Introduction to Developmental

Writing

Instructor: Jose J. Gonzalez Jr.

Welcome to my class Some information about myself

I have taught for about 20 years in junior hi, high school and college. Currently, I teach developmental writing,

academic English, college success, and government.

I have a BA in Political Science and a MA in English. I am currently working on a Masters in music.

Purpose of Writing course

To prepare students for the writing part of the THEA test

To prepare students for academic English

Class assignments . . . 1. Six essays, most of which will be

persuasive 2. Many grammar exercises 3. Notes on both grammar and essay

writing 4. Essay tests and grammar tests 5. Quizzes on both grammar and essays

How important do you think writing is?

Whether you like it or not, you are judged on how well you write.

College

Work

There is a world of difference between . .

Speaking

and

Writing

In fact, you may master spoken English, but

your writing skills may need a lot of work!

How often do you write ?

Different careers that require good writing skills . . . Nurse Policeman Secretary Journalist Teacher Computer specialist Manager Paralegal

Social worker Counselor Scientist Insurance salesman Business man School administrator Travel agent Mechanic

Different types of writing

Poetic Literary Informative Advertising

Poetry 1463A Route of EvanescenceWith a revolving Wheel—A Resonance of Emerald—A Rush of CochinealAnd every Blossom on the BushAdjusts its tumbled Head—The mail from Tunis, probably,An easy Morning’s Ride—

Emily Dickinson, c.1879

LiteraryA cloudy day: do you know what

that is in a town of iron-works? The sky sank down before dawn, muddy, flat, immovable. The air is thick, clammy with the breath of crowded human beings. It stifles me. I open the window, and looking out, can scarcely see through the rain the grocer’s shop opposite, where a crowd of drunken Irishmen are puffing Lynchburg tobacco in their pipes. I can detect the scent through all the foul smells ranging loose in the air.

Life in the Iron-Mills, Rebecca Harding Davis

InformativeHerman Melville began life with everything in

his favor; heredity first of all, with two genuine Revolutionary heroes for grandfathers. The Melville family was solidly established in Boston and the Gannsevoorts were linked to the greatest Dutch patroon families of New York. Melville’s much traveled father, Allan Melville, a dry goods merchant in New York City, took inordinate pride in the genealogy of the Melvilles, tracing the line past Scottish renaissance courtiers to a queen of Hungary and tracing his mother’s family, the Scollays, to the king of Norway.

Advertsing . . .

When you need a smoke, buy Camel’s.

I’d walk a mile for a Camel any day of the week!

What do you need to be a good writer?

To be a good writer you need to-- Be logical Be organized Have some idea of

the world around you Read on a daily basis Be able to take

criticism

Know grammar well Have a well

developed vocabulary Write often Be determined

Some general information about the THEA Writing test It is composed of two parts

Writing part, persuasive essay

Grammar part, multiple choice questions

Writing Part Persuasive essay, minimum 350 words

But,

What does persuasive mean?

Persuasive defined You are trying to convince some one of

some certain view point on a controversial issue.

For example, are you for or against cell phone use in automobiles? Yes or No However, you have to decided one way or

another.

How is the essay scored? And who scores the essays? The essays are sent to Austin and are graded by

two readers. These readers can either give you a score of 1,2,3,

or 4. With the combination scores, you can have a

minimum score of 2 to a maximum score of 8. 2, 3, and 4 are failing 6,7 and 8 are passing

But what about 5?In other words, one person gives you a 3 and

the other gives you a 2

In this case, and only in this case, they grade the grammar part of the essay. If you do well, you pass; if you do poorly, you fail.

Tell me about a funny incident that happen to you.