ENGL 400 | ENGL 506 | UNIV 400 | Training Seminars
Graduate student instructors are given a lot of pedagogical training and support as they develop their skills as writing instructors. For all graduate students without college-level teaching experience in writing, English 400 ("Rhetoric & the Teaching of Writing") is a required course. For all graduate student instructors, University 400 is required in (or before) their first semester working with undergraduate students. Additional training is provided through workshops, seminars, and mentoring.
ENGL 400: Rhetoric & the Teaching of Writing
Course Description:
ENGL 400 (3 credits) is offered every fall semester. English 400 provides an intensive training in the teaching of composition at the college level. The focus of this course will be on gaining an understanding of major themes in composition theory in order to develop a set of best pedagogical practices.
English 400 begins by introducing major trends in composition scholarship, addressing topics such as: assignment design, assessment of writing, response strategies, basics of linguistics and grammar, ESL pedagogy, writing center tutoring, invention, argumentation, and prose style. Intertwined with our tour of composition theory, we will devote significant class time to putting these theories to work, developing and articulating our own individual teaching philosophies.
Course Objectives:
> To gain an understanding of the major trends in writing scholarship and pedagogy;
> To explore and assess a variety of pedagogical strategies for writing classes, including assignment sequencing, assessment techniques, and student conferencing;
> To construct teaching materials (e.g., a syllabus, writing assignment, classroom materials, etc.) to be used in a future writing instruction (SAGES, Writing Center, & disciplinary writing courses).
Course Texts:
- > Irene Clark’s Concepts in Composition
- > Joseph Harris’ A Teaching Subject: Composition Since 1966
- > selections from additional composition scholarship
Obtaining a Tuition Waiver:
If you are not a graduate student in the English department and are interested in enrolling in ENGL 400 to train to teach writing in SAGES, you may be eligible for a tuition waiver. Please inquire with the SAGES office (sages@case.edu) for more information. English department graduate students should discuss enrolling in ENGL 400 with the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the MA Advisor. Back to the Top
ENGL 506:
Writing in the Disicplines - Theory and Pedagogy
All graduate student instructors who wish to teach English 217B: Writing for the Health Professions or English 398: Professional Communiation for Engineers must complete English 506.
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UNIV 400
All graduate student instructors must also complete UNIV 400, a series of seminars offered through the Educational Services for Students office, to continue working with students in an instructional role. UNIV 400 may be taken concurrently with a SAGES or English department writing appointment, but it should be completed within the first year of teaching as a graduate student. For more information, see: http://studentaffairs.case.edu/education/tatraining/.
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Training Seminars
In the Fall Semester, the Department conducts a Pedagogy Seminar Series, which runs weekly through the duration of the fall term. All new TAs and lecturers new to Case are required to attend these sessions; returning TAs are strong engouraged to come share their experiences.
- > Fall 2007 Writing Calendar - Includes links to the Pedagogy Seminar Series sessions, as well as other writing events, including staff meetings, in the Fall 2007 semester.
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