Teaching Composition As A Social Process


Book Description

Bruce McComiskey is a strong advocate of social approaches to teaching writing. However, he opposes composition teaching that relies on cultural theory for content, because it too often prejudges the ethical character of institutions and reverts unnecessarily to product-centered practices in the classroom. He opposes what he calls the "read-this-essay-and-do-what-the-author-did method of writing instruction: read Roland Barthes's essay 'Toys' and write a similar essay; read John Fiske's essay on TV and critique a show." McComiskey argues for teaching writing as situated in discourse itself, in the constant flow of texts produced within social relationships and institutions. He urges writing teachers not to neglect the linguistic and rhetorical levels of composing, but rather to strengthen them with attention to the social contexts and ideological investments that pervade both the processes and products of writing. A work with a sophisticated theory base, and full of examples from McComiskey's own classrooms, Teaching Composition as a Social Process will be valued by experienced and beginning composition teachers alike.




A Guide to Composition Pedagogies


Book Description

A Guide to Composition Pedagogies is the essential bibliographic guide written for newcomers to the field. This best-selling guide familiarizes writing instructors with the current topography of Composition Studies and directs them to the best books and articles for further exploration.




Post-Truth Rhetoric and Composition


Book Description

Post-Truth Rhetoric and Composition is a timely exploration of the increasingly widespread and disturbing effect of “post-truth” on public discourse in the United States. Bruce McComiskey analyzes the instances of bullshit, fake news, feigned ethos, hyperbole, and other forms of post-truth rhetoric employed in recent political discourse. The book frames “post-truth” within rhetorical theory, referring to the classic triad of logos, ethos, and pathos. McComiskey shows that it is the loss of grounding in logos that exposes us to the dangers of post-truth. As logos is the realm of fact, logic, truth, and valid reasoning, Western society faces increased risks—including violence, unchecked libel, and tainted elections—when the value of reason is diminished and audiences allow themselves to be swayed by pathos and ethos. Evaluations of truth are deferred or avoided, and mendacity convincingly masquerades as a valid form of argument. In a post-truth world, where neither truth nor falsehood has reliable meaning, language becomes purely strategic, without reference to anything other than itself. This scenario has serious consequences not only for our public discourse but also for the study of composition.




Teaching Composition Around the Pacific Rim


Book Description

Considers both political and pedagogical issues related to the teaching of English composition to Asian/Pacific students. The possible consequences of imposing Western rhetoric are analyzed, and use of current approaches to the teaching of composition are examined in the context of the Pacific Rim.




City Comp


Book Description

An exploration of the diverse ways that writing is taught in some unique urban settings.




College Writing and Beyond


Book Description

div Composition research consistently demonstrates that the social context of writing determines the majority of conventions any writer must observe. Still, most universities organize the required first-year composition course as if there were an intuitive set of general writing "skills" usable across academic and work-world settings. In College Writing and Beyond: A New Framework for University Writing Instruction, Anne Beaufort reports on a longitudinal study comparing one student’s experience in FYC, in history, in engineering,;




Class in the Composition Classroom


Book Description

"What college writing instructors should know about working-class students--their backgrounds, experiences, identities, learning styles, and skills--in order to support them in the classroom, across campus, and beyond. Contributors explore the nuanced and complex meaning of "working class" and the values these writers bring"--Provided by publisher.




Concepts in Composition


Book Description

Concepts in Composition: Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Writing is designed to foster reflection on how theory impacts practice, enabling prospective teachers to develop their own comprehensive and coherent conception of what writing is or should be and to consider how people learn to write. This approach allows readers to assume the dual role of both teacher and student as they enter the conversation of the discipline and become familiar with some of the critical issues. New to this second edition are: up-to-date primary source readings; a focus on collaborative writing practices and collaborative learning; additional assignments and classroom activities an emphasis on new media and information literacy and their impact on the teaching of writing These new directions will inform the content of this revision, reflecting significant advancements in the field. Each chapter addresses a particular theoretical concept relevant to classroom teaching and includes activities to help readers establish the connection between theoretical concepts and classroom lessons. Online resources include overviews, classroom handouts, exercises, a sample syllabus, and PowerPoint presentations. Bringing together scholars with expertise in particular areas of composition, this text will serve as an effective primer for students and eductors in the field of composition theory.




Teaching Composition


Book Description




Teaching Writing in the Twenty-First Century


Book Description

Teaching Writing in the Twenty-First Century is a comprehensive introduction to writing instruction in an increasingly digital world. It provides both a theoretical background and detailed practical guidance to writing instructors faced with novel and ever-changing digital learning technologies, new approaches to access needs and usability design, increasing student diversity, and the multiliteracies of reading, alphabetic writing, and multimodal composition. A companion volume, Administering Writing Programs in the Twenty-First Century, considers the role of administrators in addressing these issues. Covering all aspects of teaching online, various composition genres, and the technologies available to teachers, Teaching Writing in the Twenty-First Century addresses composing processes and approaches; designing and scaffolding assignments; providing response, feedback, and evaluation; communicating effectively; and supporting students. These strategic and practical ideas are prefaced by a history of the relation between composition and rhetoric and a guide to diversity, inclusion, and access. The volume ends with a chapter on envisioning the future of composition.