It takes a high level of thought to abstract knowledge from one learning context and apply it to a new situation, but that is just what we are asking students to do after WRIT 101. Students must be able to consider how their experiences with the PAA, op-ed, reflection essay, personal narrative and portfolio might apply to their course on the geological makeup of the American west. Bawarshi and Reiff propose genre studies as a method that helps students transfer writing knowledge and skills across disciplines and writing situations. Just as the name suggests, genre studies is a close look into written and social genres and their rhetorical situations. In this definition of genre Bawarshi and Reiff include academic written material, public written material and social interactions (such as courses and conferences) (Bawarshi and Reiff 198).
Before reading this article, I had not thought that genre deserved such a central location in my WRIT curriculum. I covered the topic in passing: I would discuss genre only as an introduction to a new unit. For example, when we began the op-ed, I identified the major characteristics of the genre and provided a couple of examples. My students listened passively and some took notes. I did not realize that in simplifying this process that I was actually denying my students a chance to examine rhetorical situations.
This is the key idea that stuck with me from the article: students must know how to recognize the rhetorical situation and respond appropriately. Bawarshi and Reiff do acknowledge the importance of recognizing the subject, audience, purpose, organization and style that each genre demands (Bawarshi and Reiff 196). But students must also know how to apply this knowledge to the rhetorical situation. This article gives guidelines, heretics, considerations and challenges to identifying rhetorical writing situations. Bawarshi and Reiff identify a major benefit of genre studies in that it “create[s] a temporary analytical space between the genre and its situation, a space in which students can inquire into and connect rhetorical and social actions” (Bawarshi and Reiff 195). Students are also encouraged to look critically at the genre, asking questions such as: who is privileged in this genre? Upon what systems of power is this genre built? These are essential questions for all critical thinkers.
At this point in the post you might be wondering, well what about invention? What about grammar and organization and all of those things I have been writing in the margins of my students’ papers? While Bawarshi and Reiff identify these elements as “lower road transfer[s]” they are still very important parts of being a good writer (Bawarshi and Reiff 190). Micciche takes up this point in her article “Making a Case for Rhetorical Grammar.” It is important for students to understand the rhetorical effect of different grammar systems. They must also be able to express themselves clearly, that is, in a grammatically correct manner. These are skills that our students will be able to use throughout their lives. Grammar, along with style, is just as important as the “high road” processes of transferring abstract information. And perhaps the understanding of rhetorical grammar that Micciche outlines could be counted as a “high road” process because it does depend on a complex knowledge of rhetorical situations.
Noel, the Bawarshi and Reiff article led me to a similar central question. How can I get my students to better understand the rhetorical situation and to make those "High-Road" transfers for themselves. We should be trying to foster these connections but not make them for them. I think teaching multi genre writing is a great way foster connections that our students can take and apply to all of the different genres they write in.
ReplyDeleteI think a big difference in the genres we are used to reading and writing in as English majors is that in some ways a lot of the literature and stories we encounter rely on genre and the breaking "rules" of the genre to create tensions. We see this a lot in films and novels. It's a device writers use and it requires a mastery of a genre before it can be worked against in order to create those tensions.
Maybe on some level, that's what we are dealing with in teaching this class. Most of these students are not familiar with the genres they are being asked to write in, so there's a lack of background knowledge and the tentativeness that come with the "new", but students may also have a "learned" acceptance or resistance to genres in general that follow them to their writing class. Most of the struggles I have seen from my students have been from the interplay of these things: What they know/what they don't know and acceptance/resistance to the writing genre.
I think framing genre writing in the way the Bawarshi and Reiff article describes and getting students to rhetorically reflect on what genres they are familiar with with help them make the connections we can't make for them,
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ReplyDeleteI, like Laurel, "had not thought that genre deserved such a central location in my WRIT curriculum. I covered the topic in passing: I would only discuss genre as an introduction to a new unit." However, after reading the Bawarshi and Reiff essay, as well as after having done a little research for my I-search proposal, I realized that the "high road" transferability mentioned in the reading is very important for students in terms of taking what they learn in my course and applying it elsewhere. Because one my goals in instructing WRIT 101 is writing as citizenship, I began to wonder how effective I have really been in terms of achieving such goals.
ReplyDeleteIn an essay entitled "Writing Beyond the Curriculum: Transition, Transfer, and Transformation," an example is given with regard to a recent graduate. This particular graduate is a daily runner and "has become alarmed at the paucity of traffic signals along his running route. 'Somebody needs to do something before some kid gets killed', he thinks" (Lettner). In response to such concerns the avid runner writes a letter to the editor and in the end, nothing happens. Had this individual thought through other possibilities of how to approach the town council, action may have resulted. Also, had this person been more effective in his approach, he may have been encouraged to continue interacting with his community and the problems existing within it. The point here is that, for me, like the Bawarshi essay mentions, teaching "public genres provides students with 'the opportunity to inform and influence readers on issues they truly care about,' thus potentially creating more authentic contexts for writing and authentic engagement of writers" (Bawarshi, 206). I know that I have used the op-ed to emphasize writing as citizenship, but I'm not sure how effective I've been or if my efforts have been sufficient. I guess I am left wondering how others will now approach genre as I am not sure that it is one of my strengths.
Lettner-Rust, Heather G., Tracy, Pamela J., Booker, Susan L., Kocevar-
Weidinger, Elizabeth, and Burges, Jena B. “Writing Beyond the
Curriculum: Transition,Transfer, and Transformation.” Across the
Disciplines 4 (2007): n. pag. Web.
21 Oct. 2010.
Laurel,
ReplyDeleteYou ARE lucky if your students already place a premium on developing their writing skills. It agree that fostering transferable skills is of immediate and essential importance to our curriculum and, like Joel, I think that writing within multiple genres requires students to develop an awareness of rhetorical situation.
Barwashi and Reiff draw a quote from Aviva Freedman and Peter Medway in Learning and Teaching Genre: “To analyze school writing in light of the recent reconception of genre is a demystifying move, in that it affords explanations of conventional forms that previously appeared arcane and arbitrary” (12). If we teachers just deal with genre sporadically, or emphasize genre specifications in an isolated way, our students might be encouraged to see genre and rhetorical imperatives as "arcane and arbitrary." Continual emphasis on genre throughout the semester, however, would reinforce the "high-road transferability" of the methods we teach by giving students a critical awareness of rhetorical situation.
Which reminds me of an older post by Brittany- Don’t Give Your Students the Fish. In case of genre and rhetorical situation, just as with revision, we must emphasize critical awareness rather than simply tell them their rhetorical choices are right or wrong.
I agree with Adrianna that “we must emphasize critical awareness rather than simply tell them their rhetorical choices are right or wrong.” This is why conceptual criticism is crucial in the beginning, and in all, stages of revision and invention. An idea that I have been trying to use to frame how my students see their op-ed’s is what genre of an op-ed is how there are main components that make it recognizable as an op-ed. Recently I had a student ask me what the difference between the PAA essay and the op-ed are so she could make sure she was following the right guidelines. I loved this question and wished that I had incorporated into my lesson plan, rather than having it brought up without me planning on addressing it. This started a conversation of what the PAA and op-ed genres are and where the similarities and differences lie. I agree with the Barwashi and Reiff article that knowing what genres are and how they function helps us transfer that information when working with different types of writing and how to use it for various purposes.
ReplyDeleteThe quote used in the Barwashi and Reif article by author Richard Bullock from the Norton Field Guide to Writing, resonated with me because I agree that we need to “consider how the rhetorical features of genres (content, tone, language, medium, design) are linked to the rhetorical actions they perform— the purposes they carry out and the audiences they address” (195). This is an example of how we, as teachers, can help our students see genre and rhetorical devices as linked. The more our students understand the basis for how genre works the easier it will be for them to apply their knowledge in a practical way regardless of the genre they are using. I was impressed that one of my students was already making this connection for herself with the PAA and op-ed assignments.
Laurel,
ReplyDeleteAs I read the articles and then your response, I thought a lot about the problem you mention of abstracting knowledge from one learning context and applying it to another. You're right: it is hard. We have three separate essays this semester, but they all feel based in the personal narrative, and I struggled with the idea that maybe I'm not working on using knowledge of one genre to apply to another. I wanted to think about ways to translate what we've learned across genres. In Bawarshi and Reiff's essay, they speak about Brad Peters' experiment that altered the formatting of an assignment to allow the students to create their own genres, or "antigenres" (200). Generally, writing from a personal standpoint has been the hardest for my students. But after reading about this experiment, I recalled moments when my students would adapt to the genre of personal narrative in unique ways.
Like Joel said, we should be fostering this ability and not forcing their hand. I agree. Its one of the hardest things to do to not say, "just do it this way," but I've enjoyed the progress when one of my students adapts to the genre in a unique way. I know they could do the same with other genres.