WR 112
WR 112 is a pass/fail course that offers a chance to build your writing skills with practice in academic and non-academic genres and an emphasis on intercultural literacy, textual analysis, the logic of exposition and argumentation, rhetorical situation and audience, and critical linguistic awareness. Engaging readings/viewings on the broad themes of cross-cultural communication, globalization, and the intersecting power dynamics of race and language cover a variety of genres and expose you to complex ideas and diverse cultural experiences, stressing important aspects of global citizenship. The course tasks will respond to your individual linguistic needs by addressing specific elements of English grammar, style, and diction in the context of your writing and critically analyzing the controversies around “standard English” norms. A strong public speaking component will help you become more comfortable and confident presenting to your peers and conversing in academic contexts. Through reading, discussion, and analysis you will gain crucial insights into people from different national, cultural, social, and linguistic backgrounds. As an explicitly antiracist course, WR 112 will challenge you to understand and interact with various perspectives, learn more about and critique different communication strategies, and reflect on your unique perspective as a multilingual student and active participant in the intellectual life of our global university.
WR 112 satisfies one Hub requirement, in Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.
Faculty Guide to Teaching WR 111 and WR 112
Learning Outcomes
All WR 112 sections follow the same curriculum, draw from the same designated pool of texts, and aim to achieve the common goals for the level. You will develop your abilities to:
- Read, analyze, and discuss written and visual texts of varied genres on global and intercultural topics with intellectual discernment and cultural sensitivity
- Recognize and critically employ the culture-specific conventions of expository and argumentative discourses in speech and in writing
- Express yourself orally with greater comfort and confidence in diverse contexts, and with a focus on intelligibility, register, and the power dynamics of oral communication in English
- Plan, draft, and revise academic papers and other genres (both written and visual/multimodal) for clarity and coherence in different rhetorical situations, with attention to and reflection on concepts and controversies in syntax, diction, and style
- Critically reflect on how academic language norms, world Englishes, and existing power structures intersect with multilingualism, racial identity, and linguistic choices in global and academic communities
Pedagogical Approach
The work you are assigned in this course will not be graded, but that does not mean it is unimportant. Students who prepare diligently for class, participate actively, and take the homework exercises and drafts seriously generally learn more and write better final papers than those who do not.
Experienced writers routinely share their work with others, because they understand that the best way to improve a piece of writing is to test it out with actual readers. In this class, you will learn how to respond productively to the writing of others and how to use feedback from others to improve your own work. All students in the class are expected to share pre-writing exercises, drafts, homeworks, and in-class writing. If you are concerned about sharing your writing, please talk with me about your concerns.
Although this is primarily a writing class, the oral presentations and class discussion components are designed to practice your fluency and improve confidence in public speaking. Active class participation is expected throughout the semester.
This course is also taught from an explicitly antiracist perspective, attempting to teach students to reflect on, analyze, and begin to address systems of racial and linguistic inequity.
Course Requirements
- Assigned short readings/viewings in multiple genres and modes (including essays, articles, and texts that are visual and/or multimodal in nature, such as TED talks, ads, infographics, etc.)
- Regular written homeworks such as reflections, annotations, reading journals, basic summaries, analytical summaries, discussion questions, short multimodal assignments, etc.
- Frequent low-stakes writing exercises, including homework, in-class writing, and reflective writing
- Creation of and/or contribution to WR cumulative portfolio
- Two formal projects, each with multiple drafts and peer review: Academic paper (a multisource comparative analysis/synthesis); Multimodal project (video, advertisement/PSA, infographic, etc.)
- Two group oral presentations: Student-facilitated discussion of readings; Presentations on linguistic controversies
- Two (or more) instructor conferences
- Regular class attendance and active class engagement
Resources for Teaching
Essential Lessons
Major Assignments
Exercises & Handouts
Flipped Learning Modules
Guides & Tips
Previous level:WR 111 Academic Writing for ELL Students
Next level:WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar
