UWP 298/271 - Second Language Writing

(4 units)

Course Description:  Traces the history of second language writing theory and research on second language writers in a variety of academic and professional contexts. Emphasis on writer characteristics, texts, and contexts.

Summary of Course Content: Major topics to be covered include: • Theory & history of second language literacy/writing research • Characteristics of second language writers (international/EFL vs. recently arrived residents vs. bilingual/Generation 1.5) • Differences across institutional contexts (e.g., community colleges vs. UCs) in how second language writing issues are perceived and addressed • Contrastive/intercultural rhetoric research and its contributions to second language writing theory and pedagogy • Characteristics of texts written in a second language (including languages other than English) • Programmatic issues (placement,curriculum, assessment, teacher preparation) in working with second language or multilingual writers.  

Illustrative Reading:  Practicing Theory in Second Language Writing (Silva & Matsuda, Eds., 2010), The Politics of Second Language Writing: In Search of the Promised Land (Matsuda, Ortmeier-Hooper, & You, Eds., 2006), Teaching College Writing to Diverse Student Populations (Ferris, 2009), Reinventing Identitities in Second Language Writing (Cox, Jordan, Ortmeier-Hooper, & Schwartz, 2010), Controversies in Second Language Writing: Dilemmas and Decisions in Research and Instruction (Casanave, 2004) Other journal articles and chapters to be determined and/or self-selected by participants for their research projects.

Justification of Units:  The course will meet for one 3-hour session each week for 10 weeks. These three hours of class per week will entail six hours of reading outside of class per week. Class preparation and class time together will entail 9 hours of work per week of work (90 hours per quarter). In addition, students will be required to prepare a class presentation, contribute Forum posts, and write two papers, equivalent to an additional 3 hours per week of outside work over the 10 weeks. These additional writing assignments therefore translate into 30 additional hours of work per quarter, for a total of 120 hours per quarter. The course meets the "Carnegie Rule" requirements for a 4-unit course. An additional unit of credit is justified by the significant amount of work that students must do outside of class time to plan, draft, and revise that 3000 or more words of required writing (for an additional 3 hours outside of class). The estimated time of preparation of the writing assignments (research, consultation, drafting, revision) is thirty hours, an amount consistent with Carnegie Rule guidelines.