1. Methods in Teaching English
Teaching and Learning in Diverse Sociocultural Contexts
Department of Secondary Education and Youth Services
Queens College, City University of New York
SEYS 560
7:10p-9:40p on Wednesdays in Kiley 431
Limarys Caraballo, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor of English Education
limaryscaraballo@gmail.com
1.718.997.5156
OFFICE HOURS in Powdermaker Hall, Room 150J
2:45-4:15p on Tuesdays
3:30-5:00p on Wednesdays
Course Description and Goals
What does it mean to “teach” and to “learn” reading and writing in English language arts in the current context of
standards, high stakes testing, and accountability? In this course, we will consider these questions as we engage in an
exploration of some key principles of teaching, learning, assessment, and community in English language arts (ELA).
We will apply these principles as we read, write, and discuss ideas pertaining to ELA curriculum, pedagogy, and social
justice in secondary classrooms. Framed by a learner-centered approach, we will explore how teaching and learning are
interpersonal and situated in particular social and cultural contexts. Grounded in this sociocultural and constructivist
framework, we will learn about, implement, and reflect on English teaching methods as we create instructional lessons
and units for middle and high school classrooms that are focused around “big questions” or “lines of inquiry.” Our
course goals will include modeling, within our own classroom community, some of the dispositions, commitments,
practices, and conversations that can support critical and transformative teaching and learning in diverse sociocultural
contexts.
In accordance with the seven Queens College Principles (QCP) for Educator Preparation, we will work toward:
 Examining educational and social purposes for English curricula in secondary classrooms (QCP 1, 3, 4, 5)
 Investigating how research and theory guide models and methods for teaching writing, language, and literature
at the secondary level (QCP 1, 5, 6, 7)
 Designing a framework of secondary language arts instruction that draws upon current theory, pedagogy, and
cultural contexts (QCP 1, 5, 6, 7)
 Gaining experience with strategies (including technology) that promote students’ engagement with writing,
literature, and language (QCP 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7)
 Learning strategies for short-term and long-term planning (QCP 1, 5, 6)
 Becoming knowledgeable about standards and assessments and considering their place in our curriculum and
instruction (QCP 1, 4)
Required Texts (books will also be available on BlackBoard (BB) or course reserves (CR) in the library)
Teaching English by Design: How to Create and Carry Out Instructional Units

2. Peter Smagorinsky (2008)
Crossing Boundaries: Teaching and Learning with Urban Youth
Valerie Kinloch (2012)
Making the Journey: Being and Becoming a Teacher of English Language Arts, 3rd
Edition
Leila Christenbury (2006)
The Elements of Style (Strunk, 1918/1999; available online: http://www.bartleby.com/141/)
One novel and one “young adult” (YA) novel, selected from several options provided
Additional readings and articles will be available for download via Blackboard and course reserves
Recommended Texts (books will be available on reserve in the library whenever possible)
Teaching to Change the World, 3rd
edition, Jeannie Oakes and Martin Lipton (2006)
Teaching Authentic English Language Arts in a Test-Driven Era
Arthur Costigan (2008)
Writers Inc. and The Write Source 2000
For middle school: http://www.thewritesource.com/books/textbooks/write_source_2000/
For high school: http://www.thewritesource.com/books/handbooks/writers_inc/
Learning Identity: The Joint Emergence of Social Identification and Academic Learning
Stanton Wortham (2006)
Universal Design for Learning article via web link (read overview chapter Chapter 4)
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter4.cfm
American Psychological Association (APA) Style Manual, 6th
Edition (may want to borrow from library)
Course Methods, Requirements, and Assessments
Attendance
This course will be conducted as a seminar; your substantive contributions to every discussion and assignment,
whether oral or written, are also course content and materials for all of us to draw on. Attendance AND promptness are
required (our work is important and requires your presence!) and being absent more than once or frequently tardy will
impact your grade in the class. Please email me in the event that you need to be absent or late due to extenuating
circumstances.
Readings, Notes, and Discussion
Please complete the readings prior to the class in which they will be discussed and come to class with your text as well
as your notes and questions to share. Because we will be addressing controversial topics and attempting to interrogate
commonly held knowledge(s) about teaching and learning from a variety of perspectives, we should expect to feel, at
times, uncomfortable and uncertain, and we should expect to engage in dialogue and debate. Please keep an open mind
and attitude regarding others’ perspectives, which may be very different from your own. After the first couple of
weeks, students will choose topics/issues for deeper study and a lead class discussion. Occasionally, we will have the
opportunity to hear from and engage in discussion with guest speakers whose areas of expertise overlap with the topics
and issues we will be addressing together.
Course Assessments
In this course, assessments are meant to be authentic and formative. This means that rather than assessing your work
against some external norm or seeking to compare your performance to that of other English teachers in general, the
assignments in this class are meant to assess your own progress toward meeting course goals and objectives. Written
assignments will be varied in topic and format in order to provide a range of opportunities to assess your work in the
class. All assignments and assessments are designed to serve as tools that you may also use with your students in your
own classroom.
JOURNAL: The journal is meant to be a space for reflection regarding our reading and course activities
throughout the semester. Please write at least one journal entry of 1-2 double-spaced pages for each class
meeting. You will have some assigned prompts, but the general purpose of the journal is to provide a space for
you to make specific connections between the readings, your current and past educational experiences, and
your future professional goals—also part of assuming a stance of reflexivity as an English teacher (we will
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 2

3. discuss this in greater depth in class). You may be asked to share parts of your entries with peers, so please
print out a copy of your entry for each week unless you will be bringing a laptop or other device to class. The
journals may serve as prewriting for lesson plans or other formal assignments. The journal is a formative and
interactive assessment—you will be expected to revisit prior journal entries based on peer and instructor
comments throughout the course, and responding to my feedback will be considered as part of your grade for
the complete journal at the end of the semester. I will show you how to do this using Google docs.
PAPERS: One formal paper is required. This paper is meant to be a succinct, well-synthesized, referenced,
and carefully edited critical response of 3-5 pages to one of the broader questions addressed in the readings and
class discussions. Your work on this essay will also help to model the process in which you may engage with
your students when you assign a formal “academic” essay. Specific instructions and writing prompts will be
posted one week in advance. Please observe page limits (excluding references) and APA format closely.
PRESENTATIONS: Each student will work with one or more peers on a presentation to the class. Presenters
will lead discussion and address the readings/topics on the assigned date (TBA). The assignment description
will be distributed a week before presentations begin.
LESSON PLANS: A lesson plan is a detailed roadmap of what you will do in class on a given day(s). It
should include your rationale and objectives for the lesson—including its role in the larger unit in which it
might belong, background information and materials, activities and discussion topics/questions to address, and
your plan for assessing students’ learning in connection with the particular lesson and overall course
objectives. You will need to create two individual lessons. Due dates and details will be discussed in class.
UNIT ASSIGNMENT: A unit of study describes your plan of instruction for an extended period of time (2-3
weeks, suggested) and includes a series of lessons that focus on a particular line of inquiry, theme, genre, or
historical period. As part of a small group, you and your peers will practice long-term planning and develop a
unit of study (possibly one that incorporates aspects of the individual lessons that you design, as described
above). Each group member will be responsible for 2-3 of the individual lessons in the unit. Your group will
present the entire unit and facilitate one activity from a sample lesson in class after the Thanksgiving break.
Attendance/Participation (incl. leading discussions (20pts.)) 50 points
Teaching and Learning Journal
(complete journal, due 12/12 ) 50 points
Formal Paper (3-5 pages, due 11/21 ) 50 points
2 Individual Lessons (due 10/3 and 10/17 ) 100 points
Unit of Study Assignment and Presentation (due 12/19 ) 100 points
(various presentation and draft dates indicated in course outline)
MAXIMUM TOTAL: 350 points
Additional Course Expectations
Classroom Observations
Fieldwork (30 hours of observations) are required for this class; a complete log is required by the end of the semester.
Email and BlackBoard
Due to the dynamic nature of our work together, this syllabus is a working document and will likely change during the
course of the semester. Updated versions will be posted on BlackBoard. Students are responsible for activating their
provided email account and checking it DAILY, as well as using the latest posted version of the syllabus. All course
communications will be sent via email and/or posted on BlackBoard and students are responsible for remaining
updated on all course content, discussions, and assignments, even in the unfortunate event of an absence.
Participation in a Professional Community
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 3
GRADING SCALE
%
A+ 98-100
A 94-97
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89
B 84-86
B- 80-83
C+ 77-79
C 74-76

4. NCTE
Become a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (at the student rate)
http://www.ncte.org/join/
Seek Access to Resources
YALS
Visit the Young Adult Library Services Association and sign up for a complementary membership:
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook
Write Source
Visit this site for a series of writing prompts, student samples, and other resources:
http://www.thewritesource.com/
Other Important Notes
1. Students registered for this course must also be registered for SEYS 570, must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all SEYS
courses (B or above) to qualify for student teaching, and register for SEYS 580 in the coming spring.
2. When written assignments are due, please bring a paper copy to class AND post the electronic version to the
appropriate folder to BlackBoard. More details discussed in class. The student journal must be maintained as a
Google document, an interactive document shared with the professor throughout the semester, and this will
also be discussed and demonstrated in class.
3. Use of technology: Please silence your cell phone and do not use it during class time unless it is an emergency.
Also, while you are encouraged to bring your laptop or other electronic device to class in order to take notes
and/or access resources, please do not check your email or use the internet during course hours, as it suggests a
lack of respect for, and interest in, our work together.
4. APA or MLA Style is required for ALL written assignments (except journals), including: double-spacing, 1
inch margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman font. Also, please observe page limits—if you go over the page limit,
your grade will be based on what you have written up to the page limit.
5. Assignments must be turned in on time. Late assignments are reduced a ½ letter grade per day (e.g. A to A-,
B+ to B).
6. No incompletes will be given in this course except in unusually extenuating circumstances.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is of utmost importance in any educational environment, particularly in a teacher preparation
program. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in the CUNY system. It is punishable by a range of penalties that include
failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. Please familiarize yourself with the policies published on the site in the form
of this PDF, and consider this information when planning and teaching your own courses in the future:
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/about/administration/Provost/Policies/Documents/CUNYrevisedacademicintegrityfinal6-8-
11.pdf
Dis/Abilities and Special Needs
Please discuss any special needs with the professor during the first week of classes—be proactive, and do not depend
on any office to communicate needs that you may have or anticipate. Students must contact the Office of Special
Services; services are available to students who are registered and submit appropriate documentation. Please visit:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/spsv/. Call 718-997-5870 for questions or visit Kiely Hall 171.
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
(please expect additional readings and changes to this schedule, including the novels that you will read in order to
create your lessons and units—refer to BlackBoard (BB) course page and check your email for updates)
Session 1 - Wednesday, August 29th
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 4

5. Overview of the Course
Introductions and Overview
Autobiographical Teaching and Learning Questionnaire
Recommended Reading
American educational history timeline
http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html
Session 2 - Wednesday, September 5th
Being and Becoming an English Teacher in Diverse Sociocultural Contexts
Christenbury, Chs. 1-2
Smagorinsky, Preface and Chs. 1-2
Recommended Reading
Oakes and Lipton, Chs. 1-2, BB
Constructivist Theory Overview
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm
Session 3 - Wednesday, September 12th
Inclusive Approaches to Curriculum and Instruction in ELA
Christenbury, Chs. 3-4
Smagorinsky, Chs. 3-4
Oakes and Lipton, Ch. 5, BB (skim-read these chapters)
Recommended Reading
Universal Design for Learning article via web link (read Chapter 4)
http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/chapter4.cfm
Session 4 - Wednesday, September 19th
Lessons, Units, and Social Justice: The Stuff of Transformative Teaching in ELA
Smagorinsky, Chs. 8-11
Kinloch, Intro and Chs. 1-2
Wednesday, September 26th
: No classes scheduled
Session 5 - Wednesday, October 3rd
Reading and Writing I
Christenbury, Chs. 5-6
Smagorinsky, Chs. 5-6
DRAFT LESSON PLAN DUE
Wednesday, October 10th
: Classes follow Monday schedule
Session 6 – Wednesday, October 17th
Reading and Writing II
Kinloch, Ch. 3
Smagorinsky, Ch. 7
Christenbury, Ch. 7
TWO LESSON PLANS DUE
Session 7 - Wednesday, October 24th
Culture and Identity in Teaching and Learning
Kinloch, Ch. 4
Guerra (2008), BB
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 5

6. Caraballo (2012), BB
Session 8 – Wednesday, October 31st
Engagement and Class “Management”: Fostering Community
Kinloch, Ch. 5
Christenbury, Ch. 8
Oakes and Lipton, Ch. 7, BB
FORMAL PAPER WRITING ASSIGNMENT DISTRIBUTED
Session 9 - Wednesday, November 7th
Multiple Literacies
Christenbury, Ch. 9
Caraballo (2012b)
Smagorinsky, Ch. 12
Session 10 – Wednesday, November 14th
Issues in and Around Assessment
Hillocks, Jr. (2001), BB
Costigan, (2008), BB
Oakes and Lipton, Ch. 6, BB (skim-read)
FORMAL PAPER DRAFT DUE—PRINT AND BRING TWO COPIES
Session 11 – Wednesday, November 21st
Learning Communit(ies): Engaging within and Beyond School
Guest Presenter/Facilitator, Dr. Valerie Kinloch
Christenbury, Ch. 10
Kinloch, Ch. 6
FORMAL PAPER, FINAL DRAFT DUE, POSTED ON BLACKBOARD
Session 12 – Wednesday, November 28th
Being an English Teacher Today and Every Day
Christenbury, Ch. 11
Smagorinsky, Ch. 13-14
UNIT PLAN DUE FOR PEER REVIEW—PRINT 2 COPIES AND BRING TO CLASS
Session 13 - Wednesday, December 5th
UNIT PRESENTATIONS
Session 14 - Wednesday, December 12th
UNIT PRESENTATIONS
COMPLETE JOURNAL DUE
Session 14 - Wednesday, December 19th
: FINAL EXAM DATE, CLASS MEETS HALF HOUR EARLIER
FINAL UNIT PLAN DUE
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 6

7. Complete this sheet only if you do NOT grant permission for your work to be included in student samples.
USE OF STUDENT WORK
As all teacher education programs in New York State are subject to periodic reviews by
accreditation agencies and the education department, samples of students’ work are often made
available to the professions conducting the review. The professor may also wish to showcase your
work as a sample for students in subsequent classes. Under these circumstances, students’
confidentiality and anonymity are conscientiously protected. If you do NOT wish to have your work be made available
for these purposes, please complete indicate as such below and return this slip to the professor during the first week of
classes.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
I do NOT want my work to be used for accreditation reviews.
I do NOT want my work to be used as a sample in subsequent courses.
Name: Date:
Signature:
SYLLABUS (September 15th
, 2012 version) 7