Autobiographical Writing
In most lower-division university writing or composition courses in Korea, the primary focus is placed on sentence-building techniques. Students learn to practice basic sentence patterns and learn how to express their thoughts in writing. Needless to say, such activities are a fundamental step toward mastering the written English language. When a student has acquired a satisfactory command over the written language, however, he or she can profit further by looking at the composition process from a holistic point of view. In upper-division writing courses, ideally, an important part of class time and the writing task should be devoted to the rhetorical analyses and strategies of writing. Thus the instructor can initiate many activities such as "invention" to stimulate the students' interest and discuss the various writing assignments in depth. In recent composition studies, the significance of "invention" or prewriting exercise is greatly emphasized. Invention is designed to help the writer to choose an appropriate topic, test his or her choice and define its significance to the writer (The St. Martin's Guide to Writing 49). Before writing the essay itself, the writer goes through various steps to ensure that the topic he or she has chosen is the right one and will generate enough material to write a satisfactory paper.
Both in the United States and Korea, I have had the opportunity to teach composition courses which dealt with rhetorical and thematic writing problems rather than grammatical ones. Of course, the basic premise of such courses was that the students had already acquired competence in the written English language to the degree that they did not need remedial work. However, I feel that their experiences and the structuring of courses can serve as a guide and a possible heuristic device for upper-division composition courses in Korea as well as abroad. Writing should be considered as a discipline rather than a skill or a tool (Rose 341). I hope this disciplinary approach to writing might be of some use to teachers of composition. In addition, the trend in recent composition studies emphasizes teaching and practicing autobiographical writing.
Autobiographical writing, because of its unique format, is a convenient way to encourage students to write and think about possible rhetorical strategies. As a genre, autobiography has received increased recognition and become a subject for continuous research. Reading autobiographies greatly challenges the writer's creativity. The maxim commonly used in a writing course, that strong readers are strong writers, is very much applicable to a course designed around autobiographical writing. The readings "often direct you to test what the author is saying by measuring it against your own experience" (Bartholomae and Petrosky 11).
Additionally, there are many advantages to autobiographical writing. First, student writers "learn how to regard themselves as a subject for their own writing, and how to write about [themselves] with authority" (Lyons 3). Second, they ultimately realize that some amount of self-disclosure is a necessary requirement for a good autobiographical essay. Disclosing hidden facts about themselves or emotions broadens their intellectual horizons and help them to become mature writers. Lastly, autobiographical writing easily lends itself to group discussions and group critiques about the writing in process. Since students share same interests as the authors and can readily understand their emotions, autobiographical essays can be intensively discussed in group workshops in class. This results in a student-centered class rather than a teacher-centered one; the instructor and the students enjoy more lively discussions and the students' input can improve both the content and style of the writing under discussion.
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Both in the United States and Korea, I have had the opportunity to teach composition courses which dealt with rhetorical and thematic writing problems rather than grammatical ones. Of course, the basic premise of such courses was that the students had already acquired competence in the written English language to the degree that they did not need remedial work. However, I feel that their experiences and the structuring of courses can serve as a guide and a possible heuristic device for upper-division composition courses in Korea as well as abroad. Writing should be considered as a discipline rather than a skill or a tool (Rose 341). I hope this disciplinary approach to writing might be of some use to teachers of composition. In addition, the trend in recent composition studies emphasizes teaching and practicing autobiographical writing.
Autobiographical writing, because of its unique format, is a convenient way to encourage students to write and think about possible rhetorical strategies. As a genre, autobiography has received increased recognition and become a subject for continuous research. Reading autobiographies greatly challenges the writer's creativity. The maxim commonly used in a writing course, that strong readers are strong writers, is very much applicable to a course designed around autobiographical writing. The readings "often direct you to test what the author is saying by measuring it against your own experience" (Bartholomae and Petrosky 11).
Additionally, there are many advantages to autobiographical writing. First, student writers "learn how to regard themselves as a subject for their own writing, and how to write about [themselves] with authority" (Lyons 3). Second, they ultimately realize that some amount of self-disclosure is a necessary requirement for a good autobiographical essay. Disclosing hidden facts about themselves or emotions broadens their intellectual horizons and help them to become mature writers. Lastly, autobiographical writing easily lends itself to group discussions and group critiques about the writing in process. Since students share same interests as the authors and can readily understand their emotions, autobiographical essays can be intensively discussed in group workshops in class. This results in a student-centered class rather than a teacher-centered one; the instructor and the students enjoy more lively discussions and the students' input can improve both the content and style of the writing under discussion.
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