Annotated Bibliography, Theories and Methods (PAB4b, ODU810, H. Gold)

Rhetoric > Technical Communication > Methodologies and Techniques > Authentic Writing

Annotated Bibliography of:

Preto-Bay, Ana Maria, and Kristine Hansen. "Preparing for the Tipping Point: Designing Writing Programs to Meet the Needs of the Changing Population." Writing Program Administration 1-2 (2006): 37. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.  http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.242454098&site=eds-live

Authentic conversations

The article authors, Preto-Bay and Hansen, pick up on an issue raised in Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book The Tipping Point. It considers how English Studies writing programs need to face that “Americans are about to reach a tipping point in the demographics of the student population in

college composition courses—in fact, many institutions of higher education have already reached such a point—and that point will have profound implications for the way writing programs are conceived, designed, and staffed.” Their work reflects a political environment of 2006, but the anti-immigrant vitriol of this year’s 2016 election cannot override the educational needs of our youngest immigrants, especially if we are to successfully “meet the needs of the changing population.”

Grabill and Gaillett contend that we faculty in the 21st century modern “metropolitan university” need to combine the academic with the practical in our research and for our students. We are charged with melding new research opportunities intoreal-world (“practical”) classroom applications. Faculty is also responsible for showing students how to become “informed and effective citizens, as well as preparing them for their chosen professions and occupations.” On top of all that, being part of the metropolitan university asks us to add to the area's “quality of life” even as we work to build mutually beneficial partnerships with community leaders, such as library boards, chambers of commerce, and other local area enterprises.

At Farmingdale State College in the suburbs of New York City, we fit the definition of the “metropolitan university” as put forth by these authors. We also fit into the traditional view of an urban ethnically-diverse campus with a lively social environment just a short ride into Manhattan. The issue with our ethically diverse campus is a blessing and a challenge.

Preto-Bay and Hansen recognize that terms international and multicultural do not effectively describe today’s undergrad population. While our white population at Farmingdale State College (FSC) is a majority of 59%, that is a decline of 4% in four years. Not coincidentally, the Hispanic/Latino population has risen by 4% in that same period (Farmingdale State College Provost’s

Office).  Preto-Bay and Hansen see teaching writing as a challenge for several reasons, most notably the language gap. In the case of FSC, statistics indicate that Spanish is a student’s most likely second language. Among a population of 9,000 students, the statistical number of students using other languages does not appear on a bar chart (under “other”), but is evident in a classroom where can some students’ first language can be Chinese, French-Creole, Farsi, Russian, or any other of our 2,500 languages, based on Bible translations (Anderson). While our growth in non-English language students at Farmingdale is low, the US Department of Education reports that the number of five- to twenty-four-year-olds grew by 6% between 1979 and 1999, but the number of non-English speakers jumped 118 %; the percentage within that same age group who “spoke English with difficulty” grew by 110% (qtd. in Wurr 14).

This WPA paper under review concludes by pointing out that we need new ideas and methods to teach a changing student body. We know that learners take to reading and speaking by example (by listening). Including authentic conversation as a path to authentic writing is the most natural means to helping all students reach their potential within the academy.

 

References

Works Cited

Anderson, S. R., 2010. How many languages are there in the world?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.linguisticsociety.org/sites/default/files/how-many-languages.pdf
[Accessed 27 Oct 2016].

Farmingdale State College Provost’s Office. Race/Ethnicity All Students 2011 to 2015. Farmingdale State College  http://www.farmingdale.edu/administration/provost/institutional-research/pdf/student_race-ethnicity.pdf, 2016

Preto-Bay, Ana Maria, and Kristine Hansen. "Preparing for the Tipping Point: Designing Writing Programs to Meet the Needs of the Changing Population." Writing Program Administration 1-2 (2006): 37. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.  Permalink: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.242454098&site=eds-live

Grabill, Jeffrey T., and Gaillet, Lynée Lewis. (Spring 2002).  “Writing Program Design in the Metropolitan University: Toward Constructing Community Partnerships.” WPA 25.3

Wurr, Adrian J. “English Studies and Generation 1.5: Writing Program Administration at the Crossroads.” Reading Matrix 4 (2004): 14–23.

Links

Frawley, Chris. (10 May 2010). Providing Feedback with written comments improves student learning skills. Virginia Department of Education’s Training & Technical Assistance Center

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Wisconsin’s Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning:  Guiding principle 4: Learning is a collaborative responsibility. http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/cal/pdf/guiding-principles4.pdf,

 

Annotated Bibliography, Theories and Methods (PAB4a, ODU810, H. Gold)

Rhetoric > Technical Communication > Theories and Methods >nAuthentic Writing

Annotated Bibliography of:

Dawson, Christine M. "Beyond Checklists and Rubrics: Engaging Students in Authentic Conversations about their Writing." English Journal, vol. 98, no. 5, 2009., pp. 66-71.

Authentic conversations

My goal, like that expressed by Dawson, “is to develop [students to] talk about writing, [so] I try to get students to read excerpts of their writing aloud as soon as possible. I want them to practice listening to the sounds of their own words, as well as the words of their peers.” This goes beyond responding with written notes. He writes about his struggle as a writer compared to how his students, new to writing, deal with the entire writing process. This is what I refer to as the technical communication procedure, from having an idea (either assigned or coming alive in its eureka-moment), to coming up with initial research questions, to the first round of fact-gathering, to refining (or redefining) those questions, to gathering more and more informative facts, and on to the first, second, and third draft, then to new questions and reiterative research. To help his students navigate that process, Dawson has students trade their written work for peer-review, despite recognized uneven results. Even Dawson sees that some students give their peers deep document analysis while others just write “Good Job,” providing no useful feedback.  

He admits that it is difficult for any writer, from novice through professional, to receive a “checklist about … writing” in early stages of the writing process. That is why he works to give writing students the authentic discussions which, he also contends, are “not the norm in secondary English classrooms (Nystrand).” Dawson believes high school and college composition teachers rely on simple “recitation practices,” instead of taking the time to help students build skills of critical analysis, editing, provide lessons on how to listen to and accept feedback.

Authentic discussion

He shows that authentic discussion forces students to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students with an open mind think outside the box, as it were. Furthermore, it encourages “students and teachers [to] collaboratively delve into complex ideas, building on each other's contributions as they explore real-life problems and processes (Hillocks; McCann et al.; Nystrand; Wilhelm).” 

  

An experienced secondary school English teacher, Dawson sees the positive results of using student peer-reviews. More importantly, he recognizes the important and added positive impact that the authentic discussions provide when students read their writing aloud and openly listen to class commentary.

Authentic writing

Technical communication relies on practitioners first learning the value of authentic writing. We can capture students’ imagination if we allow them to freely and openly offer opinions in authentic conversations about their peer’s writing. This opens the student-writer to learning how to give positive and gently productive (otherwise seen as negative) suggestions, how to listen and react to peer feedback (both positive and what is perceived as negative), and how to apply those comments.

Dawson concludes that “making authentic writing discussions an instructional priority engaging in authentic writing discussions helps students develop writing practices that extend beyond an individual piece of writing.” Students who master authentic discussion will be effective professional technical communicators who are able to open valuable exchanges of information in the workplace.

References

Works Cited

Hillocks, George, Jr. Teaching Writing as Reflective Practice. New York: Teachers College, 1995.

McCann, Thomas M., et al. Talking in Class: Using Discussion to Enhance Teaching and Learning. Urbana: NCTE, 2006.

Nystrand, Martin. Opening Dialogue: Understanding the Dynamics of Language and Learning in the English Classroom. New York: Teachers College, 1997.

Virginia Commonwealth University. Teaching, learning & technology in Higher Education. authenticassessment.gif. http://wp.vcu.edu/grad602/course-materials/s-13/resources-session-13/, 2013.

 Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry: Promoting Deep Understandings in Language Arts and the Content Areas with Guiding Questions. New York: Scholastic, 2007.

Links

Frawley, Chris. (10 May 2010).providing Feedback with written commentss improves student learning skills.Virginia Department of Education’s Training & Technical Assistance Center

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Wisconsin’s Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning:  Guiding principle 4: Learning is a collaborative responsibility. http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/cal/pdf/guiding-principles4.pdf