writing syllabus oct 2010 with essay assignment

8/8/2019 Writing Syllabus Oct 2010 With Essay Assignment

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Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language EducationSecondary TeachersIntensive Program, October 11 to November 10, 2010

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Dear Emerging Writer,

Welcome to Writing to Become a Better English Teacher!

The primary goal of this module is to introduce you to thefour-step writing process to improve

your English academic writing skills. We recognize that, although many of you have already

been teaching high school English for a number of years, few of you have had sufficient

opportunities to develop your own writing proficiency. This course intends to address this by

having you write, write, and write!

By the end of this course you will have completed:

1 Personal Essay (3-5 paragraphs) Weekly journal reflections In-class writing exercises you can use in

your own classroom

3 classroom contributions Writing Teacher Test Drive Instructor-Trainee Consultation

(optional)

For some of you, you will be getting more writing practice in one month at GIFLE than your entire

undergraduate university career! (Hows that for practice?)

Secondly, you will be encouraged to reflect on your motivation and development as a Korean high

school English teacher. We believe that any sincere attempt to answer the all-important Why?and What?

questions are always a fruitful experience, especially when it comes to teaching. As teacher trainers, we have

observed that when a teacher can thoughtfully answer, Why do I teach?andWhat must I do to become a

great teacher? their perceptions of themselves and their students become more hopeful. When a teacher is

confident in their purpose in the classroom, not surprisingly, the How can I actually achieve this?questionalso becomes a lot easier to answer. Thus in this module, we will be spending a lot of time challenging you to

think more deeply about your own teaching practice and giving you ample opportunities to write about it

through periodic journaling.

Finally, having explored some of your motivations and philosophies behind your teaching, you will be

introduced to various practical lesson strategies that you can use in your own high school context. The main

way well be doing this is through the Writing Teacher Test Drive, a chance for you to experiment and analyze

different writing activities before sharing them with your students. In addition, throughout the course we will

be introducing many other writing activities that you can adapt in your own English classroom.

In our brief month together, we hope you will experience the unique joy that comes from the bestkind

of writing, true expressions of the mind and heart. Indeed, writing of this soulful nature is one crucial step to

becoming a better English teacher, both for your students and yourself.

All the best on your upcoming writing journey!

Christian Poon Darren Ng


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1. Course Information

Course Title: Writing to Become a Better English Teacher

Instructors:Christian Poon [email protected]

Darren Ng [email protected] Website: http://giflewriting.pbworks.com

2. Course Objectives

1. We will help you improve your writing skills.Trainees will improve their proficiency in English essay writing through various individual and

group writing activities, and an optional consultation session with their instructor (Sessions 1-6). By

the end of the course, trainees should be able to independently produce a 3-5 paragraph essay,

comparable to a paper written by a first year native English university student.

2. We will show you how to teach writing in your English classroom. Trainees will learn how to teach writing in their own English classrooms by being introduced to

various practical writing lesson strategies and activities. This objective will primarily be achieved

through the Teacher Test Drivein Sessions 7-9 and in-class writing exercises throughout the

course.

3. We will encourage you to reflect on your teaching through writing. Trainees will reflect on the questions, Why do I teach? and How can writing help me be a better

English teacher? through periodic journal reflections, in-class discussions, and completing their

personal essay.

3. Important Due Dates

Session due Assignments *

1 N/A

2 Review course syllabus AND Select your essay topic

3 Finish Prewriting exercise4 Write your Thesis statement.

5 Complete your Introduction paragraph.

6 Complete your body paragraph(s).

7 Complete your concluding paragraph

8 Final essay is due.

9 Present and submit Writing Teacher Test Drive

10 Complete I wish they told me that!letters (in-class)Writing Reflection Journal entries are due at the beginning of each class.


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4. Evaluation

Section Marks Description

Personal Essay 60You will compose an essay 3-5 paragraphs in length.

(See handout for more details)

Writing Teacher

Test Drive40

Beginning with a clear objective, you will test drive

(plan, demonstrate, and discuss) a writing activity that you could

use in your own English classroom.

(See handout for more details)

Classroom Contributions 15

You will earn points for extra contributions that benefit the

classroom community. E.g. quotes, poetry, lesson ideas, articles,

etc.

3 Contributions = 15 Marks.

Writing Reflection Journal 16

At the end of each class you may be given a reflection question to

answer in your Written Reflection Journal. (WRJ)

You will be expected to submit your WRJ 2X throughout the

course.

2 WRJ Submissions = 16 Marks.

Participation 5 For basic attendance and participation.

Total: 136 Marks

Late Assignment Policy

Trainees are expected to hand-in their assignments at the due dates indicated by their instructor. Failure

to do so will result in a 5% deduction per daytowards their assignment. If a trainee is unable to hand-in

their assignment at the assigned due date, the trainee should request an extension from their instructor at

least 24 hours ahead of time.


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5. Course Schedule

Session 1: Welcome to WB BET!Aims

Trainees will be introduced to the course and their instructor. Trainees reflect upon questions such as Why is teaching writing important?, What fears do I have about writing?,

How do I overcome my fears for writing? through the Pile Game activity.

Trainees will compare the differences between speaking and writing and address common writing misconceptions.Class Schedule

1. Trainee and instructor introductions2. Speaking versus writing3. Common misconceptions about writing4. The Pile Game5. Syllabus overview and introduction to the Personal Essay

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Choose your essay topic3. Review course syllabus

Session 2: The 4-Step Writing ProcessAims

Trainees will be introduced to the 4-Step Writing Process (Prewriting, Writing, Editing, and Sharing) as one strategy toimprove their writing efficiency and effectiveness. Special attention in this class will be given to the first step of this

process, pre-writing.

Class Schedule

1. The 4-Steps of Writing: An Overview2. How to Pre-write3. How to properly format your essay

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Complete Pre-writing for your essay3. Sign-up for an instructor consultation (optional)

Session 3: Essay StructureThesis Formula

Aims

Trainees will learn how to identify the essential parts of an essay and reproduce these elements in their own writing. Trainees will be introduced to the Thesis Formula and learn how to construct their own thesis statements.

Class Schedule

1. Components of an effective paragraph and essay2. Mixed Up Essay re-ordering exercise3. How to write a good Thesis, using the Thesis Formula

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Sign-up for a consultation (optional)3. Compose a thesis statement for your essay


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Session 4: Writing IntroductionsDos and Donts in English Writing

Aims

Trainees will review the components of an effective introduction and learn how to express opening ideas that engagetheir reading audience.

Trainees will learn the importance of continuous editing in the writing process through editing their classmates thesisstatements.

Trainees will learn how to identify and correct common EFL writing errors. Class Schedule

1. In-class editing and sharing: your thesis statement2. Dos and Donts in English academic writing3. Effective Intros: engaging hooks and supporting details.

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Sign-up for a consultation (optional)3. Write a 5-7 sentence introduction paragraph

Session 5: Writing Body Paragraphsand Creating Flow

Aims

Trainees will learn the components of an effective body paragraph and how to use examples to develop their ideas. Trainees will learn how to use linking words and other methods to improve their essays cohesion and coherence

(flow).

Class Schedule

1. In class editing and sharing: your introduction paragraph2. How to write effective body paragraphs3. Creating flow (cohesion and coherence)

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Write your body paragraph (s)

Session 6: Writing Conclusion Paragraphsand the Importance of Proper Referencing

Aims

Trainees will review the components of an effective conclusion and how to succinctly wrap up their main ideas. Trainees will learn how proper referencing increases the credibility of their writing and avoids plagiarism.

Class Schedule

1. In-class editing and sharing: your body paragraph2. Effective conclusions: Reflection not repetition!3. Why is proper referencing is so important?

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Write your conclusion paragraph


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Session 7: Error Correctionand Descriptive Writing

Aims

Trainees will learn several ways to correct errors and give feedback to their peers and high school students. Trainees review the elements of the Descriptive writing genre and explore how it can be used in a high school English

class.

Class Schedule

1. Correcting our students (and our own) writing errors2. The best (and worse) ways to give student feedback3. Describe This! Using descriptive writing templates to get our

students to describe their world

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Your Personal Essayis due next class!

Session 8: Planning a Writing Classand Narrative Writing

Aims

Trainees will be given an overview to planning for a high school writing class, answering the question,Before I get my students to write, what are some things I should consider?

Trainees will be introduced to several controlled and free-writing activities and discuss their respective pros andcons.

Trainees review the elements of the Narrative genre and explore how it can be used in a high school English class.Class Schedule

1. Planning a Writing Class: An Overview2. Help me! The pros and cons of controlled and free writing3. Once Upon A Time Using narrative writing templates to get

our students to tell their stories.

4. Introduction to the Writing TeacherTest Driveassignment

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ2. Prepare your Writing Teacher Test Drive for

next class!


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Session 9: Writing Teacher Test DriveAnd Adapting Our Lessons to Different Learners

Aims

In groups of 2 or 3, trainees will test drive different writing activities for use in their own class through a brief grouppresentation, in-class discussion, and group analysis.

Trainees will reflect on the importance of planning lessons that appeal to different learning styles. Trainees will identify their own learning preferences and learn how this can create blind spots in their lesson

planning.

Class Schedule

1. Writing Teacher Test Drive2. Discussion: Lessons that Appeal toAllLearners

Assignments

1. Answer your reflection question(s) in your WRJ

6. Recommended Reading

For a complete list, please go to the RESOURCES section on our GIFLE Writing website:

http://giflewriting.pbworks.com

Session 10: I Wish They Told Me That!Letters to Future GIFLE Trainees

Aims

Trainees will reflect on their development as a writer and a teacher by composing a letter that gives advice to futuretrainees about the WB BET course.

This activity will also review another writing genre trainees can use in their own writing classes. Trainees will be introduced to additional online and offline writing resources to supplement their ongoing

development as emerging writers and English educators.

Class Schedule

1. I Wish They Told Me That!letter writing activity2. Suggested Online and Offline Resources3. End of course Reflection

Assignments

1. Return to your schools and apply everythingyou have learned to create engaging writing

classes in your high school!


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