Writing in the Disciplines workshops assist STEM faculty at the high school and college levels in bringing a Writing in the Disciplines (WID) approach to their STEM classes. The WID approach recognizes that student writers need a great deal of practice and a variety of writing experiences in order to become competent writers, and that such practice must come from infusing writing in courses across the curriculum rather than just occurring in regular English classes. Current research in the fields of composition and rhetoric as well as in cognitive science have also shown that student learning in general is enhanced through sustained practice in and application of sound writing practices. For deaf/hh students in particular, whose writing experiences are often limited (for a variety of reasons), a WID approach gives these students the practice the research calls for, as well as the opportunity to develop more knowledge in their respective fields.
The Writing in the Disciplines workshop includes an introduction to the research that supports the Writing in the Disciplines approach and “writing to learn,” the role of low stakes writing, developing appropriate writing assignments, and responding to student writing in the context of a STEM classroom. Each workshop participant will leave with a plan for developing a writing assignment that provides students with writing practice and with the tools to provide constructive feedback.
