MODULE 2: DOWNLOADABLE PACKET

Table of Contents
MODULE 2: DOWNLOADABLE PACKET ......................................................................................................... 1
MODULE 2: TEACHING PROCESS WRITING ................................................................................................... 2
Module 2: Getting Started ............................................................................................................................ 2
Overview and To-Do List........................................................................................................................... 2
Module 2: Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
Module 2: Writing Process............................................................................................................................ 4
Module 2: What Is the Writing Process? .................................................................................................. 4
Module 2: Essentials of the Writing Process .......................................................................................... 13
Module 2: Pre-Writing Strategies ........................................................................................................... 14
Module 2: Revising Versus Editing ......................................................................................................... 16
Module 2: OPTIONAL Discussion: Experience with Integrating Process Writing ................................... 20
Module 2: Cascading Knowledge ................................................................................................................ 24
Module 2: Introduction to Cascading New Knowledge .......................................................................... 24
Module 2: OPTIONAL Discussion: Ways of Sharing Knowledge and Experience ................................... 34
Module 2: Review ....................................................................................................................................... 35
Module 2: Quiz ....................................................................................................................................... 35
Module 2: OPTIONAL Teaching Journal: Process-Based Assignment Prompt........................................ 36
Module 2: Summary ............................................................................................................................... 38
Module 2 Check ...................................................................................................................................... 39

© 2023 by Iowa State University. Developing and Teaching Academic Writing Module 2
Downloadable Packet for the Online Professional English Network (OPEN), sponsored by the U.S.
Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. government and administered by FHI 360.
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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To
view a copy of this license, visit [Link]
MODULE 2: TEACHING PROCESS WRITING
Module 2: Getting Started

OVERVIEW AND TO-DO LIST

Overview
Let's work on Module 2: Teaching Process Writing!

Objective
This module targets Course Objective 2: Develop an understanding of teaching process writing
strategies. By the end of the module, you will be able to accomplish the following Module Objectives:
• 2.1. Learn strategies for planning and implementing the writing process in a writing course;
• 2.2. Understand the importance of grammar and document formatting for academic writing;
• 2.3. Apply key concepts to create a prompt for a writing assignment incorporating process
writing stages.

To-Do List
Below are the tasks you need to complete in Module 2 with the recommended time as a guide. These
time guidelines are only approximate; you may find that you spend longer or shorter on some tasks,
depending on your experience with and interest in the topic.

Module 2: Getting Started

• Read this Module 2, Task 1: Overview and
To-Do List page (10 mins)
o Watch the Module 2:
Introduction video (10 minutes)

Module 2: Writing Process

• Watch the Module 2: What Is the Writing
Process? video (20 minutes)
• Read the pages following the Module 2:
Essentials of the Writing Process page "White ceramic mug on white table
o Module 2: Pre-Writing Strategies (15 cottonbro via Pexels is licensed under
minutes) the Pexels license.
o Module 2: Revising Versus Editing (15
minutes)
• Complete the optional task Module 2: OPTIONAL Discussion: Experience with Integrating
Process Writing (30 minutes)

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Module 2: Cascading New Knowledge
• Watch the Module 2: Introduction to Cascading New Knowledge video (20 minutes)
• Complete the optional task Module 2: OPTIONAL Discussion: Ways of Sharing Knowledge and
Experience (30 minutes)

Review
• Take the assessment on Module 2: Quiz (30 minutes)
• Respond to the optional task Module 2: OPTIONAL Teaching Journal: Process-Based Assignment
Prompt (45 minutes)
• Watch the Module 2: Summary video (10 minutes)
• Check if everything for this module was completed in Module 2 Check (5 minutes)

All assignments for Module 2 are due on July 9, 2023, at 11:59 Eastern Time.

MODULE 2: INTRODUCTION

Video: Module 2 Introduction

"Video" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Watch this Module 2 Introduction video that introduces you to the most important aspects of this
module.

>>>> Please note that this video is available for online viewing. See the transcript below. <<<<

Welcome to Module 2 Teaching Process Writing!

In Module 2, we will:
• introduce you to the steps of the writing process;
• cover how to teach process writing and tools to help students become proficient academic
writers.

You will learn from short video lectures and reading about:
• what the writing process is;
• essentials of the writing process;
• pre-writing;
• revising for meaning and editing for correctness;
• cascading new knowledge.

To help you better understand how key concepts work in actual teaching, we will demonstrate them in:
• a handout with examples of process-based prompts by other teachers;
• a sample of a writing prompt.

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You will also have opportunities to interact with each other and engage in:
• Optional Discussion: Experience with Integrating Process Writing;
• Optional Discussion: Ways of Sharing Knowledge and Experience.

To learn ‘by doing’ and apply your new knowledge, you will work on an Optional Teaching Journal:
Process-Based Assignment Prompt. Specifically, you will draft a prompt for a writing assignment with
description of the assignment processes.

Your work will be evaluated throughout the module and at the end of the module with help of:
• Quiz for Module 2.

Let’s begin learning about teaching process writing in Module 2!

Module 2: Writing Process

MODULE 2: WHAT IS THE WRITING PROCESS?

Video: What Is the Writing Process?

Watch this lecture introducing the key concepts and stages of the writing process.

>>>> Please note that this video is available for online viewing. See the transcript below. <<<<

Presentation slides: What Is the Writing Process?

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Transcript: What Is the Writing Process?

SLIDE 1: TITLE
Welcome to
Module 2: Teaching Process Writing.
What is the writing process?

SLIDE 2: PREVIEW
In this presentation, we cover the:
• different teaching approaches;
• stages of the writing process;
• the importance of the timing and order of the writing process stages.

SLIDE 3: PRODUCT VERSUS PROCESS TEACHING APPROACHES

As we mentioned before, there are many ways to approach writing instruction. Product-focused
teaching emphasizes what to write – it focuses on the form and the final product, and treats writing as a
set of skills. Process-focused teaching emphasizes how to write – it focuses on what the writer does and
treats writing as a set of steps. Each of these approaches has its benefits.

SLIDE 4: PRODUCT-FOCUSED WRITING

We can see the benefit of product writing if we think of writing like cooking. Product-focused writing is
like cooking a meal following a recipe using specific ingredients to make a well-known dish. Knowing the
expected product can help you produce the same dish every time – often successfully. However, it can
be hard to adjust the dish if you have different ingredients or different guests.

SLIDE 5: PROCESS-FOCUSED WRITING

On the other hand, process writing is more like experimental cooking. You might start with a general
idea of what you want to eat, but you will smell and taste it as you go, adding or taking out some
ingredients to improve the dish. Knowing the process for writing is like being a creative cook – a cook
who makes a unique dish, which is sometimes not what the dinner guests expected.

SLIDE 6: TEACHING MORE THAN ONE APPROACH

Thus, teaching with more than one approach is most effective. Teach your students both what forms
and structures are commonly expected and how to work through the writing process. This will allow
them to be creative cooks who can always make the best dish – or write the best text – for any
audience.

SLIDE 7: THE STAGES OF THE WRITING PROCESS

Teaching process writing means understanding the four main stages: Inventing starts with thinking
about the topic and planning the main ideas. Drafting includes composing a draft and developing it with
details. Revising includes reviewing of the draft and getting feedback to re-write what is needed. And
the Editing stage involves proofreading and correcting the grammar and format of the document.

SLIDE 8: THE STAGES ARE NOT A STRAIGHT LINE

However, the writing process stages are not proceeding in a straight line from start to finish. They are
more like a set of connected loops where writers sometimes repeat some steps as they revise.

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SLIDE 9: PROCESS WRITING AND LANGUAGE LEARNING
As a foreign language teacher, keep in mind that language learners need to develop fluency – the feeling
that their ideas and the language to express them are flowing like water. Process writing can help
promote fluency by separating the types of writing issues, so that fluency is not slowed down.

SLIDE 10: GLOBAL ISSUES COME FIRST

The early stages allow students to plan and develop their ideas, which are the higher-order thinking
skills at the content-level. They are called global issues because they are seen the big picture point of
view. Focusing on global issues in the early stages allows language learners to say what they mean in
their new language without worrying about saying it correctly. It promotes fluency.

SLIDE 11: LOCAL ISSUES COME LAST

Putting global issues first means that early drafts may contain errors, which are considered lower-order,
sentence-level issues. They are called local issues because they are found by looking closely at the words
and sentences.

To promote fluency, you should try not to correct local errors until later in the writing process.
Remember, students are trying to think and write in a foreign language. Their brains should not be asked
to process too many tasks at the same time. Let them use all their brain power to express their ideas at
the early stages and save the grammar and other local issues for later.

SLIDE 12: WRAP UP

To wrap up, process writing teaches how to write, not what. There are four main stages, and the stages
don’t go in a straight line. Global issues are best addressed in the early stages. Local issues are best
addressed at the end. And editing last promotes language learning and fluency.

Optional: Additional engagement

Each of the stages of the writing process presents an opportunity for language learning and for the
development of communication skills. Think about how you can use the writing process to provide
communication practice for your students in class. For example, students can talk about their topics
together in small groups and share how they would develop their drafts. Consider these questions:

• What language and communication skills do you think they could practice during the
Inventing stage?
• What language and communication skills could they practice together in class during the
Revising stage?

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Additional Resources:
(This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this
course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use.)
Teaching Writing as Process: This resource compares writing-as-process and writing-as-product. It
describes the main elements of the writing process and provides some advice for teachers on how to
facilitate their students' writing process.

“Video” and "Optional" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

MODULE 2: ESSENTIALS OF THE

WRITING PROCESS

Let's learn more about the writing process!

In this part of Module 2, you will learn from short readings
about what can make the writing process more effective from
the very beginning and what to pay attention to at later stages
of the writing process.
"A person writing on a notebook" by Anna
1. Pre-Writing Strategies
Pou via Pexels is licensed under the Pexels
2. Revising Versus Editing

Optional: Additional engagement

Please think about yourself as a writer. Write down some ideas about what you do when you begin
working on a text, when you revise what you wrote, and when you finalize your text.
Keep your notes until after you read the following two pages, so you can later compare your ideas.

"Optional" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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MODULE 2: PRE-WRITING STRATEGIES

Please note: Words in bold can be found in the Course Glossary.

There is no right way to start writing, but invention is key for composing any text. We describe the pre-
writing (or inventing) strategies briefly based on Babin et al. (2017). You can give your students several
strategies to try, so they can identify the ones that work best for them.

Brainstorming
Brainstorming is one of the most popular
strategies used at the beginning of the writing
process. Here, writers write down many ideas
without judging if they are all appropriate for the
writing task. They can pause and get input from
others. And there is no need to worry about
spelling or grammar errors.

Clustering
Clustering allows writers to see the connections
between their ideas. It is also called a tree
diagram or map. Writers can start by writing "Untitled" by Barney Yau via Unsplash is licensed
down the main idea in the middle, circling it, and under the Unsplash license
then drawing out connections to other ideas. Each
idea can then be expanded further through new connections. Then, the ideas will look like the branches
of a tree. Writers can also use colors or large fonts to join similar ideas and emphasize important ideas.

Listing
Listing lets writers organize their ideas as a list. There are two types of lists: (1) brainstorming list and (2)
what I know/don’t know list. In the first one, writers simply list all the ideas they can think of on their
topic. In the second one, they write down what they already know about their topic and what they need
to learn about their topic.

Outlining
Outlining is a strategy that writers can use once they know more about their topic. Therefore, it usually
follows one of the strategies mentioned above. Writers can create either a traditional outline or a rough
outline. The traditional outline is used to order the main ideas and supporting details through
numbering. Typically, it starts with the main idea for the overall topic. Then, subtopics are added, and
each subtopic will have supporting details as elaborations. The rough outline, on the other hand,
basically lists the ideas the student developed during the clustering or listing phase in some logical way.

Freewriting
Freewriting is where writers actually create some text, but they don't worry about the correctness yet.
Here, they write as much as possible in a short amount of time, and they don’t stop trying to focus on a
specific order. If they are stuck, they try to express the same idea in different ways until they are able to
generate a new idea.

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Looping
Looping helps to build on freewriting. Writers move within
their topic and get all the relevant ideas into writing. Usually,
they write freely on a topic for about 10-15 minutes, read over
the content generated in this time period, and circle a
subtopic to develop further. Then, they write freely on the
circled topic and repeat the looping process until all the
relevant topics are covered.

Asking Questions "Multiethnic colleagues discussing contract

Asking questions is a strategy to get new content. Here are on paper" by Alexander Suhorucov via
some examples: Pexels is licensed under the Pexels license
• Journalism questions (also known as the “five W
questions” - who, what, when, where, why/how - questions that help reveal the basics of the
topic)
o Who is involved?
o What is happening?
o When/Where/Why/How is it happening?
• Problem/solution questions
o What problem is your writing aiming to solve? Who/what is involved in the problem?
What solutions can you provide? How can these solutions be accomplished?
• Cause/effect questions
o What reason contributed to your topic? Why is this an issue? Or, in talking about an
effect, what effect does your topic have? Who will this topic affect?

Optional: Additional engagement

Students may skip invention or spend very little time on it. Teachers should activate students' prior
knowledge about a writing topic before having them write. Consider how you may introduce your
students to a given topic to get their ideas flowing before they begin pre-writing activities.
• Would you read a story? Show pictures? Share a video? Invite a guest speaker?
• Would you have them share their own stories, pictures, or videos about the topic?
• How much time do you think your students may need to work through any of the pre-writing
strategies described above?

"Optional" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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Reference:
(This content is Creative Commons-licensed with some restrictions. It is not compliant with the OPEN
Program’s standards for openly-licensed content. Feel free to save and read any of these resources, but
please check the individual license before adapting or distributing a resource.)

Babin, M., Burnell, C., Pesznecker, S., Rosevear, N., & Wood, J. (2017). The word on college reading and
writing. Open Oregon Educational Resources.
[Link]

Additional Resources:
(This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this
course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use.)
• Guide to pre-writing techniques: This website describes pre-writing strategies and shows
examples of worksheets for Inventing.
• How to teach pre-writing: This site gives teachers ideas for lessons on pre-writing and many
other literacy lessons.

MODULE 2: REVISING VERSUS EDITING

Please note: Words in bold can be found in the Course Glossary.

In the writing process, it is important to separate the revising and editing stages. Revising deals with
global issues in a text such as meaning, content, and organization. Editing looks at grammar and other
issues related to incorrect language use. See revising and editing compared in this table:

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Differences between Revising and Editing

Revising for meaning Editing for correctness

• Involves reviewing and improving

• Involves two steps
the content, organization, and focus
o proofreading for grammar,
of the draft
sentence structure, punctuation,
• May include finding more accurate
spelling, and capitalization
vocabulary or changing the sentence
mistakes
structure to improve the logic and
o editing to make corrections
cohesion

• Can involve a peer, a tutor, or an • Can involve getting corrective feedback on

instructor reading the draft and local errors from instructors or tutors, or
giving global feedback on how well from electronic grammar or spelling
the meaning can be understood checkers

• Done repeatedly after developing

• Done only after the last round of revisions
each version of the draft

• Includes checking the sources used • Is followed by formatting the document

in the text to make sure they are (see below), including using the correct
specified and credited citation style and documentation format

Revising

Morissette (2012) explains how writers need to revise first by thinking

about the Rhetorical Situation - specifically their topic, audience, and
purpose (addressed in Module 1: What Is Academic Writing? ). Before
beginning to review and revise the draft, students can be asked to
answer the following questions:
• What does the audience know about the topic?
• How does the audience feel about the topic?
• What may the audience want or need to know about the topic
or about my ideas?
• Do I have clearly defined topic sentences for each of my
supporting ideas?
• Have I given enough details, explained my ideas enough, or
provided enough evidence for them?
• Is my information presented in a logical order, so they can
understand and build on each new thing I tell them?
• What is my thesis statement? Do I need to revise it to match "Busy man working with
the body paragraphs, or do I need to revise the body laptop" by Michael
paragraphs to match the thesis? Burrows via Pexels is
licensed under the Pexels

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To revise effectively, students should focus on the aspects listed below and use the respective revision
strategies.
• Specificity and development
o Add more specific details. For example, look for general statements like "The people in
my hometown are very hospitable." Instead, provide evidence of the quality of
"hospitable," like “In San Francisco, people will always help a lost stranger find their way
on the rail system.”
o Delete ideas that are repeated.
• Relevance (how well the content relates to the topic and audience)
o Delete sentences and maybe whole paragraphs that do not support the thesis.
o Make sure that the body paragraphs contain information only about the specific points
needed to support the topic sentence.
• Organization
o Change topic sentences, or even the thesis statement, if they are not specific or do not
match exactly what the paragraphs say.
o Move the order of sentences or paragraphs around, so that they make better logical
sense for the reader.
o Look for places where new ideas are added or a new topic is introduced and add
transitions where needed.
• Language expression
o Look for more specific words or phrases that make the meaning more precise. Vague
adjectives like good or nice, general nouns like place or friends, or too many sentences
containing ‘be’ verbs (e.g., is, are, am, was) should be replaced with more precise words
(e.g., observe, create, demonstrate, examine).
o Decide if sentences could have simpler syntax (or sentence structure) to make them
easier to understand. Or, see if there are too many simple sentences and if they could
be combined to make complex sentences that express the meaning more clearly.

Editing
All writers are likely to make errors. Some errors are minor and do not
affect the meaning, such as incorrect plural, wrong preposition, or
missing article. They are called low-gravity errors (or minor errors)
because they do not prevent readers from comprehending the
meaning (Ferris, 2011; Vann, 1984).
Other errors are more serious and must be carefully checked and
edited. Serious errors have ‘higher gravity’ that interfere with
comprehension because they carry more meaning in a sentence. For
example, verb errors are high-gravity errors.
"Woman working retouching photo"
A description of the main high-gravity errors is given in the downloadable by George Milton via Pexels is
licensed under the Pexels license
Editing & Formatting: Error Awareness Chart Handout. Note that the
errors are listed in the order of which to locate first.

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 Optional: Additional engagement

In this section, we talked about what writers should do after they have a draft. Take a moment to
consider the following questions:
• Would you say that it is important to do revising first and editing second? Why?
• What do you think has been effective in reviewing and polishing your own writing?

"Optional" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

References:
(This content is copyrighted and cannot be adapted in any way or distributed after the end of this
course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed and, therefore, not for public use.)

Ferris, D. (2011). Treatment of error in second language student writing, 2nd Ed. University of Michigan
Press. 125-128.

Morissette, M. (2012). Revision vs editing. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from

[Link]

Vann, R.J., Meyer, D.E., & Lorenz, F.O. (1984). Error gravity: A study of faculty opinion of ESL errors.
TESOL Quarterly, 18(3), 427-440.

Additional Resources:
• Grammar and style: See a list of top ten errors and useful tips for writing complete sentences
and using correct punctuation. This content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial 4.0 International License and is free for public use.
• Editing vs revision: This webpage compares these two stages and also has links to other helpful
information about Revising. This content is freely available but has some restrictions. Please
check the license if you'd like to adapt or distribute this content.
• The writing process - editing: This helpful guide provides advice for students and a printable
Editing Checklist. This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed
after the end of this course. It is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and
therefore not for public use.

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MODULE 2: OPTIONAL DISCUSSION: EXPERIENCE WITH
INTEGRATING PROCESS WRITING

Discussion

So far in this module, we have presented the strategies important for the
writing process. As the course designer and instructor, you should provide
the time and structure to allow your students to use process writing. You
may or may not have had experience teaching process-based writing, but
you surely have done a lot of writing yourself - so let's talk about this.

To help you brainstorm ideas, we asked several expert academic writing

instructors to share how they integrate process writing into their teaching.
As you listen to their answers, you may wish to take notes. They can give
you some great ideas and insights!

In this discussion, please share your own experiences with process writing.
Your post should be between 300 and 500 words. You should give specific "Online church macbook
examples to support your ideas. See the Self-Assessment Checklist for ideas laptop" by Samantha Borges
that you may want to address in this discussion. via Unsplash is licensed
under the Unsplash license

Video: Integrating Process Writing into My Course - Guest Speakers (Part 1 and Part 2)

When you watch the videos, consider how you might integrate process writing into your own course.

>>>> Please note that this video is available for online viewing. See the transcript below. <<<<

Transcript: Integrating Process Writing into My Course - Guest Speakers, Part 1

We asked three expert academic writing instructors some questions about teaching process writing.
Please listen carefully as you hear the answers from Associate Teaching Professors Brenna Dixon and
Joan Chamberlin, and Assistant Professor, Dr. Jim Ranalli.

First, question 1: What are the benefits of using the writing process in an academic writing course?"

Brenna Dixon, Associate Teaching Professor

It shows students that it's okay not to have a perfect draft the first time around. No one does! They can
then apply this growth mindset to other areas of their academic, civic, and professional lives (in terms of
writing and beyond).

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Jim Ranalli, Assistant Professor
The question seems a bit odd to me because I honestly don't see how you can teach academic writing if
you're not addressing writing processes. My own research, and the research I cite in my work, suggests
strong connections between the ways students go about writing and the qualities of the texts that they
produce. If students are producing poor-quality texts, and you're only working with them on those
written products and not the processes that went into them, it's like a doctor who deals only with
symptoms and not actual diseases.

Joan Chamberlin, Associate Teaching Professor

When the process is broken down into smaller tasks, students are more likely to be successful. Students
receive feedback at each step and are able to redo parts of the process, from research to final editing. I
hope students learn to see the process not as linear, but as a cycle. At any point in the process students
should be able to loop back to add to their information gathering, or to reorganize paragraphs, or to add
more examples.

And now, question 2: What stages of the process do students neglect most often and need the most
help developing?

Brenna Dixon, Associate Teaching Professor

Revision! Students often come into composition classes with a one and done mentality.

Jim Ranalli, Assistant Professor

In a multiple-case study I published with two co-authors in 2018, we found that our participants seemed
to struggle most with evaluating their own work on a global level. They didn't reread the completed
drafts of their assignments to see if they were doing all the big-picture checks: Had they followed the
assignment? Had they organized the essay as logically as possibly? Had they provided enough evidence
or detail? Had they taken the readers' pre-existing knowledge and information needs into account? We
found, in fact, that they actively avoided this type of evaluation because they feared finding out how
much more work they would have to do to improve what they had written. They were overwhelmed.
And this is important to note because global evaluation and revision may often make the difference
between poor writing and good writing.

Joan Chamberlin, Associate Teaching Professor

The feedback I most often give to student writers is that they need to provide more specific support for
their general conclusions. The support might be an anecdote, specific statistics, a description, an
example, or an illustration. The lack of support for their ideas sometimes has to do with a lack of
research and gathering information at the initial stage of the process. Or, students may need more
guidance on how to develop their general ideas. Looking at examples of good writing is helpful for that.

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Transcript: Integrating Process Writing into My Course - Guest Speakers, Part 2

For Part 2, we asked the same expert instructors two more questions. Let’s hear again from Associate
Teaching Professors Brenna Dixon and Joan Chamberlin, and Assistant Professor, Dr. Jim Ranalli.

The first question is: How do you create assignments and structure your syllabus to ensure your
students are applying the writing process?

Brenna Dixon, Associate Teaching Professor

Major assignments are scaffolded so that students are building their first drafts piece by piece. From
there, I give them formative feedback on their first draft, and their peers review it, as well. After that,
students apply the feedback in revising for a second/final draft. They also complete an editing piece
using Grammarly.

Jim Ranalli, Assistant Professor

I actually assign students to do all of their writing (including brainstorming and planning/outlining) in
Google Docs so that there's a sort of process record. We use the version-history feature of Google Docs
to help us measure how much—and what types of—planning, drafting, and revising they're doing while
completing a major writing assignment. This information about process provides a valuable basis for my
feedback and their reflection.

Joan Chamberlin, Associate Teaching Professor

In a recent syllabus I created in Ukraine, I used a standard module that we followed, with different
content themes, a few times during the academic year. The writing process was built into the module
with small assignments along the way. Students became used to this pattern. There was a clear benefit
to starting out with input about the topic – readings, audio broadcasts, films. This allowed students time
to discover their own narrow focus on the larger theme that we were all exploring.

The next question is: Can you describe an example of a lesson/activity/assignment that applies the

writing process?

Brenna Dixon, Associate Teaching Professor

In preparation for writing a research essays, students practice developing research questions, using
them, and formulating a rough thesis based on the initial perspectives they find through research. I
provide a structure that they fill in for this activity. Sometimes, if we do this over the course of more
than one class day, students will put their rough theses in a class-wide shared Google Doc and will
workshop each other’s' thesis statements.

Jim Ranalli, Assistant Professor

I have my students write reflections at the beginning, middle, and end of their engagement with a major
writing assignment, and in these reflections, they're prompted to discuss, among other things, their
plans for engaging in the major processes—again, planning, drafting, evaluating, revising—and then,
later, their self-evaluations of whether they followed their plans or not and how they think the ways
they engaged in these processes influenced their final submitted text. Then, in the next major
assignment that follows, they're asked to review their reflections on the previous assignment in relation
to the feedback they get from me regarding both their written product and their process engagement,
and these reflections are incorporated into their planning for the new assignment.

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Joan Chamberlin, Associate Teaching Professor
An example reading I used with my syllabus was a text by Sherry Turkle called “Alone Together”. The
first time we worked through the module, the theme was technology. I used the Turkle text (and other
texts) a few different ways while working through the writing process. Here are some examples:

• For one task I would have students reflect on the content of the text through journal free
writing, and they would use a prompt like this: “I was particularly interested in Turkle’s ideas
about X, because of Y”

The purpose of this activity was to spur students to think about their reactions to the author’s ideas
about technology and to start exploring how they might approach this theme in their own essay.

• Another task was for students to read a particular paragraph again, and then turn the text over
on their desks, and then tell their partners about the details that they could remember from the
paragraph.

The purpose of this activity was for students to pay attention to how writers develop and support their
ideas with details.

• A third task was, after briefly looking at a list of techniques for creating clear transitions
between paragraphs, I would have pairs of students analyze Turkle’s transitions and identify the
techniques she uses.

The purpose of this activity is to make students aware of ways to build a thread of meaning through a
piece of text and to notice how other writers do this. They will later do a similar analysis of each other’s
work during peer reviews.

Self-Assessment Checklist

My response is between 300 and 500 words.

I considered which stages of the writing process I have used the most in my own writing.
I considered which stages of the writing process I have used the most in my own teaching.
I considered which aspects of the process-based approach may be the most challenging for me
to do
and/or to teach.
I considered the benefits of using the writing process in an academic writing course.

REMINDER: This task is OPTIONAL, and it is NOT assessed, which means that it does not count toward
your final grade. It is included in all modules as an additional challenge for those of you who want to
express your ideas and share them with others.

"You Decide - This Task Is Optional", "Discussion", "Video", and "Self-Assessment Checklist by Iowa State
University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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Module 2: Cascading Knowledge
MODULE 2: INTRODUCTION TO CASCADING NEW
KNOWLEDGE

Video: Cascading New Knowledge

Just like students learn in both formal and informal settings, teachers continue to develop professionally
in many ways. This course, for example, is a great professional development opportunity for you. By
training you how to teach academic writing, we are in fact ‘Training-the-Trainers’ - in other words, we
are using a Cascading New Knowledge approach. Watch a short video explaining this important concept.

>>>> Please note that this video is available for online viewing. See the transcript below. <<<<

Presentation Slides: Cascading New Knowledge

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Transcript: Cascading New Knowledge

In this introductory video, we will:

• Explain the term “cascading”
• Discuss why cascading activities have been included in the course
• Consider how you may benefit from cascading
• Describe how you can get engaged in cascading.
Let’s start!

What is ‘cascading’?

You have certainly seen a ‘cascade’ before - “a waterfall descending over a steep, rocky surface”
([Link]). You may have also encountered this word in other contexts - “a cascade of sounds” or
“a cascade of events” - where this word is used metaphorically to refer to something falling or rushing
forward in large quantities. In education, “cascading” is often used to describe a way of sharing
knowledge and experience among professionals. For example, after attending a professional
development event and learning new approaches, some teachers may teach other teachers what they
have learned. In other words, they ‘cascade’ new knowledge.

Why cascading in this course?

There are two main reasons. You may have guessed the first one:
• Increasing the course impact
When you were accepted to this course and the OPEN program, you were given a fantastic opportunity
to learn and grow professionally with peers from all over the world. Once you complete the coursework,
we are certain you’ll become a fountain of knowledge. It’s only fair that you share some of your
knowledge with those who have not had the chance to join the program.

The second reason is perhaps less obvious.

• Double your learning

A Roman proverb says “When we teach, we learn”. You know that from your own experience –
explaining something new to students pushes you to think deeper and harder about that concept, you
reorganize your knowledge, and that improves your own understanding. Also, it helps you identify ideas
you need to clarify, or things you need to improve.

We are sure you have many questions about cascading:

What does cascading look like in practice? Will I have to organize lectures or classes for my colleagues? I
don’t have time for this!

‘Cascading’ can take many shapes and forms. In many ways, it mirrors teacher learning, which can take
place in formal to informal contexts. In the weeks to come, we’ll take a closer look at various cascading
options and help you select the most suitable ones for your teaching environment.

We hope this video has helped you understand why we have included the cascading thread in this
course: we want you to become a fountain of knowledge not only for your students, but also for your
colleagues. We know you can do it!

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 Optional: Additional engagement

We hope you will continue to share the new knowledge you acquire in this course with others and apply
this knowledge for real needs. Please think about some ways in which you could cascade new
knowledge that you will obtain in this course.

“Video” and "Optional" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

MODULE 2: OPTIONAL DISCUSSION: WAYS OF SHARING

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Discussion
In this discussion, please write about times in your life as a teacher and discuss your understanding of
the concept of cascading knowledge. Consider the following questions as you prepare your response:
• How did you learn to to teach better and to grow professionally?
• What sources did you learn from? For example:
o fellow teachers;
o books, published articles, and literature for
teachers;
o courses about instructional methodologies;
o workshops, seminars, webinars, conferences,
and other professional development
opportunities.
• What does cascading knowledge mean to you?

Your post should be between 300 and 500 words. You should
give specific examples to support your ideas. See the Self- "Women having a discussion at work"
Assessment Checklist for ideas that you may want to address in by Yan Krukov via Pexels is licensed
this discussion. under the Pexels license

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 Self-Assessment Checklist

My response is between 300 and 500 words.

I briefly explained how I understand the concept of cascading knowledge.
I considered the educational experiences that helped me become the teacher I am today.
I considered who shared their knowledge with me and how that helped me grow professionally.
I considered the ways in which I have experienced the effect of cascading knowledge.

REMINDER: This task is OPTIONAL, and it is NOT assessed, which means that it does not count toward
your final grade. It is included in all modules as an additional challenge for those of you who want to
express your ideas and share them with others.

"You Decide - This Task Is Optional", "Discussion", and "Self-Assessment Checklist" by Iowa State
University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Module 2: Review
MODULE 2: QUIZ

Assess your knowledge of Module 2!

Take the Quiz for Module 2. You can take the quiz as many times as you need. It is set up to keep the
highest score. As you take the quiz, you may refer to your notes if necessary. Be sure to read the
feedback after you submit your answers. Please note that you must score at least 7 out of 10 points to
move on to the next module.
Good Luck!

>>>> Please note that this quiz can only be completed in Canvas. <<<<

"Quiz" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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MODULE 2: OPTIONAL TEACHING JOURNAL: PROCESS-
BASED ASSIGNMENT PROMPT

We continue to encourage you to keep a teaching journal. Each journal entry will help you apply what
you learn to develop useful instructional materials. We will help you along the way, and we will give you
samples of the materials that you will need to create. As a result, at the end of the course, you will have
created an Academic Writing Course (AWC) Materials Packet, which you will be able to use in the
classroom and share with other professionals more broadly. Here is the journal prompt for this week:

Let's draft a process-based assignment prompt!

In Module 2, we discussed the writing process and strategies to use in class for supporting students as
they do process writing. In this journal entry, we would like you to apply what you have learned and
draft your own writing assignment prompt that applies the writing process.

As you work to draft your own process-based assignment prompt, take some time to think about
what writing assignment would be appropriate for addressing one of the learning objectives you
drafted in Module 1: OPTIONAL Teaching Journal: Course Objectives.

Then, draft the actual assignment prompt in a way that

would clearly engage students in the process of writing.

If you need guidance as you think about the prompt and

the respective learning objective, you may find helpful
some examples of prompts created by past participants in
the Process-Based Prompts by Other Teachers Handout.
Note that the example prompts have these key elements:
Context, Task, Steps, and Evaluation criteria. Structure
your prompt in a similar way.
"Women sitting in a row on bench" by
Ron Lach via Pexels is licensed under the
Pexels license
• Context: What are students writing about and why? Who is their audience?
• Task: What are the required elements of the essay?
• Steps: What are the manageable chunks that students will work on in class, including pre-
writing, drafting, and revising?
• Evaluation criteria: What makes for a successful paper and how will it be assessed?

Now it is your turn! Choose a topic for students to write about and generate a prompt that covers the
essentials of the writing process.

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 Optional: Additional engagement

Creating a good prompt can be a difficult but important task because it guides what happens in the
classroom. The Writing Prompt Sample Handout demonstrates how you can create a prompt that uses
the writing process.

Before you create your prompt, you will want to visit the course objectives to determine what exercises
will be most important to your students. The sample prompt in the Writing Prompt Sample Handout
comes from a college-level writing course for English language learners and asks them to draft a
personal narrative essay. Examine the key parts of a writing prompt.

• Context: This is an introduction to the rhetorical situation. What are students writing about and
why? Who is their audience? Notice that in this prompt, the instructor first identifies what the
topic and genre are to give more background information to the student and then describes the
audience and purpose of the essay.
• Task: Here, the instructor includes information such as word count and what should (and should
not) be included in the essay.
• Steps: What are the manageable chunks that students will work on in class, including pre-
writing, drafting, and even revising? This instructor, here, indicates key checkpoints such as pre-
draft planning, first draft, and a final revised draft.
• Evaluation criteria: Here the instructor not only gives credit for completing the different steps
but also indicates that the final draft will be evaluated based on the context, the substance, the
organization, and style and language.
• Resources: Where can students look for additional help? Here, the instructor indicates relevant
textbook pages and assignments that will support the students as they work on this writing
project.

Self-Assessment Checklist

I reflected on the module's topic and considered its relevance for my teaching context.
I examined the examples in the Process-Based Prompts by Other Teachers Handout.
I determined a topic for this assignment that is appropriate for the target academic writing
course.
I made sure my prompt aligns with one of the learning objectives for the target academic writing
course.
I included such key elements as context, task, steps, and evaluation criteria in my draft of the
process-based prompt.

REMINDER: This task is OPTIONAL, and it is NOT assessed, which means that it does not count toward
your final grade. It is included in all modules as an opportunity to systematically record ideas for those of
you who want to prepare materials for teaching an academic writing course. Please write in your own
journal (a notebook or an electronic file) because this optional assignment is not to be submitted in
Canvas.

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"You Decide - This Task Is Optional", "Brainstorm", "Optional", and "Self-Assessment Checklist" by Iowa
State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

MODULE 2: SUMMARY

Video: Module 2 Summary

“Video” by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Watch the Module 2 Summary video to review the main ideas. This will remind you of what you have
learned in this module.

>>>> Please note that this video is available for online viewing. See the transcript below. <<<<

Transcript: Module 2 Summary

Congratulations, you have completed Module 2 Teaching Process Writing!

In this module, you learned about the stages of the writing process and how to apply the writing process
to your course design. Let’s review the key ideas!

An academic writing course should feature writing assignments that incorporate the steps of the writing
process.

The process writing approach:

• emphasizes how to write, not what to write;
• can be combined with text-based approaches;
• has four main stages – Inventing, Drafting, Revising, and Editing.

The stages do not progress in a straight line but rather repeat - they are recursive:
• Inventing, Revising, and Editing are stages students should spend most of their time on;
• teachers need to plan time for process steps so students will engage in all stages.

Specific writing issues must be dealt with at strategic times in the process:
• global issues are best addressed early to allow students to focus on content;
• local issues are best addressed at the end to help students focus on language correctness;
• invention strategies should be taught as part of any writing assignment;
• brainstorming or pre-writing strategies include clustering, listing, outlining, free writing, looping,
and asking questions.

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Reviewing and Revising is an essential and ongoing stage.

It is important to separate Revising at global level from Editing at local level.

There are many guidelines that teachers can give their students for both Revising and Editing:
• revising checklists help students ask questions about what they have written;
• editing checklists should reflect specific student learning needs;
• “high-gravity” errors that impact meaning are more important than “low-gravity” errors that do
not affect comprehension.

Cascading Knowledge is a way to build greater knowledge in yourself and others. Teachers share what
they know about teaching with other teachers and build a knowledge community.

We are glad you addressed these content ideas in your:

• Optional Discussion: Experience with Integrating Process Writing;
• Optional Discussion: Ways of Sharing Knowledge and Experience;
• Optional Teaching Journal: Process-Based Assignment Prompt.

Our topic for Module 3 is Teaching the College Application Essay.

We look forward to having you back for the next Module!

MODULE 2 CHECK

Module 2: Check

Please answer one question to verify that you have completed all activities in Module 2. You must choose
"yes" in order to move on in the course. This quiz will count as 1 point toward your grade.

>>>> Please note that this module check can only be completed in Canvas. <<<<

"Module Check" by Iowa State University is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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