writing instruction conversation

7/30/2019 Writing Instruction Conversation

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Allison M. Hawkins

ENGL 481NardiApril 6, 2012

Response to Peer Reviewer:

Having someone read over my thoughts and reflections of my literacy practicum lesson plan was

revealing and allowed me to make sure an outside reader could understand my thoughts and continue

participating in the writing as conversation dialogue. For the most part, my reviewer did not offer

suggestions, neither about grammar nor about the development of my larger themes involved in my essay.

However, his comments were undoubtedly reassuring as they gave me an idea of how an audience

member would perceive its content.

Major Project III: Writing Instruction Conversation

In evaluating the writing process as an on-going conversation with not only a particular audience,

but also with society as a whole, it is clear the writers understanding can become destabilized, suddenly

susceptible to the many interpretations from the dialogue surrounding him or her. While I understood this

theory at a basic level, it was not until composing and teaching my own literacy practicum lesson that I

was faced with the utter instability of the writing process. Indeed, while I was confident regarding the

goals of writing instruction in my lesson, I could not fully anticipate the kinds of support needed for

student engagement with the assignment, leading to an abrupt change in my initial lesson plan after

voluntary student feedback. Therefore, reflecting upon creating my literacy practicum lesson plan has

allowed for a further analysis of the multitude of literacy components and goals that combine to provide

fruitful writing instruction.

The primary goals for my lesson plan entitled, Defining Censorship in Conjunction with Banned

Books, were to provide a framework for students to understand the multiple gazes of groups who were

on two sides of a controversial issue and to assess the validity and strength of these positions using

persuasive thinking and writing skills. By promoting the analytical thinking and evaluating of multiple


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Hawkins 2positions regarding the issue of banned books in the United States, students would be able to apply the

important concept of rhetorical persuasion in conjunction with censorshipan issue all students face in

consuming a variety of literacy realms. Furthermore, I sought to provide guidelines for successful

organization and composition of persuasive arguments through the use of written persuasion maps.

Undoubtedly, the overarching pedagogical theme throughout my first day of instruction was to

prepare students with the information necessary for them to independently develop their own thoughts

and arguments regarding censorship and the controversy surrounding banned books without teacher

involvement. Indeed, during the second and final day of instruction, I was able to step back and observe

students completing the activity by solely collaborating with each other. In both reading the two

newspaper articles and listing banned books students would be familiar with, I not only provided the

cultural context of the paramount issue of censorship, but also provided a connection with which the

students could tap into prior knowledge in organizing and defending their claims. Furthermore, in

organizing their arguments through the persuasive map with different groups of students supporting

opposing side of the controversy, students became aware through writing of how texts and images have

immense persuasive power in determining opinion.

Indeed, this independent take up was guided during Day Ones instruction through the contextual

components of the rhetorical triangle of texts as outlined in the first chapter of the book,Rhetorical

Visions: Reading and Writing in a Visual Culture:

1. The historical and cultural contexts from which the text emerged and in which therhetor created it.

2. The historical and cultural contexts in which it was and is seen and/or readthecontext surrounding audience.

3. The message/text itself, and how historical and cultural contexts shape the way aparticular theme or subject is presented. (Hesford 7)

By reading articles discussing both the United States and Chinese censorship and then discussing how

censorship is both similar and different in these situations, students are able to make claims regarding


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Hawkins 3how historical and cultural contexts shape the issue of censorship in contemporary society. Also, many of

the banned books outlined for students drew controversy surrounding the cultural statements the book

exudes, giving students the fuel to assess the persuasive power of these details and why particular

audiences may be swayed. Indeed, in examining the multiple sides of a controversial issue through the

written activity of the persuasion map, students become aware that to say that images have persuasive

rhetorical power is not to imply that consumers of it are powerless to resist it, or that powerful images

cannot challenge or unsettle dominant points of view (Hesford 11). In fact, in having students write how

a particular side of a controversy is formed, the power of a text to persuade readers to feel a certain way is

amplified as students become aware of the complexity of societal opinion.

Similarly, independent student take-up was supported through Vygotskys theory of the Zone of

Proximal Development as the students were not only able to access individual prior knowledge in

completing the persuasion map, but also could utilize the knowledge of their peer group. Furthermore, the

persuasion map in itself, (see attached) done with group mates, was a collaborative classroom activity and

a needed prompter in order for students to recognize the components of making a persuasive argument.

Without this, students would have been completely lost and unsure as to how to construct these

arguments.

Reading the student reflections of my group members allowed me to recognize not only the

strengths and weaknesses of my lesson plan, but also prompted me to engage in a conversation with my

peers regarding the effectiveness of the writing instruction in my plan. To begin, Blairs reflection

prompted me to reflect upon the fact that I had adapted my lesson plan during the second day to include a

verbal debate of the opposing opinions. While it was recognized by all the students that the writing

instruction occurred through the collaborative organization of the persuasion map, I do feel it would have

been extremely worthwhile, if the class had more time, to write an introductory paragraph to a persuasive

letter or essay to a school board defending why a particular book should or should not be banned. This

extensive writing activity was originally included in my plan; however, student feedback regarding

engagement and the lack of time prevented this from occurring. If I implemented this lesson in an actual


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Hawkins 4classroom environment, this more extensive portion of writing instruction would be essential, yet it could

not be completed successfully without the guidance given during the first two days of my instruction.

Therefore, this foundation needed to be laid beforehand before any extra writing was done. Blair clearly

grasped the connection between the discussion of censorship and banned books, as well, understanding

that the fruitfulness of the second day of instruction was based upon the previous days discussion of

censorship. Furthermore, Blair stated: my cooperating teacher uses the same map as Ali did in her

class, reinforcing the effectiveness of written organization before formal, extensive writing.

Erins reflection helped make my understanding of the lesson as introductory step to the writing

process more coherent. Indeed, it was amazing to witness elements of my lesson I did not even recognize

when I originally composed it. She stated: The activity Allison found would work well for an intro to

writing a persuasive paper. Through Erins reflection, it is clear my lesson was a necessary foundation in

tackling the complexities of persuasive writing in the classroom. The persuasive map, playing into the

purposes of the aforementioned Zone of Proximal Development, taught an important lesson in

organization, important not only for the composition of persuasive arguments, but in participating in

collaborative class discussions, as well.

Finally, Austins reflection seemed to make a concrete connection between the knowledge

learned through the first days instruction and the writing activity during the second day. In planning for

future students, I would also want to address the idea that many of the students presented as an extension

the idea of a more formal debate. Debate is an extremely effective form of literacy and builds upon

reading and writing skills throughout the preparation process. It was very interesting that my original plan

was not only adapted to incorporate debate, but also that the students wanted to have more of it in the

classroom. I can foresee this being a challenge for teachers that want to incorporate more traditional,

formal writing exercises; however, the preparation for this kind of complex debate has the power to elicit

extremely cogent, well thought out written arguments as an outline for verbal debate.

In conclusion, I constructed my literacy lesson plan with the intent of creating an activity that

would allow students to build upon prior knowledge in completing written, persuasive organization in a


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Hawkins 5collaborative environment. In creating a dialogue with each other, students became aware of the various

cultural details that combine to form specific claims regarding the banning of popular books. The change

in my lesson plan, while emphasizing the instability of literacy instruction, allowed me to gain a more

complete understanding of the steps necessary to teach in order for students to produce successful

persuasive writing. Without this foundation, the students will undoubtedly struggle with how to produce

organized persuasive formats.


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Hawkins 6Works Cited

Hesford, Wendy S., and Brenda Jo Brueggerman, eds.Rhetorical Visions: Reading and Writing

in a Visual Culture. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. Pgs 1-23.


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