English 110 OFAR Syllabus
English 110: Composition and Reading: Open for Antiracism (OFAR)
Overview
This course focuses on reading, analyzing, and writing college-level essays with emphasis on argument, analysis, and research. Students study writing as a process, explore different writing strategies, summarizing, editing, and critiquing. The course seeks to improve the student’s ability to understand serious and complex prose and to improve the student’s ability to write an exposition that is thoughtful and clear, including the production of a well-documented research paper.
Action Plan
OER and open pedagogy help English courses to be anti-racist by providing free OER resources and by modifying curriculum to be more inclusive and diverse.
Currently, in my English 110 courses, my course theme is “Resistance Movements from the 1960s to Today.”
I was first introduced to connecting course materials and assignments to a theme at a California Accelerated Project conference in Sacramento. Scholars have articulated the rationale for using a theme based approach as a “meaningful” way to personally engage students in the learning process (Handal & Bobis, 2004; Lipson, et al., 1993); connect to students’ life experiences, interests, and existing knowledge bases (Handal & Bobis, 2004; Lipson, et al., 1993; Mangan, 2014); create a focus for learners that reveals connections among knowledge areas (Lipson, et al., 1993); promote positive attitudes in learners (Lipson, et al., 1993); and improve student success/achievement (Handal & Bobis, 2004; Mangan, 2014). Mangan (2014) reports increased student performance in theme-based classes, citing an 87% pass rate in “fear and horror” themed introductory English classes at a community college, compared to a 78% pass rate in traditional versions of these classes across the Texas community college system.
The specific resistance movements I focus on are:
- The Civil Rights Movement
- The Anti-Vietnam War Movement
- The Pro-Vietnam War Movement
- The Youth Movement
- The Native American Movement
- The Women's Movement
- The Environmental Movement
- The Farm Worker's Movement
- The Hippie Movement
- The LGBTQ+ Movement
When I focus on the Women’s Movement, I discuss how black women felt their issues were not covered by either the Civil Rights Movement or the Women’s Movement. I introduce the class to black feminists. When I discuss the Environmental Movement, I explain how citizens of color are often negatively impacted by environmental policies. Race was also an issue in the Vietnam War where minority men were drafted and killed at a higher rate than white males. The Hippie Movement covers income inequality which also negatively impacts minorities, especially black women, more than whites.
Goal: My goal for this project is to introduce students to information regarding race and resistance movements. I want to introduce students to diverse leaders who helped fight racial injustice in the past and those who are advocating for social justice today. As an instructor, I want to research and adopt instructional strategies and create student interactive assignments that engage students in the discussion of race in the classroom.
Course Description
English 110: Composition and Reading
The standard course in freshman English. The course seeks to improve the student’s ability to understand serious and complex prose and to improve the student’s ability to write an exposition that is thoughtful and clear, including the production of a well-documented research paper. (CSU, UC)
Upon course completion, the successful student will have acquired new skills, knowledge, and or attitudes as demonstrated by being able to:
- Compose college-level essays that contain clear thesis statements, effective support, and unified organization. (ILO1, ILO2, ILO4)
- Synthesize information from multiple sources to produce a research paper that is formatted and documented according to MLA guidelines. (ILO1, ILO2, ILO4, ILO5)
- Demonstrate an ability to comprehend and interpret a variety of college-level texts, including complex arguments and at least one full-length novel, play, or non-fiction book, without relying on outside sources for assistance. (ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4)
Anti-Racist Assignment
One course objective for English 110 is for students to demonstrate the ability to comprehend and interpret complex arguments. Focusing on literary devices, throughout the semester students listen to and discuss arguments made in music related to the resistance movements discussed in class. At the end of the semester students select a song for their analysis essay focusing on music as a form of argument.