Instructor's GuideAdditional Resources for BIAW: You Can Teach Writing in General

Below you can find a list of curated resources related to Wardle's bad idea about writing: "you can teach writing in general."

Wardle is essentially arguing that "there is no such thing as writing in general" and that writing is "always in particular" (30). All writing--whether in social spaces, classrooms, workplaces--responds to a specific audience, context, and purpose.

She writes, "The idea that we can all learn to 'write in general' is not just a harmless myth. It's a dangerous idea because it hurts students and frustrates teachers and employers" (31). As instructors, we have to recognize that there is "no writing in general and no magic formula that will help us write well in all situations" (32).

Luckily, Wardle offers up a "good idea" to contend with this bad idea. She suggests that by teaching students the skills to analyze the rhetorical situation (context, purpose, audience, medium/genre, exigence), students will be more likely to be able to use (or transfer or repurpose) what we know effectively from prior writing situations" (32).

FAQs

FAQ: How do I create authentic rhetorical situations for my students?

One suggestion is to start by thinking about the purpose of the assignment and then imagine who might care or have a stake in that purpose. That will help you identify the core components of a rhetorical situation: purpose, audience, context. Once you design that for yourself, you'll be able to talk with students about those dimensions, thus making the situation less "general" and more "particular."

FAQ: What if I don't have time to grade all this stuff?

Grading writing can be very labor-intensive for faculty. But the good news is there are many pedagogically effective ways to mediate that labor, and many of them have to do with supporting the writing process for your students. Rather than just having one big paper at the end of the semester or unit, build in small process steps throughout the semester or unit. Tell students to write a quick proposal or invention work. Ask students to create a really rough draft and then allow them to exchange drafts with one another. Peer review can provide a way for students to get feedback without always relying on the instructors. And you don't have to use up class time for these activities. Another idea is to give students agency and tell them they need to articulate their strengths and growth opportunities, thus giving you a targeted sense for your response. And finally, I always tell instructors--don't comment on everything you see. You don't want to cognitively overload or overwhelm students. Focus on one or two things you'd like them to work on, ideally aspects of their writing that connect with your course objectives.

FAQ: What if my assignment doesn't really have a "genre"?

If you can't identify a genre for your writing assignment (or, if the writing assignment genre is something nebulous like an "essay"), think about the genres you encounter in your profession or in workplaces associated with the course you are teaching. Can you adapt your existing assignments into a more genre-focused approach? That will help create a more authentic rhetorical situation for your students. Plus, it's BONUS if you can provide some models of that genre to students. That can help them identify features or conventions of that genre that they might mimic.

FAQ: What if my students have too many grammar errors?

As a writing professor, I hear this a lot. My advice is to teach the students you have, not the students you might wish you have. And when it comes to grammar, syntax, and mechanics, there can be equity issues involved with overly policing student error. To combat this, I recommend focusing the bulk of your time and labor on their ideas, their ability to address an audience and meet a purpose. In my own teaching, I focus on identifying ONE pattern of error for each individual student. Then I have them work on just that error for the entire semester. That's my way of addressing grammar, syntax, and mechanics without demonstrating to students that good grammar = good writing....because we all know that's not exactly true. Good writing is more about meeting the demands of a given rhetorical situation, so let's emphasize that skill. It doesn't mean we have to leave grammar/mechanics behind; it's just a matter of emphasis, of priority.

Readings

Available right here!

David Perkins and Gavriel Saloman's entry on "Transfer of Learning" in the International Encyclopedia of Education, 2nd ed.

Aviva Freedman and Christine Adam's "Learning to Write Professionally: 'Situated Learning' and the Transition from University to Professional Discourse" from the Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Elon University's "Elon Statement on Writing Transfer"

Special issue of the journal Composition Forum on transfer of writing-related knowledge and skills

Available as ebook or download via UNC Library portal

Patrick Dias et al.'s World Apart: Acting and Writing in Academic and Workplace Contexts

https://doi-org.unco.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9781410602336

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