To Dr.

Jennifer Bay and whom it may concern:

I am requesting the opportunity to teach an ENGL 428 course on the topic of Film in the
(Secondary) English Classroom. ENGL 428 is a 3 credit course that facilitates an in-depth look
into discipline-specific issues. I would like to use my previous experience teaching at the
primary and secondary levels and my research on using multimodal and non-traditional texts in
pedagogy to teach a course for undergraduate students taking the English Education track.
Universities do an excellent job preparing undergraduates to teach our children. They
learn strategies for scaffolding lessons and engaging student interest. They are passionate,
informed, and capable. Unfortunately, the pressures of standardized testing and school funding
can intimidate well-meaning teachers into using the very teach-to-the-test methods that their
training was meant to prevent. This course will focus on practical ways to use film to enrich
English education while meeting district concerns about current education legislation (including
No Child Left Behind and the state learning standards). The goal is not to create course on film
analysis at the secondary level, but to discuss strategies for enhancing lessons on various topics
in English through the relatively low-tech addition of film.
I have seen similar courses to this taught at other universities (in particular, a special
topics course on Film in the English classroom at Northern Illinois University), but each of those
courses focused on strategies for teaching film analysis at the secondary level, rather than
specifics on how to adapt film for other pedagogical uses. While film analysis is a fascinating
and valuable skill (particularly in getting students to engage critically with culture), curriculum
restrictions often restrict what secondary teachers are able to do. It can be difficult (or even
impossible) to devote the time necessary to teach with film the way these courses suggested. My
course would not be a replacement, but a supplement for English teachers who want to integrate
film but do not have the opportunity to teach an entirely film-centered unit and/or course.
Students in this course will learn the basics of film analysis (Phillips, Film: An
Introduction), the theory behind using film and media as a pedagogical resource (Leopard,
Teaching with the Screen), and how to create and assess assignments that integrate film (Golden,
Reading in the Dark). Throughout the course, students will view films that are accessible and
appropriate for middle/high school students and which could potentially be used in a standard
English classroom. They will write their own film analyses, connect a current film to non-
literature-specific issues (such as cultural contexts or WAC), and create a unit that uses full and
partial films to teach a series of lessons. Students work will be assessed in a final teaching
portfolio that will be a potential resource for them when they move into their professions.
Our students (and our students future students) live in a world of mixed media. They are used to
trailers and commercials and youtube clips and books-turned-movies. With such a wealth of
visual, aural, and cultural material to work with, its tragic not to use it to supplement our
lessonsparticularly when these materials are often an access point for students who have been
analyzing multimodal texts their whole life, but who still struggle with traditional written texts.
Providing our English Education students with practical tools for integrating these texts into their
curriculum will help them to navigate the restrictions they may face as they adapt to individual
legislation and school policies, while better preparing our children to interact with many kinds of
texts on a critical level.
I appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,



Jennifer L. Justice


Special Topics in Writing:
Film in the English Classroom (English 428)
Instructor Jennifer L. Justice
Office:
Office Hours:
E-mail: jjustic@purdue.edu

Summary

Course Texts

Please use the ISBN numbers to make sure you are buying the correct edition.

Golden, John, Reading in the Dark: Using Film as a Tool in the English Classroom, NCTE, 2001.
ISBN 0814138721

Phillips, William H, Film: An Introduction, 4
th
ed, Bedford/St. Martins, 2009.
ISBN 0312487258

Leopard, Dan, Teaching with the Screen: Pedagogy, Agency, and Media Culture, Routledge, 2013.
ISBN 0415640644

Movies:

To Kill a Mockingbird
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
The Outsiders
The Great Gatsby
12 Angry Men
Bend it Like Beckham

A set of readings will also be provided for you to copy onto your hard drive or print out. Articles
from secondary sources will also be provided.

Readings and Assignments
The readings for this class are essential for class discussion and participation. In order to be
considered an active member of the class, you must come prepared, which includes completing all
assigned readings. In class, you should have the readings we are discussing that day in print or
electronic form.

The assignments for the course will be as follows:

5 percent Vocabulary Test
10 percent Scene Analysis
25 percent Cultural Context Comprehension Paper
25 percent Full Film Analysis
35 percent Unit Teaching Portfolio

Assignments are to be submitted via GoogleDocs on the due date, except for the Final Teaching
Portfolio, which should be submitted electronically via GoogleDocs AND physically.

All written work should be typed and double-spaced with title and headings. The margins should
be 1 in. Use a 12 pt. font for the body of your text. I will ask you to send me your work via
GoogleDocs, so I can comment on your work electronically. If you would like to provide your
work in an alternative format (e.g. multimedia or website) please talk to me before you start.

I will gladly read revisions if you want to do them. Any revision, though, must offer a significant
improvement over the original text. Revisions are due within one week of the return of the original
assignment. The grade on the revision will replace the grade on the original.

Viewings

Movies are considered required reading. Viewings will be offered twice on Wednesday nights the
week before the viewing is due. You are not required to attend the viewings, but if you choose to
view the movies independently you will be expected to be able to participate fully in discussions.

Attendance and Late Work

If you need to be late or absent to class, please send me an e-mail telling me you are going to be
late or absent. Or, if you need to, call me at my office. You can leave a message with the writing
program secretary if Im not available. If you need to hand work in late, please send me an email
or write a short memo that tells me 1) the work will be late and 2) when you will have it completed.
Unless special circumstances exist (e.g. you are going to be absent for three weeks) I dont need to
know why you are going to be absent or handing work in late. Im sure you have good reasons. Just
hand me the note in class or send me the e-mail. Ill tell you if I have a problem with the situation.

You may miss up to five classes over the course of the semester. Use these absences wisely.
Extensive absences may result in grade penalties unless you have written documentation from an
approved source (ex: a doctors note, or confirmation from the registrar of a family emergency)
excusing them. Six or more absences can result in a failing grade.

Grading

A- to A (90-100)You did what the assignment asked for at a high quality level, and your
work shows originality and creativity.

B- to B+ (80-89)You did what the assignment asked of you at a high quality level. Work
in this range needs little revision, is complete in content, is organized well, and shows
special attention to style and visual design.

C- to C+ (70-79)You did what the assignment asked of you. Work in this range tends to
need some revision, but it is complete in content and the organization is logical. The style,
verbal and visual, is straightforward but unremarkable.

D (60-69)You did what the assignment asked for at a poor quality level. Work in this
range tends to need significant revision. The content is often incomplete and the
organization is hard to discern. Verbal and visual style is often non-existent or chaotic

F (59 and below)An F means that no assignment was submitted, or the work shows a
serious disconnect with the course material. You must meet with me to discuss your
revision plan if you want to resubmit an F paper.

Students with Special Needs
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center in the Office of
the Dean of Students before classroom accommodations can be provided. It is the students
responsibility to notify the Disability Resource Center (www.purdue.edu/odos/drc/welcome.php)
of an impairment/condition that may require accommodations and/or classroom modifications. If
you are eligible for academic accommodations because you have a documented disability that will
impact your work in this class, please schedule an appointment with me as soon as possible to
discuss your needs.

Academic Integrity
The universitys policy on plagiarism applies here. If you attempt to pass of someone elses work as
your own, you will fail the assignment and, potentially, the course. Purposeful plagiarism will result
in being reported to the school.

Professionalism
This is a tech-friendly class, especially since our assignments and lesson plans will often be shared
electronically. That said, please use discretion when operating technology in the classroom.
Headphones are not allowed unless you are specifically asked to use them for a class activity, and
phones should be put on silent.

Participation is a key part of your grade, and continued distraction and/or disruption due to misuse
of technology will be detrimental. If you disrupt others, you will be removed from the class. Use
your laptops, tablets, and smartphones wisely.

Grief Absence Policy
Students will be excused for funeral leave and given the opportunity to earn equivalent credit and
to demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning outcomes for missed assignments or assessments
in the event of the death of a member of the students family. A student should contact the Office
of the Dean of Students (ODOS) to request that a notice of his or her leave be sent to instructors.
The student will provide documentation of the death or funeral service attended to the ODOS.

Emergencies
In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading
percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other
circumstances. Information about changes to the course can be obtained by contacting the
instructor via e-mail or phone. You are responsible for checking your Purdue e-mail on a frequent
basis.


Calendar Dates TBA
Dates Due
Week 1 Intro to Film Analysis Golden, Ch. 1
Phillips, Ch.1
Week 2 Teaching terms to middle school/secondary
students
Phillips, Ch. 2-3
To Kill a Mockingbird
Week 3 How to read a film Golden, Ch. 2
Phillips, Ch. 4
Alice in Wonderland 2010
Wed: Vocabulary Test
Week 4 Parallels between film & literary analysis Golden, Ch. 3
The Outsiders
Week 5 Shorts & Clips: Teaching from excerpts Leopard, Ch. 3
Friday: Scene Analysis
Week 6 Film & Writing Leopard, Ch. 4
Week 7 Film & Cultural Stereotypes Phillips, Ch. 10
Bend it Like Beckham
Week 8 Film & Argument 12 Angry Men
Friday: Cultural Context
Comprehension Paper
Week 9 Film & Interpretation Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory.
Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory
Week 10 Film & Literature The Great Gatsby
Week 11 - Conferences Golden, Ch. 4
Week 12 Activities and State Learning Standards Friday: Full Film Analysis
Week 13 Rubrics & Assessment
Week 14 Unit Creation
Week 15 - Portfolios
Week 16 Finals Week Final (TBA): Teaching Portfolio