Assigning Writing

Take time out before the assigning.  Discuss.  Show examples.  Practice.

            --What is an essay?  What do you mean when you say Discuss? Analyze? Respond?

            --What do scope and depth have to do with essay length? with genre? with audience?

            --Why are deadlines important? Why do we all need to do similar projects?

Anticipate what your assignment will produce. . . . It . . . is . . . alive!

            --What possible range of response is possible? desirable? Do they really have options?

            --How can you define parameters and still allow discovery? Creativity?

            --Will the writing be open to revision? How?

            --What would you—and others—like to read?

The Assignment Sheet

Review: Build on what has been covered.  Emphasize connections between reading and writing, in and out of class (e.g., refer to readings, provide excerpts, new material, etc.)  Are you creating an opportunity for a student to write, or just a chance for you to evaluate their knowledge?

Purpose: What do you hope to accomplish? What do you want your students to do? Have your students expressed interest in any approaches? Why give this assignment at this point in the semester?  Can you convey this purpose in several ways—directly, through example, or narration? What topics or issues are “off limits”? Be forthright about your purpose and aims.  Share the connections and criteria you have made in creating assignments.

Audience:  The teacher and everyone in class—all semester long? Consider using real, contextualized audiences.  They are challenging, requiring imagination and creativity.

Logistics:

            Deadlines                      Length                          Course information

            Layout                          Workshop details           Criteria for evaluation & response?

Preparation: Prewriting guidance? Things to consider? Ideas for reflection? Posing questions is great, but be sure that students don’t write “answer” essays.

And above all, think about the world beyond your classroom—where the assignment will be studied and the essay will be written.  Could a tutor help your students with the assignment? Is your assignment sheet too daunting, with more discussion than necessary? Is your language accessible?

See what a colleague thinks of the assignment.

Do the assignment yourself.

--Brad Lucas

 

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