To reflect on writing summaries and gain feedback for revision; and to introduce and practice writing an academic response.
Reflecting on summaries and gaining feedback through peer review encourages students to revise their writing (a central goal of CO150). Introducing response is important for the thematic aims of this course because it allows students to invest their own ideas on issues of public importance.
Take roll. This may be the last day that new students may show up in class. If there are new students, you might ask them to stay after class for a minute so that you can give them class materials and have them fill out an index card with their name/email address.
Ask students if they've successfully logged onto the Writing Studio. If a few students were not able to logon, meet with them at the end of class (leave about 3 - 5 minute of time). Usually students who can't log on are experiencing difficulty because they are either entering the incorrect information, or you have mistyped their information in the system. One way to address this is to print off a copy of your class roster (from the Writing Studio). This should have students' emails listed and you can show them how you've entered their email and ask them if it's correct. If you can't resolve the issue in class, plan to meet them in the Eddy computer lab when your schedules allow.
Provide an introduction to class. This can be a simple summary or reference to the day's agenda listed on the board. "Today we will…"
Ask students to briefly reflect on writing their summaries of either the NBC article or the Katz article. What came easily? What part of their summary do they think was most successful? What was more challenging? What questions or concerns do they still have about writing academic summaries?
Put these questions (or questions like these) on an overhead. (Note: Always write directions for a Write to Learn or Peer Workshop activity on an overhead or on the board so that students may refer to the instructions while they work.)
While students are writing is an excellent time to practice learning their names. Tell the students you will be calling the roll and ask them to just raise their hands when you call. Take descriptive notes and mentally practice their names while they write.
Then, discuss their responses. Call on students or invite them to participate. Calling on students after they've had ample time to think/write about something alleviates putting them on the spot. It's also a good way for you to continue learning their names.
Sample Transition: Now that you've voiced your concerns, let's take an opportunity to get some feedback from your peers.
First, remind students of the guidelines for summary (refer them to the appropriate pages in the PHG or put these guidelines on an overhead). Then, tell them what peer review is: an opportunity to get some feedback from other readers/writers. Explain to them that ANY reader can provide useful feedback (not just the teacher alone) so they should value the comments they make and receive.
For this peer review activity, you might ask students to provide some general feedback (i.e. comment on 1 -2 things that are already working well in this person's summary and make 1 - 2 suggestions for improvement). Or, you might ask them to look closely at the writing and provide specific feedback (i.e. Does the paper introduce the article and include the author, date and place of publication? Where does the paper state the article's main idea or purpose? How objective is the summary? Mark places where the writer's use of language is too opinionated or subjective. Etc…). Either way, you should write these instructions on an overhead or at the board before asking them to exchange papers with a peer.
Collect summaries or explain that you will collect them as process work with their first portfolio.
Transition: Develop a transition here to move into the next activity.
Design an activity where you model effective and ineffective use of paraphrasing and quoting. You might prepare examples beforehand OR have students help generate ideas using Denizet-Lewis' article. Cover the following points (Use page 194 in the PHG as a guide):
The goal of this discussion is to briefly introduce students to all three ways they can respond to a text: agreeing/disagreeing with the text's ideas, interpreting/reflecting on the text's implications or assumptions, analyzing/evaluating what makes the text effective or ineffective. Review the points on page 163 in the PHG, highlighting important concepts and phrases, and check out the teaching guide on Types of Summary and Response https://writing.colostate.edu/references/teaching/summaryresponse/. You may want to make an overhead like the following:
The three ways we can respond are by:
Write a conclusion for today's class. You might say: Today we reviewed how to respond to a writer's ideas and for homework you'll continue to practice writing an agree/disagree response.
Most students should begin accessing homework assignments from the Writing Studio. But, put the assignment on an overhead at the end of class for those who are still having trouble accessing it.