4/18/11 Response

I'd like to start off todays blog with a reflection on the second full paragraph of page 71 in the Johnson, Clark, and Burton reading. At this point the author is talking about how consultants who aren't incredibly familiar with engineering are better able to teach writing in the profession of engineering to engineering students. The main point the author is focusing on is how consultants can better facilitate the learning of the students by asking a lot of questions rather than being purely instructional. As the author states, "When Anne asks several questions about how the students got their results, her asking a question instead of providing the answer, as she does with the English student, positions her as an equal and not a superior." Since the main objective is to better facilitate the learning of writing within their profession it is definitely best for the English teacher to not pretend as if she is learned in that profession (which she is likely not), but to rather create discussion that works as a driving force for the students to be able to learn more about writing within their intended field.

When it comes to Wardle's article I think one thing I took away regarding ecologies is that depending on the field you enter your going to be introduced to new styles or types of writing that may be unique to that field, and it will be difficult to understand these until you are actually in that field, but you have to expect it and be able to adapt. In regards to the difference between the undergrad article vs. Windsor's academic article I mainly noticed the over use of words and phrasing. I thought the undergraduate article was a bit easier to read and it definitely felt like the authors were writing more from a students perspective than that of a professor.