Montclair State University

Program Information

Degree Offered

Teaching Writing Certificate

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Graduate Certificate Program in Teaching Writing is designed to familiarize students with the guiding research, theory, and practice of composition studies, a discipline devoted to developing successful pedagogical practices for teaching writing across age, background, and ability. As many new teachers discover when they enter the classroom, English teachers are often under-exposed to theories and practices of writing instruction as part of their graduate or teacher preparatory programs. This certificate program aims to address this gap in teacher preparation at a time when national and state mandates for effective writing instruction are at an all-time high. The curriculum for the program bridges the secondary and college divide, responding to persistent calls for better communication between secondary and higher education faculty, and greater support for students transitioning from high school to college. Consonant with recent thinking in the field, the program holds the following objectives:

-Students will learn techniques for teaching planning, drafting, revision, and editing
-Students will learn how to conduct one-on-one conferences and implement peer review models in the classroom
-Students will understand and apply various methodologies for teacher research on writing and writing processes
-Students will explore the challenges of marginalized writers and learn how to facilitate their writing development
-Students will study methods of evaluation and assessment of writing
-Students will gain a foundational understanding of rhetorical theories and their impact on writing techniques and pedagogies
-Students will be prepared to meet, or will become familiar with, the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standard in Writing, specifically Standard 3.2 (Writing).

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Master's Colleges & Universities I

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Large Suburb

Size & Settings: 10,000 - 19,999