Instead of jumping straight from the Memoir to the Textual Analysis (TA), I've chosen to include a transitional assignment in the form of a Critical Review (CR). By doing so, I am basically trying to employ (among others) Gerald Graff's thesis that we all have vernacular interests that, if carefully utilized in the classroom, can be successfully translated into a valuable academic experience. So, according to the criteria for this assignment, students are allowed to choose a short story, poem, CD, movie, etc., that they already either passionately like or dislike. Subsequently, they must then compose a review (850-1000 words) either recommending or condemning their choice by focusing their critique on two to four of its key elements (i.e., plot, character development, diction, imagery, cinematography, score, and so on). I think this is a relevant and beneficial lead-in to the TA for obvious reasons, not the least of which being that it challenges them to begin thinking critically (via analysis) about their chosen "text" in order to justify whatever opinion(s) they already have about it. Likewise, the CR is also helpful to the extent that students bring with them a fair amount of enthusiasm; that is, like most of us, they are relatively eager for an opportunity to share and discuss a vernacular (i.e., non-academic) interest about which they feel strongly, even if they have not yet made much effort to examine the precise reasons for their feelings.
As further preparation for the TA, then, I also required that they find and bring to class a published review of the sort they think they might do for the assignment (i.e., movie review, CD review, etc.). Then I had them get into to groups of three and analyze each other's published reviews with regard for the following: thesis, tone, assertions, evidence/support, and concrete examples. In this way, then, they gained some preliminary experience in formal textual analysis and acquired at least one potential model for their own reviews. Rough drafts aren't due until Thursday, though, so I don't yet have any concrete evidence to suggest whether or not this is going to work as well I hope it does. If nothing else, I think it will help mitigate the abrupt shift from the personal style of writing we encourage for the Memoir to the more strictly academic/formal approach and style of writing required by the TA.
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13 comments:
This sounds like a good idea. My students are having troubles transitioning from the narrative as well.
Sounds like a winner to me, dude. Let me know how it works out. I'm interested.
Huzzah and Kudoes! O Frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! this assignment, my trogladytic friend, sounds positively marvelous! Why, I do detect the scent of the Elysian fields in the general area of this idea. The assignmentpresents the students with stating a thesis with specific support to back it up. Ah! Tis truly ecstacy to have even read the idea! Nay! I dare say it is the best idea ever thought by the human mind since the nuclear warhead! You, sir, are truly a brobdingnagian among men. I shall be introducing this assignment in my ENG 100 class on Friday! Sela!
I want some of the drugs imcriswell is using.
Brobdingnagian is an adjective, not a noun.
...and you spelled troglodytic wrong.
Wouldn't brobdingnagian be a predicate here, a noun equivalent? Granted, it should have been capitalized.
I don't remember anyone asking you anything smm933. And what kind of name is that? It doesn't even make any sense. How do you pronounce that? I vote that no comments are allowed from anyone with made up names. If we allow this kind of thing to occur in our country than people are going to be walking around claiming to be identified by symbols. Then what's next? Pants with the seat removed to expose the bare behind? I mean, what kind of world would we live in if we allowed people to wear seatless pants and demand to be refered to by made up names or symbols. A crazy world...that's what kind. A crazy world.
Some of us don't play well with others....
Ha-ha. You know I'm just kidding around.
I will have you all know that Brobdenagian is used in the same way one may say "American," "Armenian," or "Lithuanian." I likened Chaz to a person who hails from Brobdenag. Chaz is thus a Brobdenagian. As for Togladytic, I used the British spelling. As for the thought that I was on drugs at 10:30 on President's Day just shows that you do not hold that day in as high regard as I do. And, the fact that I inspired someone to seek out information and learn without even trying speaks volumes of my ability as a teacher. :)
You're absolutely right. One could speak volumes about your teaching abilities. The real tragedy is that we posted 12 comments in a such a frivolous fashion for BeardedFury's excellent pedagogical post. What were we thinking?
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