English 486 Capstone Presentation (1 Hour)

Course Description

This English education capstone presentation serves as a complementary component for the student teaching experience, considered the penultimate “capstone” experience for teaching majors. Working under the supervision of the English Specialization Coordinator and drawing from experiences encountered in the student teaching assignment or other Departmental service or activity related to the teaching profession, the apprentice teacher will participate in the end-of-semester Department of English capstone presentations, sharing a teaching unit, a lesson series, a project initiated during the field experience, or a project or activity completed in the English Department that relates to the teaching profession and/or field of English studies. The following Intended Student Outcomes will be demonstrated in the capstone presentation:

1) Satisfactory completion of Capstone Abstract;

2) Satisfactory completion of Portfolio;

3) Mastery of project substance and content;

4) Mastery of oral presentation skills;

5) Mastery of use of technology.

Portfolio

The portfolio, begun by the English Education student prior to Juncture I, will be polished and refined prior to the Student Teaching semester (Juncture II), and will serve as a final mode of reflection on the relationship and integration between teaching theory and practice. The English Education Handbook details those professional requirements for the portfolio; however, the portfolio will also contain evidence of those discipline-related learning goals and outcomes valued in the English Department Program:

1) Students will demonstrate clear and effective expression in written English;

2) Students will demonstrate the ability to research from a variety of sources and evaluate, analyze, and synthesize the information;

3) Students will organize ideas in a clear and lucid argument;

4) Students will appreciate the global significance of humanist tradition as manifested in the literature of various times and cultures;

5) Students will demonstrate original and critical thinking including the ability to analyze text.

The portfolio will include:

1) Table of contents;

2) Updated resume;

3) Updated teaching philosophy;

4) A collection of materials and documents that reflect the professional growth and competence of the apprentice Language Arts teacher in the teaching profession.

5) A collection of materials and documents that reflect the growth and competence of the student in the field of English language and literature.

6) A cover letter to the Department of English reflecting on the student's learning experiences in the Program and referencing those English courses, activities, and experiences that have shaped the student’s professional development and persona.

A web version or web supplements to the portfolio may also be created which can hyperlink to PowerPoint programs created in the Methods course, Teacher Course Page, Writing Center materials created by the students, and/or other examples of texts and assignments that the student has created during his/her years of study in the English Department.

English Education Departmental Competency Assessment

Students enrolled in the capstone who have not taken the Competency Assessment Exam Post-test (and/or the MFA) must do so during the semester of the capstone presentation. Study materials can be found at the following website: http://www.shepherd.edu/englweb/outlines.htm. The Praxis II test will also be taken during the capstone semester.

Final Grade and Program Assessment

At midterm, the student will receive a grade from the Specialization Coordinator which reflects the quality of his/her work during the student teaching placement, the quality of his/her portfolio, and completion of capstone abstract. The final grade will reflect all of the above but principally the quality of the student’s end-of-semester presentation (see Abstract and Capstone Presentation Evaluation forms). English Education students must receive a C or better in ENGL 486 in order to complete the program and receive certification.

Calendar

October 20: Abstract Due

November 12: MFA Exam

December 5: Capstone and Final Portfolio Presentations