College Writing Courses Are in Trouble, But This Isn’t the Solution

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | May 1, 2019 | Nan Miller

[reaganaut1]

Freshman composition occupies a unique position in a college curriculum. It is the only class required of about 90 percent of enrollees whose diverse aptitudes and prior writing experience present a challenge for instructors every semester.

In Why They Can’t Write, instructor John Warner of the College of Charleston proposes a course he says will minimize the challenge for instructors and have students writing “clearly, persuasively, even beautifully” by semester’s end. His “dream” is to have his course “adopted in every classroom across the country,” but this classroom veteran hopes that the Warner model stays just that—a dream.

Before I say why Warner’s approach raises concerns, I’ll note that there is much to admire in his attitude toward teaching composition. A Yale professor once called the job “a torture to body and soul,” but 20 years in the classroom have not dampened Warner’s enthusiasm for teaching or his commitment to students, who may experience “overwhelming anxiety” during their college years. No other class requires as much one-on-one student/teacher interaction, and instructors who take an interest in students out of class will indeed boost their in-class performance.

Warner is also forthright about the commitment students must make if they are to improve their writing. He tells students that “writing is difficult, that it takes many drafts to realize a finished product, and that you’re never going to be as good as you wish.” He adds that writing well will “deliver lasting pleasure and knowledge” to students who do the hard work.

Prior to the mid-1980s, composition students followed a strict formula that treated writing as the “product” of an assigned topic, a due date, and a grade. Then came a new breed of scholars known as “composition theorists” who redefined writing as a “process” done in stages—planning, prewriting, drafting and revising.

[Vermont Lt]

My S-I-L went to Mass Maritime. And I did some work for them over the years.

I love the maritime colleges—even though I went to a “cavalry” university in Vermont.

I am amazed at the salaries these engineers are getting right out of school.

[TexasKamaAina]

I learned in the 2nd grade NEVER end a sentence with a preposition.

I think it was Churchill who said, "That is something up with which I will not put."

[Waverunner]

In High school we were taught this formula for writing for English composition.
paragraph one - introductory sentence, three topic sentences, transition sentence.
paragraph two - based on 1st topic of paragraph one, use same formula
paragraph three - based on second topic of paragraph one, use same formula
paragraph four, based on 3rd topic of paragraph four, use same formula.
paragraph five - summary paragraph,
state your summary
3 sentences to support your summary
final conclusion sentence.

Using this formula, I received an A on every paper written as an in class writing assignment. And most of my out of class papers as well.

Remember that English is the language we use for miscommunication with each other.

[Waverunner]

3rd topic of paragraph one... Miscommunication by elderly brain.

[aspasia]

Some good points here, although they get buried in the paragraphs. Some more:

1. Writing is not learned in one semester. Imagine how far you can take a musical instrument in one semester. Not very far. Progress is will happen only if there has been some cumulative practice over the years. Great skills develop after 10,000 hours and 10 years.

2. Learn Latin at a young age. More specifically, learn to translate into English from another language. Nothing else can teach you sentence structure so well.

3. Writing into a vacuum is nonproductive. There is something sterile about writing for an assignment or a teacher. Writing an essay to win an award suddenly gives meaning.

4. No more question marks from the teachers. Nine times out of ten teachers just put question marks in the margin. Lazy asses. Teachers must respond, preferably in person.

5. The view that writing is self-expression and therefore a protected activity is damning. If students can't take criticism they will never mature in the workplace.

In short, good education is cumulative over the years. it's wishful thinking to expect writing to suddenly blossom during a one semester freshman English writing class.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Tell em what you’re gonna tell em.
Tell em.
Tell em what you told em.

[bgill]

I had a boss who’s reports were in Ebonics.

[aspasia]

I’m telling you, you need to learn a second language from young on.

[sparklite2]

 “Correctness is simply not a value any working writer would even recognize as important”

---

That's as far into the article as I could get, which was pretty far.  Most of it is rambling crap, anyway.  The author should research "brevity." If we aren't even going to try to teach correctness, please stay the hell away from STEM.  I don't want to fly in a jet plane that's "incorrect by design."

As for the rest, Freshman English used to be the course that weeded out unfit candidates from continuing to waste academic resources.  Sadly, the incoming school product has degraded to the point where "Writing With a Purpose," the most popular text in Freshman English in my day, probably would drive the semi-literate to tears.  The ferals wouldn't make it that far. Remember this genius?

I don't do cursive

"Are you wearing a thong to court, madam?"
"A traditional one among my people, yes."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a hula hoop festooned with a hemp rope sling."
"What does 'festooned' mean?"
"I don't know."

[sparklite2]

And the marginally grammar-familiar speakers who are so terrified of using “me” when “I” is required, they use “I” for everything. Professional speakers do it all the time. As in, “She gave some birthday cake to him and I.”

[aquila48]

“It is the only class required of about 90 percent of enrollees whose diverse aptitudes and prior writing experience present a challenge for instructors every semester.”

Diverse aptitude - No aptitude. After 12 years have no clue of what a sentence is and probably never will.

Prior writing experience - ebonics.

This is an exercise on how to teach the unteachables, and it is bound to fail. Can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip.

[Puppage]

Or, the lovely off-TEN

I think they might feel they're smarter than saying off-IN

[sparklite2]

I think it was Churchill who said, “That is something up with which I will not put.”

---

That’s the usual accreditation.

Then there’s the Univ of Texas student visiting Boston College. He asked one the Boston students, “Where is the library at?”

Boston guy, naturally, says, “Never end a sentence with a preposition.”

Texas guy says, “Okay. Then where’s the library at, asshole.”

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Does Japanese count ?

[aquila48]

“I bet him a beer that there was no news item that couldn’t be reported in two sentences.”

I never understood why there are journalism schools or journalism degrees.

How many classes does it take to write a report that answers who, what, where, why and how?

Of course that’s not what journalism is anymore. Now it’s about writing leftist fictional narratives and for that one needs a 4 year degree in propaganda methods.

[Agatsu77]

Yet another reason that a college education has almost become worthless. What ever happened to teaching students the tools they will need in the future and making them think.
The last few years I was working about 1 in 8 new hires I made was really smart and could do a lot of technical processes but had absolutely no idea why. No idea why they to understand the problem before starting a process solution. Totally worthless!

[aspasia]

Certainly a difficult task! Why make it so hard? What do you think?

[sparklite2]

I think they might feel they’re smarter than saying off-IN

---

Here we delve into the ongoing descriptive vs prescriptive wars. Is correct usage of a language gauged by what the rules say or the way people actually speak? An English major at East Carolina college told me there is really no ‘correct’ usage except that is communicates your thought.

Like I say, the war is ongoing. I am of the prescriptive mindset, but tend to color within the lines.

[aspasia]

Must use she for him! Now that’s prescriptive!

[_Jim]

If I had been taught, in composition class, that the purpose was to lay down as much BS in as flowery language as I could muster, I would have done MUCH better.