Writing Writing Across the Across the

Curriculum:Curriculum:

Nicki GuthrieNicki GuthrieDon KappelDon Kappel

East Carteret High East Carteret High SchoolSchool

““Writing to Learn, Learning Writing to Learn, Learning to Write”to Write”

Today’s AgendaToday’s Agenda

Definition of writing across the Definition of writing across the curriculumcurriculum

MythsMyths Writing continuumWriting continuum RationaleRationale Informal writing strategies (detailed)Informal writing strategies (detailed) Semiformal writing, formal writing, Semiformal writing, formal writing,

and essay tests (quick)and essay tests (quick) Website info.Website info.

What is Writing Across the What is Writing Across the Curriculum?Curriculum?

Teaching practice based on the idea Teaching practice based on the idea that the faculty as a whole, not just that the faculty as a whole, not just one academic department, is one academic department, is responsible for students’ writing skillsresponsible for students’ writing skills

Other names for WAC:Other names for WAC: Writing in the disciplinesWriting in the disciplines Writing to learnWriting to learn Writing in the content areasWriting in the content areas

Maine Department of Education. http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Glossary/Glossary.htm, 2007.

Let’s Write…Let’s Write…

Spend five minutes freely writing Spend five minutes freely writing about your beliefs, thoughts, about your beliefs, thoughts, concerns, etc. about WAC.concerns, etc. about WAC.

Myths about WACMyths about WAC

Takes away time for Takes away time for contentcontent

Unsuitable for some Unsuitable for some coursescourses

Requires expertise in Requires expertise in writing/grammarwriting/grammar

Creates mountain of Creates mountain of paper gradingpaper grading

Takes Away Time for Takes Away Time for ContentContent

Writing about concepts helps Writing about concepts helps achieve more learningachieve more learning

Less time spent Less time spent reviewing/reteachingreviewing/reteaching

Writing in the place of Writing in the place of discussion, worksheets, etcdiscussion, worksheets, etc

Writing is not added to Writing is not added to content, content, but used as a way to teach but used as a way to teach contentcontent

Unsuitable for Some Unsuitable for Some CoursesCourses

Is your class too Is your class too large?large?

Use writing to Use writing to make students make students more responsible more responsible for own learningfor own learning

Is your class hands-on, Is your class hands-on, experiential? (Band, PE, Auto experiential? (Band, PE, Auto tech)tech) Use writing to help students Use writing to help students

reflect about their activitiesreflect about their activities•Lindeman, Erika. Center for Teaching and Learning, UNC-Chapel Hill, http://ctl.unc.edu/fyc4.html

Requires Expertise in Requires Expertise in Writing/GrammarWriting/Grammar

Respond as an expert in Respond as an expert in your field, not an expert your field, not an expert in writingin writing

Focus on higher-order Focus on higher-order concerns firstconcerns first

Always find something to Always find something to praisepraise

Address patterns of Address patterns of errors and your pet errors and your pet peevespeeves

Grammar unimportant in Grammar unimportant in informal writinginformal writing

Creates Mountain of Paper Creates Mountain of Paper GradingGrading

Grade with a check Grade with a check plus/check/check minus plus/check/check minus systemsystem

Collect randomlyCollect randomly Create checklist rubricsCreate checklist rubrics Respond to the class as Respond to the class as

a wholea whole Conduct peer reviewConduct peer review Assign mostly informal Assign mostly informal

writingwriting

Writing ContinuumWriting Continuum

JournalsJournals

Reading LogsReading Logs

ReflectionsReflections

Minute Minute paperspapers

BlogsBlogs

Response Response paperspapers

SummariesSummaries

Mini-casesMini-cases

Problem Problem analysesanalyses

Term papersTerm papers

ReportsReports

Formal Formal essaysessays

DocumentedDocumentedpaperspapers

ReviewsReviews

FORMAL

INFORMAL

Anson, Chris. ITUE 10th Annual Symposium. NC State University. http://www.udel.edu/inst/june2007/anson-files/assignPM.pdf

Formal v. Informal Formal v. Informal WritingWriting

Informal writing is Informal writing is usuallyusually low stakeslow stakes an early draft an early draft personal personal thinking-on-paperthinking-on-paper ““mechanics” are mechanics” are

unimportantunimportant ““writing-to-learn”writing-to-learn”

Formal writing is Formal writing is usuallyusually high stakeshigh stakes a much later drafta much later draft publicpublic analytical or criticalanalytical or critical ““mechanics” are mechanics” are

importantimportant ““writing-to-writing-to-

communicate”communicate”

http://teachandlearn.missouri.edu/guide/chapters/writing.htm

Informal Writing Is…Writing Informal Writing Is…Writing to Thinkto Think

““[Cognitive psychologists] … suggest that [Cognitive psychologists] … suggest that the writing process regularly involves the the writing process regularly involves the types of cognition generally labeled types of cognition generally labeled `thinking': discrimination, classification, `thinking': discrimination, classification, specification, generalization, hypothesis specification, generalization, hypothesis formation and testing. In many cases, formation and testing. In many cases, writing is not merely an aid to thinking: writing is not merely an aid to thinking: writing is thinking.”writing is thinking.”

1986 report to the UNC Faculty Council, the Ad Hoc Committee on Writing Across the 1986 report to the UNC Faculty Council, the Ad Hoc Committee on Writing Across the Curriculum, Center for Teaching and Learning, UNC-Chapel Hill, Curriculum, Center for Teaching and Learning, UNC-Chapel Hill, http://ctl.unc.edu/fyc4.html

Informal Writing Informal Writing Is...Writing to LearnIs...Writing to Learn

““The process of The process of making the making the material their material their own--the process of own--the process of writing--is writing--is demonstrably a demonstrably a process of process of learning.”learning.”

•Britton, James. http://writing2.richmond.edu/wac/wtl.html

Informal Writing Is…Writing Informal Writing Is…Writing to Writeto Write

““Writing skills have to be practiced and Writing skills have to be practiced and reinforced if they're to get better. And reinforced if they're to get better. And some students choose courses where some students choose courses where little writing is required.”little writing is required.”

Research shows that as students Research shows that as students advance in a subject their advance in a subject their communication skills in that discipline communication skills in that discipline diminish unless they are constantly diminish unless they are constantly reinforced.reinforced.

-Erika Lindeman, Center for Teaching and Learning, UNC-Chapel Hill, http://ctl.unc.edu/fyc4.html

-Costello, Chris. “Integrating Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Communication Across the Curriculum” Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1999.

An Analogy…An Analogy…

All students would be proficient All students would be proficient runners.runners.

All students would improve their All students would improve their times.times.

All students would experience All students would experience less anxiety.less anxiety.

Some students would start to Some students would start to love running.love running.

If students practiced running in all of If students practiced running in all of their classes:their classes:

Writing and Basketball Writing and Basketball (Another Sports Analogy)…(Another Sports Analogy)…

Imagine being successfully by…Imagine being successfully by… Practicing only in high-stakes Practicing only in high-stakes

gamesgames Never practicingNever practicing Never being allowed to mess up Never being allowed to mess up

without consequenceswithout consequences Rarely working with other Rarely working with other

playersplayers Being advised to just watch pros Being advised to just watch pros

on TVon TV Playing infrequentlyPlaying infrequently

Anson, Chris. ITUE 10th Annual Symposium. NC State University. http://www.udel.edu/inst/june2007/anson-files/assignPM.pdf

Yet, Here’s How We Do Yet, Here’s How We Do It…It…

The dominant model:The dominant model: Writing only high-stakes papersWriting only high-stakes papers Never practicingNever practicing Never being allowed to mess up Never being allowed to mess up

without consequenceswithout consequences Rarely working with other writersRarely working with other writers Being advised to look at only Being advised to look at only

professional writingprofessional writing Writing infrequentlyWriting infrequently

Anson, Chris. ITUE 10th Annual Symposium. NC State University. http://www.udel.edu/inst/june2007/anson-files/assignPM.pdf

Characteristics of Informal Characteristics of Informal WritingWriting

May be list-likeMay be list-like Loosely structuredLoosely structured Written to selfWritten to self May begin/end May begin/end

abruptlyabruptly May be agrammaticalMay be agrammatical SpontaneousSpontaneous Varied in lengthVaried in length

It’s messy

because thought

is messy!

Anson, Chris. ITUE 10th Annual Symposium. NC State University. http://www.udel.edu/inst/june2007/anson-files/assignPM.pdf

Getting StartedGetting Started

Ask yourself two questions:Ask yourself two questions:

1.1. What do I want my students to learn?What do I want my students to learn?

2.2. How can writing assist that learning?How can writing assist that learning?

Erika Lindeman, Center for Teaching and Learning, UNC-Chapel Hill, http://ctl.unc.edu/fyc4.html

Ways to Use Informal Ways to Use Informal WritingWriting

Writing at the beginning of class to…Writing at the beginning of class to… probe a subjectprobe a subject

Writing during class to…Writing during class to… refocus a lagging discussion or cool off refocus a lagging discussion or cool off

a heated one.a heated one. ask questions or express confusion.ask questions or express confusion.

Writing at the end of class to…Writing at the end of class to… sum up a lecture or discussion.sum up a lecture or discussion.

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

JournalsJournals

Can be open-ended or structured:Can be open-ended or structured: Learning logsLearning logs Reading logsReading logs Guided journalsGuided journals Double-entry notebooksDouble-entry notebooks Lab notebooksLab notebooks Current events journalsCurrent events journals Exam preparation journalsExam preparation journals

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

15 Strategies Handout15 Strategies HandoutNewsworthy Explanations

Connections

Unresolved Lab Problems

Debate on Propositio

ns

Mini-Cases

Problems with the Problem

Voices

Discussion Questions

Exam preparation

Double-Entry Notebook

Dialogue Journals

This Was the Week That Was

Visual Representations

Summary Statements

The “Provided Data” Mini-

Paper

More Informal StrategiesMore Informal Strategies

Letters to the author /scientist / Letters to the author /scientist / historical figurehistorical figure

Extended analogiesExtended analogies Think-Pair-ShareThink-Pair-Share Discipline-specific writingDiscipline-specific writing

Social studies: Biographies, interviewsSocial studies: Biographies, interviews Science: Lab reports, grant proposalsScience: Lab reports, grant proposals Math: Descriptions of mathematical theoriesMath: Descriptions of mathematical theories

Acrostic poemsAcrostic poems

An Acrostic Poem An Acrostic Poem ExampleExample

GGregor Mendel’sregor Mendel’s EExperimentsxperiments NNow areow are EEvidencevidence TThat offspringhat offspring IInherit parents’nherit parents’ CCharacteristics, like inharacteristics, like in SSpring peas and honeybees.pring peas and honeybees.

Some Semi-Formal Some Semi-Formal StrategiesStrategies

Require some pre-planningRequire some pre-planning Take longer to completeTake longer to complete Graded still for ideas mostly, but Graded still for ideas mostly, but

also need to address presentation of also need to address presentation of ideasideas

Can’t expect perfection unless they Can’t expect perfection unless they are given opportunity to reviseare given opportunity to revise

A Math Example…A Math Example… In class yesterday, 80 percent of you In class yesterday, 80 percent of you

agreed with this statement: “the maximum agreed with this statement: “the maximum speed of a sailboat occurs when the boat is speed of a sailboat occurs when the boat is ailing in the same direction as the wind.” ailing in the same direction as the wind.” However, that intuitive answer is wrong. However, that intuitive answer is wrong. Sailboats can actually go much faster Sailboats can actually go much faster when they sail across the wind. How so? when they sail across the wind. How so? Using what you have been learning in Using what you have been learning in vector algebra, explain why sailboats can vector algebra, explain why sailboats can sail faster when the wind blows sideways sail faster when the wind blows sideways to their direction of travel rather than from to their direction of travel rather than from directly behind them. directly behind them.

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

A Psychology Example…A Psychology Example… In the morning, when Mr. Cat opens a In the morning, when Mr. Cat opens a

new can of cat food, his cats run into the new can of cat food, his cats run into the kitchen purring and meowing and kitchen purring and meowing and rubbing their backs against his legs. rubbing their backs against his legs. What examples, if any, of classical What examples, if any, of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning are at work in this scene? social learning are at work in this scene? Note that both the cats and the professor Note that both the cats and the professor might be exhibiting conditioned behavior might be exhibiting conditioned behavior here.here.

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

A Science Example…A Science Example… Dear Dr. Science:Dear Dr. Science:

My girlfriend and I disagree about My girlfriend and I disagree about something we saw in a baseball game. A something we saw in a baseball game. A guy hit a pop-up straight over the guy hit a pop-up straight over the catcher’s head. My girlfriend thinks that catcher’s head. My girlfriend thinks that when the ball stopped in midair before it when the ball stopped in midair before it started down, its velocity was zero, but started down, its velocity was zero, but its acceleration was not zero. I said she its acceleration was not zero. I said she was stupid. If something isn’t moving at was stupid. If something isn’t moving at all, how could it have any acceleration? all, how could it have any acceleration? Dr. Science, please help us…Dr. Science, please help us…

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

Tips for Formal WritingTips for Formal Writing

Prepare a detailed student handoutPrepare a detailed student handout Treat writing as a process:Treat writing as a process:

PrewritingPrewriting DraftingDrafting RevisionRevision EditingEditing PublishingPublishing

Give feedback early in the processGive feedback early in the process

Successful Essay Tests / Successful Essay Tests / ExamsExams

Consider revealing questions in Consider revealing questions in advanceadvance

Consider allowing crib sheetsConsider allowing crib sheets Limit choiceLimit choice Keep questions simpleKeep questions simple Essay exams can’t take place of WTL Essay exams can’t take place of WTL

activitiesactivities

Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.

A Final Concern…A Final Concern…

““The relationship between the amount of The relationship between the amount of writing in a course and the student’s level of writing in a course and the student’s level of engagement —whether engagement is engagement —whether engagement is measured by time spent on the course, or the measured by time spent on the course, or the intellectual challenge it presents, or students’ intellectual challenge it presents, or students’ self-reported level of interest in it — self-reported level of interest in it —

The Harvard Assessment SeminarsThe Harvard Assessment Seminars, Second Report, , Second Report, 1992.1992.http://www.udel.edu/inst/june2007/anson-files/assignPM.pdf

Won’t the writing just be busy work?Won’t the writing just be busy work?

is stronger than any relationship we found is stronger than any relationship we found between student engagement and any other between student engagement and any other course characteristic.”course characteristic.”

Check Out the Website!Check Out the Website!

You can find this presentation, You can find this presentation, general information, and subject-general information, and subject-specific information:specific information:

ECHS WRITING: ECHS WRITING: http://echswriting.wordpress.comhttp://echswriting.wordpress.com