Language Arts, BA
Program Description
Featuring small classes, lots of reading, many opportunities for writing and research, and supervision by faculty who know their students, the English programs emphasize the human letters and language study.
The goal of this program is to prepare future teachers to instill a lifelong love of reading and writing in their students. To this end, Language Arts candidates sponsor an annual children’s writing festival and publish an anthology with stories written by area elementary school students. Language Arts candidates have the opportunity to practice their teaching before they graduate in a variety of local classrooms, as part of their professional education coursework.
The Language Arts program prepares graduates for elementary-level teacher certification in Michigan, which permits individuals to teach in self-contained classrooms at grades K-8, in all subjects at grades K-5, and in language arts at grades 6-8. See Elementary Teaching for additional information regarding this program.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Instructional Choices Candidates will make instructional choices that consider the integrated nature of the language arts, the socio-cultural and dynamic nature of language, and the principles of rhetoric and communication.
- Grammar and Language Candidates will value both prescriptive and descriptive grammars and conventions of English and appreciate the dynamic nature of English as a language shaped by historical, social, and cultural influences.
- Lifelong Reading and Writing Candidates will consider and recommend research-proven language arts teaching practices that foster lifelong reading and writing in children.
- Analyze Texts Candidates will synthesize knowledge of genre, craft, and criticism to analyze texts.
- Literacy and Scholarship Practices Candidates will value, apply, and recommend effective literacy and scholarship practices.
Degree Requirements
In this program, students will complete a teaching major in Language Arts, and a planned program in the other three academic areas essential to elementary school teaching: mathematics, natural science and social science. The planned program is explained in the Elementary Education section of this catalog.
The program also includes general education requirements and a professional education sequence. Students complete their initial professional education course in their sophomore year, and then apply for formal admission to the Teacher Education Program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Requirements | ||
| ENGL 180 | Intro to Literary Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 221 | Intro to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 222 | Eng Grammar & Lang in Context | 3 |
| ENGL 231 | American Literature I | 3 |
| ENGL 232 | American Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL 236 | Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 320 | Responding to Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 335 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 470 | Language Arts Senior Thesis | 3 |
| COMM 308 | Communication Theory | 3 |
| THEA 112 | Acting for Beginners | 3 |
| CHLD 225 | Emergent Literacy | 3 |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
English Departmental Requirements (8 credits)
- One year of a modern language other than English
For information regarding the Professional Educational Sequence and Elementary Planned Program, – see Elementary Education.
General Education: All LSSU bachelor’s degree candidates must complete the LSSU General Education Requirements.
Bachelor of Arts degree (6-8 credits): One year of a modern language other than English. If taken at LSSU, this would be OJIB 130 Ojibwe Lang I Anishinaabemowin-OJIB 131 Ojibwe Lng II Anishinaabemowin or SPAN 161 First Year Spanish I-SPAN 162 First Year Spanish II. One-half year of two different languages will not meet this requirement.
A minimum of 124 credits (at the 100 level or higher) must be earned for graduation with a cumulative gpa of 2.70 or higher. A gpa of 2.70 or higher is required in your Major, and a gpa of 2.00 or higher is required in your General Education Requirements.