Preparing English Educators to Teach Rhetorical Analysis as a Writing Skill: A Descriptive Program Analysis of New Hampshire Institutions of Higher Educatio

This study sought to understand the ways in which New Hampshire institutions of higher education prepare secondary English preservice educators to teach rhetorical analysis as a writing skill. Specifically, this study sought to understand the choices institutions of higher education make as to the placement of the skill of rhetorical analysis within a secondary English educator preparation program and how they prepare secondary English preservice educators to teach rhetorical analysis. This study employed a descriptive, collective case study methodology, utilizing document/artifact analysis and interviews, of three New Hampshire institutions of higher education to answer questions relating to the placement of rhetorical analysis within teacher education programs. Cognitive development theory and theories in composition and discourse studies were explored to understand how secondary English preservice educators learn different pedagogies and how they learn to use those pedagogies when teaching rhetorical analysis to students. The results of this study reach three conclusions. First, the three New Hampshire institutions studied scaffold writing skills in different ways to ensure that their secondary English preservice educators have mastered advanced writing skills before they learn how to teach writing in methods courses. Second, the three New Hampshire institutions of higher education studied prepare secondary English preservice educators in a variety of teaching methodologies. Rhetorical analysis is a skill emphasized through "new literacies" and multimodal literacies methodologies. Finally, the three New Hampshire institutions studied offer secondary English preservice educators multiple opportunities to practice teaching writing. Developed community partnerships allow preservice educators to enter the classroom early and often in their program.