Course Syllabus

Course: ENGL 2950

Division: Humanities
Department: English & Philosophy
Title: Methods and Practice in Tutoring Writers

Semester Approved: Spring 2020
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
End Semester: Fall 2025

Catalog Description: This course is designed for students who wish to be writing tutors, English instructors, or educators. Course work will include essay writing, grammar assignments, and extensive discussion of tutoring theory and techniques. Students working as writing tutors elsewhere on campus are encouraged to take ENGL 2950. Formerly ENGL 2280.

Semesters Offered: Fall
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0

Prerequisites: Tutors need excellent writing and interpersonal skills. Completion of English 1010 or equivalent.

Justification: ENGL 2950 gives English majors, education majors, and other interested students an opportunity to learn about tutoring and tutoring pedagogy, as well as to continue to improve as writers and potential teachers. Class time will be spent studying specific theories and techniques for tutoring writers. Students in the course will read extensively from literature on the subject of tutoring. They will write formal papers and tutor responses in order to hone their writing skills to better understand the learning/teaching process. Students will also have opportunities to teach the class.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will know common writing techniques and the most commonly assigned papers. They will demonstrate this by writing essays and giving class presentations.

Students will know specific skills for tutoring various types of writers. They will demonstrate this by taking quizzes based on readings, taking part in class discussions, and giving class presentations.

Students will understand that tutoring writers is a dynamic process in which the tutor must adapt techniques to the unique needs of each writer. They will demonstrate this by taking quizzes based on readings, taking part in class discussions, and giving class presentations.

Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of English grammar. They will demonstrate this by completing worksheets and taking part in class discussions.

Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of MLA and APA citation styles. They will demonstrate this by completing worksheets and taking part in class discussions.


Content:
Readings from required texts and selections from "The Writing Lab Newsletter" are used to reinforce and stimulate ideas for classroom lecture and discussion. Students are trained to do research for class presentations, written papers, and to help clients with their research. Topics include the following: tutoring ESL writers; professional behavior in the tutoring environment; the writing process; creating better writers not only better papers; consulatant/client rapport; review of grammar and usage; and all writing can be improved through writer and audience dialogue.

Key Performance Indicators:
Weekly papers/responses  20 to 40%

Class participation 20 to 40%

Class presentations 20 to 40%

Miscellaneous grammar assignments 10 to 20%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Ben Rafot, ed. "A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One."

Leigh Ryan and Lisa Zimmerelli. "The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors."

Various essays from "The Writing Lab Newsletter."


Pedagogy Statement:
This class will focus on tutoring and the pedagogy of tutoring. This will be accomplished through readings and class discussions about the readings; students teaching each other the content from the readings; grammar assignment sheets; and MLA and APA assignment sheets. Because ENGL 2280 tends to be small, class discussion is usually conducted in an open "roundtable." The goal is to share opinions and ideas rather than to find the "right answer."

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture

Maximum Class Size: 20
Optimum Class Size: 15