Writing Plan for a Writing Clan (a.k.a English Teaching Majors)

Audience Profile

With my essay, English Teaching majors will be able to
understand why rhetoric and communication is vital in
the classroom!

            A typical English Teaching major will take many literature, English language, grammar, and teaching courses to prepare them to teach in a secondary education setting (high school).  Almost all curriculum will address communication in some way.  Communication will be found through literature and the importance of literature on communication, how to communicate correctly with grammar, and how to teach effectively to adolescents.  The teaching classes are by far the most suited toward rhetoric because teachers must develop ethos, pathos, and logos in order to help their students learn.  Furthermore, classes like History of the English language will provide a context or overview for the profession.  Following these courses, there is a professional element, which includes student teaching or an internship as well as classes on special teaching topics like teaching in a multicultural setting or teaching those with disabilities.  The student teaching portion of the major is the best time to get a hands-on experience on how to communicate well to perform effectively as a high school English teacher.  In preparation for getting a job, BYU’s university career services can help English teaching majors apply for jobs, write an effective resume, and interview well.

Context

            The most meaningful context I can provide for someone who might be considering an English Teaching Major is to expound upon the noble virtue of teaching.  Although teachers are neither the most paid nor most revered professionals in the world, there is something highly gratifying and noble about teaching.  Students can be inspired to go on to be successful simply through a great teacher.  Sticking to the focus that teaching is a noble and wonderful profession will be the best way to persuade readers to focus on my essay.  To persuade readers to pay attention to issues of communication in the English teaching major, I will remind them of bad teachers that they have had.  Most bad teachers lack basic knowledge of how to communicate and persuade effectively.  They do not understand the fundamental issue between learning and engaging the student.  They do not know how to add personal touches to curriculum.  They often do not know how to dress to fit the part of a personable professional.  Everyone wants to be successful, so I will convince them that the best way to be a successful English teacher will be to communicate effectively.

Rhetoric

            I will need to present in my paper the general ideas of ethos, pathos, and logos in my paper and how each applies to effective communication in English teaching.  General methods of high, middle, and low style should be addressed so that the teachers can know what style to address their students at a given time.  They should know both when to listen to the students and when to be the speaker.  Specifically, persuasive strategies in regard to effective e-communication (email, blog, social media and other effective technologies) should also be addressed.  How to teach personally with an impersonal curriculum is another specific topic that is needed for effective persuasion and communication.  I can address the 3 different persuasive appeals and the 3 different levels of styles without necessarily naming them in rhetorical jargon.  Rather I can use synonyms like “logical argument” for logos and “an entertaining style” for middle style.

History

            To give useful perspective, I can focus on how language and grammar teaching has influenced history.  I can focus on the Sophists’ speech writing instructions and handbooks and Quintillian’s progymnasmata.  This historical focus will allow readers to see the scope of how important and ancient the art of teaching language is. 

Developmental Plan

            I will divide my paper into three distinct sections—persuasion and communication in the classroom, persuasion and communication on an individual basis, and persuasion and communication with the staff and faculty.  In order to be a successful professional and teacher, English teaching majors must be proficient in communication to these three different groups.  For each of these groups, I will explain the different styles and ways of communicating that will be most effective per group (for example, clarity and repetition in a lecture might be extremely helpful in the classroom, but it might be better to have a dialogue with little repetition for individual communication).  I will attempt to add a little historical context if it applies.  I will need to add some new information that is not taken from my blog posts in regard especially to faculty interaction.  I will need to know how faculty communicates effectively.

            The section on in the classroom and to the individual will be the most important sections.  The people you will influence the most as a teacher will be the students, not the faculty.  Telling the stories about Ms. Evans and Mr. Rice will be the most effective in explaining how to communicate well to students and to faculty.