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Expository Writing (105-0-22)

Topic

Expository Writing for Multilingual Students

Instructors

Lisa M Del Torto
847/491-4967
555 Clark St., Room 204

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 215: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

This section of Expository Writing (English 105-0) is an introduction to college-level academic writing designed for multilingual students. Our section is reserved for undergraduate students who self-identify as native speakers of languages other than English or in addition to English. Students in any school, major, and year are welcome and will benefit from the course. Whether you are a beginning or advanced writer, we will work individually to build upon your existing strengths and identify and address areas for improvement.

This section uses a Critical Language Awareness approach that helps us to practice conventions of US academic writing while we also examine the value systems underlying those conventions. Class meetings are conducted as seminar discussions and workshops. In addition, the instructor meets regularly with students one-on-one or in teams for conferences. Students will write two longer pieces of expository writing along with several shorter pieces, developing each through a careful process of planning, drafting, community feedback, revising, and reflection.

Registration Requirements

This section is designed for multilingual students, i.e. students who are native speakers of languages other than English and students who are native speakers of English AND of another language. If you have questions about whether this section of Expository Writing is for you, please contact the instructor at L-torto@northwestern.edu.

Class Materials (Required)

Most of our course materials will be available via free download on Canvas. There is one book that students will purchase, rent, or access via course reserves:

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. ISBN: 978-0393631678

Students can get the 3rd, 4th, or 5th edition of They Say/I Say. Used and new books are equally fine as are print and e-books. This book ranges in price from about $15-$30 and can be found at the Norris Bookstore as well as from various online booksellers.