You will have the opportunity to lead class discussion with a small group. There will be a sign-up early in the semester. Leading the class will be an opportunity for you to pick up on a concept or set of concepts or skills from the readings that help you think about writing and rhetoric in general and/or respond to one or more of the central concerns of the course: a) writing’s role in constructing and maintaining social identities, b) how writing is entangled in societal expectations for and understandings of appropriateness, conventionality, and value, and/or c) how scholars in Writing Studies reveal, resist, and teach about and around writing’s dominating effects. Your job is not to provide definitive responses to any of these central concerns but help me and your peers use the readings and other course materials to collaboratively begin to respond and make connections together. 

Leading the seminar involves a short presentation of the reading(s) for that class (main theoretical points, connections between readings, etc.), facilitating discussion through questions, prompts, and activities, and in general framing the issue(s) for examination. You should plan to facilitate for at least 30 but no more than 45 minutes. Your group is required to meet with me before you lead class—preferably at least a week before so we can develop and discuss your plan (this meeting counts as one conference from the grade contract). 

Submission Guidelines

On the day you facilitate class discussion, you may come prepared with notes, a slide deck, a worksheet for your peers, a lesson plan, or some other tool(s) to help you facilitate. I recommend including these items in the corresponding portfolio (midterm or final, depending on when you facilitate) and briefly discuss/ reflect on your facilitation experience in your writer’s memo, as appropriate.