Date of Award

5-31-2017

Document Type

Campus Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

First Advisor

Lauren Marshall Bowen

Second Advisor

Neal Bruss

Third Advisor

Matthew Davis

Abstract

"Toward a Unified Reading-Writing Curriculum: Mindful Reading in WAC/WID Courses” uses qualitative analysis to identify the limitations of reading pedagogies typical in WAC/WID courses. It examines the effect of these pedagogies on students’ writing, and evaluates the potential for implementing a mindful reading framework in WAC/WID courses to better support students’ transferable reading knowledge. By addressing such as questions as “to what extent are students' difficulties with writing primarily difficulties with reading?” and “what might a unified writing-and-reading curriculum for WAC/WID courses look like?” this project contributes to such research that seeks to move needed conversations about reading across disciplines. In order to cultivate mindful reading in students in and across disciplines, instructors must foreground reading as an equal part of the critical reading and writing combo. In addition to importing writing assignments into content-oriented, writing-intensive courses, this project suggests that WAC/WID instructors need to include assignments that directly build on students’ reading strategies in ways that contribute to their knowledge about reading. Further, it proposes program-wide reconsideration of the way reading is positioned in WAC/WID and calls for a reexamination of the discourse surrounding reading practices and reading instruction.

Comments

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