Welcome to Methods of Teaching English in High Schools

English 4417/4517: Teaching English in High Schools presents methods of teaching secondary English.  Its aim is to provide experiences leading to the creation of a dynamic classroom for effective teaching through focusing on issues in the field as well as current theories about the teaching of writing, literature, and language.  This course is geared toward individuals interested in becoming secondary English teachers.  As we investigate the practical and the theoretical issues related to English Language Arts pedagogy, we will practice the different activities that teachers can do in secondary classes and, and very importantly, interrogate why those activities are of value and how they help students learn.  In fact, metacognition, i.e., thinking about how we think, is an integral and crucial component of this class.  We will analyze the thinking that teenage learners perform as well as our own processes of cognition.  We will consider issues related to contemporary English Language Arts instruction. What are the content standards and how do they relate to good teaching?  How can we help students improve their reading comprehension?  How can we inspire students to become lifelong lovers of literature and reading?  How can we help students become better writers?  How do we scaffold in order to maximize student learning?  How do we become skilled and effective writers of curriculum?  These are some of the questions we will address during the semester.  This class provides an opportunity to begin making the transition from student to teacher.  By the end of the course, you should be able to articulate your ideas about what an effective teacher is and what an effective teacher does; you should also be able to articulate who you are as a teacher in a formal statement of teaching philosophy.  English 4417/5417 is an Oral Intensive designated course. 

English 4417/5417 Course Syllabus

English 4417/5417 Course Schedule