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last.updated 1.20.08

 

L2 Writers & L2 Writing

Purpose

This week's lesson continues our overview from the previous week. Specifically this week you will get a better sense of who second language writers are, the issues they face, and how the institution responds to them. With this knowledge, you will have better information for deciding how you will pesonally and pedagogically respond to this student population.

Presentation: Writing at the Graduate Level

To establish expectations for the course, the instructor will present a PowerPoint on the expectations for graduate level literacy.

Discussion: L2 Writers & L2 Writing

We will discuss the following questions...

  • What questions do you have about Matsuda's scholarship? The CCCC Statement on Second Language Writing and Writers?
  • What questions do you have about the readings for today's class?
  • According to today's readings who are L2 writers? What are the issues an instuctor should consider when they have L2 writers in their courses? How should we respond to these issues (consider the context that you will be teaching in)?
  • Leki makes some serious critiques of First-Year Writing. Do the problems that the academy has with L2 writers stem from the "mission" of the FYW course? Do you agree with her critiques? And how might you address the problems she raises? What are some options for placing these students?
  • What is your opinion of Constino and Hyon's research design?

Activity: Designing Peer Response

If time permits, you will be divided into groups and discuss the following prompt from Hyland (p. 42):

Imagine you are using peer response methods with a group of students like Carson and Nelson's from a collectivist culture. How would you introduce the idea of peer response to them and how would you encourage them to share their writing and respond to their peers' work?

Each group will be assigned a different context for responding to this prompt:

  • First-year writing course
  • Non-credit bearing (pre-FYW) ESL course
  • 10th grade language arts class in a Hampton Roads high school
  • Basic writing course populated with mostly lower class students, bi-dialect students, and L2 writers