Dear all, My most recent comfort show is The West Wing. Do you have comfort shows? You know, the programs you return to because the characters and storylines are familiar and hit whatever emotional note you need at a given time? The West Wing is comforting to me now because it’s full of smart people … Continue reading Director’s Letter
We would like to take the opportunity to recognize excellent student work! ENGL 150 and 250 instructors and students are invited to submit an example of work for the ISUComm Foundation Courses Student Showcase. Winners will receive a certificate, a $50 award, and recognition at the spring English Department Awards. Who is eligible? All English … Continue reading 150/250 Student Showcase Nominations Due April 7
What do you wish your students knew about you? Qi: I feel very happy when they reach out to me with questions or insights. Connor: While I teach composition, I am a creative writer who focuses on the genres of fiction, fantasy, fabulism, essays, and memoir. What one word would your students use … Continue reading New TA Q&A
February brought the 2023 Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). The conference’s theme, Doing Hope in Desperate Times, was well reflected in the relief and joy of this gathering of scholars, teachers, and administrators. Despite the cold and lake-effect snow in Chicago, I was delighted to travel to a conference for the first time … Continue reading Dispatch from CCCC’s: Student support and familiar faces
As an alternative to the traditional research paper, CWE MFA candidate, Tara Labovich, teaches their students how to create zines. Zines are self-published, original works that include text and images. While zines have served many purposes over the decades, including identity development, storytelling or the sharing of art, the common thread among them is opposition … Continue reading Up Next in ENGL 250
To help students practice listening and explaining skills relating to multimodal design, try this quick activity that CWE MFA candidate Fred Johnson has used with his students. This activity will help students become more familiar with the identification and description of design elements, such as contrast, color, space, texture, etc. Pair students and tell one … Continue reading Up Next in ENGL 150
Brenna Dixon, Associate Teaching Professor and Learning Community English Links Coordinator, came to ISU in 2009 as a graduate student in the MFA program and has been teaching Foundations courses ever since (along with Advance Communication courses, fiction workshops, teaching methodologies and independent studies)! She is responsible for coordinating and supporting the Learning Community English Links … Continue reading Instructor Spotlight: Dixon Discusses Learning Links, Helping Students Find their Confidence, and Working through Challenges
FDC has invited Dr. Jessi Grieser as the speaker for the 2023 Goldtrap Lecture. “At the cornerstone of the discipline of English is why we collectively call it “English” in the first place—the shared language at the core of the literature we read and the writing we do and teach. Yet our assumptions of shared … Continue reading English Language Matters More Than Ever — Dr. Jessi Grieser presents the 2023 Goldtrap Lecture
Challenging students? Annoying office mates? Demanding partners? Whatever situation you may be facing, assertive communication tactics can guide you toward getting your needs met without infringing on the rights of others. Ombuds Laura Smythe will be available from 1:10 to 2:00 on March 27 to listen to your situation and offer guidance on assertive communication.