Sketch out a 3-week unit for a Kutz, Groden, and Zamel course that meets 3 time a week for 50 minutes per meeting:
You'll want to include pre-reading activities, reading assignments, post-reading activities, brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing/polishing.
day 1: introduce unit
day 2:?
day 3: ?
day 4: ?
day 5: ?
day 6: ?
day 7: ?
day 8: ?
day 9: turn in final draft of 4 page paper
Day 1: Introduction: Preparing for the Interviews
Students interview each other in pairs. Prompt: "My favorite place to go. Where? Why? What do you do there?"
Pre-reading: Students write short responses to questions: What's the difference between the spoken word (they way we speak) and the written word (the way we write)? Group disscusion.
Overview of the direction of the class is presented: the importance of research as a learning tool.
Reading: Students read transcripts of students from previous classes for models of how to make ethnographic transcriptions.
Post-reading: Students discuss the content and form. How does the transcript look compared to most stories we read? What are the differences?
Homework assignment: Students conduct three inteviews (1 family, 1 friend, 1 neighbor), then transcribe their favorite. Prompt: "A Scary Experience."
Day 2: Follow-up to the Interviews
Pre-reading: Students bring in their transcripts of "A Scary Experience." Individually, they write short responses to questions:
a. How did your interview go? Any surprises? Any challenges? What the most memorable moment?
b. How did the transcribing go? Describe your personal method of transcribing. Any surprises? How did transcribing make you pay attention to the spoken word differently than when the first time you heard the interview?
c. After listening closely to the interview, did your feelings about it change? If so, how?
Reading: Students take turns reading their transcripts aloud in small groups.
Post-reading: In small groups, students discuss:
a. After reading your transcription aloud, did your feelings change about the transcription? If so, how?
b. Discuss the difference between your feelings when you first heard the interviewee's account and when you read it aloud in class.
Group disscussion summarizes small group discussion.
Homework: Students answer the questions (above) in a 1-2-page typed paper.
Day 3: Creating Narratives From the Script
Pre-reading: Students again consider and write short response to question from Day 1: How does your transcript look compared to most stories we read?
Reading: Students re-read the narrative written from the student transcript first presented on Day 1.
Post-reading: In small groups, students write short responses to questions: How does the transcript look compared to the finished narrative? What punctuation is in the narrative that might be missing from the transcript? How does this help the reader? Note the paragraph structure in the narrative. How does this help the reader? Which is easier to read? Why? Do you think people think and speak more like the transcript or more like the narrative? How might you account for these differences?
Group discussion summarizes small group discussion.
Homework: 1. Using the student model as an example, students create narratives based on their interview transcriptions (bring 2 extra copies for small upcoming group readings). 2. Students answer the questions (above) in a 1-2-page typed paper.
Day 4: Presenting the Narratives
Pre-reading: Students listen to speakers with different accents and dialects of English (SE journalist, Alabama preacher, Cockney musician, AAVE college student, Latino businessman, etc). Class discussion: How does speech differ from place to place? How can we account for different orientations to spoken English? Is one dialect "better" or "worse" than another? Is it possible that people with non-SE dialects are intelligent and have something worth saying?
Reading: In small groups, students read their transcripts, then their narratives aloud while colleagues read along. Students are reminded that this can make readers feel vulnerable, and to look for positive aspects to praise.
Post-reading: Students, responding to prompts, discuss the two narratives they heard/read: How is the narrative similar or different from the transcript? Why is it different? What limits do you note about written language that you don't find in spoken language? How does the audience "add" to the listening experience in ways that they can't for a written piece? In what ways does the writer address the audience in spoken language? In written language?
Homework: Students answer these questions in 1-2-page typed paper.
Day 5. The Importance of Writing for Standard Discourse
Pre-reading: Students discuss: Why is it necessary to write well in college?
Reading: Students read a poorly written 5-paragraph essay, then they read a much clearer essay on the same subject.
Post-reading: Students discuss: How did you feel when you read the first essay? How could you help this writer to clarify his points? What is the tone of the first essay? Of the second? What vocabulary and grammar is specific to the second essay? Would you prefer to read a textbook by the first author or the second?
Homework: Students compare the two essays by, reponding to the above in 1-2 page typed paper.
Day 6. Professional Presentations
Students take notes on presentations given by 2-3 professionals in the business community (real estate agent, lawyer, corporate executive, for example). Each professional discusses the importance of using the best language possible, both spoken and written, in getting a job and in keeping a job. After the professionals leave, classroom discussion considers: What kind of careers do these people have? What are the benefits of such careers? What are the responsibilities? What kind of career would you like to have? Why would you like that career? Would using the best spoken and written language possible be more important or less important for the career you want?
Homework: Students write 1-2 pages responding to the above questions. Also, students are asked to bring in a topic for their Unit 1 Essay, due Day 9. Suggested themes: The Challenges and Importance in Academic Writing; The Varieties of English Discourse, Spoken and Written.
Day 7. Brainstorming
Students discuss the upcoming Unit 1 Essay, due Day 9. Students discuss their tentative topics and possible support. Students are asked to help cluster ideas for some arbitrary topic, such as, "Women Make the Best Leaders in Politics." In small groups, students practice clustering other topics for possible essays. Students spend the remainder of the class clustering and/or outlining an essay on their chosen topic. With peers, students discuss direction and challenges that may come with their topic and support points.
Homework: Write a rough draft of a 4-page, 5-paragraph essay on chosen topic.
Day 8. Rough Drafts
Students read over former students' rough drafts, then their much improved final drafts. In small groups, students read each others' rough drafts and offer constructive criticism. Students schedule office hour visits with teacher, when possible, for further rough draft discussions.
Homework: Students implement changes and write the final draft.
Day 9. Final Draft/Self-Assessment
Students hand in final draft of essay.
Students write in-class blue book essay (2-3 pages), discussing what they've learned during the unit. How did you learn this? How has the way you learned it helped you to learn? How has it changed your attitude about language use? How do you imagine applying what you've learned outside the class?
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