I fully agree with Margo about the lack of consensus. As regards responses, there appear to be 2 alternative schools of thoughts.
One advocates the setting up of central Writing Centres, an attractive idea. The other, as here, connects with the interesting
work of Lillis, Lucy Rai etc emerging from a history of TESOL and adult literacy teaching, which recommends a 'social practice'
approach, embedding writing development in dialogue between the tutor and the student and relating it to the specific demands of
the discipline. There are issues in both cases of resources and expertise.
Another point about writing demands: for many degree courses, there are professional as well as academic demands on student
writing. We have been working with staff and students on our Social Work degree in response to issues raised by students
themselves approaching the Education Guidance Service for help with writing placement reports. Last year, we piloted a short
course for a group of students experiencing these difficulties, focussing specifically on language structure, vocabulary and
style. This was in effect tailored to the group of students and held on SW premises at a time to fit in with the course
time-table. A member of the EG Service staff led the group, using the students' work and social work texts as materials. Feedback
was very positive and we are repeating it this year, funded by the Faculty itself following acceptance of the evaluation report.
An integrated approach is popular with students, and has a higher level of success in attracting students who for reasons of time,
convenience or confidence, do not approach central services. But there are two key challenges:
1. How to sustain this level of funding for a relatively small group of students (although it could be argued that failure would
be more expensive!)
2. If we are to integrate writing skills development fully within courses, how to finding subject staff with a knowledge of
language and confidence in teaching it. My experience (just noticed today that this is borne out in 'Eats Shoots and Leaves') is
that staff who have not done English beyond GCSE/O level, and are below the age of 50, have not themselves ever learned about
English structure and language patterns, so feel very unconfident in teaching it. I would be very interested to hear from
colleagues who can hopefully refute this perception!
The alternative, of course, is to employ we specialists. But there are not enough of us....
Regards
Cal W
Cal Weatherald
Education Adviser
Sheffield Hallam University Education Guidance Service
Student Services Centre
Level 5 Owen Building
Sheffield Hallam University
Howard Street
SHEFFIELD
S1 1WB
Tel 0114 225 3743
Fax 0114 225 2161
E mail [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margo Blythman
Sent: 17 February 2005 12:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mapping the LD 'picture' update
Jenny and others
This is a very useful for list but what I would like to add is the idea of context. My experience delivering Study Support is
that there is rarely a consensus across subjects about writing (a bit of a minefield for students who work across subjects).
For me the starting point is to get staff to clarify what they want - it is often tacit. I attach a handout I produced ( heavily
based on US WID ideas - Joan Mullin etc and influenced by Academic Literacies - Lea, Ivanic, Scott, Lillis etc ) addressed to
staff to help them clarify their writing demands.
Margo
Jennifer Moon wrote:
> Dear John and LDHEN,
> I have been mapping the skills of writing for an undergraduate
> student. I would be interested in any additions to this list. Look
> at the amount that students need to know! Why is it that we do not go
> the way of Writing Centres in the UK - and properly teaching writing?
> It would help on the widening participation side, I think,
> without being 'remedial'.
>
> cheers Jenny
>
> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:56:04 -0000
> John Hilsdon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Dear All
> >
> > Further to my previous message about updating our database and
> > mapping a picture of what we do/offer in Learning Development type
> > services, Ann Barlow at the Centre for Continuing Education,
> > University of Manchester has very kindly offered to take this task
> > on. If anyone else wants to bid for the role too, please let me
> > know. If no one else offers within a week, I reckon we should
> > assume Ann is doing it!
> >
> > In the meantime, do have a look at the Excel file (location in my
> > previous message) and see if you would be interested in updating or
> > submitting information to go on there. I'm also interested in how
> > we might present this information in others ways .. to a wider
> > forum? ... to reach other parts of the HE community? ... what do
> > others think?
> >
> > John
> >
> > John Hilsdon
> > Co-ordinator, Learning Development
> > University of Plymouth
> > Drake Circus
> > Plymouth
> > PL4 8AA
> >
> > 01752 232276
> >
> > [log in to unmask]
> > http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/view.asp?page=8099
> >
> >
> >
>
> ----------------------
> Dr Jennifer Moon, Learning and Teaching Support Centre,, Queen's Bdg,
> University of Exeter Ex4 4QH 01392-264505
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Name: ESCWriting issues.doc
> ESCWriting issues.doc Type: WINWORD File (Application/msword)
> Encoding: base64
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