Instructor: Henkel, J
Unique #: 36140
Semester: Spring 2014
Cross-lists: n/a
Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.
Course Goals: The English Language and Its Social Context is a course designed for English majors, future teachers of English and rhetoric, and other language-oriented students who want to know more about the English language, especially about its social meanings and political uses. The course aims to acquaint students with the language theory, history, and research most relevant to teachers of literature and rhetoric. Specifically, we will work to understand more about the linguistic and social sources of language variation; about how the discourses of the classroom reflect language variety; about teachers’ attitudes toward language variety and how these affect student outcomes; about effective pedagogical strategies; and about problems of language and public policy as these affect classroom practice. The course aims not solely to convey information, though of course this will be important, but to encourage students to think in new ways about the language(s) and dialects they and their future pupils speak.
Required Texts:
--Adger, Carolyn Temple, Walt Wolfram, and Donna Christian, 2nd ed., Dialects in Schools and Communities, Lawrence
Erlbaum, Mahwah and London, 2007.
--Delpit, Lisa, and Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom,
New Press, 2nd ed., 2008.
--Lippi-Green, Rosina, English with an Accent: Language, Ideology, and Discrimination in the United States, Routledge,
2nd ed., 2011.
--Tse, Lucy, Why Don't They Learn English?: Separating Fact From Fallacy in the U. S. Language Debate, Teacher's College
Press, 2001.
--Additional readings in a course packet available at Speedway Copy (715 West 23rd St., ground floor of parking garage for University Towers dormitory) or on-line through Blackboard.
Recommended Texts:
--Crawford, James, Bilingual Education: History, Politics, Theory, and Practice, Bilingual Education Services, rev. 4th ed.,
1999 ; or new title, Educating English Learners: Language Diversity in the Classroom, 5th ed., 2004.
--Crawford, James, and Stephen Krashen , English Language Learners in American Classrooms: 101 Questions, 101 Answers, Scholastic, 2007.
--Dicker, Susan, Languages in America: A Pluralist View, 2nd ed. Multilingual Matters, 2nd ed., 2010.
--Wolfram, Walt, and Natalie Schilling-Estes, American English, Blackwell, 2nd ed., 2005.
Requirements & Grading: Minimum requirements are: 1) satisfactory work on (possible) quizzes and on linguistics problems; 2) satisfactory work on four to five minor written assignments (2-3 pages each); 3) a passing average score on exams (two; no exam may be missed); 4) a satisfactory final paper (approximately 8-10 pages, two drafts); 5) discussion informed by familiarity with the required readings; and 6) regular attendance. Note that these are minimum requirements.
Grades are based on problems and tests (quizzes and problems 10%; exam average 40%) and on writing assignments (minor written assignments 10%; draft and final paper 40%). Attendance, informed discussion, and courteous classroom behavior are considered essential, and unsatisfactory marks in these areas are deducted from the final average.
Final course grades are assigned relative to the overall performance of the class; in other words, scores are "curved" rather than absolute. Final grades include "plus" or "minus" grades. Final class scores may be rounded up or down, according to students' class participation and performance on minor and ungraded assignments.
A grade of C will indicate work that meets all the basic course requirements; A's and B's are honors grades, designating work of some distinction. Grades are based only on work assigned to everyone in the class; no extra credit work can be accepted.