Theory and Practice of Writing Across the Curriculum: Humanities/Composition Link At Saginaw Valley State College, 1977-1980.

Abstract

Writing Across the Curriculum and Discipline-Based Writing programs represent attempts to involve students in more writing in all their classes and to link that writing to what students are learning in subject areas other than English. These programs rest on certain theories about the nature of the writing process and the relationship between writing and learning which suggest that writing can be an important vehicle for discovering and formulating ideas for the self, as well as providing the means through which ideas are communicated to an audience. Writing can be central to learning. Therefore, all teachers should use writing to promote effective learning of their disciplines. Since 1965, many Writing Across the Curriculum and Discipline-Based Writing programs have been implemented, based on the following assumptions: writing is not the concern solely of the English department; linking writing with other learning improves motivation; in order to learn to write, students must have something to write about; writing growth is fostered when writing is done to underst and a subject; writing should be seen as a process; writing is learned above all by writing, so reinforcement and practice are essential. A Discipline-Based Writing course has been developed and taught at Saginaw Valley State College between 1977 and 1980. Called LINK, the program joins freshmen courses in Humanities and composition, leading to student improvement both in writing skills and in mastery of course content. Specifically, the LINK program has helped students to develop motivation and confidence for writing; to use writing to discover ideas and to forge bonds between the self and the material studied; to develop reading skills; to develop abstractive abilities and the ability to summarize; to transform ideas effectively for an audience; to write for a variety of audiences; and to gain an underst and ing of, and control over, writing processes.