Query on Basic Writing

[jwerchan@osulima2.lima.ohio-state.edu (James E. Werchan)]

hi Jack,

Joan Mullin of the U. of Toledo WAC center forwarded your query from the WPA
listserv to the WCenter listserv for our considerations.  So I'm responding
to you directly and CC:-ing to the WC list at the same time.

Anyway, you might ask Mindy Wright, coordinator of the Writing Workshop at
the main campus of Ohio State.  OSU has a curriculum format for comp that
might serve your purposes.  Placement testing (usually via a
holistic-rated-sample) puts people in one of three composition tracks:  the
most needy are placed in a sequence of Eng 052, Eng 053, and then mainstream
Eng 110;  the nominally competent go straight to 110; but those in between
are placed in Eng 110W, consisting of 5 hours of 110 instruction plus two
hours of 193 workshop.  That 193 workshop consists of small group
collaboration guided by an experienced undergrad (trained in Eng 467, a "how
to tutor" class).   On at least one of the tiny, regional OSU campuses,
however, that middle-ground 110W track is not in place, because of logistic
complications. 

Please understand that assigning (compelling, browbeating, etc.) composition
students to spend time in the WC is anathema to many (probably the vast
majority of) WC folks, for lots of solid reasons, which WC folks will
probably graciously explain to you.  Wright's workshop is not done in the
WC, but has administrative connections to it.  I think there's an important
distinction between the 'stuff' of WC consultation and the 'stuff' of a
credit-bearing workshop course.  WC tutoring is not teaching, and a WC could
suffer from any too-close association with professorial authority.

Bottom line:  WC consultation _itself_ should always be strictly voluntary,
separate from any hint of teachers' clout.  But still your ideas of some
kind of value-added supplementary instruction sound pedagogically solid.

good luck,
James Werchan
OSU Lima



>From: Joan Mullin <jmullin@UOFT02.UTOLEDO.EDU>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu>
>Subject: Query on Basic Writing
>
>I think some writing center folks could respond to the WPA list with much
>needed input! Send responses to WPA-L@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU.
>I'll be watching!
>
>

>>Subject: Query on Basic Writing
>>To: Multiple recipients of list WPA-L <WPA-L@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU>
>>Reply-to: Writing Program Administration <WPA-L@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU>
>>
>>We are having some conversations here at Penn State about the wisdom of
>>"mainstreaming" our basic writers into our regular first-year writing
>>course; the idea arises because of our misgivings about our placement
>>mechanism and the fact that our basic writers at University Park aren't all
>>THAT basic.  We are wondering if we might have just as satisfactory results
>>by placing students into the first-year course and supporting them with a
>>one-credit writing tutorial (i.e., a one-a-week extra meeting with a
>>trained tutor) staffed through our Writing Center, which is staffed by
>>skilled advanced grad students in English.  We aren't committed to any kind
>>of action and we aren't under any kind of pressure; we just want to Do The
>>Right Thing.
>>
>>Anyway, here's my question:  I know that analogous sorts of things have
>>been considered and/or tried at other places.  Can people help me by
>>calling our attention to some published (or unpublished) reports and
>>articles bearing on this issue?  Peter Elbow, don't I recall your talking
>>about this somewhere?  And didn't the folks at South Carolina try something
>>on these lines?  Who else?  I am aware that I am betraying my sloth, that I
>>should be doing a good search of the lit myself--so if no one responds (on-
>>or off-line responses welcome, of course!), I will certainly understand.
>>But my mother always told me to be sure to depend on the kindness of
>>strangers....
>>
>>Thanks for any help anyone can muster.
>>
>>Jack Selzer
>>
>>jls25@psu.edu
>>Jack Selzer, Associate Professor of English
>>Department of English
>>Penn State University
>>University Park, PA  16802
>>Phone:  814-865-0251
>>
>
>joan
>
>Dr. Joan Mullin
>Writing Center
>University of Toledo
>Toledo, Ohio 43606-3390
>419-530-4913
>419-530-4752 (fax)
>jmullin@uoft02.utoledo.edu
>
>
>
>
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
                    Dr. James Werchan
(or maybe it's just someone who kinda looks a lot like him)
              Ohio State University at Lima
                    4240 Campus Drive
                     Reed Hall #135
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                      419-995-8882
				
                    werchan.1@osu.edu					jwerchan@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
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