I may be confused. What is the point of the Basic Writing course after all? My belief is that the students who are placed in Basic Writing courses are there to prepare for more demanding English courses and to learn to write the sort of formal, academic writing which they must do in order to complete college successfully. Our Basic Writing students are in need of preparation, are they not?
Today, we discussed the opportunity for hybrid texts in Basic Writing to bridge students' cultural (and academic) contexts, and vernacular English usage in Basic Writing. If the point of Basic Writing is to teach students to write using formal, academic English, why encourage students to write using vernacular English? Is it not a disservice to Basic Writing students not only to encourage and advocate the use of informal, nonstandard English--the opposite of what academe anticipates--but to request it? The students may be confused.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Is English Beautiful?
Ask a Hungarian if he finds his language beautiful and he will laugh, telling you not to ask dumb questions. Ask an Italian to explain why he thinks that Italian is the most beautiful language and he will lecture you on the matter, hands waving proudly. You'll find the same with the Swedes and the Spaniards, the Basques... Something about their languages, their connections with them. A full-hearted understanding, a deep love for them. Ask an American if he thinks that English is beautiful...I'll just stop right there. Has it ever happened? Has there ever been a mechanic or housewife in this country who has considered English as something to be admired? Something beautiful? Is English beautiful?
Do you think that English is beautiful? How might the Basic Writer answer this question? I would expect some students to say that they find British English beautiful, or Scottish or Australian English maybe. But ours? Probably not. What does English lack? What do its speakers lack?
Do you think that English is beautiful? How might the Basic Writer answer this question? I would expect some students to say that they find British English beautiful, or Scottish or Australian English maybe. But ours? Probably not. What does English lack? What do its speakers lack?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Adding to the Wikibook
Other than a brief, abridged explanation of common comma misuses, there is nothing in this text that explains or demonstrates the wonders of our puncuation system!
Most college students, I would bet, have little to no clue how to use even the comma properly, let alone such useful figures as the semicolon, the dash, or the ellipses, all of which certainly have their places in Basic Writing. Students should be made aware of the writing power that lies in knowing punctuation devices.
I would certainly be willing to add a "Basic Writer's Guide to Standard American English Punctuation" of sorts to the Wikibook, however brief or exhaustive we see fit. However, I am not sure if I could base a seminar paper on the subject. We'll see how it goes.
Most college students, I would bet, have little to no clue how to use even the comma properly, let alone such useful figures as the semicolon, the dash, or the ellipses, all of which certainly have their places in Basic Writing. Students should be made aware of the writing power that lies in knowing punctuation devices.
I would certainly be willing to add a "Basic Writer's Guide to Standard American English Punctuation" of sorts to the Wikibook, however brief or exhaustive we see fit. However, I am not sure if I could base a seminar paper on the subject. We'll see how it goes.
More on ESL Writers in the Basic Writing Course
In class, we were discussing the appropriateness of placing ESL students in Basic Writing courses. Of course, the situation of the ESL student is a difficult one, bound in culture and academic experiences, subjected to the placement system, and very delicate. However, in my opinion it's simply not that complicated. Many ESL students simply are not ready for a course that's made for native English speakers; some ESL students will never be ready for such a course, and if they're not ready, they're not ready. Certainly, there are some who are ready for Basic Writing and maybe even ENG 110, but we shouldn't forget that the Basic Writing course does not have the ESL student in mind. As we have read and discussed, the needs of the ESL student and those of the native English-speaking, Basic Writing student are different.
Looking from my experience with learning foreign languages and writing in them--I've studied six and taught EFL in France--I say without hesitation that a native speaker of any language, even a self-admitted bad writer of that language, has more power in that language than a non-native speaker. Nothing compares to native, intrinsic fluency, the comfort and ease of ones native language; it's something that a non-native speaker lacks and cannot make up for. I'm not saying, though, that non-native speakers cannot achieve great fluency. I have no doubt in my ability to communicate in, nor hindrance to create, fluent French, and I may write well in French, but my competence in French is limited because it isn't native. The grammar may be flawless, but it doesn't come naturally and I would not feel capable of taking a Basic Writing course in French that isn't designed to accommodate my non-native needs. Why should ESL students be expected to learn and grow as writers of English if the course isn't designed to suite their needs?
Looking from my experience with learning foreign languages and writing in them--I've studied six and taught EFL in France--I say without hesitation that a native speaker of any language, even a self-admitted bad writer of that language, has more power in that language than a non-native speaker. Nothing compares to native, intrinsic fluency, the comfort and ease of ones native language; it's something that a non-native speaker lacks and cannot make up for. I'm not saying, though, that non-native speakers cannot achieve great fluency. I have no doubt in my ability to communicate in, nor hindrance to create, fluent French, and I may write well in French, but my competence in French is limited because it isn't native. The grammar may be flawless, but it doesn't come naturally and I would not feel capable of taking a Basic Writing course in French that isn't designed to accommodate my non-native needs. Why should ESL students be expected to learn and grow as writers of English if the course isn't designed to suite their needs?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Basic Writing Course and ESL Writers
The issue of the ESL students in Basic Writing courses brought up by Matsuda in his article interests me. First of all, it seems only natural that the field of basic writing focuses primarily on students who are native speakers of English. To me, it also seems natural that in today's Basic Writing course one will find many non-native English speakers. I think that the point Matsuda tries to make is that it shouldn't seem natural to find both students in the Basic Writing course; they are two different types of student, with different needs.
While the Basic Writing course focuses on the needs of native English speakers, this should not be a course inclusive to both types of students. Ideally, there would be two Basic Writing courses: one for the native English-speaking students and one for the non-native. As Matsuda points out, this is not always feasible in today's tightly budgeted system. The Basic Writing course for non-native English speakers would follow the TESOL model for composition.
In my opinion, allowing American, non-native English speakers a fair education would include the proper courses they need. Foreign students are invited to the States where ESL courses are tailor-made to suite their English language short-comings. If institutions can offer that kind of education to the foreign student, why can they not offer an additional Basic Writing course made for the non-native English speaking student who needs it?
While the Basic Writing course focuses on the needs of native English speakers, this should not be a course inclusive to both types of students. Ideally, there would be two Basic Writing courses: one for the native English-speaking students and one for the non-native. As Matsuda points out, this is not always feasible in today's tightly budgeted system. The Basic Writing course for non-native English speakers would follow the TESOL model for composition.
In my opinion, allowing American, non-native English speakers a fair education would include the proper courses they need. Foreign students are invited to the States where ESL courses are tailor-made to suite their English language short-comings. If institutions can offer that kind of education to the foreign student, why can they not offer an additional Basic Writing course made for the non-native English speaking student who needs it?
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