
Writing Improvement: Sharpen Prose with Focused Revision
(Spring 2020)
This self-paced, 2-credit online Moodle course is designed to develop participants’ knowledge of writing improvement through an inquiry approach that involves reflective decision-making and critical thinking. We will study how revision differs from editing. Then we will explore specific strategies that start at the sentence level and transition to paragraph improvement. Knowing how to make improvements with paragraphs (internal text structure) lays the foundation to target external text structure (or the overall unity)—whether it is a personal narrative or critical essay.
Learning outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the elements of effective written.
2. Compare and contrast editing and revision.
3. Describe and practice using strategies that foster improvement at the sentence, paragraph, and paper level.
4. Describe how beginnings and endings can be targeted for improvement.
5. Conduct effective revision in personal and professional (classroom) writing.
This course is intended for those who are interested in studying how teachers can impact their students written work with targeted revision.
Event Number: 20551024
EDU 455/C&I 555
Instructors: Daisy Carlsmith/Ann Ellsworth
Dates: This is a self-paced course. As such, course participants must be comfortable working independently and self-motivated to complete all work within the flexible time frame. Participants may register for the course now. No new registrations will be accepted after April 15, 2020. Participants must complete the course by June 1, 2020.
Registration fee: $250
Credit: 30 OPI Renewal Units or 2 Semester Credits (semester credits are offered through the University of Montana and are an additional fee of $155. The course instructor will provide a separate registration form). The total cost savings is 40% by going through WMPLC to get university continuing education credits.
Upon receipt of course payment by WMPLC, the instructor will enter the student into the course Moodle and send an introductory email, at which time the participant may begin the class. The instructor will then collect the UM credit paperwork and payment, which will be sent to the University of Montana on June 1, 2020, along with final grades.
This course requires the participant to access a couple of texts through their school or public library or purchase said materials from booksellers such as Amazon. The instructor may be available to assist with locating copies, if
needed.
About the course facilitator:
Ann Ellsworth has taught in elementary and secondary schools in Wisconsin and Montana, and has led reading and writing professional development workshops across Montana and the Midwest. She is the 2019 National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) "Grammar Teacher of the Year." The Association of Teachers of English Grammar (ATEG) is an arm of NCTE. She was awarded the 2016 Montana Reading Teacher of the Year, and was a finalist for two national teaching awards. Presently she works with teacher candidates at Montana State University-Bozeman She has served as editor of the MONTANA STATE READING JOURNAL and is working with a publisher on a book on how to improve student writing.
Register at: https://forms.gle/Qxrui4b5bMmhtZcc8
(Spring 2020)
This self-paced, 2-credit online Moodle course is designed to develop participants’ knowledge of writing improvement through an inquiry approach that involves reflective decision-making and critical thinking. We will study how revision differs from editing. Then we will explore specific strategies that start at the sentence level and transition to paragraph improvement. Knowing how to make improvements with paragraphs (internal text structure) lays the foundation to target external text structure (or the overall unity)—whether it is a personal narrative or critical essay.
Learning outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the elements of effective written.
2. Compare and contrast editing and revision.
3. Describe and practice using strategies that foster improvement at the sentence, paragraph, and paper level.
4. Describe how beginnings and endings can be targeted for improvement.
5. Conduct effective revision in personal and professional (classroom) writing.
This course is intended for those who are interested in studying how teachers can impact their students written work with targeted revision.
Event Number: 20551024
EDU 455/C&I 555
Instructors: Daisy Carlsmith/Ann Ellsworth
Dates: This is a self-paced course. As such, course participants must be comfortable working independently and self-motivated to complete all work within the flexible time frame. Participants may register for the course now. No new registrations will be accepted after April 15, 2020. Participants must complete the course by June 1, 2020.
Registration fee: $250
Credit: 30 OPI Renewal Units or 2 Semester Credits (semester credits are offered through the University of Montana and are an additional fee of $155. The course instructor will provide a separate registration form). The total cost savings is 40% by going through WMPLC to get university continuing education credits.
Upon receipt of course payment by WMPLC, the instructor will enter the student into the course Moodle and send an introductory email, at which time the participant may begin the class. The instructor will then collect the UM credit paperwork and payment, which will be sent to the University of Montana on June 1, 2020, along with final grades.
This course requires the participant to access a couple of texts through their school or public library or purchase said materials from booksellers such as Amazon. The instructor may be available to assist with locating copies, if
needed.
About the course facilitator:
Ann Ellsworth has taught in elementary and secondary schools in Wisconsin and Montana, and has led reading and writing professional development workshops across Montana and the Midwest. She is the 2019 National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) "Grammar Teacher of the Year." The Association of Teachers of English Grammar (ATEG) is an arm of NCTE. She was awarded the 2016 Montana Reading Teacher of the Year, and was a finalist for two national teaching awards. Presently she works with teacher candidates at Montana State University-Bozeman She has served as editor of the MONTANA STATE READING JOURNAL and is working with a publisher on a book on how to improve student writing.
Register at: https://forms.gle/Qxrui4b5bMmhtZcc8

writingimprovement_prose.spring2020.syllabus.pdf |