- From Thinking about Multimodality by Pamela Takayoshi and Cynthia L. Selfe: Why is it important to include multiple modalities in the teaching of writing and in what ways can multiple modalities be used in a writing classroom?
- What are some issues associated with inclusion of multimodality in the classroom, or arguments/concerns with its use?
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When we discussed multimodality in class, we took a closer look at Pageflakes. Detail two ways a teacher can incorporate Pageflakes into their writing classroom, being sure to connect those uses to a pedagogical stance.
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Explain circumstances in which you would use holistic grading in your writing classroom. Be sure to include possible assignments/activities that form of assessment would work best with.
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Why is collaborative writing important for use in the writing classroom and what are the circumstances under which it functions best?
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Keeping in mind specific pedagogical approaches discussed in this class, what are some strategies within a specific composition pedagogy that is useful for motivating students to write?
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Describe the delicate task of commenting on student writing.
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Give an example of lore about teaching writing that most people find is actually true. Give another example of lore about teaching writing that is not true at all. With both examples, make sure you include the reasoning behind your claims and attempt to compare lore to theory.
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The “bottom-up” approach to teaching writing can be described as instruction that moves from small to larger units—from words to sentences to paragraphs. Once those have been mastered, “rhetorical modes” such as description, narration, exposition, and argument are introduced. This was a common form of writing instruction up to the middle of the twentieth century, but was renamed and rejected as a form of “current-traditional” pedagogy after the early 1960s. Why don’t composition specialists consider this method a part of “best practices”?
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What are some examples of ways we can incorporate multimodality into our classroom? How can multimodality be achieved in classrooms that have limited accessibility to technology?
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According to the handout “Responding to Students’ Work,” what are some (at least four) teaching strategies suggested for teachers’ written comments on student compositions?
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According to writing theorists and linguists, what role should grammar have in the teaching of writing? Please include some reasons for their stance.
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If a teacher requires students to turn in an outline and rough draft along with their final draft and gives in-class time for revisions, he or she is using what style for teaching writing? Is this considered a form of “best practice” by those in composition studies today? In answering, please give the reasons behind your answer.
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Describe your own writing pedagogy using the terminology and definitions covered in this class. You may claim a single pedagogy or a blending of more than one, but in doing so, you must give reasons behind the choice(s).
