Notes on Teaching Writing 8 - and an Argument for Doing So Thematically
Fail Rates
One thing to keep in mind: Wr. 8 is the end of the road for ESOL and the hardest class in the sequence for most students. I think gatekeeping is an important function of the class. Do NOT be afraid to fail borderline students - it's better for most students to repeat Level 8, to repeat the grammar and have one more term in an ESOL classroom, than to go on to flounder in a class of native speakers. There is very little predictability about what Wr. 115 will be like from term to term, teacher to teacher.
Incompletes
With very few exceptions, this is the only class I give "I"s in. Some students write very competent essays and have strong grammar skills but need more time on the research paper. I will generally give an Incomplete and stipulate that the paper must be turned in with 10-14 days.
Skipping Up
My philosophy is to NEVER EVER EVER allow a student to skip Wr. 8. Ever.
If the student is really that excellent, give them one more chance to take a 5-credit class with strong grammar emphasis... then, skip 115. If you think a student is that good, they should take their best papers from the quarter and perhaps a letter of recommendation from you and approach Wr. 121 instructors just before finals week. If the Wr. 121 instructor is willing to take them, have a conversation (face to face or by email) to confirm your opinion of the student. There is no "official skip policy" between ESOL and Writing, but this way works and has the blessing of the Writing chair.
The Goals of Wr. 8
I think this is what Wr. 8 should give passing students:
1) A final chance to refine grammar, rooting out one or two old, deep-seated errors and exposing them to high-level constructions (complex noun phrases and noun modifiers; the conditional; perfect tenses; academic uses of passive; use of the dash, hyphen, ellipses)
2) A chance to explore a truly challenging academic topic and do research with support
3) The confidence to write a non-superficial, critically-thought-out paper addressing the topic in their own voice
4) The ability to synthesize 2) and 3): in other words, the ability to choose and use the words and ideas of other authors to support their own thesis.
This last one is the my teaching mantra for the term.
The Big Problems
In general the biggest problem is – plagiarism. Students may have arrived in 262 without ever having dealt with the ideas of other writers in a critical way, without ever doing original synthesis, so they tend to patchwrite rather than synthesize. Another big problem is more mechanical: low computer skills. Obviously there are 1)weak grammar and 2) weak reading skills. Added together, we can end up with students who create a "research" paper without any understanding of what true research is, without any true critical thinking, and without in-depth knowledge of their subject.
Why Thematic?
A thematic approach lets the whole class discuss the themes in their own words and see how others discuss the same material. It gives a long enough period of time for real understanding to set in, which allows for more critical thought and for use of more specialized vocabulary.
Clarify and Practice Attribution
Writing assignments are set up from Day 1 to allow students to incorporate other thinker’s ideas and to reiterate again and again this definition of plagiarism:
“Some plagiarism is cheating – copying and trying to use other writer’s words as your own. Other plagiarism is not cheating, but it’s still not allowed, ever. That’s where you use ideas or words from other people without making it 100% clear WHO thought of the idea before you, who gave you the idea.”
I like this definition because it first makes clear – you can plagiarize without intent to cheat, and second, because it focuses on sources of IDEAS rather than merely words.
Proposed Sequence of Assignments
1. Summary paper. My first assignment is always a Summary Paper based on the chapter “Behind the Counter” from Fast Food Nation.
Starts immediately with forcing s’s to paraphrase and summarize a reading
The reading is short enough (and Schlosser’s voice distinctive enough) you can immediately spot plagiarism. Make s. rewrite paper (give grade 0) to reinforce seriousness of plagiarism.
Good place to reinforce 2 reasons to Outline and review that part of the writing process. Outlining may have been skipped or glossed over earlier but becomes an important step now.
My guidelines: 500-550 words MAX, include no more than 3 short quotes, original title, no writer’s opinion in Body, writer’s response in Conclusion
Good to define different types of writing: essay, summary paper, report, research paper
2. Extended Definition, based not on writer’s connotation but on an Interviewee’s
A break from the theme – students generally love this paper and write really well
Choose abstract concept or “A good (topic)”
Must interview native speaker
Grammar: Important! Do Reported Speech just before starting this!
Writer includes their own definition/connotation, responds to Interviewee’s ideas. Either point-by-point or Block in the Body, 1/2 Interviewee and 1/2 Writer -- OR – Body is 100% about interviewee and Conclusion contains writer’s response (just like Summary paper.)
Must include 3-5 quotes, not more
3. Choose area of interest and start research
Here's where I start showing "Food Inc" excerpts - movies are a great focus point. Be sure to DISCUSS whatever you've watched, week by week, otherwise movies are not engaged with
Good time to schedule library tour – librarians do a terrific job or intro'ing database use
I don’t use the Research Proposal in Handbook yet but do copy some ideas – why are you interested in this topic, what’s your response to it
Get started with databases right away; differentiate between library databases and Google
Assignment: "Read and outline 1 article related to your area of interest"
I provide guidelines (see website)
Thinking, reading, no writing at this stage
4. Cause-Effect
Do this in class; easy enough, they have probably written one already
Important part here is EXTENSIVE IN-CLASS BRAINSTORMING. I mean extensive. For every research area. Define a problem, explore causes and effects. Important to kick-start critical thinking here and show relation of fast food far beyond waistlines. I spend about 3 hours doing this.
Good time to show “Supersize Me”
In-class writing topic should not be about fast food!
5. Problem-solution
Research has really started. This paper will be basis for research paper – it must include research.
Conference 1 happens around now. Check for a minimum of 3 articles, none from the web. Ensure articles are clear and complete, Stress that you’ll check them again in Conference 2 and they must be well-highlighted, annotated, etc.
P/S must include quotes. Basically, patchwriting is OK now as long as every quote is in quotation marks with author’s name.
Problem is described using cause-effect
Solution is original
Include predictions
Grammar: Work on Conditionals in grammar by now
Start visits to the lab, if they aren't already something you're doing – 1 hour a week, for about 4-5 weeks for research
6. Argument Style Research Paper
Arguments ARE problem-solution
Strengthen with modals
Add counter-arguments and refutations
All long quotes should be transformed into summaries or paraphrases now, keeping documentation
Conference 2 should happen now
Grammar: Work on Modals before this
Works Cited – I take ~2 weeks for this
Good time to show “Fast Food Nation” movie if you haven’t already