Reading Reflection #2

After a teacher determines what it is they are going to teach, the next step they must think about is how. Instructional strategies are crucial in teaching writing to students effectively. However, these strategies can greatly differ depending on the class. If a teacher has a class of already strong writersthose who have had much experience with academic writing and have a firm grasp of grammar and style the writing unit will be more focusing on finetuning those abilities and building from there. However, if the class consists of low-achieving or LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students, the manner in which the writing unit is taught is drastically different. What might work for a regular English classroom will most likely not work for a basic-level class, so it is up to the teacher to learn how to effectively modify the plans and instructional strategies in order to fit the needs of the students. In the case of ESL/LEP students, the struggle with academic writing is great as these students are still in the process of learning English grammar. Because of their unfamiliarity with the English language, many have not had the opportunity to enter the dominant discourse, according to Lisa Delpits article, The Politics of Teaching Literate Discourse. In her article, she quotes a passage from James Paul Gees paper titled Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics : Introduction, in which he argues strongly that discourses cannot be overtly taught, particularly in a classroom, but can only be acquired by enculturation in the home or by apprenticeship into social practices. Those who wish to gain access to the goods and status connected to the dominant discourse must have access to the social practices related to that discourse (Delpit 492-493). In other words, LEP students who are not already familiar with the

culture and customs of an English-speaking country will not be able to produce academic writing that is appropriate for the dominant discourse. Delpit disagrees with this notion, and I am inclined to agree with her. I believe that while LEP and low-achieving students are at a disadvantage, the capability to produce academic writing is still there: It is just a matter of instruction and practice.