Category: English

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

CHANGES TO ENGL 150 AND ENGL 250 FACE-TO-FACE COURSE SHELLS

Based on feedback from the instructor and student surveys conducted at the end of last semester, the ISUComm Foundation Courses team has made some changes to the structure of ENGL 150/ENGL 250 face-to-face courses: Streamlining the face-to-face Canvas shells for ENGL 150 and 250. The shells include the syllabus, major assignment descriptions with due dates, … Continue reading CHANGES TO ENGL 150 AND ENGL 250 FACE-TO-FACE COURSE SHELLS

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

ENGL 250 – Rhetorical Analysis

To introduce the rhetorical analysis assignment, Lesley Bartlett recommends a learning activity that helps students understand “everything’s an argument.” The activity also aims to help students see they already read rhetorically in their everyday lives, and the rhetorical analysis unit builds on those skills. After ENGL 250 students have read the first chapter of Everything’s … Continue reading ENGL 250 – Rhetorical Analysis

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

Instructor Spotlight: Amy Walton Teaches and Learns Through the Process

The assistant director of ISUComm Foundation courses and an associate teaching professor, Amy Walton’s career in education has taken many different forms since her undergraduate years. Walton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and French Education from the University of Northern Iowa, where she discovered an interest in linguistics and rhetoric alongside literary … Continue reading Instructor Spotlight: Amy Walton Teaches and Learns Through the Process

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

New TA Q&A

                            What do you wish your students knew about you? Burak: That what they see me doing in class is 10% of what I do as an instructor. Jessica: I am designing a board game as a creative component for my master’s … Continue reading New TA Q&A

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

CCCC 2024 Call for Proposals

The Conference on College Composition and Communication is accepting proposals for its 75th annual convention in Spokane, Washington, April 3-6. Next year’s event is themed “Writing Abundance: Celebrating 75 Years of Conversations about Rhetoric, Composition, Technical Communication, and Literacy.” Proposal submissions are due May 9. See the full Call for Proposals here.   

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

Up Next in ENGL 250

For the research paper, Lecturer Sam Piccone recommends instructors use a baseline self-grading system with their students.  A week before the final drafts for most of the major assignments are due, Sam will ask students to submit as complete of a first draft as they can manage, along with a copy of the assignment rubric … Continue reading Up Next in ENGL 250

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

Up Next in ENGL 150

Lecturer Katheryn Anderson has a creative exercise for preparing her students to give presentations. On presentation day, she always dedicates the first 15 minutes of class to warming up. “You would not jump on a treadmill for a run or start lifting weights without warming up your body first; the same should go for public … Continue reading Up Next in ENGL 150

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

Instructor Spotlight: Dawson Talks Problem Solving, Building Trust, and Ditching Perfection

The story of Jake Dawson’s start as a lecturer in the ISU English department is a whirlwind. In May 2014, he received an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU. He spent that summer living with his parents and applying to lecturer positions at 4-year institutions and community colleges, as well as academic advisor and writing … Continue reading Instructor Spotlight: Dawson Talks Problem Solving, Building Trust, and Ditching Perfection

CATEGORIES: Foundation Courses

Director’s Letter

Dear all, One of my dearest friends has a Ph.D. in assessment and measurement. Mine is in composition and rhetoric. One thing this means: when she was learning to create assessments, I was learning to critique them. We both care a great deal about student learning, but we don’t always agree on the best means … Continue reading Director’s Letter