Chapman University
spring 2022
English 580: Teaching composition
Instructor Information:
- Ian Barnard, Ph.D.
- Office: 428 N. Glassell #104
- Live Office Hours On Mondays and Wednesdays Via Zoom (email me to schedule)
- Email Office Hours: [email protected]
Land Acknowledgement (from Chapman's Wilkinson College website):
Wilkinson College believes all students should be taught the importance of recognizing land to understand the colonizing roots of academia and the way many fields of higher education have been used in the ostracizing, marginalization and disempowering (as well as the stealing of land, forced removal, and genocide) of communities. In doing so, we hope to inspire our students to use their education to challenge institutional and structural barriers to work toward equality, respect, and the lifting of their communities. Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences collectively acknowledges that Chapman University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Acjachemen Peoples in the Juaneño Territory, adjacent to our Tongva/Kizh neighbors to the North and Payomkawichum/Luiseño and Kumeyaay neighbors to the South. In addition, we recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of California’s 109 federally-recognized Indian nations, for historic Indigenous communities in California, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their Homelands. By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, and consistent with our values of community and diversity, acknowledge our responsibility to hold the university more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples.
Introduction
Welcome to English 580! This graduate seminar helps you to understand the major theoretical stakes in the teaching of college composition and the practical pedagogical implications of these stakes. We will read current composition theory and work on developing theoretically informed syllabi for teaching college composition. Except for Week 1, this is an in-person class. Click here to review Chapman's COVID-19 protocols--we will discuss these in class.
Student Learning Outcomes:
You will
Required Texts (available at the University Bookstore; digital or hard copy versions ok):
# = on reserve in the Leatherby Libraries
Course Requirements:
As is standard practice in graduate courses, I determine your final grade holistically, based on your successful completion of the following course components:
Wilkinson College believes all students should be taught the importance of recognizing land to understand the colonizing roots of academia and the way many fields of higher education have been used in the ostracizing, marginalization and disempowering (as well as the stealing of land, forced removal, and genocide) of communities. In doing so, we hope to inspire our students to use their education to challenge institutional and structural barriers to work toward equality, respect, and the lifting of their communities. Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences collectively acknowledges that Chapman University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Acjachemen Peoples in the Juaneño Territory, adjacent to our Tongva/Kizh neighbors to the North and Payomkawichum/Luiseño and Kumeyaay neighbors to the South. In addition, we recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of California’s 109 federally-recognized Indian nations, for historic Indigenous communities in California, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their Homelands. By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, and consistent with our values of community and diversity, acknowledge our responsibility to hold the university more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples.
Introduction
Welcome to English 580! This graduate seminar helps you to understand the major theoretical stakes in the teaching of college composition and the practical pedagogical implications of these stakes. We will read current composition theory and work on developing theoretically informed syllabi for teaching college composition. Except for Week 1, this is an in-person class. Click here to review Chapman's COVID-19 protocols--we will discuss these in class.
Student Learning Outcomes:
You will
- understand important current debates in composition studies related to the teaching of composition
- know how to create a theoretically-informed syllabus for a college composition course
- articulate your own position on a range of theoretical and pedagogical issues in relation to other composition scholars and teachers
Required Texts (available at the University Bookstore; digital or hard copy versions ok):
# = on reserve in the Leatherby Libraries
- Adler-Kassner, Linda, and Elizabeth Wardle, eds. Naming What We Know: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies (Classroom Edition).#
- Coxwell-Teague, Deborah, and Ronald F. Lunsford, eds. First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice.
- Gilyard, Keith, and Adam J. Banks. On African-American Rhetoric.
Course Requirements:
As is standard practice in graduate courses, I determine your final grade holistically, based on your successful completion of the following course components:
- Textbook Review: You will deliver a 5 minute oral presentation on a composition textbook from the texts I provide. Give a brief overview of your textbook, followed by an explanation of what you see as its strengths and weaknesses; finally, let us know if you would consider using it as a textbook in a first-year college composition class and why or why not. Please do not exceed the 5 minute limit. Seminar members may ask you questions about your textbook after your presentation if time allows.
- Collaborative Discussion Facilitation: You and a colleague will lead a 20-30 minute discussion of one chapter from chapters 1-12 of First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice. All seminar members will have read your chapter, so you do not need to summarize its contents. Your goal should be to facilitate a critical discussion of your chapter by asking questions, raising points for discussion, and referring back to previous seminar readings and discussions. Do not give a lecture. I will assess you based on how well you and your co-facilitator work together, your ability to involve all seminar members in discussion, and the quality of your questions and comments. Please do not exceed the 30 minute time limit.
- Canvas Discussion Posts: You will complete four Canvas discussion posts plus post a draft of your syllabus and rationale on Canvas. The four Canvas discussion posts consist of your reflections on particular readings or on your class visit, as well as responses to colleagues' Canvas discussion posts. You are welcome to include links, images, and other digital materials in your posts and responses. Respond to different colleagues each time and try to avoid repeating others' responses. We'll discuss in class the criteria for the posts and responses. Since these assignments are designed to help you to develop your own positions in relation to the course readings and to prepare for seminar meetings, I do not accept late Canvas discussion posts. I will post specific prompts for each Canvas discussion post.
- Syllabus and Rationale: For the culminating assignment of the seminar, you'll individually or collaboratively develop a syllabus for a first year college composition course of your choice plus a theoretically-informed rationale for your syllabus. Your syllabus doesn't need to have every single detail of your proposed course worked out, but should be something that is ready for your students to see on the first or second day of class. Your rationale (5-10 pages) should refer to English 580 class readings and other materials you find appropriate, including independent research you have done. You must include at least one outside (i.e., non-class) scholarly secondary source published since 2000 in your rationale (graduate level seminar papers typically cite at least ten sources in total). You are welcome to include material from your Canvas discussion posts in your rationale. Cite sources in the body of your rationale following MLA format and conclude your rationale with a list of Works Cited following MLA format. You cannot explain every component of your syllabus in the rationale, so you will need to focus on the bigger picture and decide which are the most important and/or interesting aspects of your syllabus that you’d like to discuss, or which aspects of the syllabus others might have questions about. Everyone teaches college composition differently—your rationale is your opportunity to explain why you plan to do things a particular way. Your target readers are current or potential college writing program administrators who might be interested in hiring you to teach a college composition course or who might want to see your syllabus and rationale as part of your annual review. Since you will be posting your syllabus and rationale (or a link to them) on Canvas, feel free to include links, images, and other digital materials. You'll get feedback on a draft of your syllabus and rationale in an individual conference with me before you post the final version on Canvas.
- Class Visit: You will observe at least one Chapman University English 103 class taught by an experienced faculty member. I'll provide a list of faculty members who are willing to be observed, and we will discuss observation and debriefing protocols in class. In addition, you will write a reflection on your observation as one of your four Canvas discussion posts. You must complete your observation and debriefing by 4/27/2022 at the latest.
- Seminar Participation: I expect you to read all assigned texts carefully and critically, and participate vigorously in seminar discussions. Try to participate at least once in each class discussion. If you talk a lot, be sure to make space for other seminar participants to participate as well. Due to the highly interactive nature of this course and the emphasis on group work and seminar discussions, I expect you to attend all class meetings (and to be on time). Note that, according to the university catalog, Chapman University "recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20 percent of the course should be failed" (i.e., if you miss more than two seminar meetings). However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, my attendance policy will be flexible in the case of seminar members who are required to observe COVID-related isolation or quarantine.
- Other Assignments include in-class writing and group activities. Please bring your laptop with you to class each week.
- Email Protocol: I acknowledge all email messages within 48 hours. If you email me but don’t get a response, I haven’t received your email. Feel free to email me concerning any questions you have about the course or about your work.
- Classroom Dynamics: I don't spend much time lecturing and expect you to participate vigorously in the many discussions around which the course is organized. We all teach and learn in this course--I do not believe in a one-way transmission of “knowledge” from instructor to students. I don’t have all the answers, and I look forward to learning as much as teaching in this course. You should direct your questions and comments in class to your colleagues as much as to me. I encourage you to talk in class.
- Diversity: Chapman University is committed to ensuring equality and valuing diversity. Students and professors are reminded to show respect at all times as outlined in Chapman's Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Any violations of this policy should be discussed with the professor, the Dean of Students, and/or otherwise reported in accordance with this policy. Click here to read Chapman University's Statement on Diversity.
- Students With Disabilities: Please see me early in the semester if you have a documented disability, so that we can discuss what accommodations, if any, I might make to help you to succeed in this class. Click here to read Chapman University's Policy Statement for Assisting Students with Disabilities.
- Academic Integrity: Click here to read Chapman University's policy on academic integrity. Feel free to discuss any concerns with me.
tentative schedule
Readings marked * are on Canvas
Week 1: 2/2/2022 (Zoom Seminar Meeting)
Week 2: 2/9/2022 (In-Person Seminar Meeting)
Week 3: 2/16/2022
Week 4: 2/23/2022
Week 5: 3/2/2022
Week 6: 3/9/2022
Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention: Online 3/9/2022-3/12/2022 (Student Registration: $65)
Week 7: 3/16/2022
Week 8: 3/30/2022
Week 9: 4/6/2022
Week 10: 4/13/2022
Week 11: 4/20/2022
Week 12: 4/27/2022
Week 13: 5/4/2022
Week 14: 5/11/2022
Week 1: 2/2/2022 (Zoom Seminar Meeting)
- In-Class Activities: introduction to the course and to the field of rhetoric and composition; in-class reading, writing, and discussion; introduction to On African-American Rhetoric; discuss criteria for Canvas discussion posts
- Homework Assignments for Week 2: read On African-American Rhetoric; Canvas discussion post #1 due by 3 p.m. on 2/9/2022
Week 2: 2/9/2022 (In-Person Seminar Meeting)
- In-Class Activities: class member introductions; discuss reading, Canvas discussion posts, and criteria for responding to Canvas discussion posts; introduction to Naming What We Know
- Homework Assignments for Week 3: respond to at least two colleagues' Canvas discussion post #1 by 3 p.m. on 2/16/2022; read Naming What We Know; Canvas discussion post #2 due by 3 p.m. on 2/16/2022
Week 3: 2/16/2022
- In-Class Activities: discuss reading, Canvas discussion posts, and responses; introduction to multimodality
- Homework Assignments for Week 4: read all required readings on multimodality*; respond to at least two colleagues' Canvas discussion post #2 by 3 p.m. on 2/23/2022; bring your collaborative discussion facilitation chapter preferences to class
Week 4: 2/23/2022
- In-Class Activities: discuss readings and discussion responses; special guest: Professor Nora Rivera; introduction to inclusive pedagogy and readings for next time
- Homework Assignments for Week 5: read all required readings on inclusive pedagogy plus at last one reading from the list of "Other Resources"*; Canvas discussion post #3 due by 3 p.m. on 3/2/2022
Week 5: 3/2/2022
- In-Class Activities: draw dates for collaborative discussion facilitations; discuss readings, Canvas discussion posts, and strategies for facilitating class discussion; introduction to First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice
- Homework Assignments for Week 6: read Preface, Introduction, Chapter 5, and Chapter 8 from First-Year Composition, plus articles about in-class activities*
Week 6: 3/9/2022
- In-Class Activities: discuss readings and in-class activities; collaborative discussion facilitations
- Homework Assignments for Week 7: read Chapter 1 and Chapter 4 from First-Year Composition, plus articles on creating assignments and teaching online*
Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention: Online 3/9/2022-3/12/2022 (Student Registration: $65)
Week 7: 3/16/2022
- In-Class Activities: discuss readings and practice creating assignments; discuss online teaching; collaborative discussion facilitations; sign-up to observe an English 103 class; discuss observation protocol; mid-semester course feedback
- Homework Assignments for Week 8: read Chapter 7 and Chapter 9 from First-Year Composition, plus articles on grading and giving students feedback on their work*
Week 8: 3/30/2022
- In-Class Activities: discuss reading, grades, grading, and giving students feedback on their work; in-class writing; collaborative discussion facilitations; discuss mid-semester feedback
- Homework Assignments for Week 9: read Chapter 2 and Chapter 10 from First-Year Composition, plus English 103 materials*
Week 9: 4/6/2022
- In-Class Activities: collaborative discussion facilitations; discuss English 103 and designing a first-year college composition course
- Homework Assignments for Week 10: read Chapters 6 and Chapter 12 from First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice
Week 10: 4/13/2022
- In-Class Activities: collaborative discussion facilitations; discuss composition textbooks and textbook review, syllabus and rationale, and research in rhetoric and composition; assign textbooks for textbook review
- Homework Assignments for Week 11: prepare your textbook review
Week 11: 4/20/2022
- In-Class Activities: textbook reviews
- Homework Assignments for Week 12: read Chapter 13 from First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice; Canvas discussion post #4 due by 3 p.m. on 4/27/2022
Week 12: 4/27/2022
- In-Class Activities: sign up for conferences; review conference protocol; discuss reading; special guests: veteran Graduate Student Instructor panel; discuss English 103 observations; discuss applying for teaching jobs, and tips for interviews and application materials; course evaluation
- Homework Assignments for Week 13: post your syllabus and rationale draft (or link) on Canvas at least two days before your conference
Week 13: 5/4/2022
- In-Class Activities: no class meeting; conferences
- Homework Assignments for Week 14: post your syllabus and rationale draft (or link) on Canvas at least two days before your conference
Week 14: 5/11/2022
- In-Class Activities: no class meeting; conferences
- Homework Assignments: post your revised syllabus and rationale (or link) on Canvas by 3 p.m. on 5/16/22