Inclusive Teaching
Whose History Matters? The Importance of Co-Conspirators
In October 2019, Claudia Fox Tree spoke to over a hundred students from WR 111 and WR 112. The 111 students had read, or were about to read, Montana 1948, while many of the 112 students had read this essay by Justin Nobel. Her talk gave students new perspectives on First Nations/Native Americans and other […]
Choosing a Diverse and Inclusive Set of Texts
Our classrooms are diverse on multiple levels, with students in the room from many states, countries, and language backgrounds. Our students’ complex and intersectional identities represent many different kinds of lived experiences with race, socioeconomics, gender, sexual identity, ability, and privilege. While as faculty we strive to make our classrooms welcoming to all, and to […]
Strategies for Conferences and Tutoring Appointments with English Language Learners
Note that some of these strategies are more applicable in tutoring contexts, but most of them are also effective in faculty-student individual–or group–conferences.
Integrating the Writing Center into the Writing Program
Each Flipped Learning Module (FLM) is a set of short videos and online activities that can be used (in whole or in part) to free up class time from content delivery for greater student interaction. At the end of the module, students are asked to fill out a brief survey, in which we adopt the […]
Expectations for Academic Writing in the American Classroom
Each Flipped Learning Module (FLM) is a set of short videos and online activities that can be used (in whole or in part) to free up class time from content delivery for greater student interaction. At the end of the module, students are asked to fill out a brief survey, in which we adopt the […]
Accessible Approaches to the Writing Classroom
In order to create a truly inclusive learning environment, it’s important not to put the responsibility for determining accommodations entirely on students with disabilities, nor on Disability & Access Services. Instead, strive to be an active partner in making your classroom and the entire university more accessible. While there are always better teaching practices you […]
Leveling the Playing Field for Class Participation
In general, our writing classes are discussion classes, and students are expected to participate in active class exchanges. Sometimes, faculty may feel frustrated if discussions are slow to get started, or if students don’t speak up. This page compiles selected strategies for effectively facilitating class participation from all students. Scaffolding up front in order to build […]
Teaching the Hidden Curriculum
The term “hidden curriculum” refers to an amorphous collection of “implicit academic, social, and cultural messages,” “unwritten rules and unspoken expectations,” and “unofficial norms, behaviours and values” of the dominant-culture context in which all teaching and learning is situated. These “assumptions and expectations that are not formally communicated, established, or conveyed” stipulate the “right” way to […]
Equity in Writing Assessment: Alternative Grading Approaches
“Alternative” grading practices are becoming more and more common in the Writing Program and in the wider academic community. Departing from traditional assessment systems can allow for greater equity in a writing class, less stress for students and instructors, and more focus on course content, writing practices, and the learning process. It can also help […]
Responding to Multilingual Students’ Writing
Challenges facing multilingual writers vary widely and depend on multiple factors–such as the writers’ first language and their prior education–so responding to errors is a complex endeavor. Furthermore, some teachers might be more comfortable than others when diagnosing and discussing more technical aspects of grammar. It should therefore be kept in mind that the advice […]