26 Thanksgiving Day--University holiday

December 1 Discussion of field observations

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 Finish any unit showcases

Reading assignment for next time: “From Becoming to Being an

English Teacher,” pp. 440-497, Burke text

December 3 Student-led discussion of reading assignment

Classroom management and its connections to planning

December 8 Final Exam Review

Website Presentation
Website Presentation

December 10 Final Examination/Course Evaluation

Field Trip Policies

Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information
regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional information is
available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-
related activity associated with this course.

The only travel required for this course will be for the purpose of classroom observation in a
designated DISD school.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern
student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained
in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic
year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and
in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

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Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because
the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the
student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures
must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork
to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the
class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities,
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments
of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to
resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the
grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain
primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at
that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic

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 Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic
appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade
must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary
to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for
students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example,
a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes
enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities.
The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding
the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period
equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the
instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A
student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

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 If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has
been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the
student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or
his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative
intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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