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Placement Criteria for
English 100, 101, 102, and 110
First-Day
Activities
Writing
Guides
- MLA FORMAT--Here are a
couple samples you an use with your students:
MLAsample.doc or
http://www.dianahacker.com/pdfs/Hacker-Daly-MLA.pdf
- INVENTION TECHNIQUES--
invention_techniques.doc.
INTEGRATING QUOTES? Check out
http://faculty.tamuc.edu/scarter/archive/integrating_quotes.htm
- MORE ON INTEGRATING
QUOTES--Sometimes the problem is less that the students are having
trouble integrating quotes into their work (at least at the
sentence/paragraph level) but that they hare having difficulties
thinking beyond the structure of the authors' arguments. Quite often
they also integrate the key arguments of authors via "chunks"
(Johnson said this and this and this; Hudson said this and this and
this) rather than integrating the pieces into their OWN arguments. I
have found this "collage" exercise useful. They also really end up
enjoying the cutting and pasting that goes on.
collage.doc It may seem silly at first, but we've received great
feedback on this activity and I use it whenever I can.
Discussion Guides
- THE READING QUIZ-- Dr.
Fulkerson introduced me to this fabulous idea several years ago.
This is not an ordinary quiz; it's a quiz designed to serve as a
discussion generator. Students complete the quiz, which is usually
developed with some levels of ambiguity (on purpose). We want them
to stumble a little. The "discussion" comes in when you ask them to
switch completed quizzes with someone and then grade them together.
They should answer each question, with you serving as facilitator.
"Marcus says number 2 is 'true.' Does anyone have a different
answer? Why is it 'true'?" For some, we hope, the students will be
able successfully argue that it is one or the other or even both. In
those cases, it is suggested that you take either answer. This helps
them understand that good readers aren't always looking for the
"right" answers but information to provoke discussion among informed
folks. Lori Rios (a graduate of our program) has developed this quiz
over Chapter 2 of Donna Dunbar-Odom's book, Working with Ideas
(Houghton-Mifflin, 2001). This chapter is also included in the most
recent edition of Transitions (Fountainhead Press, 2006). "Quiz:
Chapter 2, 'Writing as a Process."
TF_Quiz_Rios.doc
- THE GROUP DISCUSSION--One
way to stimulate class discussion is to give them some time to
prepare a response to a specific question, which they will then
present to the entire class. I like to do this in groups. (1) Divide
the class up into several smaller groups (no more than 5), (2)
assign each group a specific question (each group member should have
a specific task--a "scribe/recorder" takes notes during the
discussion [which they can then submit to you at the end, with each
group member's name listed], a "time keeper/task master" to keep
everyone on track, and a "reporter" who will be responsible for
"reporting" to the rest of the class the findings of the group), (3)
give them about ten minutes to develop a response, (4) ask the
reporter from each group to share answers and then ask each group to
join in the discussion based on the answers each group offers. It's
important that you also have more than one group answer the same
question. That way you can stimulate real debate. sometimes I ask
each group to record their group responses on the board before
moving into the class discussion. This works well, as well, as it
gives them an outline of sorts to follow when reporting findings to
the class. (see DQ_Sire.doc for set of
questions used in response to Sire's "Chris Chrisman Goes to
State").
Reading Guides
- THE POSITION PAPER is a good way to
get students thinking about the ideas in the texts (as well as a
good motivator to push students to keep up with the reading).
Often I ask students to type up a page or two that develops a
theme they see emerging from the reading assignment. They might
also, as Dr. Dunbar-Odom suggestions, respond to questions like
"What are the two key moments form this section of your reading?
Why are they 'key'? Key to what? OR Find one quotation from the
reading that seems to you to be particularly significant to your
understanding of the text." I would also suggestion you ask them
to use the Position Paper to respond to the "before you
read/after you read" questions introducing and following each
reading assignment. "Ideally," as Dr. D-O suggests, "they'll be
able to use something form their position papers when they do
the main writing assignment. . . . Your marking of the texts
should be quick, focusing on what is 'usable' in their future
paper. You should spend little time 'grading' these; just read
them and provide a quick response. In fact, you could have them
do this in Educator [now eCollege], and then have them respond
to each other."
- THE READING LOG is
another option. I would suggest you speak with Dr. Fulkerson
about how he makes use of these. He has a very interesting
method here that I have adopted in my own classes with great
success. Here's an handout explaining to students how we will be
using the Reading Log and how they will be graded, as well as a
sample WL in response to Robert Johnson's essay.
rl.doc
- THE GROUP DISCUSSION
is yet another option. I make use of this quite a bit in my
courses. Often I will divide relevant reading questions among
several groups (of 3-5 members), making each group responsible
for one question (see DQ_Sire.doc for
a sample). It is important that you assign "roles" in each
group before beginning (time keeper, recorder, reporter, etc) so
that everyone knows what they are expected to do and makes good
use of the time. Circulate among the groups as they discuss the
questions and prepare their responses, making sure they are on
track and don't have any questions. Sometimes we assign a task
master, so as I circulate I ask the person in that role whether
or not the group is on track. We also ask this of the
timekeeper. Most often the handout guiding the group discussion
should offer the steps for completing the task and describe the
roles of each group member. I didn't do so on the handout
offered above because this group discussion occurred later in
the semester, after they were all pretty used to the process.
Peer Review
Peer Review is important and can be very useful, but
it is also difficult to make work. One way is to offer detailed
instructions for making it work. Here's a sample:
http://faculty.tamuc.edu/scarter/archive/GW2.doc
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