Welcome to "Intro to College Writing"!

Welcome to Intro to College Writing (ICW). My name is John Kotnarowski and I will be your instructor and guide this semester as we take a deeper look into the basic skills necessary to write effectively in academic English. Specifically, we will focus on essay organization and structure, academic style and tone and the different text types associated with the Cambridge Academic English (CAE) exam. The primary goal of this course is to help make your writing as clear and effective as possible. I look forward to meeting everyone and getting off to a great start this semester.

I want to use this post to say a bit about the course website. This is where I'll be posting outlines and links to the materials we will use for every class meeting. It is intended to be used as a virtual supplement to our in-class discussions and assignments.

On the top of the page, you will find links to important class information and some very helpful writing links. To the left, you will find links to the weekly discussion posts. You will also find an archive of the class links. On the right, you can find me on Google+. 

Please feel free to send me an email whenever you need to get in touch. My email address is: jk.esl.uiuc@gmail.com. I'm excited for what should be an engaging and informative semester for everyone involved!

Day One: Introductions, Icebreakers and the Diagnostic Essay

All Images Come from Pixabay.com

Welcome to class! I hope you are excited as I am to begin working together this semester. I had a wonderful time working with Linguistics students last fall and I am sure that this spring will bring more of the same. Today, we're going to spend some time getting to know one another as people, as classmates and as writers. That will involve a few icebreaker activities. I will also ask you to produce a short piece of writing known as a diagnostic essay. Don't worry, there is no grade involved...it's just a chance for me to "get to know you" as a writer! So, without further ado, let's get started! 

Day One: Intros, Icebreakers and the Diagnostic Essay

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Ask the instructor questions based on his introduction presentation
2. Collect information about their classmates using "journalist questions"
3. Introduce a classmate using the information they've found during informal interviews
4. Ask questions about class policies rules
5. Produce a short diagnostic essay based on a CA-style essay prompt

Procedure
I. Instructor Introduction 

Since we'll be spending the next few months working together, I think it's important to introduce myself. I will do that with the help of this short presentation. Feel free to ask any questions you might have! 

There will be a short quiz afterwards, so you might want to take a few notes! 

II. Introducing Yourself

After I've had a chance to introduce myself, I would like to get to know you all better. I am sure that some of you already know one another, but you're all new to me! So, please use to following procedure to find out more information about your classmates: 

1. Get into a group of three people
2. Use this sheet and common "journalist (or Wh-) questions" to interview one member of your group
3. Write down the information in boxes (I will collect this, so please be complete and write clearly) 
4. Prepare to introduce your classmate to me and the rest of the class
5. Introduce your classmate to the rest of us! 

III. "Find Someone Who..." 

Our final icebreaker activity is a game. It's your job to find people who have done the things on this chart. The first person to find FOUR IN A ROW will win a prize! 

IV. Overview of Course Rules and Course Website

Now that we all know one another, let's take some time to get go over the class schedule and goals. Also, I would like to explain how the course website works and how to best take advantage of it!

V. Writing a Diagnostic Essay 

Since we will be focusing on writing in this class, it's important for me to get an idea of the way you write at the beginning of our time together. That's why I am asking you to write a short diagnostic essay (based on a CAE prompt) to get a better idea of where everyone in class is at this point in their English writing journeys! 

Please don't worry! This exam is not for a grade! It is just for me to see which areas we need to focus on in class. You will receive 100% credit just for trying. I will be using a rubric to give you feedback similar to that which you will receive on the actual CAE exam. 

VI. Homework

Please check the "Homework Tracker" at the top of the page to view the homework for next class. 

Day Two: Culture, Communication & CAE Essay Tips

In today's class, we will talk about a lot of different things that are all interrelated. We will begin by talking what culture is and how it determine who we are and how we relate to one another. From there, we will discuss the importance of understanding the culture from which the language we are speaking/learning learning (because not only did this language emerge from said culture, but it helps to shape the culture as they both evolve). An outline (and materials) for this class can be found below. 

Day Two: Culture, Communication & CAE Essay Tips

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Create simple definitions for the concept of "culture"
2. Explain how culture influences communication
3. Define the idea of "audience" as it pertains to academic writing 
4. Define the idea of "purpose" as it pertains to academic writing 
5. Create a reverse outline of their diagnostic essay 
6. List and exemplify two ways to maintain a formal, academic tone in their writing 

Procedure

I. Warm-Up 

How was your weekend? Did anybody do anything fun? Or exciting? Or boring? How are your other classes going? Do you have any questions about this class? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz 

I hope you all prepared for the quiz. It will be on these words. Good luck! 

III. Culture and Communication

With a partner, discuss the following questions: 

• What is "culture"? Can you create a simple definition for the idea? 
• What other ideas/terms do you associate with culture? Make a list. 
• How is the idea of "culture" related to the way we communicate? 

We will discuss your answers to these questions as a class. Then, I'll propose my answers to them in the form of this presentation.

IV. Audience & Purpose 

After examining the connection between culture and communication, we will discuss the important role that the concepts of audience and purpose play as part of the writing process. 

First, find a new partner and use this worksheet to help organize your brainstorming about audience and purpose. Then, we will follow this with a short analysis of some actual student writing. 

V. Diagnostic Exam: Feedback and Reverse Outlining 

Now, let's continue our discussion of audience and purpose by looking at the diagnostic essay exam. 

We will use this document to keep track of the information we talk about in class. 

First, I will give you some general impressions about the diagnostic exam using this worksheet. As we move through the discussion, I will ask the class to use this outline organizer to create a "reverse" outline of the essay. We will do this together as a class. 

VI. Homework 

Please check the "Homework Tracker" at the top of the page to view the homework for next class.

VII. Interesting Websites
Below, I have included the links to a couple of cool websites related to the topics we discussed today. If you've got a spare minute, check them out:

1. Clichés, Proverbs, Idioms & Sayings (by Michelle Henry)
2. University of Nottingham Academic Word List

Happy International Women's Day

C 8 Marta! Happy March 8th. I just wanted to take a moment to share a cool video created by the Club of International Friendship here at NUST MISiS. In the video, young men from all over the world express their appreciated and respect for women in their native tongues. Pretty cool stuff! The video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/121569025

The pictures I've included are all graffiti that I photographed while living in South America. I thought they were appropriate images for the day! I hope everyone has a nice day off tomorrow, too :)

Day Three: Essay and Paragraph Structure

This week's class will deal with strategies for writing coherent and cohesive paragraphs and essays. While we will be discussing these strategies in the context of preparing you for the CAE exam, I hope you will think critically during our discussions and look for ways to incorporate this information into all of your academic writing. An outline for today's class can be found below: 

Day Three: Essay and Paragraph Structure

Objectives: Students will be able to…

1. Describe three ways that formal, academic tone differs from informal, colloquial tone in writing 
2. Identify the key elements of a basic academic essay using the appropriate vocabulary 
3. Explain the connection between a thesis statement and topic sentences 
4. Define and identify the four major components of a PIE-C paragraph: Point, Illustration, Explanation and Concluding Sentence 
5. Practice creating their own PIE-C paragraphs in a homework essay 

I. Intro to the Class
How are you? How was your weekend? Have you done anything interesting since we last met? How are your other classes going? Do you have any questions about this class?

II. Vocabulary Quiz
I hope you studied!

III. Academic vs. Colloquial Tone
Let’s begin discussing the differences between formal, academic tone and informal, colloquial tone. We will be using this pair of writing samples from an ESL student at a US university.

IV. Introduction to Essay Structure
We spent some time discussing the proper structure of an essay last class. Today, we will discuss the topic in greater depth. To begin, let’s use this activity which is designed to let you show how much you already about this topic.

V. Overview of Essay Structure
First, we will begin with a short discussion of some important vocabulary terms found on this worksheet.

After our vocabulary discussion, I will review this short PPT that discusses basic essay structure and offers examples. It also presents a convenient way to organize your paragraphs called, “PIE-C”.

VI. PIE-C Practice
Finally, we will practice identifying PIE-C structure in some examples using this worksheet. Everyone will do the first part together in pairs. The second part will be done in teams.

Homework: Don't forget to check the "Homework Tracker" for your assignments for next class :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

People all around the world celebrate "St. Patrick's Day" on Tuesday, March 17th. What do you know about St. Patrick's Day? Check out the links below to learn a little bit about this Irish holiday.

• The History of St. Patrick's Day (from Wikipedia, here)
• St. Patrick's Day (on the History Channel, here)
• A wee bit o' Gaelic (here)
• Irish Week Events in Moscow (here)

Enjoy the day and, Éirinn go Brách

Day Four: Academic Style

("The Throes of Creation" by Leonid Pasternak. Retrieved from (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Leonid_Pasternak_-_The_Passion_of_creation.jpg)

Today we will finish our discussion of essay and paragraph structure and discuss the characteristics of academic tone. This will be the last class we will spend discussing the essay format. Our schedule for upcoming classes will be: 

1. Writing Reviews
2. Writing Reports
3. Writing Letters
4. Writing Proposals 

But today's class will finish our discussion of last week's topics and discuss how to write with a sufficiently academic tone (for tasks like the CAE essay). An outline for today's class can be found below:

Day Four: Cohesion, Coherence and Academic Tone

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Explain the difference between coherence and cohesion in EAP writing
2. Explain how the concepts of thesis statements and topic sentences promote coherence in EAP writing
3. Explain how the PIE-C technique can be used to write coherent paragraphs. 
4. Explain two differences between formal (academic) style and informal style
5. Demonstrate understanding of one technique used to make their writing more academic 
6. Apply the lessons learned in class to their out-of-class writing

I. Intro to the Class

How are you? How are things? What's new? Has anyone done anything interesting since our last class? How are your other classes going? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz 

I hope you studied! Mwahahaha! 

III. Speaking Warm-Ups and Mini-Presentations

Today, we will be giving short presentations to review the material found on this PPT.  You will be put into groups using the almighty GROUP RANDOMIZER and asked to create short, impromptu presentations that explain the concepts discussed last week. But first, each student will be asked to recite a tongue-twister from the list below: 

1. The thirty-three thankful thieves thought that they thanked the other thirty-three thieves throughout Thursday. 
2. She stood upon the balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably welcoming him in 
3. Thirty thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber last Thursday 
4. She sat upon a slitted sheet, upon a slitted sheet she sat

After each student has completed the warm-up, we will move on to the mini-presentations. The topic will be given in class by the instructor.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/T-shirt_without_side-sewing.png

IV. Academic Style 

We will begin by reviewing a short presentation that offers some tips and techniques on how to make the tone of your writing more academic. Be sure to take notes as we review the presentation. After we finish discussing the presentation, you will be asked to work with a partner to complete a short, "academic style" workshop. 

V. Academic Style Mini-Presentations

If there is time, you will be asked to get into groups once more and prepare one more short presentation on one of the four categories of techniques used to promote academic style that we discussed today. 

1. Group One -> Using Formal Language
2. Group Two -> Being Concise & Precise 
3. Group Three -> Using Impersonal Language
4. Group Four -> Being Cautious 

Your presentations should include the following information: 

• Definition(s) of the major term(s)
• Examples
• Why this technique promotes academic style
• Any personal experience your group members have in using this technique

Homework: Don't forget to check the "Homework Tracker" for this week's homework.