Writing at Doane College: a Workshop David Smit Department of English Kansas State University

Topics of the Sessions: What Doane students should be able to What Doane students should be able to do as writers do as writers How writing can or should be taught How writing can or should be taught What writing pedagogies/ curricula might What writing pedagogies/ curricula might be most appropriate for Doane College be most appropriate for Doane College

Session One What Doane Students Should Be Able to Do as Writers

Traditional Goals/ Objectives for Writing Instruction Abstract skills that can be manifested in Abstract skills that can be manifested in many different ways: many different ways: Thoughts clearly organized Thoughts clearly organized Assertions clearly supported Assertions clearly supported Sufficient and appropriate evidence Sufficient and appropriate evidence

Written Genres Written Genres Diary Entries Memos News Stories Memoirs Thank You Notes Business Letters Movie Reviews Abstracts Cook Books Lab Reports Histories Essays Academic Articles Meeting Minutes

New Rule #1 There is no such thing as “writing.” There is no such thing as “writing.” There are only pieces of writing using There are only pieces of writing using the conventions of a particular genre. the conventions of a particular genre.

New Rule #2 You get what you teach for. You get what you teach for.

The Issue of Transfer Students do not necessarily transfer what Students do not necessarily transfer what they learn in one writing class to other classes or to writing outside of school. they learn in one writing class to other classes or to writing outside of school.

Written Literacy The ability to write a range of discourse for The ability to write a range of discourse for a variety of “discourse communities” a variety of “discourse communities” There is no common set of genres that There is no common set of genres that defines literacy for everyone. defines literacy for everyone.

Discourse Types Expressive: Focused on the writer Referential/Informative: Focused on “reality,” the outside world Persuasive: Focused on the audience Literary: Focused on the Text

Expressive Writing EssaysMemoirsAutobiographiesReflectionsCreedsManifestos

Referential Writing Scientific Writing Research Reports Research Reports Philosophical Analysis Philosophical Analysis Informative Writing News Stories News Stories Encyclopedia entries Exploratory Writing

Persuasive Writing EditorialsProposalsAppealsPetitions Broadsides/ Tracts Advertisements

National Assessment of Educational Progress National Assessment of Educational Progress Percentage of Students Writing at the Level of Percentage of Students Writing at the Level of Adequate or Better Adequate or Better Personal Informative Persuasive Personal Informative Persuasive Narrative Analysis Writing Narrative Analysis Writing Grade / / 19.3 Grade / / 23.6 Arthur Applebee and Others. Learning to Write in Our Nation’s Schools. to Write in Our Nation’s Schools. Princeton, NJ: NAEP, Princeton, NJ: NAEP, 1990.

Some Principles for a New Way of Thinking about Writing We write top down, not bottom up. Writing is always rhetorical: It is written in a particular context. It is written in a particular context. It is written in a recognizable genre. It is written in a recognizable genre. It is written for a specific audience. It is written for a specific audience.

Implications Students need instruction in those aspects of writing most likely to transfer to writing outside of school: Students need instruction in those aspects of writing most likely to transfer to writing outside of school: Adapting genre conventions Adapting genre conventions to context and audience to context and audience

More Implications School assignments need to be modeled after writing outside of school. Students need practice in thinking about how to adapt writing to particular contexts. how to adapt writing to particular contexts.

The Bottom Line Students should not write to the instructor. Students should not write to the instructor. The instructor should be a coach, helping students to write particular genres to a “third-person” audience. The instructor should be a coach, helping students to write particular genres to a “third-person” audience. Instructors should emphasize how writing changes from context to context. Instructors should emphasize how writing changes from context to context.

New Goals and Objectives for Writing Instruction What types of discourse or specific genres should students be able to write after four years at Doane College? Where should they be taught how to write each type of discourse or genre?

Session Two How Writing Can or Should be Taught How Writing Can or Should be Taught at Doane College at Doane College

Some Considerations #1: Requiring writing is not teaching writing. Requiring writing is not teaching writing.

#2: Commenting on and grading writing is Commenting on and grading writing is not teaching writing. not teaching writing.

Modes of Teaching Writing Presentational Natural Process Environmental: Teaching to Specific Goals Individualized: Tutorials, Programmed Materials

Comparative Effectiveness of Instructional Modes The Environmental Mode or Structured The Environmental Mode or Structured Learning is THREE times more effective Learning is THREE times more effective than the other modes. than the other modes.

The Environmental Mode Clear objectives Materials and problems that engage students in specifiable processes important to writing Activities with peer interaction, focused on those specifiable processes

Application Choose a genre and rhetorical situation relative to your course. Give students practice in using the conventions of the genre or in presenting the material to a particular audience. Workshop drafts. Comment on a later draft. Insist on revision if necessary.

Session Three Planning a Writing Curriculum Planning a Writing Curriculum at Doane College at Doane College

The Issues #1 At the completion of their college careers, what should Doane students be able to At the completion of their college careers, what should Doane students be able to DO in writing? DO in writing?

#2: What would a reasonable person What would a reasonable person accept as evidence that Doane accept as evidence that Doane students can write certain types of students can write certain types of discourse or certain genres well? discourse or certain genres well?

#3: How can Doane insure a common standard How can Doane insure a common standard of writing from one course to another? of writing from one course to another?

The Diederich Experiment The Diederich Experiment THE SAMPLE: 300 essays written by high school THE SAMPLE: 300 essays written by high school students students THE READERS: 53 people from six different fields THE READERS: 53 people from six different fields Teachers of English, social science, and natural Teachers of English, social science, and natural science science Professional editors, lawyers, and business Professional editors, lawyers, and business executives executives THE TASK: Readers were to rate the essays on a scale of 1 to 9 using their own sense of “general merit.” of 1 to 9 using their own sense of “general merit.”

The Results 101 essays received every score from 1 to percent of the essays received 7, 8, or 9 different grades. Paul Diederich. Measuring Growth in English. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1974 English. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1974

#4: How can Doane “teach to the transfer” How can Doane “teach to the transfer” of writing abilities from one context to of writing abilities from one context to another? another?

Teaching to the Transfer Developing in students a “meta-cognitive” Developing in students a “meta-cognitive” sense of how writing varies from context sense of how writing varies from context to context. to context.

To Teach to the Transfer: Point out often how any given example of writing differs from other samples in the same genre. Point out often how any given example of writing differs from other samples in the same genre. Point out often how genres differ from context to context according to purpose, audience, and genre conventions. Point out often how genres differ from context to context according to purpose, audience, and genre conventions.

The Implication Instructors need to know: Instructors need to know: What their students write in other What their students write in other courses courses How their assignments are related to How their assignments are related to writing done outside of school writing done outside of school

Common Writing Curriculums Requiring students to take a number of writing intensive courses Requiring students to take a capstone course Requiring students to submit a portfolio of their work Requiring students to take an exit exam

Writing Intensive Courses Advantages Students get practice throughout their Students get practice throughout their college career. college career. The task of teaching writing is shared by The task of teaching writing is shared by all faculty, not just faculty in English. all faculty, not just faculty in English. Students may be exposed to a wider range of writing than they may get in Students may be exposed to a wider range of writing than they may get in English classes. English classes.

Writing Intensive Courses Disadvantages Difficulty in maintaining a common Difficulty in maintaining a common standard from course to course standard from course to course Difficulty in organizing a curriculum Difficulty in organizing a curriculum Difficulty in “teaching to the transfer” Difficulty in “teaching to the transfer”

Writing Intensive Courses Overcoming disadvantages Course descriptions that list: Course descriptions that list: The type of discourse or genres taught The type of discourse or genres taught The audience/context for the writing The audience/context for the writing Regular meetings of faculty to share Regular meetings of faculty to share assignments and grade papers assignments and grade papers Outside readers Outside readers

Capstone Courses Advantages Students receive intensive practice Students receive intensive practice writing the genres of their major or writing the genres of their major or discipline. discipline. Students can practice all they have Students can practice all they have learned earlier. learned earlier. Capstone courses may involve fewer Capstone courses may involve fewer courses than a writing intensive system. courses than a writing intensive system.

Capstone Courses Disadvantages Difficulties in offering capstone courses Difficulties in offering capstone courses across the curriculum across the curriculum Practice in a limited range of writing Practice in a limited range of writing

Portfolios Advantages Students have two or three years of Students have two or three years of practice to assemble their best work. practice to assemble their best work. Portfolio requirements can insure that Portfolio requirements can insure that students get practice in a range of students get practice in a range of writing. writing. Grading portfolios can rigorously maintain Grading portfolios can rigorously maintain common standards. common standards.

Portfolios Disadvantages Difficulties in organizing an evaluation Difficulties in organizing an evaluation system outside the curriculum system outside the curriculum Difficulties in training readers to evaluate Difficulties in training readers to evaluate portfolios according to a common portfolios according to a common standard standard

Achieving Common Standards Course descriptions that list: The type of discourse or genres taught The type of discourse or genres taught The audience/context for the writing The audience/context for the writing Regular meetings of faculty to share assignments and grade papers assignments and grade papers Outside readers