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English Education

Share Your Love for English

Inspire a new generation of writers and book lovers! Share the authors and writing techniques that inspired you to pursue teaching. After you graduate from DWU, you'll teach 7-12 graders to grow and understand language arts and English. Empower your future students to succeed with communication skills and knowledge of literature themes.

Explore English Education

As you grow into your teaching education, you will work with your professors to further develop your passion for teaching English.

What's the Difference? 

  • Gain experience working with students in the Mitchell School District early on. 
  • Explore many opportunities as DWU's education department is located within a PreK-5 elementary school. 
  • Learn from DWU’s amazing professors; our low student-to-teacher ratio provides valuable one-on-one time with your mentors.
  • Complete more than 300 hours of classroom experience 
  • Design your unique one-semester student teaching capstone 
  • 100% of DWU education graduates are working as teachers or attending graduate school.  

English Education Courses

You will take a wide array of courses providing you with both the fundamentals of classroom teaching and the specific knowledge needed within your chosen specialty.

SPD 470 Student Teaching in Special Education
3 Hours
Candidates will student teach for 75 school days under the supervision of a certified special education teacher. Candidates are assigned to a school district and supervised by a certified teacher at the elementary level (K–8) and at secondary level (5–12). The student teaching will be divided in half at each level. During this period, they will fulfill obligations and responsibilities similar to those of the cooperating teacher. This course is part of the professional semester and is taken with a two-credit seminar, which is part of the 16 hours for degree candidates. Candidates also meet during the professional semester for seminar requirements. This course is offered Credit/No Credit only. The DWU Student Teacher Handbook and seminar syllabus serve as the course syllabus. Prerequisites: Completion of all coursework required for graduation, 2.6 GPA, admission from the education department faculty, submission of passing Praxis II examination scores for the required tests and approval for student teaching placement. Corequisite: EDU 475.
EDU 465 Classroom Management for the K-12 Educator
3 Hours
This course will involve the study of strategies for creating successful K–12 learning communities, planning for the school year, developing positive relationships with the students, working with families, establishing classroom procedures and rules, maintaining appropriate behavior, preventing, managing and responding to inappropriate behaviors, motivating students to learn and responding to inappropriate behaviors. Different practices of classroom management will be explored. School law, professional practice, and teacher ethics will also be covered. This course requires a field experience. This course is part of the spring practicum experience for elementary education majors. Courses include in the spring practicum for elementary education majors are: EDU 424, EDU 444 and EDU 465. Secondary education majors are strongly advised to take this course at the same time as EDU 424. Prerequisite: EDU 201. Corequisites for elementary education majors: EDU 424 and EDU 444. Corequisites for secondary education majors: EDU 424 or approval of department chair.
ENG 327 English Methods
Hours
ENG 230 Young Adult Literature
3 Hours
Young Adult Literature considers canonical and contemporary examples of fiction written for readers in grades 6-12. Students will focus most of their attention on analyzing young adult literature as literature but will also consider pedagogic and craft-study approaches. Thus, the course benefits literature, creative writing and education students in their preparation as scholars, readers, writers and teachers of young adult literature.
EDU 311 Educational Psychology
3 Hours
This course will examine theories of learning and how they may be applied to the classroom. It will include the study of cognitive development, motivation and learning, how knowledge is constructed, constructivism, individual differences in learning, and learning environments. Prerequisites: EDU 201. Non-education majors must have consent of the instructor.
EDU 335 American Indian Education
3 Hours
This course is designed for prospective and experienced teachers. Candidates will learn about the rich American Indian culture in South Dakota and its impact on the education of American Indian students. The study includes an examination of skills necessary for the effective teaching of American Indian children. The course is designed to meet the South Dakota certification requirement in American Indian studies and is required of all teacher education candidates. Out-of-town travel and additional related expenses are required for this class. Prerequisite: EDU 201. Non-education majors must have consent of the instructor.

Get to Know Your Professors

Become a teacher and learn from our fabulous teachers!
Our low student-to-teacher ratio offers valuable
one-on-one interaction with professors. 
 

Ashley Digmann, Ed.D.

Education Department Chair

Barbara Duffey, Ph.D.

Professor of English

Derric Ludens, M.A.

Assistant Professor of English

Vince Redder, Ph.D.

Professor in the Department of English and Languages | Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities

Student Teaching

You will complete more than 300 hours of classroom experience, so you’ll start your teaching career with confidence. Because our education department is attached to a local elementary school, you will engage in those classroom activities very early in your DWU education. Your one-semester student teaching experience will be the capstone of your time at DWU. 

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