Teaching Writing: Argument and Procedure (MacDonald)

Ended Mar 23, 2021

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EDUC 7549 Teaching Argument and Procedure Writing to K-8 students

(15 PDPs)

This is one of three courses in a series on how to teach writing with a genre-based pedagogy that has a strong emphasis on language development. Using this genre-based pedagogy informed by systemic functional linguistics, participants will learn what and how to teach arguments and procedures. Features of the genres demanded in elementary and middle schools will be learned and practiced. The strong emphasis on language development distinguishes this approach from others currently used in schools. The approach to teaching guides teachers in ways of apprenticing students to writing that builds confidence and success.

Course Time Commitment and Activities

(February 23 - March 23, 2021)

The course will run five weeks and requires approximately 4 hours of weekly activities that are both done asynchronous (at your own pace) and done synchronous (live with the class and instructor).

Approximately 2 hours engaging in weekly modules that include lectures, interviews and looking at student work.
Weekly 1 hour live sessions from 7:30 - 8:30 pm EST 2/23/21; 3/2/21; 3/9/21; 3/16/21 and 3/23/21.
Readings and assignments completed on a weekly basis.

There will be a variety of activities to facilitate acquiring the content of the course such as short lectures, readings and discussions. In addition, teachers will share how they implemented the unit with videos applying the approach in their classrooms, work with mentor texts and student work and affinity groups collaborations toward creating genre units. During live sessions students will have the opportunity to share experiences, answer questions, and clarify challenges.

Registration and Payment

1. Please enroll via the "$400 Enroll" button (above) if:

You are paying for an individual enrollment via credit card
OR
You have paid for this course some other way and been given a promo code

Please note that in order to register you will be asked to create an account for Boston College with a username and password if you do not already have one.

2. After registering, please send an email to macdonec@bc.edu with the following information:

Name
Email
School and grade level

3. Confirm and accept registration via from notifications@instructure.com which you will receive once you’ve registered (email will be sent to the address you used to create account).

If you are using a Lynch School Voucher

Voucher participants - To take this course as a non-degree student and receive 1 graduate credit please click here.

Payment:

Purchase Order payments are possible. Please contact the Professional & Continuing Education team at lynchschoolpce@bc.edu.

Overall questions about the course can be directed to Elizabeth MacDonald: macdonec@bc.edu

Course Facilitator

A teacher and coach in the Boston Public Schools for over twenty years, Elizabeth MacDonald’s interests include urban education, reading and writing instruction, dual-language schools and the preparation of pre-service teachers. She has worked with Maria Estela Brisk on writing instruction as a teacher, coach and colleague. Their work together has included the study of and implementation of the theory Systemic Functional Linguistics in the classroom. Additionally, as co-author of the first and second edition of The Mindful Teacher, she is committed to supporting and retaining urban educators.

Course Designer

Maria Estela Brisk is a Professor of Education at the Teacher Education, Special Education and Curriculum and Instruction Department, Lynch School of Education, Boston College. She received her Ph. D. in linguistics and bilingual education at the University of New Mexico in 1972. Her research and teacher-training interests include elementary students’ writing development, bilingual education, bilingual language and literacy acquisition, methods of teaching literacy, and preparation of mainstream teachers to work with bilingual learners. She is the author of numerous articles and books.

For the past 13 years Dr. Brisk has worked closely with K-8 schools to develop a genre-based writing program for their schools, preparing teachers and researching children’s writing development. Her book Engaging Students in Academic Literacies: Genre-based Pedagogy for K-5 Classrooms features the approach to teaching writing that emerged from the work in schools. The approach has been helpful for all students including bilingual learners.

Professor Brisk, native of Argentina, is a fluent speaker of Spanish.