Hello,
You may make up posts that you missed up until Monday, Nov. 26 by simply responding to the appropriate posting from me.
-Cathy
Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
Hi everyone,
As you might have noticed, I never posted anything for this week. I have to excuse myself because I was very sick (and so was the baby) and basically was out of commission from Tuesday morning until Friday. We’ll discuss what to do about this week’s missed blogging session in class today. The good news: I finally graded the book reviews and will return them today!
-Cathy
For next week (Oct. 1) please read in SMG: pgs. 66-78 about peer review. (For Oct. 8 read the remainder of chapter 3 in SMG). Please have a look at these peer review materials: author’s cover letter, peer review handout, peer review overheads, feedback modeling. We will talk about them and about assessment on Oct. 1.
Please bring with you the packet of student essaysthat you should have printed for yesterday. Here is the ad analysis assignment sheet that goes with the student essays.
Here are some materials that I would like for you to have related to our theme for Monday, assessment. Please print and bring with you the packet of student essays. You do NOT have to read them ahead of time. We will have time for that in class. Also, here is a packet of sample rubrics for your reference. Please look these over briefly. If you have access to a printer, print out one or two that you like and bring them to class. (Of course, if you have a laptop, you can just bring that to class so that you can look at them electronically.) Finally, here are some ideas about grading that I hope will be useful to you. See you on Monday!
English 6040
Book Review Guidelines and Format
Mazak (adapted fro Dr. G. Smitherman)
Your book review should be both a review (i.e., a summary) and a critique of a writing textbook or a general ESL textbook that includes writing. The suggested length is (5) typed, double-spaced pages. At the top of the first page, before you begin the body of the review, include the following information: title, author, publisher, date of publication, number of pages, indicate if first, revised, or subsequent edition. Be prepared to give a 3-5 sentence oral summary of your review on the due date.
Summary:
This generally comes first. Summarize the purpose and audience of the book and basically how the book achieves its purpose. Ask yourself questions such as:
-What is the book’s purpose?
-How does the author go about achieving this purpose?
-What level is the book aimed at (both grade level and English level)?
-Is the book written for native or non-native speakers of English?
-How is the book organized?
-Is the book visually appealing?—color, print size, layout, pagination format, etc.? (or, alternatively, is the content so good that these details are irrelevant?)
-What is the author’s approach to teaching writing?
Critique:
Critically assess the book in light of the principles, theories, and issues about teaching writing that we have been discussing in class and on the blog. Ask yourself questions like:
-How adaptable is this book to students’ own sociocultural contexts?
-What would Friere, Canagarajah, Johns, or any other authors that we’ve read say about the book’s approach to teaching writing?
-How appropriate is the book for use in the context for which it was designed? (For example, is it too easy/too hard for the level it is targeting?)
-How appropriate is the book for use in the context that you know well?
-Does the book view writing as a process or product?
-Are there any significant areas or topics missing?
-Does the book provide examples to illustrate the author’s points?
-Is the book interesting to students?
-If you knew this author and were a friend or colleague, and the author was working on a revision of this book, what suggestions would you make to him/her to enhance the book?
Please answer ONE of the following questions in a 500-1000 word response. You are encouraged to read the responses of your classmates and respond to them.
1. Canagarajah asks (on p. 220): “Is it proper to encourage and facilitate the use of a language that is tainted with a history of global domination, colonizing other languages and communitites with its values?”
(a) Summarize Canagarajah’s answer to this question.
(b) Answer this question yourself–Do you agree or disagree with Canagarajah? Why?
OR
2. What does Johns mean by the “socioliterate” classroom? Summarize this apprach. How could you apply this approach in your own classroom?
Hi,
The SLW book is on reserve in the library, but it will not be available to you until Friday (!). The readings for August 27 are available under “documents” on this blog.
I will leave the book on reserve for ONE week. If you are going to copy the readings from the book on reserve, you must do so between Friday, Aug. 24 and Friday, Aug. 31. I put my personal copy of the book on reserve and need it back to teach the class! I have marked all the readings that we will use in class with a star in the table of contents.
Happy reading,
Cathy
Readings for August 27: To solve the SLW book problem, I am posting the readings from that book here.Canagarajah, Understanding Critical Writing and Johns, Opening Our Doors. Also, please read, Friere: The Banking Concept of Education. The Canagarajah and the Johns are also available in the SAC.
Hello,
I have decided to change my published office hours to Tuesday at Thursday from 9:00-10:30 a.m. I am also available by appointment. Sorry for any problems that this may cause.
-Cathy
Welcome to the blog for the course INGL 6040, The Practice of Teaching Composition. Here you will spend one hour a week reading and writing with me and your classmates. You will post all of your reading responses here and you will be able to read and comment on others’ reponses. We will discuss some of the readings that we do not have time to discuss in class. In addition, we can discuss issues that come up in your teaching throughout the week.
