Required Courses (27 Credits)

ENGL 7005: Research Methods in English Studies for Language Arts Teachers

An introduction to research methods in contemporary English studies for language arts teachers.  

ENGL 7100: British Literature for Language Arts Teachers

A representative survey of British literary authors and periods, especially those appropriate for use in junior-high and high school classrooms. This course may also introduce students to writers and text less well-known but which are currently in the process of becoming standard university assignments. The course provides breadth of coverage, including historical and cultural context.

ENGL 7200: American Literature for Language Arts Teachers

A representative survey of major American literary authors and movements, especially those appropriate for use in junior-high and high school classrooms. This course may also introduce students to writers and texts less well-know, but which are currently in the process of becoming traditional university survey assignments. The course provides breadth of coverage, including coverage of historical and cultural context. 

ENGL 7400:  Multicultural Literature for Language Arts Teachers

A survey of multicultural authors and movements, with an emphasis on race and culture in an historical context. This course will cover especially those writers and texts appropriate for use in junior-high and high school classrooms. This course may also introduce students to writers and texts less well-known, but which are currently in the process of becoming traditional university survey assignments. The course provides breadth of coverage, including coverage of historical and cultural context.

ENGL 7500: Creative Writing for Language Arts Teachers

This course will introduce teachers to creative writing techniques in three genres: fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction.   Writing, editing, and revising in each genre will be combined with the study of contemporary examples of each.

ENGL 7610: Composition Theory for Language Arts Teachers

A comparative study of contemporary theories of composition.  The course provides a review of the evolution of composition theory from the nineteenth century traditional paradigm to process pedagogy and beyond including expressive, cognitive, and socioepistemic approaches.  Implications for the language arts teacher will be addressed, and students will work towards articulating their own composition theories.

ENGL 7620: Rhetorical Theory for Language Arts Teachers

A study of contemporary theories of rhetoric. The course provides a review of key rhetorical theories, including Aristotelian, argument, visual rhetoric, contemporary language theory, identification, and others, especially as these provide language arts teachers with alternative perspectives on the discourse of writers and speakers, their audiences, and the rhetorical situation.  Students will learn how to apply this content to the teaching of writing and of argument, and how to integrate the deep rhetorical tradition of civic obligation with the study of contemporary issues in U.S. culture.

 ENGL 7710: English Language Change Past and Present for Language Arts Teachers

A study of past and present changes in the English language relevant to the concerns of language arts teachers.  This course surveys changes in the English sound system and how these have and have not been reflected in its spelling; changes in English vocabulary through word formation, borrowing through language contact, and semantic shift; and the change of English from a more inflected to a less inflected language.  Students will engage in close study of a specific present-day change in English to successfully fulfill the requirements of the course.

ENGL 7720: English Grammar for Language Arts Teachers

This course is a study of the grammatical standards and principles of effective writing.Students will improve their own writing through a review of grammatical principles and a study of rhetorical and stylistic techniques. Students will also work to articulate their own standards for writing as a means of developing effective methods for the teaching of grammar and of writing in the language arts classroom.

 

Elective Courses (9 Credits Total)

 Minimum of Three Credits from among the following:

ENGL 8610: History of Rhetorical Theory for Language Arts Teachers

A study of the development of rhetoric in Western thought, including pre-Socratic, Platonic, Aristotelian, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, Modern, and Postmodern.

ENGL 8710: Language in School, Community, and Society for Language Arts Teachers

A survey of concepts and research in the study of the relationship between language and society as these apply to schools, communities, and the multilingual society of the United States. Topics include the causes of language variation and the history of bilingualism in the United States, the relationship of standard and vernacular varieties and the role of schools in this relationship, the maintenance of English varieties and minority languages by social networks, and educational policy with respect to English varieties and minority languages.

ENGL 8720: The Study of English Language Learners for Language Arts Teachers and Other Professionals

A study of the development of English language proficiency among second language learners, and the factors influencing language acquisition inside and outside the classroom. Topics include the impact of learner characteristics—age, literacy in the first language, and sociolinguistic identity, as well as the variable effects of learning conditions—quality and quantity of second language input and output, learners’ social networks, and learners’ immigrant experience.

 

Minimum of Three Credits from among the following:

ENGL 8100: Special Topics in British Literature for Language Arts Teachers

This course focuses on one or two major topics, authors and/or movements in British literary history appropriate for middle-grades and secondary language arts teachers. The course will give students the chance to focus on historical context and specific genres, providing the kind of deeper background that leads to richer teaching and to the teaching of lesser known texts and authors.

ENGL 8200: Special Topics in American Literature for Language Arts Teachers

 This course focuses on one or two major topics, authors and/or movements in American literary history appropriate for middle-grades and secondary language arts teachers. The course will give students the chance to focus on historical contexts and specific genres, providing the kind of deeper background that leads to richer teaching and to the teaching of lesser known texts and authors. 

ENGL 8400: Special Topics in Creative Writing for Language Arts Teachers

This course will focus on one or two genres in Creative Writing, emphasizing contemporary authors and their respective narrative techniques.