Early Credit High School Program in Composition

Program Coordinator: Jean Zipke, 874-5932.

The Early Credit High School Program in Composition (ECHSP) offers seniors in selected high schools across Rhode Island the chance to study college level composition and to receive college credit for their efforts. In the ECHSP, seniors take the Department of Writing & Rhetoric's college composition course, WRT 104. Upon completion, they receive a URI transcript showing they have completed this three-credit course. The three credits may be applied at URI towards the completion of the communications requirement in the general education program, or the credits are usually transferable at other collegiate institutions.

The ECHSP Composition course is exactly the same as the composition course that is taught in Kingston to students who are enrolled full-time at URI. However, as part of the High School Program, the course is taught by a specially trained high school English teacher and is delivered in the high school setting within the regular school day. Students pay a registration fee to participate and they may have to purchase texts.

The high school teachers who participate in this program are committed to the teaching of writing as a distinct discipline. They stay in touch with current trends in composition theory, and they meet each May to learn about current teaching strategies in composition. Teachers who are new to the program receive a one-on-one orientation to the course and training in specific classroom strategies.

The Coordinator of the ECHSP, Jean Zipke, visits each classroom and meets with each teacher at least twice a semester. In addition, she organizes the May workshop.

We invite students, teachers, or administrators who would like to participate in the ECHSP or who would like more information to contact Jean Zipke, Program Coordinator, 874-5932.

Participating Schools:

• Barrington HS
• Warwick Vets
• Cranston West HS
• Textron Chamber
• Burrillville HS
• Narragansett HS
• East Providence HS
• Bishop Hendricken HS
• Coventry
• Johnston HS
• North Providence HS
• Mt. Hope HS
• South Kingstown HS
• Tolman
• Pilgrim HS
• East Greenwich
• Smithfield HS
• Westerly
• Cranston East HS
• Shea
• Middletown HS