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NCTE

SBU English Education Program

Subject to Change

Course Description:

This course will explore the teaching of literature and composition through the use of performance and technology. We will initially focus much of the performance component on teaching Shakespeare, looking particularly at the standard plays taught in high school. Then we will apply performance techniques to other plays, poetry, short stories, novels, and several non-fiction pieces. Throughout the course, we will weave a "teaching literature with film" strand.

The use of performance has proven to be an effective classroom tool for several reasons. It:
· Gives students a sense of owning the language
· Makes students feel empowered
· Uses scholarship to inform directorial choices
· Functions as close reading on one's feet
· Serves all groups of the student population
· Promotes an active, student-centered classroom

The course will also explore effective ways to use film, video, and other media as well as computers and the Internet. For this phase, the class will:
· Develop creative approaches to teach writing with technology
· Investigate how to use of the Internet effectively for student research
· Evaluate teacher Web sites
· Create Web-based assignments through WebQuests and Hyper Text
· Create active lessons with video