Dissertation
English for the masses: English instruction at nontraditional educational institutions
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
05/2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005993
Abstract
The premise behind this book is that Working Class/Poverty Class students of today lack a voice in the social and political structures that govern our world. I explore the English methods and subject matter used to instruct Working Class/Poverty Class people of past eras who also struggled to find their voice amidst such foes as class discrimination and racial injustice. By exploring this work and delving into pedagogies of the past, I will illustrate some key methods that can be used to empower students today. The first chapter of the dissertation examines definitions of class, class problems, and Working Class/Poverty Class manifestations in the classroom today. The second chapter explores the history of Brookwood Labor College, an educational institution which was founded in 1921 and had a goal to educate labor union organizers. Chapter 3 provides an analysis of the dominant pedagogical theories and techniques at work in the Brookwood Labor College. In Chapter 4, I examine the historical events that led to the foundation and success of the Citizenship Schools. Also explored is the role that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee played in furthering the schools. The next chapter examines the pedagogy at work in the Citizenship Schools. In the final chapter, I use the knowledge acquired by analyzing the Citizenship School and Brookwood Labor College courses to construct a hypothetical English course that would meet the needs of classrooms where Working Class/Poverty Class students make up the majority of the population. The conclusion argues for a stronger and more in-depth exploration of the potentials of community learning for helping Working Class/Poverty Class students develop into active citizens.
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Details
- Title
- English for the masses
- Creators
- Paula Webb Battistelli
- Contributors
- Robert F Eddy (Co-Chair) - Washington State University, Department of EnglishJoan Burbick (Co-Chair) - Washington State University, Department of EnglishThomas Vernon Reed (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Department of English
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of English
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 219
- Identifiers
- 99901055032301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation