From Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU Thu Feb 1 00:25:37 2007 From: Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU (Laura Gray-Rosendale) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:25:37 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] NEW MODULE POSTED!!!!!!BASIC WRITING FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS Message-ID: <000001c74597$7f911020$22727286@eng.nau.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_BMBqbup7c2u3y6y1e6An9g) Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE Welcome back! Happy New Year to you all! I hope everyone had a relaxi= ng break. Many thanks to Catherine Pavia for our last module. =20 It is now time to turn to our next module offered by Robin Murie and = Molly Collins, both experts in the connections between high school and coll= ege writing as well as basic writing and ESL. It is titled "Playing to Strengths: Basic Writing For Multilingual Students." It can be found = at http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/MurieCollins/muriecollins_= module. html. =20 Robin Murie is Director of the Commanding English Program at Universi= ty of Minnesota General College. She has been working within and between hi= gh school and college for over 26 years, teaching freshman writing to non-native speakers of English, and directing the Commanding English = Program (for immigrant students graduating from U.S. high schools). The Comm= anding English Program is a learning community for first-year college studen= ts, but they also run three high school programs where they offer our courses (writing, immigration literature, reading adjunct to cultural anthrop= ology, etc) to a cohort of high school juniors and seniors. She also does a= lot of high school visits in order to help multilingual students with the co= llege application process. She is responsible for staff and students in a freshman language program for refugee/immigrant non-native speakers o= f English where she coordinates outreach partnerships for language-mino= rity high school students at Edison H.S.(since 1991), Roosevelt H.S.(since= 1998), and Washburn H.S. (2004) in Minneapolis. Robin has published her wo= rk in a wide range of journals including the _Journal of Basic Writing_, _Jou= rnal of Teaching in Marriage and Family_, and the _Journal of Second Language Writing_. Robin has also received the Harold B. Allen award for Excel= lence in TESOL, MinneTESOL 2005, the University of Minnesota Academic Profe= ssional and Administrative Staff Award, 2001, and the Alfred L. Vaughan Award= for Outstanding Service to the General College, 2000. =20 Molly Collins is currently a senior teaching specialist in the PSTL p= rogram in the College of Education and Human Development at the University o= f Minnesota General College. She works closely with the Commanding Eng= lish Program. Many of her students, refugees and immigrants, are often bot= h basic writers and 2nd language learners. In addition, she has taught classe= s to basic writers who are native speakers of English, and have noticed an= d thought about the similarities and differences between these groups o= f students a lot as she has developed courses, taught courses and worke= d with students. She is interested in sharing these thoughts and ideas wit= h other teachers doing similar work. Molly has also published her work in sim= ilar venues (Robin and Molly have co-written a number of essays), as well = as MinneTESOL/WITESOL and MinneTESOL Journal. Molly has also presented h= er work at local and national conferences-working closely with high school an= d college programs. =20 =20 Here are their questions for discussion. Robin and Molly, take it awa= y! Best wishes, Laura =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------= ------- ---- What kinds of writing topics play to students' strengths, as multi-li= ngual, multi-cultural writers? Assignments that allow for a variety of voice= s and experiences work well. Multilingual students, like other basic writer= s, struggle with feelings of authority when writing, and depending on th= eir experiences with formal education, may have seen themselves as Englis= h deficient, rather than as having the strength of multiple perspective= and language. What scaffolding of assignments and readings work to build academic v= oice and competence? Typical basic writing classrooms often go from a pers= onal voice to an academic voice. There may be additional problems with dev= eloping an academic language voice in a second or third language. Do assignme= nts seem to work best when starting with the personal and branching out? = Are there layering of assignments that work better than others when desig= ning a whole writing course? What about within an assignment? What happens to the multilingual student when they are the only one i= n a class of monolingual English speakers? Do peer reviews turn into gram= mar editing sessions? Is content lost in favor of grammar editing? How ca= n teachers respond to the ideas in the paper and balance that with the language work students often so desperately need? How does the cultural context of texts affect multilingual students? Students may struggle with cultural contexts that are more readily accessible to native born students. How can teachers work with studen= ts to make all readings accessible? How can students make meaning of readin= gs that they don't fully understand to be able to use them in their writing? How well do we know our students? Is this a U.S.-born student whose p= arents speak limited English? A well-educated Vietnamese student who has rec= ently arrived in the U.S. and is not as fluent with the idiom of the langua= ge but has studied English grammar extensively? A U.S.-educated student who = spent 5 years in a refugee camp in Africa with no formal schooling during tha= t time. How do these differences in educational background play out in our classrooms? --Boundary_(ID_BMBqbup7c2u3y6y1e6An9g) Content-type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE

Welcome back! Happy New Year to you all! I hope ev= eryone had a relaxing break. Many thanks to Catherine Pavia for our last module.=

 

It is now time to turn to our next module offered = by Robin Murie and Molly Collins, both experts in the connections between high schoo= l and college writing as well as basic writing and ESL. It is titled “= ;Playing to Strengths: Basic Writing For Multilingual Students.” It can = be found at http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/Murie= Collins/muriecollins_module.html.

 

Robin Murie is Director of the Commanding English = Program at University of Minnesota General College. She has been working within = and between high school and college for over 26 years, teaching freshman = writing to non-native speakers of English, and directing the Commanding English = Program (for immigrant students graduating from U.S. high schools).  The Commanding English Program is a learning communit= y for first-year college students, but they also run three high school prog= rams where they offer our courses (writing, immigration literature, reading adju= nct to cultural anthropology, etc) to a cohort of high school juniors and seniors.  She also does a lot of high school visits in order to = help multilingual students with the college application process.  She is responsib= le for staff and students in a freshman language program for refugee/immigra= nt non-native speakers of English where she coordinates outreach partner= ships for language-minority high school students at Edison H.S.(since 1991), Ro= osevelt H.S.(since 1998), and Washburn H.S. (2004) in Minneapolis.  &nbs= p;Robin has published her work in a wide range of journals including the _Jou= rnal of Basic Writing_, _Journal of Teaching in Marriage and Family_, and the= _Journal of Second Language Writing_. Robin has also received the Harold B. Al= len award for Excellence in TESOL, MinneTESOL 2005, the Uni= versity of Minnesota Academic Professional and Administrative Staf= f Award, 2001, and the Alfred L. Vaughan Award for Outstanding Service to the = General College, 2000.

 

Molly Collins is currently a senior teaching speci= alist in the PSTL program in the College<= font size=3D2 face=3DArial> of = Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota General College.  She= works closely with the Commanding English Program. Many of her students, re= fugees and immigrants, are often both basic writers and 2nd language learners. I= n addition, she has taught classes to basic writers who are native spea= kers of English, and have noticed and thought about the similarities and diff= erences between these groups of students a lot as she has developed courses, = taught courses and worked with students.   She is interested in sh= aring these thoughts and ideas with other teachers doing similar work. Moll= y has also published her work in similar venues (Robin and Molly have co-written= a number of essays), as well as MinneTESOL/WITESOL and MinneTESOL Journal. Mol= ly has also presented her work at local and national conferences—worki= ng closely with high school and college programs. 

 

Here are their questions for discussion. Robin and= Molly, take it away! Best wishes, Laura

 

--------------------------------------------------= ------------------------------
What kinds of writing topics play to students’ strengths, as multi-lingual, multi-cultural writers? Assignments that allow for a v= ariety of voices and experiences work well. Multilingual students, like other b= asic writers, struggle with feelings of authority when writing, and depend= ing on their experiences with formal education, may have seen themselves as = English deficient, rather than as having the strength of multiple perspective= and language.

What scaffolding of assignments and readings work to build academic v= oice and competence? Typical basic writing classrooms often go from a personal= voice to an academic voice. There may be additional problems with developing a= n academic language voice in a second or third language. Do assignments seem to = work best when starting with the personal and branching out? Are there layering= of assignments that work better than others when designing a whole writi= ng course? What about within an assignment?

What happens to the multilingual student when they are the only one i= n a class of monolingual English speakers? Do peer reviews turn into grammar ed= iting sessions? Is content lost in favor of grammar editing? How can teache= rs respond to the ideas in the paper and balance that with the language work stu= dents often so desperately need?

How does the cultural context of texts affect multilingual students? = Students may struggle with cultural contexts that are more readily accessible = to native born students. How can teachers work with students to make all readin= gs accessible? How can students make meaning of readings that they don&#= 8217;t fully understand to be able to use them in their writing?

How well do we know our students? Is this a U.S.-born student whose p= arents speak limited English? A well-educated Vietnamese student who has rec= ently arrived in the U.S. and is not as fluent wi= th the idiom of the language but has studied English grammar extensively? A U.S.-e= ducated student who spent 5 years in a refugee camp in Afri= ca with no formal schooling during that time. How do these differences in educat= ional background play out in our classrooms?

--Boundary_(ID_BMBqbup7c2u3y6y1e6An9g)-- From KUEHLING@boisestate.edu Thu Feb 1 19:07:41 2007 From: KUEHLING@boisestate.edu (Karen Uehling) Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2007 12:07:41 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] CompFAQs BW wiki expanded! In-Reply-To: <000001c74597$7f911020$22727286@eng.nau.edu> References: <000001c74597$7f911020$22727286@eng.nau.edu> Message-ID: <45C1D80D020000850000BFF0@hermes.boisestate.edu> Hello, TBW folks-- I am delighted to announce new additions to the CompFAQ basic writing wiki! Following Linda Adler-Kassner's lead last spring, I assigned my graduate course on the teaching of basic writing (Fall 2006) to contribute to the CompFAQ wiki as their major project. We have added three new modules: on collaborative practices, credit for basic writing courses, and theme-based courses and inquiry. Here is the link: http://comppile.tamucc.edu/wiki/BasicWriting/Home I am exceedingly proud of their work, and I encourage you to take a look. The credit wiki contains the results of a survey conducted on the Conference on Basic Writing Listerv last fall, and the other two wikis also contain some information gathered over the CBW Listserv. You are encouraged to add to the wiki, and we have made some specific suggestions about what you might want to add. I want to thank Glenn Blalock and Rich Haswell for their assistance and support. Their expert feedback pushed the students to new levels of work and engagement as they thought about the audience and purpose of the wiki and how it functions as online media. It was also interesting and challenging for us to learn what for most of us (certainly me) was a new genre and to learn new information technology skills as we worked with links and online editing. I am especially grateful to Glenn Blalock for his detailed responses, help, and technological work. I encourage other faculty to assign such a project--it can be more or less involved (not as complicated as I thought initially) and the excitement and motivation of a real project transforms teaching and learning. Finally, thanks to the authors who continued to work on this project well after the semester had ended: Justin Endow Sabrina Gary Melissa Keith James LeDoux Joy Palmer Mike Peterson Bill Schnupp Katie White Enjoy the wiki, Karen Uehling Karen S. Uehling Associate Professor Department of English Boise State University 1910 University Drive Boise, ID 83725-1525 Office: 208-426-1825 Fax: 208-426-4373 From colli038@umn.edu Fri Feb 2 16:45:54 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2007 10:45:54 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Welcome to "Playing to Strengths: Basic Writing for Multilingual Students! In-Reply-To: <000001c74597$7f911020$22727286@eng.nau.edu> References: <000001c74597$7f911020$22727286@eng.nau.edu> Message-ID: <000301c746e9$9c3323f0$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C746B7.5198B3F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you Laura for starting us off on the discussion list. We're new to this site and discussion format. As the intersection of ESL and Basic writing grows, we see the need for talking across our disciplines to better serve students who resemble each other more and more. Our first question gets at the kinds of writing assignments we give to students that really seem to work well: What have you used that you have really liked or not liked for multilingual students? Here's the first question from our module. What kinds of writing topics play to students' strengths, as multi-lingual, multi-cultural writers? Assignments that allow for a variety of voices and experiences work well. Multilingual students, like other basic writers, struggle with feelings of authority when writing, and depending on their experiences with formal education, may have seen themselves as English deficient, rather than as having the strength of multiple perspective and language. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C746B7.5198B3F0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Thank you Laura for starting us off = on the discussion list.  We’re new to this site and discussion = format.    As the intersection of ESL and Basic writing grows, we see the need for = talking across our disciplines to better serve students who resemble each other = more and more.    Our first question gets at the kinds of = writing assignments we give to students that really seem to work = well:   What have you used that you have really liked or not liked for multilingual students?   Here’s the first question from our module. =

 

 

What kinds of writing topics play to students’ strengths, as multi-lingual, multi-cultural writers? Assignments that = allow for a variety of voices and experiences work well. Multilingual students, = like other basic writers, struggle with feelings of authority when writing, = and depending on their experiences with formal education, may have seen = themselves as English deficient, rather than as having the strength of multiple perspective and language.


------=_NextPart_000_0004_01C746B7.5198B3F0-- From colli038@umn.edu Wed Feb 7 14:58:02 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:58:02 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) Message-ID: <000601c74ac8$5ddf7a30$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C74A96.13450A30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Here's how I thought to respond to this post. Why don't you play with my response and let's send it together. Thanks Nalisha. Your examples are really nice ones to get at some of the strengths that students bring with them as multilingual people. I like your reference to Gloria Anzaldua's work. One thing I remember about her book Borderlands too is the authority she felt to write and publish in both languages, even as she wrote about difficult and oppressive experiences. Did you have the experience with your students that these assignments in more than one language brought out a similar sense of authority? What changed as the students shifted languages? I would love it if you could explain the ways in which these two assignments build students academic skills - Anzaldua's work is at once personal and academic - I would love to see my students be able to do that. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C74A96.13450A30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Here’s how I thought to = respond to this post.  Why don’t you play with my response and = let’s send it together.

 

Thanks Nalisha.  Your examples = are really nice ones to get at some of the strengths that students bring = with them as multilingual people.  I like your reference to Gloria = Anzaldua’s work.   One thing I remember about her book Borderlands too is = the authority she felt to write and publish in both languages, even as she = wrote about difficult and oppressive experiences.    Did you = have the experience with your students that these assignments in more than one = language brought out a similar sense of authority?   What changed as = the students shifted languages?

 

I would love it if you could = explain the ways in which  these two assignments build students academic skills = – Anzaldua’s work is at once personal and academic – I would = love to see my students be able to do that.

 

 

------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C74A96.13450A30-- From colli038@umn.edu Thu Feb 8 02:02:05 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (colli038) Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:02:05 CST Subject: Fwd: RE: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) Message-ID: <200702080202.l18225Ov030056@vendetta.software.umn.edu> What is the idea? (Since we are asking for people to share assignments that work...) On 7 Feb 2007, Marcia Ribble wrote: > There are others, too, who slip back and forth between academic writing and > other kinds of writing, notably Geneva Smitherman and Ntozake Shange, but > there are others who also have made it a mini-crusade to create a space > within academic language for home languages to appear and be given both > academic credibility and street creds. This discussion has given me an idea > for > an assignment for my comp students. > > Marcia Ribble > > > >From: "Molly Collins" > >To: > >Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) > >Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:58:02 -0600 > > > >Here's how I thought to respond to this post. Why don't you play with my > >response and let's send it together. > > > > > > > >Thanks Nalisha. Your examples are really nice ones to get at some of the > >strengths that students bring with them as multilingual people. I like > >your > >reference to Gloria Anzaldua's work. One thing I remember about her book > >Borderlands too is the authority she felt to write and publish in both > >languages, even as she wrote about difficult and oppressive experiences. > >Did you have the experience with your students that these assignments in > >more than one language brought out a similar sense of authority? What > >changed as the students shifted languages? > > > > > > > >I would love it if you could explain the ways in which these two > >assignments build students academic skills - Anzaldua's work is at once > >personal and academic - I would love to see my students be able to do that. > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Check out all that glitters with the MSN Entertainment Guide to the Academy > Awards® http://movies.msn.com/movies/oscars2007/?icid=ncoscartagline2 > > From colli038@umn.edu Thu Feb 8 17:19:28 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 11:19:28 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Responding to the list Message-ID: <001501c74ba5$4a521990$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C74B72.FFB7A990 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm new to all of this, but I think that I have been getting responses directly to me at my email address. This means that I get to engage in a great discussion, but it seems like others are missing out. If you want the whole group to see your response, I think you have to cut and paste the address teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com into the To spot on your email. If you hit reply, you will only reply to me. Please correct me if I am wrong. ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C74B72.FFB7A990 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I’m new to all of this, but I think that I have = been getting responses directly to me at my email address.   This = means that I get to engage in a great discussion, but it seems like others are missing = out.    If you want the whole group to see your response, I think you have to cut = and paste the address teaching_basic_wr= iting@mailman.eppg.com into the To spot on your email.  If you hit reply, you will only = reply to me.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C74B72.FFB7A990-- From rmurie@umn.edu Thu Feb 8 18:56:34 2007 From: rmurie@umn.edu (Robin Murie) Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 12:56:34 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] building to strengths In-Reply-To: <200702081801.l18I11C4023252@grue.eppg.com> References: <200702081801.l18I11C4023252@grue.eppg.com> Message-ID: <000601c74bb2$db389990$6e5d5486@education.umn.edu> Marcia, I'd be interested in hearing what your idea for comp students is? (Maybe that has already been posted and I'll get it in the next digest?) Clearly, one way to build to student strengths is through materials that honor a multilingual voice. Our Life Histories of Elders project carries this even further by asking students to interview an elder, research aspects of the political world the elder has lived through, and write up the interview material along with the outside research into a 20 - 25 page document that is then given to the elder as a gift. This often asks our students to become translators (since the elder may not speak much English) and positions them as the experts. (See the web digest for details) Too often a multilingual writer in a research writing course is silenced or heavily critiqued for "lack of English". What other topics are people using that resonate well with multilingual students? (or conversely, that seem to frustrate and silence such students). -- Robin Murie -----Original Message----- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:02:05 CST From: colli038 Subject: Fwd: RE: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) To: teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com What is the idea? (Since we are asking for people to share assignments that work...) On 7 Feb 2007, Marcia Ribble wrote: > There are others, too, who slip back and forth between academic writing and > other kinds of writing, notably Geneva Smitherman and Ntozake Shange, but > there are others who also have made it a mini-crusade to create a space > within academic language for home languages to appear and be given both > academic credibility and street creds. This discussion has given me an idea > for > an assignment for my comp students. > > Marcia Ribble > > > >From: "Molly Collins" > >To: > >Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) > >Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:58:02 -0600 > > > >Thanks Nalisha. Your examples are really nice ones to get at some of the > >strengths that students bring with them as multilingual people. I like > >your > >reference to Gloria Anzaldua's work. One thing I remember about her book > >Borderlands too is the authority she felt to write and publish in both > >languages, even as she wrote about difficult and oppressive experiences. > >Did you have the experience with your students that these assignments in > >more than one language brought out a similar sense of authority? What > >changed as the students shifted languages? > > > > > > > >I would love it if you could explain the ways in which these two > >assignments build students academic skills - Anzaldua's work is at once > >personal and academic - I would love to see my students be able to do that. > > > > > > > > From colli038@umn.edu Thu Feb 15 16:41:49 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:41:49 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Multlingual students: how well are they fitting in? Message-ID: <001601c75120$30c0e620$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C750ED.E6267620 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I would like to move the discussion away from assignments and on to more from our overall discussion thread (at www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/MurieCollins/muriecollins_module.html. We are interested in any experiences, opinions, thoughts you've had about what students experience in their writing classrooms. What happens to the multilingual student when they are the only one in a class of monolingual English speakers? Does peer review turn into grammar editing sessions? Is content lost in favor of grammar editing? How can teachers respond to the ideas in the paper and balance that with the language work students often so desperately need? A somewhat different question we have is how does the cultural contexts of texts affect multilingual students? These texts might be what they read, how they respond and they texts they create in writing classes. ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C750ED.E6267620 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I would like to move the discussion away from = assignments and on to more from our overall discussion thread (at www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/MurieCollins/murieco= llins_module.html.  We are interested in any experiences, opinions, thoughts you’ve = had about what students experience in their writing classrooms. =

 

What happens to the multilingual student when they = are the only one in a class of monolingual English speakers?  Does peer = review turn into grammar editing sessions?  Is content lost in favor of = grammar editing? How can teachers respond to the ideas in the paper and balance = that with the language work students often so desperately need? =

 

A somewhat different question we have is how does the cultural contexts of texts affect multilingual students?  These = texts might be what they read, how they respond and they texts they create in = writing classes.      

 

------=_NextPart_000_0017_01C750ED.E6267620-- From Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com Thu Feb 15 20:46:35 2007 From: Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com (Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com) Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:46:35 -0500 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Joann Kozyrev/College/hmco is out of the office. Message-ID: --0__=0ABBF810DFE1A7848f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF810DFE1A784 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII I will be out of the office starting 02/15/2007 and will not return until 02/16/2007. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com. --0__=0ABBF810DFE1A7848f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF810DFE1A784 Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Disposition: inline

I will be out of the office starting 02/15/2007 and will not return until 02/16/2007.

If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com.
--0__=0ABBF810DFE1A7848f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF810DFE1A784-- From colli038@umn.edu Fri Feb 23 19:32:23 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:32:23 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Playing to Strengths Message-ID: <000601c75781$58225070$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Conversation seems to have come to a standstill, making me wonder if maybe we should do away with the formal questions and simply try to have a conversation about what works and what doesn't work so well with classrooms where there are students from different linguistic backgrounds. For example, in my current writing class my students are writing the life histories of elders from their communities. They have to find library research that fills in pieces from the elder's story. In this particular class I have about 5 students who did poorly in their fall writing class and came into my writing class with pretty big attitudes about being in class. In the beginning, before they started their research and the interviews with the elders, they were pretty rowdy - talking a lot, not taking stuff seriously. But just this last week I have started to notice a difference in these students. Because of the assignment, it almost feels like they are stuck, but in a good way: They have had this experience with the elder, they want to do a good job because of the relationship they are building and because of the compelling story they are telling - and they see that to do that, they have to take themselves, the assignment and their research seriously - now they want to know how to put the library research into the story and make it sound good. So, same students, same teacher - but something has changed in how the students see themselves, their position as writers. So, to me this is an assignment that really works. Not all experiences are so happy though. I constantly struggle with peer review for example. I want students to really take on the challenge of each other's writing. I want them to take it seriously and respond to content. But it seems like students want to correct each other's grammar, which I don't want them to do. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

 

Conversation seems to have come to a standstill, = making me wonder if maybe we should do away with the formal questions and simply = try to have a conversation about what works and what doesn’t work so well = with classrooms where there are students from different linguistic backgrounds. 

 

For example,  in my current writing class my = students are writing the life histories of elders from their communities.  = They have to find library research that fills in pieces from the = elder’s story.  In this particular class I have about 5 students who did = poorly in their fall writing class and came into my writing class with pretty big attitudes about being in class.  In the beginning, before they = started their research and the interviews with the elders, they were pretty = rowdy – talking a lot, not taking stuff seriously.  But just this = last week I have started to notice a difference in these = students.   Because of the assignment, it almost feels like they are stuck, but in a = good way:  They have had this experience with the elder, they want to do = a good job because of the relationship they are building and because of the = compelling story they are telling – and they see that to do that, they have = to take themselves, the assignment and their research seriously – now they = want to know how to put the library research into the story and make it sound good.  So, same students, same teacher – but something has = changed in how the students see themselves, their position as writers.  So, = to me this is an assignment that really works.

 

Not all experiences are so happy though.  I = constantly struggle with peer review for example.  I want students to really = take on the challenge of each other’s writing.  I want them to take = it seriously and respond to content.  But it seems like students want = to correct each other’s grammar, which I don’t want them to do. =

------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070-- From Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com Sat Feb 24 19:01:53 2007 From: Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com (Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com) Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 14:01:53 -0500 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Joann Kozyrev/College/hmco is out of the office. Message-ID: --0__=0ABBF81FDFFB0D828f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF81FDFFB0D82 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII I will be out of the office starting 02/20/2007 and will not return until 02/26/2007. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com. --0__=0ABBF81FDFFB0D828f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF81FDFFB0D82 Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Disposition: inline

I will be out of the office starting 02/20/2007 and will not return until 02/26/2007.

If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com.
--0__=0ABBF81FDFFB0D828f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF81FDFFB0D82-- From ldenstaedt@ameritech.net Sat Feb 24 19:32:26 2007 From: ldenstaedt@ameritech.net (Linda Denstaedt) Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:32:26 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Re: Teaching_Basic_Writing digest, Vol 1 #753 - 1 msg Message-ID: <890687.35494.qm@web36704.mail.mud.yahoo.com> --0-1653423421-1172345546=:35494 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Mary, =0A=0AI enjoyed reading about your assignment, your students and you.= However, your story gives too much credit to the assignment. I don't belie= ve same teacher. You seem to understate your role. I believe I read the acc= ount of a thoughtful teacher who designed a series of activities that scaff= olded learners at the same time you engaged them. You are making gradual st= rength-to-strength moves in this assignment that you may not be explaining = to us in the overview description. If you unpacked the assignment, I'll bet= you'll find key turns that build confidence and skills all along the way. = =0A=0APeer response is the same deal. It needs to be explicitly taught, mod= eled and then adjusted. Over time. And for students, it takes awhile to bre= ak out of the groove of error-focused reading. Isn't that how they have bee= n engaged by previous teachers? Of course, they will look for grammar error= s. =0A =0ALinda Denstaedt=0A=0ACo-Director Oakland Writing Project =0A=0A= =0A=0A----- Original Message ----=0AFrom: "teaching_basic_writing-request@m= ailman.eppg.com" =0ATo: te= aching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com=0ASent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 1= :02:44 PM=0ASubject: Teaching_Basic_Writing digest, Vol 1 #753 - 1 msg=0A= =0A=0ASend Teaching_Basic_Writing mailing list submissions to=0A teachin= g_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com=0A=0ATo subscribe or unsubscribe via the W= orld Wide Web, visit=0A http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teachin= g_basic_writing=0Aor, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help'= to=0A teaching_basic_writing-request@mailman.eppg.com=0A=0AYou can reac= h the person managing the list at=0A teaching_basic_writing-admin@mailma= n.eppg.com=0A=0AWhen replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more = specific=0Athan "Re: Contents of Teaching_Basic_Writing digest..."=0A=0A=0A= Today's Topics:=0A=0A 1. Playing to Strengths (Molly Collins)=0A=0A--__--= __--=0A=0AMessage: 1=0AFrom: "Molly Collins" =0ATo: =0ADate: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:32:23 -060= 0=0ASubject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Playing to Strengths=0A=0AThis is a m= ulti-part message in MIME format.=0A=0A------=3D_NextPart_000_0007_01C7574F= .0D87E070=0AContent-Type: text/plain;=0A charset=3D"us-ascii"=0AContent-= Transfer-Encoding: 7bit=0A=0A=0A=0AConversation seems to have come to a sta= ndstill, making me wonder if maybe=0Awe should do away with the formal ques= tions and simply try to have a=0Aconversation about what works and what doe= sn't work so well with classrooms=0Awhere there are students from different= linguistic backgrounds. =0A=0A=0A=0AFor example, in my current writing c= lass my students are writing the life=0Ahistories of elders from their comm= unities. They have to find library=0Aresearch that fills in pieces from th= e elder's story. In this particular=0Aclass I have about 5 students who di= d poorly in their fall writing class and=0Acame into my writing class with = pretty big attitudes about being in class.=0AIn the beginning, before they = started their research and the interviews with=0Athe elders, they were pret= ty rowdy - talking a lot, not taking stuff=0Aseriously. But just this last= week I have started to notice a difference in=0Athese students. Because = of the assignment, it almost feels like they are=0Astuck, but in a good way= : They have had this experience with the elder,=0Athey want to do a good j= ob because of the relationship they are building and=0Abecause of the compe= lling story they are telling - and they see that to do=0Athat, they have to= take themselves, the assignment and their research=0Aseriously - now they = want to know how to put the library research into the=0Astory and make it s= ound good. So, same students, same teacher - but=0Asomething has changed i= n how the students see themselves, their position as=0Awriters. So, to me = this is an assignment that really works. =0A=0A=0A=0ANot all experiences ar= e so happy though. I constantly struggle with peer=0Areview for example. = I want students to really take on the challenge of each=0Aother's writing. = I want them to take it seriously and respond to content.=0ABut it seems li= ke students want to correct each other's grammar, which I=0Adon't want them= to do. =0A=0A=0A------=3D_NextPart_000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070=0AContent-Ty= pe: text/html;=0A charset=3D"us-ascii"=0AContent-Transfer-Encoding: quot= ed-printable=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A

=0A=0A

 

=0A=0A

Conversation seems to have come to a = standstill, =3D=0Amaking me=0Awonder if maybe we should do away with the fo= rmal questions and simply =3D=0Atry to=0Ahave a conversation about what wor= ks and what doesn’t work so well =3D=0Awith=0Aclassrooms where there = are students from different linguistic=0Abackgrounds. 

=0A=0A

=  

=0A=0A

For e= xample,  in my current writing class my =3D=0Astudents=0Aare writing t= he life histories of elders from their communities.  =3D=0AThey=0Ahave= to find library research that fills in pieces from the =3D=0Aelder’s= =0Astory.  In this particular class I have about 5 students who did = =3D=0Apoorly in=0Atheir fall writing class and came into my writing class w= ith pretty big=0Aattitudes about being in class.  In the beginning, be= fore they =3D=0Astarted=0Atheir research and the interviews with the elders= , they were pretty =3D=0Arowdy=0A– talking a lot, not taking stuff se= riously.  But just this =3D=0Alast=0Aweek I have started to notice a d= ifference in these =3D=0Astudents.  =0ABecause of the assignment,= it almost feels like they are stuck, but in a =3D=0Agood=0Away:  They= have had this experience with the elder, they want to do =3D=0Aa good=0Ajo= b because of the relationship they are building and because of the =3D=0Aco= mpelling=0Astory they are telling – and they see that to do that, the= y have =3D=0Ato take=0Athemselves, the assignment and their research seriou= sly – now they =3D=0Awant to=0Aknow how to put the library research i= nto the story and make it sound=0Agood.  So, same students, same teach= er – but something has =3D=0Achanged=0Ain how the students see themse= lves, their position as writers.  So, =3D=0Ato me=0Athis is an assignm= ent that really works.

=0A=0A

 

=0A=0A

Not all experiences are so happy though.&= nbsp; I =3D=0Aconstantly=0Astruggle with peer review for example.  I w= ant students to really =3D=0Atake on=0Athe challenge of each other’s = writing.  I want them to take =3D=0Ait=0Aseriously and respond to cont= ent.  But it seems like students want =3D=0Ato=0Acorrect each other= 217;s grammar, which I don’t want them to do. =3D=0A

=0A=0A
=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A------=3D_NextPart_= 000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070--=0A=0A=0A=0A--__--__--=0A=0A___________________= ____________________________=0ATeaching_Basic_Writing maillist - Teaching= _Basic_Writing@mailman.eppg.com=0Ahttp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/= teaching_basic_writing=0A=0A=0AEnd of Teaching_Basic_Writing Digest --0-1653423421-1172345546=:35494 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=0A
Mary,
=0A
 
=0A
I enjoyed r= eading about your assignment, your students and you. However, your story gi= ves too much credit to the assignment. I don't believe same teacher. You se= em to understate your role. I believe I read the account of a thoughtful te= acher who designed a series of activities that scaffolded learners at the s= ame time you engaged them. You are making gradual strength-to-strength move= s in this assignment that you may not be explaining to us in the overview d= escription. If you unpacked the assignment, I'll bet you'll find key t= urns that build confidence and skills all along the way.
=0A
&nbs= p;
=0A
Peer response is the same deal. It needs to be explici= tly taught, modeled and then adjusted. Over time. And for students, it take= s awhile to break out of the groove of error-focused reading. Isn't that ho= w they have been engaged by previous teachers? Of course, they will look fo= r grammar errors.
 
Linda Denstaedt
=0A
Co-Director Oakland = Writing Project
=0A


 
=0A
----- Original Mes= sage ----
From: "teaching_basic_writing-request@mailman.eppg.com" <te= aching_basic_writing-request@mailman.eppg.com>
To: teaching_basic_wri= ting@mailman.eppg.com
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 1:02:44 PM
Su= bject: Teaching_Basic_Writing digest, Vol 1 #753 - 1 msg

=0A
Sen= d Teaching_Basic_Writing mailing list submissions to
   &= nbsp;teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com

To subscribe or unsubsc= ribe via the World Wide Web, visit
    http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing
= or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
  = ;  teaching_basic_writing-request@mailman.eppg.com

You can= reach the person managing the list at
    teaching_= basic_writing-admin@mailman.eppg.com

When replying, please edit your= Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Teaching_Basi= c_Writing digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. Play= ing to Strengths (Molly Collins)

--__--__--

Message: 1
Fro= m: "Molly Collins" <colli038@umn.edu>
To: <teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 = 13:32:23 -0600
Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Playing to Strengths
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=3D_NextPart= _000_0007_01C7574F.0D87E070
Content-Type: text/plain;
  &nb= sp; charset=3D"us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit


Conversation seems to have come to a standstill, making me wonder if m= aybe
we should do away with the formal questions and simply try to have = a
conversation about what works and what doesn't work so well with class= rooms
where there are students from different linguistic backgrounds.&nb= sp; 



For example,  in my current writing clas= s my students are writing the life
histories of elders from their commun= ities.  They have to find library
research that fills in piece= s from the elder's story.  In this particular
class I have abo= ut 5 students who did poorly in their fall writing class and
came into my writing class w= ith pretty big attitudes about being in class.
In the beginning, before = they started their research and the interviews with
the elders, they wer= e pretty rowdy - talking a lot, not taking stuff
seriously.  B= ut just this last week I have started to notice a difference in
these st= udents.   Because of the assignment, it almost feels like they ar= e
stuck, but in a good way:  They have had this experience wit= h the elder,
they want to do a good job because of the relationship they= are building and
because of the compelling story they are telling - and= they see that to do
that, they have to take themselves, the assignment = and their research
seriously - now they want to know how to put the libr= ary research into the
story and make it sound good.  So, same = students, same teacher - but
something has changed in how the students s= ee themselves, their position as
writers.  So, to me this is an = assignment that really works.



Not all experiences are so ha= ppy though.  I constantly struggle with peer
review for exampl= e.  I want students to really take on the challenge of each
ot= her's writing.  I want them to take it seriously and respond to c= ontent.
But it seems like students want to correct each other's grammar,= which I
don't want them to do.


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<p class=3D3D= MsoNormal><font size=3D3D2 face=3D3DArial><span =3D
style=3D= 3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Conversation seems to have co= me to a standstill, =3D
making me
wonder if maybe we should do away w= ith the formal questions and simply =3D
try to
have a conversation ab= out what works and what doesn&#8217;t work so well =3D
with
class= rooms where there are students from different linguistic
backgrounds.&am= p;nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

= <p class=3D3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3D2 face=3D3DArial><span= =3D
style=3D3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&a= mp;nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class= =3D3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3D2 face=3D3DArial><span =3D
style=3D3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-fam= ily:Arial'>For example,&nbsp; in my current writing class my =3D
= students
are writing the life histories of elders from their communities= .&nbsp; =3D
They
have to find library research that fills in piec= es from the =3D
elder&#8217;s
story.&nbsp; In this particular= class I have about 5 students who did =3D
poorly in
their fall writi= ng class and came into my writing class with pretty big
attitudes about = being in class.&nbsp; In the beginning, before they =3D
started
t= heir research and the interviews with the elders, they were pretty =3D
r= owdy
&#8211; talking a lot, not taking stuff seriously.&nbsp; Bu= t just this =3D
last
week I have started to notice a difference in th= ese =3D
students.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Because of the assignment, it a= lmost feels like they are stuck, but in a =3D
good
way:&nbsp; The= y have had this experience with the elder, they want to do =3D
a good
job because of the relationship th= ey are building and because of the =3D
compelling
story they are tell= ing &#8211; and they see that to do that, they have =3D
to take
t= hemselves, the assignment and their research seriously &#8211; now they= =3D
want to
know how to put the library research into the story and = make it sound
good.&nbsp; So, same students, same teacher &#8211= ; but something has =3D
changed
in how the students see themselves, t= heir position as writers.&nbsp; So, =3D
to me
this is an assignme= nt that really works. <o:p></o:p></span></font><= /p>

<p class=3D3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3D2 face=3D3DAri= al><span =3D
style=3D3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>= ;<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>
<= BR><p class=3D3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3D2 face=3D3DArial><s= pan =3D
style=3D3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Not all exper= iences are so happy though.&nbsp; I =3D
constantly
struggle with = peer review for example.&nbsp; I want students to really =3D
take on=
the challenge of each other&#8217;s writing.&nbsp; I want them = to take =3D
it
seriously and respond to content.&nbsp; But it see= ms like students want =3D
to
correct each other&#8217;s grammar, = which I don&#8217;t want them to do. =3D
<o:p></o:p><= /span></font></p>

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--__--__--

__________________________________________= _____
Teaching_Basic_Writing maillist  -  Teaching_B= asic_Writing@mailman.eppg.com
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_wr= iting


End of Teaching_Basic_Writing Digest
=0A
=
--0-1653423421-1172345546=:35494-- From colli038@umn.edu Tue Feb 27 16:08:02 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:08:02 -0600 Subject: FW: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Playing to Strengths Message-ID: <004e01c75a89$755d80f0$115d5486@education.umn.edu> Our class focuses for the entire semester on gathering, researching and writing up the story of one elder's life. Students do interviews and library research. They write many drafts and a final paper that is 15-20 pages long. What is a real strength in this assignment though is that it allows our students to be both cultural and linguistic experts- they might interview in their native language, but write the paper in English. In some respects, they are some of the only people positioned to do this work. They also have to do Human subjects stuff and give the elder a copy of the paper, so there is a built in responsibility to the assignment. One thing that I have had success with in peer review is all class peer reviews. My colleague Amy Lee introduced this idea to me. The way I do it in my class is to have one or two student volunteer to share their draft with the whole class, and then we sit in a circle and everyone has to participate. We start with strengths and then move on to suggestions for improvement. Since I am there, it's not quite "peer review" but students do tend to try to be more constructive and serious. I also have the chance to model what I expect in peer review. This might take care of the two problems you outline in your email. -----Original Message----- From: Jill Hughes [mailto:jhughes@caspercollege.edu] Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 11:49 PM To: colli038@umn.edu Subject: Re: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Playing to Strengths I'd like to know more about how you do your elder's story. I've got students who just "refuse" to connect. They have a firm mindset that "writing isn't important for my major." These are student atheletes who really believe they'll be NBA stars and other technical degree students (welding, automotive, agribusiness). I'm wondering if this type of assignment might make them engage. Regarding the peer reviews--I agree totally. I have a hard time with my basic writing students even reading each other's work. They use the time to pretend to discuss the assignment--instead they casually talk about other things and then "hop to it" as I walk by. I have some students who really want the feedback but are 1) skeptical another student at their level has the "brains" to help; and 2) frustrated at the nonchalant attitude of their peers. I've tried being casual, tyrannical and in between but can't seem to get it across to them that they can benefit from peer responses. Any ideas you have would be great. From colli038@umn.edu Tue Feb 27 16:13:47 2007 From: colli038@umn.edu (Molly Collins) Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:13:47 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] (no subject) Message-ID: <005201c75a8a$430d72d0$115d5486@education.umn.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C75A57.F87302D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Maybe I did understate my role, but I have had more success in engaging students in research with this assignment than with other research assignments I have given. I also think it helps to have one large project, as in this course a 15-20 page paper, that students are working on parts of throughout the semester, so they are building up to the final paper, but really getting engaged in one focus. The strengths are that telling one person's story gives them some of the structural stuff that they often find problematic: in this assignment there is a clear narrative that usually can be told chronologically. Then, they have something to evaluate research at the library with: does it fit with my dominant narrative or not? I agree with your comments about peer review - as I said in my first email today - modeling is really important. But I'm still frustrated by it a lot of the time. Responding to: Molly =0A=0AI enjoyed reading about your assignment, your students and you.= However, your story gives too much credit to the assignment. I don't belie= ve same teacher. You seem to understate your role. I believe I read the acc= ount of a thoughtful teacher who designed a series of activities that scaff= olded learners at the same time you engaged them. You are making gradual st= rength-to-strength moves in this assignment that you may not be explaining = to us in the overview description. If you unpacked the assignment, I'll bet= you'll find key turns that build confidence and skills all along the way. = =0A=0APeer response is the same deal. It needs to be explicitly taught, mod= eled and then adjusted. Over time. And for students, it takes awhile to bre= ak out of the groove of error-focused reading. Isn't that how they have bee= n engaged by previous teachers? Of course, they will look for grammar error= s. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C75A57.F87302D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Maybe I did understate my role, but I have = had more success in engaging students in research with this assignment than with = other research assignments I have given.   I also think it helps to have one = large project, as in this course a 15-20 page paper, that students are working on parts of throughout the semester, so they are building up to the final paper, but = really getting engaged in one focus.   The strengths are that telling = one person’s story gives them some of the structural stuff that they often find = problematic:  in this assignment there is a clear narrative that usually can be told chronologically.   Then, they have something to evaluate = research at the library with:  does it fit with my dominant narrative or not? =

 

I agree with your comments about peer review = – as I said in my first email today – modeling is really important. =   But I’m still frustrated by it a lot of the time.

 

 

 

Responding to:

Molly =3D0A=3D0AI enjoyed reading about your = assignment, your students and you.=3D  However, your story gives too much = credit to the assignment. I don't belie=3D ve same teacher. You seem to understate = your role. I believe I read the acc=3D ount of a thoughtful teacher who designed a = series of activities that scaff=3D olded learners at the same time you engaged = them. You are making gradual st=3D rength-to-strength moves in this assignment that = you may not be explaining =3D to us in the overview description. If you unpacked the assignment, I'll bet=3D  you'll find key turns that build = confidence and skills all along the way. =3D =3D0A=3D0APeer response is the same deal. It = needs to be explicitly taught, mod=3D eled and then adjusted. Over time. And for = students, it takes awhile to bre=3D ak out of the groove of error-focused reading. = Isn't that how they have bee=3D n engaged by previous teachers? Of course, they = will look for grammar error=3D s.

------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C75A57.F87302D0-- From emwhite@email.arizona.edu Tue Feb 27 18:40:04 2007 From: emwhite@email.arizona.edu (emwhite@email.arizona.edu) Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:40:04 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Re: Family history assignment In-Reply-To: <200702271801.l1RI11dT023359@grue.eppg.com> References: <200702271801.l1RI11dT023359@grue.eppg.com> Message-ID: <20070227114004.n57logoksk84k84w@www.email.arizona.edu> My version of the good assignment on the list is what I call a "family history" paper. The wrinkle I've added is that the stated goal is for the student to assess the degree to which who they are derives from their family, the degree to which what they do echoes or varies from what, say, their grandparents did. I ask for at least three kinds of research, including an interview with the oldest available relative, documents such as photos or Bible entries or diaries, and (for more advanced classes) some library work in journals related to their ethnicity. I suggest an audience composed of their future grandchildren. I am always surprised at the degree of involvement the students show--and the quality of the writing they produce. I should also add that Erika Lindemann, from UNC, first told me of this assignment, the best one I've found in 49 years of teaching. --Ed White From bernstsn@email.uc.edu Tue Feb 27 20:19:40 2007 From: bernstsn@email.uc.edu (SUSAN NAOMI BERNSTEIN) Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:19:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Conference on Basic Writing at CCCC in NYC Message-ID: <20070227151940.ADH02367@mirapoint2.uc.edu> The Conference on Basic Writing is pleased to announce our upcoming sessions at 2007 CCCC in NYC: Wednesday Workshop: “Local Conditions/Global Concerns: Basic Writing on the 30th Anniversary of Mina Shaugnessy's Errors and Expectations” Session: W.2 on Mar 21, 2007 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Conference on Basic Writing Special Interest Group Session: TSIG.16 on Mar 22, 2007 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM The SIG will include presentations of CBW award winners for Innovative Basic Writing Programs (sponsored by Bedford-St. Martin’s) and the travel Fellowship Award. Participants also will have opportunities to network with basic writing faculty and to discuss submissions for the Basic Writing Electronic Journal. For more information see: http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/scarter/BWe2.htm#Conference_on_Basic_Writing or email Susan Bernstein at bernstsn@ucmail@uc.edu or Kathleen Baca at kbaca@nmsu.edu. Apologies for cross postings. Susan Naomi Bernstein, PhD Assistant Professor University of Cincinnati College of Applied Science Center for Access and Transition P.O. Box 210205 Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0205