In order to be successful in terms of reading, writing, socializing in communities where people want to attend, students both L1 and L2 need to know how-to employ the right language and discourse. One word that comes to mind when I start reading this week’s articles on genre is discourse community. Discourse community is a large concept with multiple applications in different contexts. The main idea is that students or anyone who want to be a part of that community need to practice and have to be accepted by members.
Discourse community does not entail only legitimate discourse in reading and writing. This also includes pragmatic competence in communication as well. Students need to know how to act and respond to different texts both visual and written in the acceptable manner. This pragmatic competence is also transferred from one context to another.
When we discuss about “genre”, I believe there are many meaning depending on repertoire of each individual. For me, when I heard the word “genre”, I always think about business writing, resume, cover letters, and writing from other disciplines (law, banking, religions, etc). After reading these readings, my definition has extended to academic-related activities (reading/writing/socializing) as well. It is true that students need to learn and ‘internalize’ ways to write, read, and intertextualize what they know into acceptable formats and forms. In this case, writing for publication is also considered as another genre for (future) professors to get used to and to know how to construct the arguments effectively.
One problem that I think I can relate to is the ‘form’, which students cannot avoid. This might be the issue that some readings discuss in terms of social or critical genre studies. Though some genre writings such as in business or in law have limited forms because these are high-stake writings, it can affect other people and businesses in negative or positive ways. However, if this form is carried to academic writing, I think what we are dealing with is only to disservice students, especially those who use English as their L2 because this means that students have no room for creativity and their backgrounds in the paper.
The process of gaining the legitimacy of the genre is complicated. It is even more so when it comes to transferring these skills from one context to another. I think it is somewhat like the ‘contact zone’ that people need to struggle to gain their legitimate discourse and voice they want to convey.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Representing or being represented
Harklau’s (2000) study discusses the issue of representations and identities of three immigrant students in the K-12 moving into the community college level. These students are great students during their senior years in high school. They are also enthusiastic during the first weeks in community college classes, but later of the semester they create some resistance and withdrawal toward teachers and classes they are taking.
These students are misplaced and misrepresented from their real proficiencies. Teachers should be flexible in their assignments, listen, and learn from students whose proficiencies are higher than their peers. Solely relying on ‘test scores’ is not legitimate classify students’ language proficiencies. If students show that their knowledge is higher than other peers, we should assign them with challenging assignments because students should be able to represent themselves, not students being represented by ‘test scores’.
Students will always have excellent ideas when we literacy educators listen to what they are saying. By assigning students to write about their countries while studying abroad, I think it is somewhat less productive because their representation is only partial and limited. Instead I think we can ask students to write something about the place where they are, how these places/environments impact their perceptions, their identities. This will help both students and teachers to meaningfully engage in conversations by teachers as “old timers” (Lave and Wenger, 1991, p. 29) and students “newcomers” (Lave and Wenger, 1991, p. 29) or vice versa.
By asking students write their assignments according to their places or something they personally relate to, the resistance issue might be reduced. There will always be some students who do not want to write or work on assignments given by students. In that case, I think we can talk to that students and let them choose what to write themselves with the condition that it has to be related to their identities. Though this is easier said than done, I think students and teachers need to negotiate so that students will not feel as being imposed by teachers in the course.
Teachers should also be aware of differences among students who come from different background. Do not generalize that international or ESL students need to be treated by using ‘baby talk’ mode (as in one example from the article). Teachers should not treat these groups of students as deficient, this will only marginalize and silent students from participating in class. Creativity in language use or deviate from ‘Standard English/discourse’ should be considered as a legitimate move as long as it does not cause miscommunication.
Harklau, L. (2000). From the "good kids" to the "worst": Representations of English language learners across educational settings. TESOL Quarterly, 34(1), 35-67.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. NY: Cambridge University Press.
These students are misplaced and misrepresented from their real proficiencies. Teachers should be flexible in their assignments, listen, and learn from students whose proficiencies are higher than their peers. Solely relying on ‘test scores’ is not legitimate classify students’ language proficiencies. If students show that their knowledge is higher than other peers, we should assign them with challenging assignments because students should be able to represent themselves, not students being represented by ‘test scores’.
Students will always have excellent ideas when we literacy educators listen to what they are saying. By assigning students to write about their countries while studying abroad, I think it is somewhat less productive because their representation is only partial and limited. Instead I think we can ask students to write something about the place where they are, how these places/environments impact their perceptions, their identities. This will help both students and teachers to meaningfully engage in conversations by teachers as “old timers” (Lave and Wenger, 1991, p. 29) and students “newcomers” (Lave and Wenger, 1991, p. 29) or vice versa.
By asking students write their assignments according to their places or something they personally relate to, the resistance issue might be reduced. There will always be some students who do not want to write or work on assignments given by students. In that case, I think we can talk to that students and let them choose what to write themselves with the condition that it has to be related to their identities. Though this is easier said than done, I think students and teachers need to negotiate so that students will not feel as being imposed by teachers in the course.
Teachers should also be aware of differences among students who come from different background. Do not generalize that international or ESL students need to be treated by using ‘baby talk’ mode (as in one example from the article). Teachers should not treat these groups of students as deficient, this will only marginalize and silent students from participating in class. Creativity in language use or deviate from ‘Standard English/discourse’ should be considered as a legitimate move as long as it does not cause miscommunication.
Harklau, L. (2000). From the "good kids" to the "worst": Representations of English language learners across educational settings. TESOL Quarterly, 34(1), 35-67.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. NY: Cambridge University Press.
Monday, October 12, 2009
L2 Writing in FYC, ESL, and the Writing Center
The readings for this week come from Matsuda et al's The politics of second langauge writing chapter 3, 4, and 6.
Since the scholarship of second language writing (SLW) has branched itself from composition, it does not prepare both institutions and writing teachers to deal with this student population in the academe. Matsuda (1999) has identified the so-called the "division of labor" for teachers who are under prepared for ESL students in the institutions. This under preparation has forced teachers to grade their ESL students to their native counterparts. Though the field of SLW is expanding, I believe that this issue will not be easily solved.
Are they actually prepared for writing classes? How do institutions help ESL students to be ready for composition classes? How do writing classes help preapring students to write in their disciplines? How do ESL students and native teachers learn from each other? These are some questions I will ponder on.
Though many institutions provide facilities to help students to ease the process of academic enculturation, ESL students might need more time to adjust themselves into new environments, new friends, new places, etc. The writing center (WC) is one of many facilities that can help students go through their writing assignments. Since ESL students need to write for classes, they might need to write in multiple genres. WC is a great place for ESL students to come and get some feedback on their writings. As I work at the WC, I see many ESL students flocking around. I have been helping these students by giving feedback on thier writings. Though they want me to help them with thier grammar issues, I sometimes focus more on the issue of intelligibility because I believe that a good piece of writing needs to be well articulated. It should contain ideas the author wants to say because grammar issues should be dealt with the last unless it hinders the messages ESL students want to get them across. I also help other native tutors to be more patient and pedagogical sounded in their tutoring sessions with ESL students by giving them some tips in the staff meetings. Another point to be made is for writing center tutors is that tutors should be aware of the issue of standard English is not the only model for students especially ESL students to learn (See Grimm, 1999, for more information)
I always tell ESL students (in their ENGL101) that they should let their professors know about their presence in other classes besides English. This might help teachers to be more torelent to their writing issues and to be more supportive in their learning. ESL students need to voice themselves out in classes to add multiple perspectives in the class discussions and to be recognized from classmates so that the issue of ESL stereotypes will not be generalized.
Grimm, N. M. (1999). Good Intentions: Writing Center Work for Postmodern Times. Boynton/Cook
Matsuda, P. K. (1999). Composition studies and ESL writing: A disciplinary division of labor. College Composition and Communication, 50, 691-721
Since the scholarship of second language writing (SLW) has branched itself from composition, it does not prepare both institutions and writing teachers to deal with this student population in the academe. Matsuda (1999) has identified the so-called the "division of labor" for teachers who are under prepared for ESL students in the institutions. This under preparation has forced teachers to grade their ESL students to their native counterparts. Though the field of SLW is expanding, I believe that this issue will not be easily solved.
Are they actually prepared for writing classes? How do institutions help ESL students to be ready for composition classes? How do writing classes help preapring students to write in their disciplines? How do ESL students and native teachers learn from each other? These are some questions I will ponder on.
Though many institutions provide facilities to help students to ease the process of academic enculturation, ESL students might need more time to adjust themselves into new environments, new friends, new places, etc. The writing center (WC) is one of many facilities that can help students go through their writing assignments. Since ESL students need to write for classes, they might need to write in multiple genres. WC is a great place for ESL students to come and get some feedback on their writings. As I work at the WC, I see many ESL students flocking around. I have been helping these students by giving feedback on thier writings. Though they want me to help them with thier grammar issues, I sometimes focus more on the issue of intelligibility because I believe that a good piece of writing needs to be well articulated. It should contain ideas the author wants to say because grammar issues should be dealt with the last unless it hinders the messages ESL students want to get them across. I also help other native tutors to be more patient and pedagogical sounded in their tutoring sessions with ESL students by giving them some tips in the staff meetings. Another point to be made is for writing center tutors is that tutors should be aware of the issue of standard English is not the only model for students especially ESL students to learn (See Grimm, 1999, for more information)
I always tell ESL students (in their ENGL101) that they should let their professors know about their presence in other classes besides English. This might help teachers to be more torelent to their writing issues and to be more supportive in their learning. ESL students need to voice themselves out in classes to add multiple perspectives in the class discussions and to be recognized from classmates so that the issue of ESL stereotypes will not be generalized.
Grimm, N. M. (1999). Good Intentions: Writing Center Work for Postmodern Times. Boynton/Cook
Matsuda, P. K. (1999). Composition studies and ESL writing: A disciplinary division of labor. College Composition and Communication, 50, 691-721
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Academic Literacies
For this week, we are dealing with the issue of academic literacies in higher education setting. I think this is an interesting issue in especially graduate studies. Because when I decided to go for both my MA and PhD level, I would like to contribute, share, and learn about new research studies. It is really interesting to read some geographical related study relating to second language writing because I have never even think about this issue before in my academic career. It is also interesting to see how different research articles frame their definition of academic literacies in different aspects.
As noticed the way I spell the word "literacies", I am intended to spell it this way because we need to go beyond the definition of literacy as reading and writing. We, applied linguists, compositionists, teacher educators, literacies educators need to consider other factors relating to our students' learning processes including social, political, historical, and cultural aspects of students. These factors are playing themselves out in interrelated and multifaceted ways in students' lives. The issue of academic literacies should go beyond the classroom settings into the larger contexts. We need to prepare students to be ready and equipped with "survival tool kits" for them for the big (bad) world.
Also academic literacies in this sense can be defined as the act of learning and professing knowledge in the meaningful ways in order to contribute and further the scholarship where one finds oneself fit into. The activities include attending conferences and presenting research in (in-house, local, regional, national and international) conferences, social networking with scholars, publishing and contributing research to scholarships, learning about different scholarships to professing oneself in the interdisciplinary discourses.
One comment I find interesting is From Braine's article on graduate student publications. I agree with the author that we graduate students need to start voicing ourselves by start publishing our papers, attending and presenting at conferences, joining and engaging conversation in some discussion boards, etc. Though I certainly know some factors involving this process, I think it is a good experience to learn and try now because we are in the "low stake" positions in trial and errors. Life is a journey and full of surprises, especially in the academe.
As noticed the way I spell the word "literacies", I am intended to spell it this way because we need to go beyond the definition of literacy as reading and writing. We, applied linguists, compositionists, teacher educators, literacies educators need to consider other factors relating to our students' learning processes including social, political, historical, and cultural aspects of students. These factors are playing themselves out in interrelated and multifaceted ways in students' lives. The issue of academic literacies should go beyond the classroom settings into the larger contexts. We need to prepare students to be ready and equipped with "survival tool kits" for them for the big (bad) world.
Also academic literacies in this sense can be defined as the act of learning and professing knowledge in the meaningful ways in order to contribute and further the scholarship where one finds oneself fit into. The activities include attending conferences and presenting research in (in-house, local, regional, national and international) conferences, social networking with scholars, publishing and contributing research to scholarships, learning about different scholarships to professing oneself in the interdisciplinary discourses.
One comment I find interesting is From Braine's article on graduate student publications. I agree with the author that we graduate students need to start voicing ourselves by start publishing our papers, attending and presenting at conferences, joining and engaging conversation in some discussion boards, etc. Though I certainly know some factors involving this process, I think it is a good experience to learn and try now because we are in the "low stake" positions in trial and errors. Life is a journey and full of surprises, especially in the academe.
Friday, October 2, 2009
CFP: Academic Literacies Symposium
The Interdisciplinary Approaches to Academic Literacies Symposium aims to expand current understandings of academic literacies of diverse student populations. The conference will be February 27 and 28, 2010, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. You are invited to submit proposals by October 15, 2009. Multiple submissions are allowed. Proposals can include, but are not limited to the following research areas:
• Academic Literacy
• Literacy Socialization
• Second Language Writing and Reading
• Academic, and Scientific Discourses
• Discourse Analysis and/or Intercultural Rhetoric
• Technology and Academic Literacy
• Multimodal literacy practices
• Plagiarism and/or Intellectual Property
• Assessment
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
SURESH CANAGARAJAH: Suresh Canagarajah is a Krigby Professor of English and the director of the Migration Studies Project at Penn State University. His book Resisting Linguistic Imperialism in English Teaching won the Modern Language Association’s Mina Shaughnessy Award for the best research publication on the teaching of language and literacy. His subsequent publication Geopolitics of Academic Writing won the Gary Olson Award for the best book in social and rhetorical theory.
ALAN HIRVELA: Alan Hirvela is an Associate Professor in the Foreign and Second Language Education department at the Ohio State University. Alan has recently co-edited Oral-Literate Connection: Perspectives on L2 Speaking, Writing, and Other Media Interactions with Diane Belcher and is now serving as a co-editor of TESOL Quarterly.
PROPOSAL FORMAT:
Proposals should be no more than three single spaced pages and should include the following: The research question(s), theoretical framework, methodology, findings and/or issues for further discussion, and the projected contributions to scholarship on Academic Literacies. Please fill out the Proposal Format form, located at http://www.english.iup.edu/academicliteracies/
TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS:
• Papers
• Posters
• Roundtable Conversation
• Graduate Research DEADLINES:
All proposals must be submitted by October 15, 2009.
Notifications will be sent by November 15, 2009.
Completed manuscripts are due February 15, 2010.
Please send your proposals to Dr. Lisya Seloni at
lisyaseloni@gmail.com
• Academic Literacy
• Literacy Socialization
• Second Language Writing and Reading
• Academic, and Scientific Discourses
• Discourse Analysis and/or Intercultural Rhetoric
• Technology and Academic Literacy
• Multimodal literacy practices
• Plagiarism and/or Intellectual Property
• Assessment
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
SURESH CANAGARAJAH: Suresh Canagarajah is a Krigby Professor of English and the director of the Migration Studies Project at Penn State University. His book Resisting Linguistic Imperialism in English Teaching won the Modern Language Association’s Mina Shaughnessy Award for the best research publication on the teaching of language and literacy. His subsequent publication Geopolitics of Academic Writing won the Gary Olson Award for the best book in social and rhetorical theory.
ALAN HIRVELA: Alan Hirvela is an Associate Professor in the Foreign and Second Language Education department at the Ohio State University. Alan has recently co-edited Oral-Literate Connection: Perspectives on L2 Speaking, Writing, and Other Media Interactions with Diane Belcher and is now serving as a co-editor of TESOL Quarterly.
PROPOSAL FORMAT:
Proposals should be no more than three single spaced pages and should include the following: The research question(s), theoretical framework, methodology, findings and/or issues for further discussion, and the projected contributions to scholarship on Academic Literacies. Please fill out the Proposal Format form, located at http://www.english.iup.edu/academicliteracies/
TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS:
• Papers
• Posters
• Roundtable Conversation
• Graduate Research DEADLINES:
All proposals must be submitted by October 15, 2009.
Notifications will be sent by November 15, 2009.
Completed manuscripts are due February 15, 2010.
Please send your proposals to Dr. Lisya Seloni at
lisyaseloni@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)