tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3469514378360237874.post2635263616449748577..comments2023-09-05T07:08:22.612-07:00Comments on First Year Writing at Utah Valley University: The Extra Credit DilemmaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3469514378360237874.post-48776538309511566632009-07-31T05:38:23.656-07:002009-07-31T05:38:23.656-07:00i love to come & read this topic . related to...i love to come & read this topic . related to ESL . . <br /><a href="http://www.esl.ch/de/sprachaufenthalt.htm" rel="nofollow">Sprachreisen Malta</a>readinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605573001063825314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3469514378360237874.post-24222461392471382102009-07-17T07:09:33.950-07:002009-07-17T07:09:33.950-07:00I like this approach to extra credit. Not only is ...I like this approach to extra credit. Not only is it course-relevant, and encourages some critical reflection within the classroom, it also goes beyond the classroom: the kind of argumentation you are asking your students to construct is the same kind of thing they need to do in a job interview, a grant application, graduate school application, or in asking for a raise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3469514378360237874.post-71505442779869581032009-07-14T12:11:20.833-07:002009-07-14T12:11:20.833-07:00Alyssa,
This is a well thought out assignment. I...Alyssa,<br /><br />This is a well thought out assignment. I agree with you that it really calls on students (ESL or not) to reflect on course objectives and demonstrate the ways in which they're able to make the intellectual (rather than simply mechanical) moves at the heart of our FYC courses.<br /><br />While I haven't had too much experience with high concentrations of ESL students in my FYC classes, my inclination has typically been similar to yours, and I hold all students to the same evaluative criteria (just as I do with students who face other challenges in our unique demographic situation, such as young students who are also parents). Certainly though, those criteria are multidimensional, so while some ESL students may be comparatively weak in grammar and mechanics, they may excel in quality of ideas and development of arguments. They thus stand a strong chance of succeeding in my courses, even if over the term their mechanical skills don't entirely reach the level of their college-prepared and native-competent counterparts in the class.<br /><br />I also think you're right to note that there are substantial resources for all underprepared students on campus, whether ESL or not. I'm not so convinced then that you'd be condemning students to either "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" or fail, since they have the writing lab, ESL tutors, opportunities for peer review and instructor consultation, and so on. <br /><br />I'll look forward to your reflections of the assignment once you see the results.Gosherthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714079575208568137noreply@blogger.com