Crafting Expository Argument : Practical Approaches to the Writing Process for Students & Teachers - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Michael Degen teaches English at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, TX, a Blue Ribbon school led by principal Michael Earsing. He has previously taught English at Plano East Senior High School and at YBU School, Tokyo. He holds an M.Ed. and is completing an MA in English.

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The Writing Method under 300 Pages! Inside You'll Discover

A simple program to help students prepare for writing both at the secondary level as well as at college.

Appropriate for grades 9-12 AP, honors & regular English students.

Resources for students: sample paragraphs & essays annotated, grammar and punctuation reviews, MLA documentation rules.

Resources for teachers: lesson plans, assignments, grammar review sheets, editing symbols that address the problems of young writers: elaboration, coherence, organization, style.

A simple method for making grammar useful.

A method that centers on teaching truths: repetition, clear directions, modeling.

A method that helps make grading more objective.

An approach for teachers who have too little time and too much material to cover.

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Chapter 1
To Teachers-Arguments & Lesson Plans
Definition
Expository Argument: Nonfiction prose that contains an introduction with a thesis statement-a sentence asserting a claim that must be demonstrated or proven-body paragraphs that illustrate and prove the planks of the thesis statement, and a conclusion.
Quick Overview: What This Book Is About

These are the beliefs that inform this book.
1. Writing well is a difficult and complex task, one that demands, for most everyone, more than one year of concentrated study.
2. Students do not become better writers by merely reading a lot.
3. Students do not become better writers by completing a series of writing assignments with little teacher feedback and no option for revision.
4. Students learn to write better if the teacher models the assignment, provides clear directions, provides opportunities for students to practice the skills necessary to achieve high expectations, provides specific feedback toward improvement, and encour ages students to revise written work.
5. The teaching of writing has been made more complex because of academic and social distractions-academic: English curricula that emphasizes the quantity of material studied rather than the quality; social: TV, a culture that supports instant gratificati on, little discipline and patience, waning community support for high academic standards.
6. Almost all English teachers battle time restraints because they must teach both literature and composition in one course.
7. Serious writers revise.
8. Serious teachers expect revision.
9. Teaching grammar without applying it to writing assignments does not improve student writing.

This manual/resource book is in response to the above assertions. Moreover, it focuses on four key concepts with regard to teaching high school students expository argument.
1. Clear directions Write down for students all expectations for written work: minimum number of paragraphs, position of topic sentences, location of thesis statement, type of introduction, minimum number of quotations, etc.
2. Repetition Use the same paper directions all year. For the majority of major writing assignments, require (for a paper) a thesis statement located near the end of the introduction, or (for an essay test question) a topic sentence positioned as the fi rst sentence in the paragraph.
3. Revision Each major writing assignment, which includes essay tests, should provide a revision option.
4. Modeling Use class time to model the steps of the writing process: brainstorming, drafting, revision, editing. Use class time to model examples of introductions, thesis statements, topic sentences, body paragraphs, and conclusions.

Why Teach Expository Competence?

Teaching expository argument is important. Ensuring that students write competently gives them confidence to move from data to conclusion with clarity and sophistication. Throughout students' lives they will be frequently asked to draw conclusions from facts, to reorder information, to argue from information, to explain and describe. High school students feel good about themselves when they know they can perform these critical thinking skills with competence.

Moreover, though other forms of writing (informal journaling, short story, playwriting, poetry) are effective exercises in creativity and thinking, these exercises alone will not teach a student the complex task of expository argument; to think otherwise is nave and it fails to recognize the complexity and arduousness of helping a young person respond intelligently to an essay test or essay topic.

Finally, some argue that students write better essays when they choose the form and content. I don't disagree that choice is motivational; unfortunately, by the time students reach high school, some of their skills are so poor, that we must get down to the business of correcting problems. In addition, students must learn that we don't always have choices, that we must learn to write competently even when the topic or format is unappealing.

Teacher's Role

The suggested instructional sequence that will follow is in response to the challenges of the high school English classroom. Namely, many English teachers greet students who have a vast range of writing skills, not to mention possible emotional challenge s. Few students are truly competent, even by the eleventh grade. This challenge is presented in August or September. With a 45-55 minute class that meets on average four to five days a week until May or June, a teacher must sandwich a curriculum filled with literature and a host of sundry objectives plus attempt to help students write a coherent, cogent argument. It is a daunting task. Little help comes from 400-page writing textbooks that categorize a myriad of forms and sequences. Too much materia l. Where does a teacher start? And if one started from the beginning, working from writing assignment to writing assignment, would students have time to master any one form? Or should we work on the short story? The poem? Journal writing?

With little time and an extensive curriculum guide, it seems wise to keep it simple. Focus primarily on one form, the form most useful and practical: the expository argument. If the teacher keeps assigning and explaining the same form all year, mere re petition will affect even the most intellectually withdrawn students. By the tenth essay assignment or paragraph, even the student who hates writing will absorb part of the objectives. For those on task and ready to plunge into each assignment, their skills will quickly move beyond competence; some of their essays will sparkle and amaze readers.

My experience teaching writing suggests that I can be most effective if I primarily teach students throughout the year how to argue a simple, but clear thesis, if I teach repeatedly the creation process of the essay, if I require the same directions for e ssay writing. If the expectations stay high and consistent, the hope is that even the most reluctant students will glean some skills merely because of the repetition.

Another benefit to this procedure is that it becomes easier to hold students accountable for performance. Grading becomes more fair, more objective, and more valid. It becomes more difficult for a student to cry, "I don't know what you want. I don't k now what you mean by blending."

For these reasons this manual does not address any other form of writing except the expository argument. It assumes that most expository, nonfiction writing contains a thesis and body paragraphs that illustrate the thesis. Instead of introducing the cla ssification essay, the compare/contrast essay, the definition essay as separate units, I explain that these "types of papers" are organization choices a student might make once he or she creates a thesis statement.

The final and most salient ingredient of this manual is that teachers must SHOW their students how to create each part of the paragraph, of the essay. Students need to see how to write a topic sentence, how to write a thesis statement, how to make paragr aphs more coherent. Teachers must take time in class to show examples, to work with student papers in front of the class, so students can see how one improves writing. Unfortunately-and I did this, too-too many teachers merely assign a paper, provide little instruction on expectations and scream while grading "these terrible essays." Simply because a student is in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, or even twelfth grade, we can no longer assume that he knows how to take a paper topic, craft a thesis, organi ze a paper, and build paragraphs. I don't even assume, when assigning the tenth paper of the year, that I can simply pass out the instructions and move onto the literature. I realize that, even after a year's repetition, there may remain a handful of st udents who need me to go through thesis statement-generating again-though much more quickly-to go through possible ways to organize paragraphs once more. To keep assigning papers without teaching writing is professional negligence.

Suggested Lesson Plan Sequence

Week One
Objectives
* To introduce the skills and editing symbols: SH, E3, V,
* To introduce the practical use of grammar-a tool to practice writing and manipulating structures to improve meaning and clarity;
* To review grammatical structures: clauses & phrases;
* To introduce peer editing activities.

Day One
1. Explain Writing to Show. Discuss the sample Telling v. Showing paragraph in Chapter 2.
2. Homework: Assign Assignment #1-see Chapter 6. Brainstorm possible images.

Day Two
1. Students will turn in their first showing assignment. When reading student compositions, I usually take a highlighter and highlight the sentences where the student describes specific action or precise, singular sensory details. I tell them what is no t highlighted can be more precise and show them how to make those details more precise. You'll want to encourage students to focus on singular rather than plural details. Plurals are too vague. To elaborate well, focus on the singular object.
2. Begin, for about two weeks, a series of 5-10 minute Grammar Reviews. Begin with the present participial. I explain to students why we're remembering or studying structures. The only way to improve style is to practice writing different types of sentences. We gradually begin adding different structures to composition assignments. I use a sports analogy. During practice your coach makes you practice drills so that when it's time to play the real game, you unconsciously use the skills you routinely practiced. The same holds for writing. By the end of the year, I hope my students will be using sophisticated structures.
3. Explain homework. Assignment #2-see Chapter 6.

Day Three
1. Grammar structure review: clauses-adjective
2. Introduce large class peer editing activity: See Chapter 6. Focus only on editing for symbol E. Model examples. See Chapter 2. Use assignment in Chapter 6.
3. Homework: Revise Assignment #2: Try to respond to editor's comments.

Day Four
1. Grammar structure review: clauses-adverb
2. Continue peer editing. Have students use two symbols while editing today. First, in a short lesson, teach, by using the assignments in Chapter 6, symbol SH & strong verbs.
3. Homework: Revise Assignment #2 again responding to the symbol comments from peers.

Day Five
1. Grammar structure review: clauses-noun
2. Explaining Assignment #3 : Athletic Action. Discuss writing about one single athletic action. To allow students to visualize an action, I pantomime match point of a tennis match. (Another teacher friend of mine acts out a football play.) As studen ts watch me, they have to write down every action that I'm doing. For example, caressing the yellow tennis ball, reaching for the Nike towel to wipe the sweat dripping off my nose. Sometimes it's fun to have students act out one athletic moment, usually a moment that doesn't last much more than a few minutes-one play. It's this single athletic moment that they are to recreate in their assignment.

Day Six
1. Grammar structure review: At this point, a game to review the grammatical structures covered so far is a good idea. I usually make overheads of the grammar worksheets in Chapter 6. I divide the class into 2-3 teams.
2. To encourage class discussion of writing and revising, I sometimes read the assignments turned in that day. I randomly select compositions from the box and read excerpts, first scanning selections for concrete imagery. We stop and comment on a few i mages that students created. I ask students if there are places where images could be extended even further or if there are plurals or other vague words that could be removed and replaced with singular, more concrete detail.
3. Homework: Revise "He/She is scared" composition turned in on day two.

Day Seven
1. Grammar structure review: absolute phrase-very handy for extending elaboration!
2. Since students have revised "He is scared," it is effective to share their good ideas with the class, allowing others to learn by example. Again, I follow the reading procedures detailed on Day Six, #2.
3. Have students do the "Destroying Specific Details" exercise in Chapter 6. After they ruin one of the showing pieces in the book, have them read them out loud and discuss why the original is better, why it contains more precise detail. The object mig ht be to change all singular items to plurals, all specific details to V [vague details], to remove all extended elaboration, to weaken all active verbs.
4. Homework: Revise athletic action composition from Day Five.

Day Eight
1. Grammar structure review: infinitive phrases
2. You will be introducing Assignment #4, an ordinary action. I usually role play a man sitting in the park reading a newspaper. While I pantomime/role play, I ask students to jot down every singular action I perform. I ask them to write it in the form of a present participial phrase. [e.g. folding the newspaper, talking to the dog, eating a carrot, etc.]
3. Share the specific details students noted. Begin explaining the ordinary action assignment. Help students to think about choosing a very ordinary event, one that doesn't take too long.
4. Homework: Explain and discuss Assignment #4 in Chapter 6.

Day Nine
1. Grammar structure review: Pick the structure with which students are having most difficulty.
2. Introduce and assign the Grammar Handout Assignment. See Chapter 6. I usually give them two weeks to complete it.
3. Choose a peer editing activity to respond to the ordinary action papers.
4. Homework: Revise the ordinary action composition.

Day Ten
1. I sometimes play "Grammar Olympics" for a few days before I give students a grammatical structure test, based on the format of the worksheets. We divide into teams. We play for a few days, then have the test.
2. At this point, students have written four showing assignments with both teacher and student feedback. For a half a test grade, I ask them to revise any piece. They need to follow the "Showing Writing" directions in the appendix.

Applying Showing Writing Skills
* For the next three weeks, I'm working with a piece of literature. During this time, students will be turning in the Grammar Handout Assignment, taking the grammar structure test, and completing a revision of a showing piece. Because the knowledge of g rammatical structures is important-for we use them all year-I make students retest until they make an 80 on the grammar test. Often, many come in for tutorials.
* Before the first class discussion on crafting paragraphs, I give the students a preparatory assignment. See on next page in the box. The example works with The Great Gatsby.

Choose one of the following topic sentences. DO NOT WRITE A PARAGRAPH! List only the textual passages that you would use as evidence to support your argument. Textual evidence = SHOWING details. Include page numbers.

Topic Sentence choices:
1. Nick's description of Gatsby's party preparations contain Edenic imagery and diction.
2. Tom's actions reveal his desire to control people.
3. Myrtle's primary objective is to pursue material wealth. Example of what your homework should look like:

TS: Daisy copes with the cruelty of the world with an effervescent and fatuous personality.
"Well, I've had a very bad time, Nick, and I'm pretty cynical about everything" (21)
"I woke up out of the there with an utterly abandoned feeling"(21)
"Nick. You remind me of a-of a rose, an absolute rose." (19)

* They come to class the next period with this assignment, and I help them begin putting the evidence together in the paragraph.

* At this point, it's crucial to help students see the immediate application of showing writing. The showing writing skills will now be used to write about literature: extending elaboration of ideas, focusing on concrete, singular detail, using a variety of sentence structures, choosing active verbs, and controlling verb tense. Now the showing details will be scenes from the literature. The elaboration will be the analysis of those concrete details.

Teaching the Paragraph
Day One
1. Building paragraphs: It's important that you stress to students that they'll be using the same showing writing skills and structures we used before: SH, E, V, strong verbs, etc. They need to see this application. Walk students through the beginning of Chapter 3, the section "Building Paragraphs." Be patient. This process takes time depending on student preparation and age. You might put them in groups after the class goes through this section together. The groups can then begin putting the piec es of one student's paragraph together. Each person should write down the constructed paragraph.
2. Discuss the results of the group.

Day Two
1. Working with the same paragraph assignment, discuss the "Word/Logic Glue" section of Chapter 3. Together, work on the handout that asks students to identify the word and logic glue.
2. Return to the paragraph assignment and groups. Have the groups identify and revise the sentences so that there is obvious glue between them.
3. Students report the construction of their paragraphs with class and teacher feedback. It's important that you make each student write out the group's product.
4. For homework: Revise; make corrections to your own paragraph based on your new knowledge of organization and word glue.

Day Three
1. Share paragraphs.
2. Have students do another "Destroying Activity" in Chapter 6. They will remove all word and logic glue and words that help communicate the organizational pattern.
3. Share responses.
4. Assign paragraph assignment. At this point, I give students a list of possible topic sentences based on the literature we've been reading. They choose one and follow the "Paragraph Directions" in the appendix.

Day Four
1. Take students through some sample paragraphs. Sometimes I make overheads of the paragraph samples in the book. At the beginning of the period, we discuss what choices the author made to improve coherence.
2. Choose a peer editing activity. You may have students focus only on word glue or on E or SH, etc.
3. Homework: Revise paragraph based on editing suggestions.

Writing Essays

* Again at this point, you must decide whether you need to continue with the literature or you want to work more with paragraph development.
* Once students turn in their paragraphs, I make them revise until they at least reach grade "B" level writing, a level described in the writing rubric in the appendix. By this point, I'm ready to give my first essay test.
* Essay tests: I spend a day showing students how to write a topic sentence in response to an essay question. The answer to the question is your topic sentence.
* After the essay test and moving on to other pieces of literature, I'm ready for teaching the entire paper.

Day One
1. Writing thesis statements: take students through Chapter 4.
2. Have students brainstorm possible thesis statements. Discuss and evaluate.
3. Homework: Students should write their thesis statement plus topic sentences that will support the thesis.

Day Two
1. Discuss showing introductions. Go over samples in Chapter 3.
2. Have students brainstorm possibilities.
3. Homework: Write the showing introduction.

Day Three
1. Share student introductions.
2. Work in partners making suggestions about the introductions.
3. Explain that the topic sentences = an aspect of the thesis + an organizing element. See Chapter 3.
4. Homework: Write at least one body paragraph.

Day Four
1. Choose one of the editing activities in Chapter 6. Have students only examine the showing introduction and thesis statement.
2. Homework: Revise showing introduction & thesis statement

Day Five
1. Choose an editing model. Have students examine topic sentences only.
2. Examine body paragraphs.
3. Revise based on suggestions. Remind students that peer editing has two purposes: 1) to read how other students write, which might provide them with new ideas about their paper topic; 2) to share their particular writing gifts with another student. Remember that writers don't have to use all or any of the suggestions. I tell my students that I hope a few ideas trigger additional reflection.

Day Six
1. Choose the larger "Day Four: Final Evaluation" editing activity. Use this with partners or in the large group setting.
2. Assign a due date for your paper.

* Whenever I assign additional paper assignments, I move through a modified version of the above lesson plans. I also take one or two class periods to discuss essay tests coming up, reminding the students that their answer to the essay test question shou ld be their topic sentence.

Second Semester

* At the beginning of the second semester, I assign the "Writing Progress Chart Assignment" in Chapter 6. I also assign another paragraph assignment, one in which I list several topic sentences from which they must construct a paragraph. They need to fo llow the paragraph directions in the appendix. I make them revise the paragraph until they reach "A" level. It takes some students the entire semester to achieve this goal, but they do make it. Along the way, I set occasional due dates and deduct point s if they are late.

* Throughout the semester, I repeat the essay test review days and the paper preparation review days.

Using the Manual

I envision students and teachers using the manual as a resource book. It contains model sentences, paragraphs, and papers. Some are annotated to point out examples of the skills I continually emphasize. Chapter 3 is especially important for students wh en responding to my editing marks. Most editing marks are defined and examples are shown. Students should refer to these when attempting to correct their own errors. The unannotated paragraphs may be used as exercises and topics of class discussion. T hey may provide material for individual assignments or group work.

Please note that my student examples are all male because I teach at an all-male school. In addition, my students write about the following works of literature:

Beowulf
The Scarlet Letter
The Canterbury Tales
The Great Gatsby
Macbeth
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Frankenstein
The Romantic poets
Great Expectations
Lord of the Flies