Course Series: Teaching the Genres of Writing to K-8 students

Series Description

Using a genre-based pedagogy with strong emphasis on language development, participants will learn what and how to teach writing.  The approach has been developed and tested for over 10 years in multiple elementary and K- 8 schools. The content has been distributed among 3 one-credit courses each focusing on a set of genres.

Maximum enrollment per course: 20 participants. An additional section will be open when the first one reaches maximum enrollment.

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

(15 PDPs)

This is a project-based course where groups of participants will collaborate to develop a writing unit in a genre appropriate for their grade level. Using a 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 Schedule, Time Commitment and Activities
(July 14- August 11, 2020)

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 4:30 - 5:30 pm EST 7/14/20; 7/21/20; 7/28/20; 8/04/20 and 8/11/20.

• Readings and assignments completed on a weekly basis.

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

Registration

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 daniellf@bc.edu with the following information:

   • Name
   • Email
   • School and grade level

3. Confirm and accept registration via the email from notifications@instructure.com (Canvas Catalog at Boston College) 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 Jean McDonald to arrange payment at jean.mcdonald.2@bc.edu or 617-552-2226.

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

Course Facilitator

Frank Daniello began his educational career as an elementary school teacher and district literacy specialist. Currently he is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education at Lesley University where  he
teaches courses about literacy, pedagogy, and educational policy. During his doctoral studies at
Boston College from 2007-2012, he learned about systemic functional linguistics (SFL) from Dr.
Maria Estela Brisk. Frank's research interests presently focus on SFL-informed genre-based
pedagogy in elementary classrooms, teacher leadership and school change, and teachers’ critical
reflection about instruction. A theme that unites his scholarship is that teachers are the single
greatest influence on children’s development in schools. He lives in the suburbs of Boston with his
wife and son, who will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

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 12 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 Spanish speaker.