Classroom Activities

Although students typically do most of their formal writing outside the classroom, in a W-course writing must become a subject of discussion in the classroom as well. Once an instructor has designed a series of assignments for a writing-intensive course, the next step is to plan classroom activities to help students complete the assignments successfully.

Instructors may fruitfully use class time to:

• Introduce disciplinary writing conventions that apply to the assignment.
• Examine texts from the discipline that exemplify what’s required in the assignment.
• Initiate brainstorming sessions or informal writing to generate ideas for the assignment.
• Help students practice the kinds of thinking and writing required in the assignment.
• Guide peer response groups in discussing student drafts.
• Lead workshops that focus on particular features of a draft and provide suggestions for revision.

Faculty proposing a W-course must submit a document in which they discuss the classroom activities they will employ to support students with their writing.  This document should indicate:

• When class periods will be set aside for writing activities.
• What activities the instructor will lead.
• How these activities will support students in successfully completing their writing assignments.