ENGE 519 Section 001

Adolescent Literature

Spring 2008

W 6:30-9:15 KIN 201

Dr. Marguerite Quintelli-Neary

Office: BAN 226 EX4630

E-mail: nearym@winthrop.edu

Office Hrs.: M/W 3-3:30;

W 5-6; by appt.

Bushman and Haas. Using Young Adult Literature in the Classroom, Prentice-Hall 4th ed., 2006.

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. Vintage, 1991.

Gibson, Rex. Teaching Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Vintage, 2003.

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Laurel-Leaf, rpt. 2002.

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. Signet/Penguin, 2000.

Harmon and Holman, A Handbook to Literature, 10^th ed. (English majors only)

Course goals and purpose:

While this course is primarily designed to familiarize future instructors of middle and high school Language Arts with suitable, effective, and appropriate works of fiction and non-fiction for the young adult reader, it can also be of use for students who are interested in using literature for counseling or for anyone who wishes to explore the literary interests of adolescents. We will examine, discuss, and evaluate selected works from the genres of short fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction, determining their effectiveness when used with young adult readers and developing interactive approaches to working with them, including the designing of lesson plans. You will thereby be able to identify appropriate selections for adolescents and to create meaningful lessons using these works. We will also look at the relationship between teaching literature and writing and non-print media, and will identify censorship issues, generating rationales for preserving threatened or challenged texts. Finally, we will examine multicultural literary issues, gender balance in the selection of literature and study of literary characters, and inclusion of challenged students, as we work toward the establishment of an integrated curriculum that adopts a thematic approach.

This course incorporates departmental goals with respect to diversity, gender balance, and genre range; students are also encouraged to reacquaint themselves with English Department goals, which may be found at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/goals/index/htm. For NCATE and NCTE standards, they are advised to visit http://www.edu/english.

Regular attendance is expected. Since the class meets only once a week, each absence imperils the student’s ability to participate in discussions and activities; three or more absences constitute automatic failure, although fewer than these may also have a negative impact on the student’s grade. If a student must arrive late (i.e., within the first fifteen minutes of class), s/he is expected to enter quietly and join the class in progress. Lateness that exceeds 15 minutes will count towards absences.

Each student should maintain a notebook in which s/he records and files class notes, a growing bibliography of recommended texts, handouts, and projects. Each of the following activities will make up the course grade as noted. And please remember that students earning graduate credits for the course will have additional requirements.

Individual Project#1 – Book sell: A 2-3 paper promoting the use of a selected adolescent novel, to be shared in small group format and handed in. Graduate students must annotate their selections with critical support of the text for the young adult reader. 10%

Test#1- 10%

#3- Book trial: All students will assume roles in the challenge, defense, or review of a threatened or censored book that we have all read; graduate students will be responsible for final reporting and commentary on the trial results, comparing the outcome to that of other (real) documented censorship cases. 10%

#4 Mid-term (Test#2) – Essay Format 10%

Grade#5(Individual Project #2): Mini unit Plan: A five-day series of lesson plans that incorporates a novella or three short stories and two poems and that bears evidence of a thematic approach. Provisions must be made for goals, methods, and assessment; graduate students must attach the actual measurement (quiz, test, or assignment) with a grading rubric. Graduate students should support the pedagogy with annotations. 10%

Grade# 6 (Test#3) – 10%

Grade #7 (Project) – Drama in the classroom – To consist of student performance of a crucial scene from a Shakespearean play or a play that is commonly studied in the middle or high school classroom, with evidence of some departure from the original script (e.g., contemporized performance, parody, gender reversal, etc.); graduate students will be responsible for submitting the script with the rationale for the changes made to the play. 10%

Grade#8 - Final exam – Essay format - to cover material from the mid-term forward. 20%

Grade#9 Class participation 10%

Rubrics will be provided for all paper/projects/performances. Assignments will be dropped a full letter grade for each class they are late. The grading policy is as follows:

94-100=A

91-93 =A-

88-90 = B+

84-87 = B

81-83 = B-

78-80 = C+

74-79 =C

71-73 =C-

68-70 =D+

64-67 =D

61-63 =D-

Below 60 =F

Please note that English Education majors must attain a grade of C or better to earn credit for this course. Graduate students will not receive + or – grades.

This course is designed to meet the department goals for the Teacher Education track. Please refer to the English Department Home Page, at http://www.winthrop.edu/english for further information.

Resources:

Resources for many English courses, such as discussion lists and sources for help with writing papers, may be found at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/core.htm. Students are also encouraged to avail themselves of the services and resources at the Writing Center, which is located in Bancroft 240.

Please review the English Department’s policy on the Correct Use of Borrowed Information at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/WritingProgram/plagiar.htm. This page is also linked to the University’s Student Code of Conduct. The plagiarism policy in this course is the assignment of a failing grade to any material handed in that violates the principles of proper use of borrowed information; this includes the unauthorized use of copyrighted lesson plans, videos, software, interviews, photographs, or any research material or product for which you have not secured permission in the preparation of your own lesson or project. Further, consistent failure to use borrowed information correctly will result in a failing grade for the course. Please be advised, as well, that you may not "recycle" work from another course or your own research without express permission from the instructor.

Other policies:

Students are advised to limit the use of their cell phones to emergency situations only and to refrain from using them inside the classroom. Students are also reminded that assignments may NOT be rendered as e-mail attachments. Please use e-mail appropriately.

If you have a disability and need classroom accommodations, please contact Gena Smith, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 323-2233, as soon as possible. Once you have your professor notification letter, please notify me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first paper/test/assignment. Thank you.