More student writing without more grading

1
More student writing without more grading

• leaves
• more time for content.

2
Discipline-specific writing can help students
think on paper like chemists, philosophers,
historians, mathematicians, sociologists,etc.

• Slow down your own thinking to examine
  assumptions and make the patterns visible to
  yourself and your students.
• Give students frequent opportunities to practice
  writing in the discipline.
• Create short, ungraded writing tasks out of the
  patterns of thinking and writing in your
  discipline.

3
Why do ungraded writing?Patterns of Academic
Discourse

• vary among disciplines
• are not transparent or intuitively evident to
  novice writers
• need to be practiced
• can be learned by doing short, low stakes writing
  tasks

4
Ungraded writing can

• focus students attention on important course
  content
• give students space to think before class
  discussions
• provide opportunities to summarize, analyze,
  synthesize readings, discussions, lectures
• let prof. give timely, formative, in-process,
  feedback to help students with next steps in
  learning

5
Ungraded Writing Tasks

• focused free writing
• McFeelys Minute Around
• mid-class Break Writing
• end-of-class session feedback in writing

• reflective writing about readings
• one paragraph intro/thesis/abstract
• writing partners/
• peer reviewers

6
Focused free writing SHORT, SPONTANEOUSGRAMMAR
ETC. UNIMPORTANT

• Pose a question.
• What question/goals do students have for todays
  class?
• Ask what students know about todays topic.
• Use pictures, charts, data sets and ask students
  to explain or draw conclusions.
• Ask students to summarize important points from
  previous class.

7
McFeelys Minute Aroundafter focused free-write

• Students talk one-minute each on ideas in the
  free writing.
• Timekeeper w/ sweep-hand watch is student who
  just talked.
• Prof. records ideas on board or paper.
• GENERALLY, MOST IDEAS and ISSUES YOU WANT to
  EMPHASIZE will TURN UP in the MINUTE AROUND.

8
Mid-class break writingAn opportunity for
students to

• draw conclusions or put general principles in
  their own words
• note questions they want to ask in class or
  during office hours and/or tutoring sessions
• TWPS think, write, pair-up, share ideas with
  classmates

9
Class ClosersEnd-of-class feedback for prof.

• How did todays work fit in with your overall
  understanding of the subject?
• What questions do you still have about.? What do
  you want to know more about?
• Summarize/synthesize important ideas from todays
  class
• How effectively were your goals met today?
• What goal(s) do you have for next assignment(s)?

10
Outside of class reflective writing on readings,
discussions, projects

• posted to SOCS
• shared with study/writing/project group
• used as building blocks for drafting longer
  assignment
• spot-checked by Prof. for done or for formative
  feedback

11
Intro/thesis/abstract paragraph

• Outside of class, students write draft of one
  significant paragraph for upcoming paper.
• Prof. reads and suggests
• narrowing/broadening focus
• more appropriate direction, strategies,
  organization pattern
• using Write Place conferences to develop/support
  ideas and attend to correctness problems

12
Writing partners/peer reviewers

• sharing drafts for constructive feedback from
  classmate
• conference with Write Place tutor
• questions
• thesis/claim/position?
• support/development?
• appropriate citation form?
• all assignment criteria met?
• correctness (grammar, punctuation, format,
  diction, spelling, etc.)