Re: Query on Basic Writing

[jls25@psu.edu (Jack Selzer)]

Thanks.  That helps.

JS

At  2:28 PM 2/2/97 -0500, James E. Werchan wrote:
>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
>                     Lima, OH 45804
>                      419-995-8882
>
>                    werchan.1@osu.edu
>jwerchan@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
>(for main campus biz)
>jwerchan@osulima1.lima.ohio-state.edu  (for local biz only)
>
>  Come and visit: "http://www.lima.ohio-state.edu/~WACC"
>"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

jls25@psu.edu
Jack Selzer, Associate Professor of English
Department of English
Penn State University
University Park, PA  16802
Phone:  814-865-0251