I came into Writing Center, Developmental Writing, Composition/ ESL
work from a background in classical languages and reading remediation.
In my composition classes I use free writing, paired work, group
work, all kinds of in-class expressive writing activities, but I am
still working toward and ultimately focussing on a competent product
which includes competent command of the language.  I am often
working with students who cannot identify any words by part of
speech or function.  Some are "winging it" reasonably well; others
have no basis for understanding debilitating errors. So, I
work with them in my office, outside of the regular class because to
spend a two-hour class teaching them how to identify a parts of
speech would have the same effect on them now as it did when
they sat through similar classes in junior high school-no effect at
all.
        But, I have worked for years here to get the English
Department to entertain the idea of having a basic grammar course
which is required of those English majors who are planning to
teach secondary English.  There have been no language courses here,
no grammar, into to language, linguistics, even though a small
number of students have shown interest in ESL graduate study.
I have finally succeeded and will be teaching a course next year
which will be required of those who plan to student teach.
 
Emily Schaefer