Course Template
The following information should be available to students as a part of all syllabi for this course.
Course Information
Instructor Information
Number: ENGL 3400
Instructor's name:
Section: variable
Office Location:
Catalog Name: Pedagogy and Writing Office hours:
Instructor sub-title (optional)
Phone/email:
Required texts and other readings/materials
 Individual instructors may assemble a group of texts that will allow students to meet the objectives and
specifications of the course.
 Students should be introduced to and discuss The Conceptual Framework, created by the Professional
Education Unit in the College of Education, and the “Ethics for Educators” pamphlet, created by the
Professional Standards Commission.
 Students should be introduced to and begin to use ELA standards in their pedagogy-projects and in any inclass modeling.
Course Description
This class is required for all ENGL ED majors who declared in fall 2008 or after. It is strongly suggested for all
other ENGL ED majors. The class may be taken by any ENGL major to satisfy the Writing and Language
requirement in Major Area C, and it satisfies 3 hours of the 6-hour WAC requirement.
This class serves as a survey of major foundational philosophies and pedagogical practices in the field of Rhetoric
and Composition. The course works to connect such theories to meaningful practice in the instruction of writing.
Built in components include research, both reflective and theoretical writing, and field experience in both college
classrooms and the University Writing Center.
Course Goals
 Students will gain understanding of theoretical foundations in the field of Rhetoric and Composition and its
intimate relationship to teaching writing.
 Students will apply said theories in and to the classroom situation through writing, presentation, and
discussion of ideas.
 Students will demonstrate understanding of both theory and practice of it through reflective, informal, and
formal writing situations.
 Students will attend classes and writing center consultations, observe teachers in action, and reflect in
writing on the pedagogical practices they witness.
 Students will research, theorize, and articulate a current pedagogical position for themselves toward the end
of the semester.
General topics and assignments appropriate to those topics
 Essays, both reflective and analytical, that evidence the writing process
 Reflective shorter writing assignments connected to the mandatory Localized Observations in FYW
classrooms and in the University Writing Center
 A major Pedagogy Project that allows students to begin articulating a philosophy of teaching writing in the
secondary classroom
 Classroom activities that work to enrich students’ writing abilities and to introduce them to methods used to
teach writing in the secondary environment
 Classroom activities that introduce and reinforce ELA standards to ENGL ED majors.
 Instructors may add other fitting assignments
Assessment Activities
 The departmental rubric for courses 2000-level and above should be used to evaluate major assignments.
 Instructors may choose to evaluate minor assignments using their own specific methods.
Other Policies
 Departmental plagiarism policies apply.
 A detailed calendar of readings and assignments should be made available to the class at the first class
meeting. A copy should be posted electronically and kept on file in the English department office.
 Students should be expected to come to class, prepared and able to participate.
 MLA style should be emphasized and required on out of class essays.
 Use of Standard English should be required and taught, when necessary.
 Students are required to engage in two hours of observation in English department first-year composition or
entry-level sophomore literature classes.
 Students are required to engage in one hour of observation in the University Writing Center
 Any instructor of this class should request First-Year instructor and University Writing Center involvement
as s/he works to create a schedule of required, Localized Observation Events for students. It is strongly
suggested that any instructor of ENGL 3400 ask for volunteers from FYW before working up a schedule
from the list of volunteers. Then, students can sign up for Localized Observation Events with ease.