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Write To Learn, Learn To Write: Index
Write To Learn, Learn To Write: Index
WRITE TO LEARN,
LEARN TO WRITE
WRITING INTENSIVE CURRICULUM PROGRAM NEWSLETTER
Index
Improved Student Writing in the Welcome to the seventh issue of Write to Learn,
Disciplines Through Improved Learn to Write, the Writing Intensive Curriculum
(WIC) Program newsletter. This issue is part one
Student Reading of a two-part series that focuses on reading and its
Kate Parsons relationship to writing. The two articles in this issue
bring attention to the importance of teaching print
Study Finds Students Need and digital reading at the college level.
Instruction in In “Improved Student Writing in the Disciplines
Digital Reading, Part 1 Through Improved Student Reading,” Kate Parsons
Tanya K. Rodrigue, PhD describes the connection between sophisticated
reading abilities and strong writing abilities. She
Spotlight on Faculty: argues that college students are not “expert readers,” especially when it comes to
reading in disciplinary-specific genres. As a result, their writing potentially suffers.
Christopher Schoen
She advocates for the teaching of reading at the college level and provides several
Haley Reed pedagogical suggestions to help students become stronger readers.
In “Study Finds Students Need Instruction in Digital Reading, Part 1,” I introduce
qualitative research I gathered on students’ digital reading habits and practices. I
discuss two study findings that ultimately reveal students need explicit instruction
The WIC program is looking in reading and engaging with digital texts; I provide pedagogical tools for such
instruction. In the next issue, I will write a companion article that presents more
for newsletter contributors. findings, specifically about the relationship between digital reading practices and
school-based researched writing.
If you are interested in
writing an article-length The Spotlight on Faculty section features Christopher Schoen, PhD, associate
professor in sport movement science (SMS). He discusses the role of writing in SMS
piece, a tip on the teaching and in the public as well as his involvement with the new general education writing
of writing, a book review, courses.
or a reflection piece, please I hope you enjoy reading this issue and have a relaxing summer!
Dr. Laura J. Davies, Director of Writing Programs at SUNY 1. Writing to Read: First and foremost, faculty can use low-
Cortland, likens a lack of sophisticated reading processes to stakes writing to help students become active readers. The
the taproot of a dandelion that represents student writing. findings of a 2010 study by the Carnegie Corporation, 8 “Writing
1
Alice Horning, Reading, Writing, and Digitizing: Understanding Literacy in a Digital Age (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars, 2012).
2
National Council on the Teaching of English, Commission on Reading, “A Call to Action: What We Know about Adolescent Literacy and Ways to Support Teachers in Meeting
Students’ Needs,” 2004, www.ncte.org/positions/statements/adolescentliteracy.
3
RAND Reading Study Group, “Reading for Understanding: Toward an R&D Program in Reading Comprehension,” 2002, www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_re-
ports/2005/MR1465.pdf.
4
Laura J. Davies, “Getting to the Root of the Problem: Teaching Reading as a Process in the Sciences,” in What Is College Reading?, eds. Alice S. Horning, Deborah-Lee Gollnitz,
and Cynthia R. Haller (Fort Collins: The WAC Clearinghouse, 2017).
5
Davies, 162.
6
Defined as “copying from a source text, and then deleting some words, altering grammatical structures, or plugging in one-for-one synonym substitutes” Rebecca Moore Howard, “A
Plagiarism Pentimento,” Journal of Teaching Writing, 11.2 (1992): 233.
7
Rebecca Moore Howard and Sandra Jamieson, “Researched Writing,” in A Guide to Composition Pedagogies, eds. by Gary Tate, Amy Rupiper Taggart, Kurt Schick, and H.B. Hessler (New
York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 234.
8
Steve Graham and Michael Hebert, Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading. A Carnegie Corporation Time to Act Report (Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent
Education, 2010).
In a recent critique of this study, Chris Anson9 argues that 4. Teach genre patterns explicitly: The “Write to Read” study
while these suggested writing activities are helpful, they leave mentioned above also revealed that reading comprehension
out important aspects of student engagement. He asserts improves when students are taught the writing skills and
that simply asking students to summarize or make notes on a processes used to compose a text. Each discipline has its own
reading is not a sufficiently complex cognitive task and that way of writing and hence its own way of reading. Instructors
such activities fail to make use of student motivation or faculty should call attention to patterns of disciplinary discourse as
creativity. Anson offers several examples of low-stakes “writing well as different disciplinary genres to help students become
to read” assignments that require students to read, summarize, stronger readers and writers. For instance, science instructors
and be creative. For example, he contrasts two writing may explicitly discuss the components of scientific research
assignments: simply describing changes in land use over time writing including the IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results
and the more interesting task of writing from the perspective of and Discussion) structure, the rhetorical moves made to identify
a grazing sheep contrasting its own experience on the land with gaps in literature, and the way evidence is used.
that of its ancestors. Bibliography
2. Clarify the purpose of readings: Strong readers understand
Anson, Chris M. “Writing to Read, Revisited.” In What Is College
the purpose of reading, thus instructors can assist students Reading?, edited by Alice S. Horning, Deborah-Lee Gollnitz, and
in approaching texts with purpose. One way faculty can do so Cynthia R. Haller. Fort Collins: The WAC Clearinghouse, 2017.
is to point out important aspects of a reading before students
read the text. Instructors might ask themselves: Is a particular Davies, Laura J. “Getting to the Root of the Problem: Teaching
reading for background, a central text, or something in between? Reading as a Process in the Sciences.” In What Is College Reading?,
In other words, how will the reading be used in the context of my edited by Alice S. Horning, Deborah-Lee Gollnitz, and Cynthia R.
particular class? How does it fit into the progression of the class Haller. Fort Collins: The WAC Clearinghouse, 2017.
and other readings Is there something I want students to pay
close attention to (e.g., a novel method, theoretical paradigm, or Graham, Steve and Michael Hebert. Writing to read: Evidence for
sequence of events)? how writing can improve reading. A Carnegie Corporation Time to
Act Report. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education, 2010.
3. Model previewing techniques: Expert readers do not simply
start with the first sentence of a reading and continue to the Horning, Alice S. Reading, Writing, and Digitizing: Understanding
end. They may engage in several of the following previewing Literacy in a Digital Age. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Cambridge
practices. Instructors can introduce the following processes to Scholars, 2012.
help students preview a text:
Howard, Rebecca Moore, “A Plagiarism Pentimento.” Journal of
• Skim the whole text to gain an awareness of its content Teaching Writing 11.2 (1992).
and structure
Howard, Rebecca Moore and Sandra Jamieson. “Researched
• Note its length and set a reasonable goal for how much can Writing.” In A Guide to Composition Pedagogies, edited by Gary
be read in one sitting Tate, Amy Rupiper Taggart, Kurt Schick, and H.B. Hessler. New York:
Oxford University Press, 2014.
• Get a global sense of the text by reading the title, section
headings and subheadings, bolded words, bulleted lists, National Council on the Teaching of English, Commission on
graphics or other visuals, and set off definitions Reading. “A Call to Action: What We Know about Adolescent
Literacy and Ways to Support Teachers in Meeting Students’
• Read the introductory and concluding paragraphs Needs.” 2004. www.ncte.org/positions/statements/
adolescentliteracy.
• Use discussion questions at the end of the text to
focus attention RAND Reading Study Group. “Reading for Understanding: Toward
an R&D Program in Reading Comprehension.” 2002. www.rand.org/
• Activate previous knowledge about the topic of the text content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR1465.pdf.
9
Chris M. Anson, “Writing to Read, Revisited,” in What Is College Reading?, eds. Alice S. Horning, Deborah-Lee Gollnitz, and Cynthia R. Haller (Fort Collins: The WAC Clearinghouse, 2017).
1
This term was coined by Marc Prensky. See “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” On the Horizon, 9, no. 6 (2001a). http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital
%20 Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
2
Apostolos Koutropoulos, “Digital Natives: Ten Years After,” Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 7, no. 4 (December 2011). http://jolt.merlot.org/vol7no4/koutropoulos_1211.htm
3
Nicholas Carr, 2008. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Atlantic, July/August. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/.
4
Rebecca Moore Howard, Tricia Serviss and Tanya Rodrigue, “Writing from Sources, Writing from Sentences,” Writing & Pedagogy 2, no. 2 (2010): 177-92.
5
This protocol asks research participants to report aloud what they are thinking and doing. These protocols are recorded and later analyzed.
6
This research is also written about in a scholarly article: Tanya Rodrigue, “The Digital Reader, The Alphabetic Writer, and the Space Between: A Study in Digital Reading and
Source-Based Writing,” Computers and Composition 46 (2017): 4-20.
7
Some of my pedagogical recommendations are published in a scholarly article: Tanya Rodrigue, “Digital Reading: Genre Awareness as a Tool for Reading Comprehension,”
Pedagogy, 17, no. 2 (April 2017): 235-257.
8
Gunther Kress, “What Is a Mode?” in The Routledge Handbook of Multimodal Analysis, ed. Carey Jewitt (New York: Routledge, 2009), 54.
9
Donald J Leu, Charles Kinzer and Julie Coiro, “Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging from the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies” in
Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading, ed. Robert Ruddell and Norman Unrau
(Newark, DE: International ReadingAssociation.
10
Julie Coiro, “Making Sense of Online Text,” Reading Comprehension 63, no. 3 (2005): 30 – 35.
Further, ask students to draw on their reading habits of Coiro, Julie. “Making Sense of Online Text.” Reading
print texts to engage with digital texts that may be similar in Comprehension 63, no. 3 (2005): 30 – 35.
nature to print genres or that evolved from print genres. For
Howard, Rebecca Moore, Tricia Serviss, and Tanya K. Rodrigue.
example, online newspapers and magazines emerged from print
“Writing from Sources, Writing from Sentences.” Writing &
newspapers and magazines, emails emerged from letters and
Pedagogy 2, no. 2 (2010): 177 – 92.
personal notes, and blogs emerged from diaries and anthologies.
Writing conventions carry over from print to the web, and so do Koutropoulos, Apostolos. “Digital Natives: Ten Years After.” Journal
reading practices. Teach them to draw on antecedent reading of Online Learning and Teaching 7, no. 4 (December 2011). http://jolt.
practices and adapt the strategies to engage with the features of merlot.org/vol7no4/koutropoulos_1211.htm
a digital text and its unique rhetorical situation.
Kress, Gunther. “What Is a Mode?” In The Routledge Handbook of
#3 Teach Students How to Preview a Digital Text Before Screen Multimodal Analysis, edited by Carey Jewitt. New York: Routledge,
Engagement and Create a Reading Plan 2009.
Previewing a digital text, just like a print text, orients readers
and provides them with knowledge on how to approach Leu, Donald J., Charles Kinzer, and Julie Coiro. “Toward a Theory of
reading that text. For digital texts, ask students to draw on New Literacies Emerging from the Internet and Other Information
their knowledge of digital text features, understanding of the and Communication
differences among digital genres, and antecedent reading
Technologies.” In Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading,
practices to preview the text and create a reading plan. One
5th ed., edited by Robert Ruddell and Norman Unrau. Newark, DE:
process for previewing a text is: (1) read title of page and
International Reading Association, 2004.
website; (2) scan menu choices without clicking on anything
(3) make predictions about where each link goes; (4) explore Prensky, Marc. “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” On the
interactive features, pop-up menus, and scroll bars that may Horizon, 9, no. 6 (2001a). http :// www . marcprensky . com / writing /
reveal additional information about the site; (5) identify the site Prensky %20-%20 Digital %20 Natives ,%20 Digital %20 Immigrants
creator; (6) try out any electronic supports on the site, such %20-%20 Part 1. pdf
as an internal search engine; (7) and make a judgment about
whether to explore the site further and, if so, where to begin.10 Raphael, T.J. “Your Paper Brain and Your Kindle Brain Aren’t the
Same Thing.” PRI The Takeaway, September 18, 2014. http://www.
pri.org/stories/2014-09-18/your-paper-brain-and-your-kindle-brain-
arent-same-thing
Professor Schoen is an advocate for being active in daily life, HR: How is writing used in your field of sports psychology?
especially outdoors. If you ever see a man riding his bike around
CS: If you are going to pursue a research or education role, I
campus, rain or shine, the chances are pretty high that it’s
can’t imagine not being able to write. Since sports psychology
professor Schoen. Even though he takes a physically active
consists of a lot of research, we have to be able to write
approach to teaching, such as going outside for an activity or
effectively in order to publish studies or pursue grants. One
showing a demonstration in front of the class, such as juggling,
of the things that is important for our professional success is
he still implements writing into his curriculum. I sat down with
to be able to communicate through writing and be able to take
professor Schoen this semester to ask him about writing in his
advantages of opportunities that are there for us. I would say
field and the SMS department in general.
to any student here, if I couldn’t write, I wouldn’t have this
HR: Why do you think writing is important in any class at the job so I think it is important to be able to communicate clearly
collegiate level? and correctly, because if you couldn’t it would put you at a
considerable disadvantage in our information-based society.
CS: Some classes and subject matters are more conducive
to writing than others. Some are more about moving around, HR: Going off of that, what are some disadvantages to social
like our perceptual motor learning class, so the writing isn’t as media in our society and how does it impact writing and how we
necessary. perceive information?
HR: Then, do you think that writing isn’t as necessary in exercise CS: Social media has become very important for companies,
science classes considering they are more practical based? businesses, and individuals to promote themselves but it
comes with considerable downsides. One is that it requires a
tremendous amount of time in order to keep up with it. Another
concern is the lack of control you have over content. Nowadays
there’s less and less of a regard of what we would call factual
information and generally people don’t go searching for accurate
and valid information. We are too quick to respond to and agree
with what people are saying things we would agree with. So,
what you are going to have is a whole culture of people going
around and believing in things that make no sense whatsoever.
That becomes perpetuated, especially if you have a strong
presence on social media and you can write very well, you can
spew all sorts of nonsense and are going to have a following.
Continued on page 8