William H. Thelin The University of Akron
“I told him, 'Son, what is it with you. Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.” --Frank Layden, Former Coach, Utah Jazz
Lore= 5-paragraph essays, knowledge of kinds and forms of essays and paragraphs, de- contextualized grammar instruction, etc. Research=form is dictated by content, genre is decided when topic and audience are established, paragraphs vary in length, grammar is taught in the context of a student’s writing, etc.
Enough Rigor? Grammar? Appropriate Grading? Just Passing Them On?
Hours It Takes * hours per class reading bare minimum number of papers (20 minutes per paper) * 8 ½ 40-hour work weeks spent reading and responding to assignments if teaching 4 classes (not counting prep) Hiring Situation
Assignments based in personal experience Focus on structure and grammar Lack of reading Lack of Conceptual Learning/Transferability
Assignment Construction “That was only for English Composition!” Disciplinary Knowledge
Full-Time Hires Accountability through Assessment Multi-Modal and Service Learning Projects
Control curriculum from programs with articulation agreements Teach parameters and conventions of every discipline Solve the ongoing labor problem
Assign a handbook Multiple drafts Reinforce concepts learned in English Composition (Thesis, Audience, Organization, Language Use) and translate those into the conventions of your discipline
Reasons for problems 1) Not knowing rules 2) Dialectical Issues 3) Hyper-Corrections 4) Regression 5) Not seeing errors 6) Grammar Check 7) Previous teaching 8) Remembering rules incorrectly
Do not correct errors for the students (circling, crossing out, etc.) Refer them to the handbook Spot patterns of error (do not over-correct) Translate from their dialect Do not panic! Grammar has to count Model correct prose for students