WR 111
Faculty Guide to Teaching WR 111 and WR 112
The following guide is particularly helpful to faculty who are teaching WR 111 or WR 112 for English language learners (ELLs) for the first time. Be sure to also consult the current syllabus templates and to review the basic course descriptions and learning outcomes for WR 111 or WR 112. Both courses need to explicitly […]
Building Your Syllabus (Syllabi Templates)
New for AY 2022-2023, the Writing Program offers the following set of resources to help you build your own syllabus, rather than a single syllabus template for each level. We have broken the syllabus down into three parts, so that it is clearer which parts of our syllabi are common to all courses in the […]
Teaching with the WR Journal in WR 111 or WR 112
In this activity, students will examine and analyze prize-winning papers written in WR 111 or WR 112 (or the equivalent) and published in the WR Journal. You might consider doing a shorter, more focused version of this activity in WR 111 when introducing key features of the academic essay, and a longer, more expansive, student-driven […]
Remote Implementations of Essential Lesson Activities
The Writing Program’s set of Essential Lessons represent key elements of our classes; this page contains suggestions and tools for remote (synchronous and asynchronous) implementation of the suggested activities in the Essential Lessons.
Picture Prompts for Online Classes
Instructors may want to use visual prompts to foster discussion, help unify remote and on-campus students, and create a classroom community. Picture prompts can be varied to connect with the course theme. Activity Review the New York Times Learning Network’s “Picture Prompts” series, “144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing.” On the landing page, there’s […]
Remote Learning Expectations & Etiquette
Overview In our class this semester, we will be using various technologies, including the Zoom video-conferencing platform. Zoom is designed to enhance our educational experience and to help us meet our course goals. However, as with any other tool, technologies like Zoom can also be misused and become a distraction or even an obstacle to […]
Overview of Zoom for Students
Boston University utilizes the Zoom platform for synchronous class sessions. As a student, you may also decide to use Zoom for connecting with your peers or interacting on projects. The videos and resources below offer an overview on how to access your Zoom class session, and how to set up your own meeting with your […]
Active Learning Strategies in a Remote Environment
This “Quick Guide to Converting your Face-to-Face Pedagogical Approaches to the Online Environment” from BU’s CTL offers a comprehensive table with tips and suggestions for adapting your typical face-to-face classroom approach to an online synchronous or asynchronous modality Adapting Active Learning Strategies to Remote Environments Active learning strategies involve planning activities in which students are […]
Student Motivation in a Remote Environment
Keeping students motivated in a remote course is a common challenge not only in remote writing courses, but across various subject matters. Without in-person contact, it may often be more difficult for faculty to pick up on students’ nonverbal cues, which may often signal their disinterest or unenthusiasm. The resources below offer tips and suggestions […]
Community Building in a Remote Environment
Creating a sense of community is important for any course and in any modality; however, instructors often find it more challenging to build a strong online community in remote courses. The resources below offer some practical tips and suggestions for building a stronger community in your online courses.