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1. Do I need a theory? Or, why do I need a theory?
Although any approach to freshman composition will probably be eclectic in nature, theory can be useful in helping to understand how to approach certain pedagogical problems effectively. For instance, if you are teaching personal narratives, or trying to help your students develop a narrative voice, expressivist theory can be very useful. Young writers especially can be empowered by the techniques expressivists employ. Expressivism focuses on the writer as opposed to the text and uses a free style which imitates speech. As James Britton, in his article "Spectator Role and the Beginnings of Writing" puts it: "Because expressive writing, though it differs in substantial ways from speech, is the form of written discourse closest to speech, the London Writing Research Team suggested that it provided a 'natural' starting point for beginning writers, assisting them at a time when they have rich language resources recruited through speech, but few if any internalized forms of the written language" (147).Using expressivist pedagogical practices, a teacher is trying to help students find something within themselves which inspires them to write. This follows a basic tenet of expressivism in the belief that students will write better if they feel emotionally connected to their subject. Once this subject is established and a strong voice comes through, the expressivists work to apply this voice to other subjects. The goal is to build a matrix or writing which gives the writer exposure to a wide variety of writing styles, moving the spectrum from creative writing to analytical writing. |