Chapter III: ENGL 106 Introduction to Writing

In this chapter . . .

Description of the Course within the Sequence

English 106 is a developmental writing course which does not fulfill degree requirements. Students test into English 106, and the course is partly designed to prepare them for English 121. Focusing on a review of basic grammar and punctuation, English 106 also introduces students to all stages of the writing process, with particular attention given to invention techniques and multiple-stage drafting. Students concentrate initially on shorter writing assignments, including how to write paragraphs with clear topic sentences. They balance those early, shorter writings with longer, multi-paragraph writing projects that ideally give them some familiarity with the types of assignments typical for college classes, as well as practice with useful genres, such as the essay, essay exams, formal emails, online discussion posts, and response papers.

Educational Objectives

Along with preparing students to take English 121, English 106 attempts to foster students’ confidence in writing. A process-based approach is crucial to building that confidence, as it allows students ample opportunity to experiment with and practice various writing strategies to discover which work best for them. Students study professional and student-authored essays and paragraphs to find ideas and models, and in working with their peers, they refine their reading, critiquing, and revising skills. By semester’s end, English 106 students ideally have gained proficiency with writing, they have become familiar with the basic vocabulary of composition, and most importantly, they have discovered that writing is an essential communication tool as well as essential for conveying information in an academic context.

Outline & Syllabus Template

Course Outline available at http://catalog.jccc.edu/coursedescriptions/engl/#ENGL_106

Syllabus Template available at https://canvas.jccc.edu/courses/28369/files/2880008?module_item_id=930698

Instructional Preview: What to Expect

The English 106 class is composed of a diverse range of students: returning and traditional, motivated and not, some enthusiastic, some anxious, some with reliable transportation, others without it, some with computers at home, some without, native speakers, and plurilingual speakers. Indeed, the only reliable assumption that English 106 instructors can make about their English 106 classes is that they will be diverse.

The chief reward in working with developmental writers is that instructors see remarkable improvement in their students’ writing and their confidence levels over the semester. English 106 courses ideally offer students a space where they can work through ideas both in writing and orally, where they can “screw up” and not be unduly punished for their attempts, where they gain consistent and understandable instruction in grammar and mechanics—instruction that many of them have either never had, or which has never made sense to them. The more writing an instructor can integrate into each class period, the better the students tend to be. “Hands-on” workshops and in-class writing varies the pace and keeps students motivated.

Also fundamental to achieving success in an English 106 classroom is helping students gain trust in their peers and the instructor. Students learn to write best when they establish that trust and can rely on the instructor and fellow students to offer them substantive feedback and suggestions. Learning the students’ names as quickly as possible, writing personal responses when grading their paragraphs and essays, and offering ample opportunity for revision, will do much to help developmental writers gain writing fluency.

Many students in English 106 carry a load of between nine to fourteen hours divided between developmental and college-credit classes. For example, a student might be enrolled in Introduction to Writing and Academic Reading (developmental), Introduction to Psychology and U.S. History Survey (college credit). In other words, these students are usually taking classes where being “college-ready” is the expectation despite their carrying developmental credits. English 106 Instructors who devise writing assignments that can help students succeed in college-credit classes will make the class more relevant to their students than otherwise.

Instructors should remember that their standards and evaluation methods must focus on each student’s ultimate fitness to succeed with a C grade or above in English 121--not English 106. Passing English 106 students who will not be capable of passing English 121 does both the student and the student’s future English 121 instructor a significant disservice. Ensure that the final English 106 grade is not inflated. An example of an inflated grade would be a student who achieves a B not because of the quality of his or her writing, but because the student submitted a lot of “busy work” and was awarded points for little effort other than turning the work in. “Extra credit” that does not involve significant writing-intensive work is likewise to be avoided.

To help English 106 students meet the goals and expectations, instructors are encouraged to draw on numerous college resources, including the Writing Center, Academic Achievement Center, and courses in the College Success division that involve study skills, note-taking, and career-life planning.