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What We Talk about When We Talk about Teaching Writing

What We Talk about When We Talk about Teaching Writing . Margaux Sanchez Supported by The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. What do we mean by “writing”? Writing is a means to engage in a thought process Writing is also the result of that thought process.

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What We Talk about When We Talk about Teaching Writing

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  1. What We Talk about When We Talk about Teaching Writing Margaux Sanchez Supported by The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

  2. What do we mean by “writing”? • Writing is a means to engage in a thought process • Writing is also the result of that thought process

  3. Writing is a means to engage in a thought process, requiring: • curiosity and openness • synthesis of ideas • application of philosophical and disciplinary constructs • consideration of rhetorical situation: purpose, audience, medium

  4. “Writing” and subject matter are inextricably linked. • Writing is a means to explore and acquire disciplinary subject matter. • Rhetorical skills are to be employed in service of ideas. • The alternative? B.S.

  5. Writing is the result of a thought process. • A permanent representation of complex thought • A crucial tool in academic, professional, and personal life • Writing changes minds and makes things happen.

  6. What are the goals of WAC and Writing at Fontbonne? • Emphasize the value of writing as a means of learning, regardless of discipline • Support campus-wide development of core student writing skills • Support discipline-specific writing instruction

  7. Writing Intensive Courses • Writing Intensive courses are intended to further all of the above goals. • Yes, WI courses will require that instructors “teach writing”. • No, you do not need to panic.

  8. What do we mean by “teaching writing”? • Not about teaching grammar or providing line edits • About helping students learn to recognize elements of effective writing • About guiding them through a generative process likely to produce it

  9. What are the elements of effective writing? (in order of importance) • Focus • Development • Organization • Style • Conventions

  10. Focus: Concentration or emphasis on a subject or objective. May be addressed in the following terms: objectives of assignment, thesis, argument, main point, central theme, conclusions, or recommendations.

  11. Development: Support and/or elaboration of the focus. May include: explanation, description, analysis, narrative, exploration, use of source material or data, or discussion of methodology.

  12. Organization: Coherent order and grouping of material. May be addressed in the following terms: overarching structure, paragraph structure, or use of transitions.

  13. Style: Tone conveyed toward material and/or audience. May be addressed in the following terms: word choice, sentence structure, voice, or persona.

  14. Conventions: Adherence to standards of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and discipline-specific rules of formatting and citation. For example: APA, MLA, AP Style, or other style guides.

  15. What do we mean by a “writing process”? (one model) • Identification of a subject • Observation, research, data collection • Review and synthesis of findings • Drafting • Feedback and consideration • Revision • Document preparation

  16. Why introduce process into our writing assignments? • As a means to focus student effort • As a means to hold students accountable • As a means to build effective habits of thought • As a means to increase sophistication and professionalism in student writing

  17. How can we build process into our writing assignments without overburdening ourselves? • Think of writing assignments as long-term projects. • Create preliminary deadlines with “low stakes”. • Evaluate or facilitate evaluation of work in progress. • Some more specific examples:

  18. Ask students to select their “subject matter”, AKA: • Focus of inquiry, study, observation, reflection, or critique • Experimental question or hypothesis • Research question or topic • Interview subject

  19. Ask students to document the research process. For example: • Annotated bibliography • List of links • Lab or session notes • Daily journal • Interview transcript or notes • Photos or video of an event • Database

  20. Ask students to evaluate and synthesize information before drafting, in or out of class. • Outline • Annotations or highlighting • List of initial questions or areas of interest • Initial thesis statement or statement of position • Summary of initial conclusions or recommendations

  21. Ask students to produce drafts in stages. • Introduction workshop • In-class drafting time • Body paragraph or section workshop • Conclusion workshop

  22. Provide or organize feedback and encourage or require revision. • Comments on drafts • Conferences, one-on-one or in groups • Peer review (online, in-class, one-on-one or in groups) (stay tuned for Session #2) • Workshop discussion • Guided discussion of select student work

  23. Review disciplinary style guidelines and requirements. • Address academic honesty and/or proper professional documentation. • Suggest approaches to proofreading, for example, reading aloud. • Suggest use of Kinkel Center or other outside resources (stay tuned for Session #3).

  24. The basketball analogy: • Writing is like playing basketball, a complex set of skills that must be developed and coordinated through practice. • To learn to play basketball, you have to play basketball. • If you aim to perform at the professional level, you have to practice like the pros.

  25. As instructors, we are the pros, coaching novice players. We: • Create gamelike conditions • Motivate students to get up and play • Provide constructive feedback to support learning from experience

  26. By “teaching writing”, then, we have the opportunity to: • Encourage students to develop – and value – their own ideas • Help students internalize disciplinary standards • Encourage respect for effective communication

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