English Major with Teacher Certification, BA

In preparation for teaching literature, writing, reading, and a variety of communication skills in grades 9-12, the English teaching major before exit must demonstrate the competencies necessary for a beginning teacher of high school English. These competencies are demonstrated through the required course of study and a carefully planned elective course sequence, and through a wide range of practicum experiences.

The program in English certification is designed to provide for the following:

1. A study of language, including acquisition of language, dialect, levels of usage, semantics, grammatical analysis, and the nature and development of language.
2. Skills for analyzing, evaluating, and responding to a varied body of literature: traditional and contemporary, adolescent and popular, oral, Western and non-Western, and literature by women and minorities.
3. Skills and experiences in composition beyond the freshman level, including advanced composition and/or creative writing and an introduction to composition pedagogy.
4. An awareness of the impact of the mass media and technology, including training in analysis and evaluation of verbal and non-verbal symbols presented in both print and non-print materials.
5. Skills in the selection and use of instructional materials and strategies, including the ways in which non-print and nonverbal media can supplement and extend the experiences of print and verbal media.
6. Experiences in independent investigation and research of various kinds, and skills in motivating pupils toward a similar kind of continuous and self-directed learning.
7. Experiences in the methodologies of teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.
8. A knowledge of adolescent psychological development and of the sociological factors, which affect it.
9. Experiences which provide for the blending of the theoretical and the practical in planning for effective instruction; classroom management; and assessment, diagnosis, and evaluation of students.
10. The beginnings of a professional attitude toward the teaching of English through study and investigation of current research reflecting the state of the art.

General Requirements

The department seeks to identify the teaching major early so that practicum experiences may begin soon after matriculation and, if possible, before admission to the teacher education program.

Admission

1. Any student who has maintained a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 and has completed English and speech courses in general education (ENG 1301, 1302, 2301, 2302, and SPH 2341, and HUM 2310) with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 may apply for admission.
2. Application is normally made when the student is enrolled in Education 2304 Sociological, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education I.
3. Admission to the program is based upon departmental recommendation following a review of the student’s record and a personal interview.
4. Before student teaching is permitted, the student must meet requirements of sequential professional courses, general education, and the major program. Also, the student must obtain approval from an ad hoc screening committee composed of instructors who can assess the student’s competencies for the teaching of English.
5. Before exiting from the program, the student must demonstrate competence in the discipline of English and in addressing pupil needs through informed educational practices.