Support for Writing Instruction
Welcome! Please browse the content below for more information regarding Writing Center classroom support. Here, you can find additional resources such as syllabus blurbs, resource links, video presentations, and more. For help with any specific questions or concerns regarding writing center services, please reach out to Patrick Johnson ([email protected]), Writing Center Director.
We look forward to supporting the writing goals of you and your students!
Consultant Classroom Support Options
Teaching a section of WRT 120, 130, or 150? View the chart on the right in order to see your current classroom Writing Consultant support options. For any questions or ideas regarding Writing Center Support for your First Year Writing course, contact us! We would be happy to help brainstorm ideas and walk through ways that Writing Consultants can assist the student authors in your class.
Consultants in WRT 120/130/150 Button
For each in-person section of WRT 120, please choose one of the following:
- Option 1
- A weekly, embedded writing consultant in lab or traditional classroom
- Option 2
- A weekly, embedded writing consultant in lab or traditional classroom
- Up to three 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by the end of midterms (Week 8)
- Option 3
- Four 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 12
- Option 4
- Two 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 12
- One class presentation about Writing Center services to be completed by Week 8
- One required one-to-one Writing Center consultation for each student (synchronous or asynchronous)
Note: We ask that workshops be scheduled on the same days (i.e. a Tuesday/Thursday class would only schedule workshops on Tuesdays or Thursdays rather than varying days).
For scheduling purposes, weekly embedded consultants and workshops are 50-minutes and start at the top of the hour. If your section starts at half past the hour, embedded consultants and workshops will start at that time and be for 45 minutes.
All online sections of WRT 120 must include:
- An online presentation about Writing Center services (synchronous or asynchronous)
- Two (or three) 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 12 (synchronous or asynchronous)
- One required one-to-one Writing Center consultation for each student (synchronous or asynchronous)
Note: We ask that synchronous workshops be scheduled on the same days (i.e. a Tuesday/Thursday class would only schedule workshops on Tuesdays or Thursdays rather than varying days)
For scheduling purposes, workshops are 50-minutes and start at the top of the hour. If your section starts at half past the hour, workshops will start at that time and be for 45 minutes.
For your course, please choose one of the following options:
- Option 1
- A weekly, embedded writing consultant in lab or traditional classroom
- Option 2
- A weekly, embedded writing consultant in lab or traditional classroom
- Up to three 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by the end of midterms (Week 8)
Notes: We ask that workshops be scheduled on the same days (i.e. a Tuesday/Thursday class would only schedule workshops on Tuesdays or Thursdays rather than varying days)
For scheduling purposes, weekly embedded consultants and workshops are 50-minutes and start at the top of the hour. If your section starts at half past the hour, embedded consultants and workshops will start at that time and be for 45 minutes.
For your online course, please choose one of the following options:
- Option 1
- One weekly writing consultant for 50 minutes of online support
- Up to three 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 8
- Option 2
- Four 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 12
- Option 3
- Two 50-minute workshops with consultants to be completed by Week 12
- An online presentation about Writing Center services to be completed by Week 8 (synchronous or asynchronous)
- One required one-to-one Writing Center consultation for each student (synchronous or asynchronous)
Notes: Workshops can be synchronous or asynchronous. If synchronous, we ask that workshops be scheduled on the same days (i.e. a Tuesday/Thursday class would only schedule workshops on Tuesdays or Thursdays rather than varying days)
For scheduling purposes, weekly consultants and workshops are 50-minutes and start at the top of the hour. If your section starts at half past the hour, weekly consultants and workshops will start at that time and be for 45 minutes.
Writing Center Services Presentation
The Writing Center is excited to work in-person and virtually with your students. Additionally, we are happy to schedule a writing consultant to come to your class and do a 10-minute presentation on Writing Center services and how to access them. Please contact Lisa Gullo ([email protected]) if you would like to schedule a virtual or in-person classroom presentation. We also have a video walkthrough of our typical academic year information available here: Slideshow on Writing Center services.
If you have any questions regarding our current service availability, please visit our Hours and Locations page or feel free to contact us with any questions.
For Teaching Writing in Your Class
Part of the writing experience is understanding the context within which we compose -- who is this for? Why did I write this? What purpose does it serve? This sort of investigation can make a paper more enjoyable to write and easier to read. Use the postcard below to coach your students through this process (metacognition).
In collaboration with Writing Across the Curriculum, the Writing Center has drafted a helpful resource regarding "the Communication Triangle" (often referred to as "the Rhetorical Triangle"). By using this post-card, writers can have a helpful guided experience with the following:
- Writing for a reader
- Writing within a context
- Writing with a purpose
- Reading any genre
- Reading new information
- Picking topics
SWS Fellows Program
The SWS Fellows program is an enhanced version of the classroom support normally offered to instructors through the writing center. The Fellows program involves working with a dedicated group of 5-6 writing consultants to provide enhanced writing support for students and faculty, including:
- Multiple in-class workshops with a dedicated group of highly-trained writing consultants
- Meetings between consultants and faculty outside of class to discuss upcoming assignments, plan workshops, and share feedback
- Additional in-class workshops available all semester long
- Opportunities to reflect on activities and assignments with consultants, as well as SWS and writing center administration.
Due to the scheduling limitations within the writing center, the SWS Fellows program is only available in two courses each semester. Interested faculty are encouraged to apply and participants are selected based on a variety of features (approach to writing instruction, previous use of consultants, strength of application, etc).
Faculty who are interested in becoming an SWS fellow should submit a SWS Fellows Application application or contact Patrick Johnson ([email protected]) Writing Center Director.
