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ENGL567A: Short Paper Portfolio
by Edmond Chang
Written for |
The following seven short essays were written in responses to prompts over the course of the Fall 2005 quarter in ENGL567: Theory and Practice of Composition at the University of Washington. ENGL567 is a required practicum for all new composition teachers, who teach English 131: College Composition. According to the course description, ENGL567 explored "some of the theories and practices that guide the teaching of writing in the context of pertinent essays written by scholars in the field of composition and rhetoric. In the process of examining the 'best practices' that some of you are going to have your students enact in English 131, we will make every effort to help you understand the 'why' behind the 'what we do' and 'how we do it' when we teach writing." Each short essay assignment examined a particular question, issue, or controversy in composition theory including situating goals, treating reading, assignment sequences, end comments, conferencing, and teaching philosophies. The course provided lively class discussion, intriguing essays from across the discipline, the opportunity to talk with new and veteran 131 teachers, as well as a chance to think through some of the composition classroom's challenges and rewards. At the heart of ENGL567 is the reflection: "[T]his course will give you an opportunity to examine and reflect on your teachinig practices as you work to develop a pedagogy that you can build on throughout your teaching career. By the end of the course, you will be asked to write a preliminary statement of your teaching philosophy and to compile a teaching portfolio." The following seven essays are the products of the provocations and processes of ENGL567: Short Paper #1: Door to the World of Composition Short Paper #2: Accommodations in the Contact Zone Short Paper #3: Active Readers, Active Writers Short Paper #4: Not So Simple Sequences Short Paper #5: Commenting in the Contact Zone Short Paper #6: Complicating Conferences Short Paper #7: Philosophy of Teaching Though all of the essays were written for the specific context of ENGL567 and the ENGL131 classroom, the ideas and scholarship may be useful for further study in composition theory. The hope here is to provide students in ENGL567 and teachers of composition classes at UW with one perspective, one set of questions, and one set of answers. Conversation, of course, is welcome. Please cite this page if you choose to use any of the texts.
© 2005 EYC. |