WR 111
Faculty Guide to Teaching WR 111 and WR 112
The following guide is designed for faculty who are teaching WR 111 or WR 112, our courses for English language learners (ELLs), for the first time, or who would like to refresh themselves on our curriculum. WR 111 is an ELL academic writing course designed to orient students to the university, while WR 112 is […]
Building Your Syllabus (Syllabi Templates)
The Writing Program offers the following set of resources to help you build your own syllabus, rather than a single syllabus template for each level. We have broken the syllabus down into three parts, so that it is clearer which parts of our syllabi are common to all courses in the Writing Program and which […]
Cumulative Portfolios in the Writing Program
Since Fall 2023, all WR students create a portfolio in their first WR course and continue to add to it throughout subsequent WR courses. This cumulative portfolio assignment will create a shared experience for WR students, offering them a space to reflect on their growth and their developing identities as college writers and communicators over […]
Teaching with Student Journals in WR 111 or WR 112
In this activity, students will examine and analyze prize-winning papers written in WR 111 or WR 112 (or the equivalent) and published in the WR Journal. You might consider doing a shorter, more focused version of this activity in WR 111 when introducing key features of the academic essay, and a longer, more expansive, student-driven […]
Remote Implementations of Essential Lesson Activities
The Writing Program’s set of Essential Lessons represent key elements of our classes; this page contains suggestions and tools for remote (synchronous and asynchronous) implementation of the suggested activities in the Essential Lessons.
Picture Prompts for Online Classes
Instructors may want to use visual prompts to foster discussion, help unify remote and on-campus students, and create a classroom community. Picture prompts can be varied to connect with the course theme. Activity Review the New York Times Learning Network’s “Picture Prompts” series, “144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing.” On the landing page, there’s […]
Remote Learning Expectations & Etiquette
Overview In our class this semester, we will be using various technologies, including the Zoom video-conferencing platform. Zoom is designed to enhance our educational experience and to help us meet our course goals. However, as with any other tool, technologies like Zoom can also be misused and become a distraction or even an obstacle to […]
Overview of Zoom for Students
Boston University utilizes the Zoom platform for synchronous class sessions. As a student, you may also decide to use Zoom for connecting with your peers or interacting on projects. The videos and resources below offer an overview on how to access your Zoom class session, and how to set up your own meeting with your […]
Active Learning Strategies in a Remote Environment
This “Quick Guide to Converting your Face-to-Face Pedagogical Approaches to the Online Environment” from BU’s CTL offers a comprehensive table with tips and suggestions for adapting your typical face-to-face classroom approach to an online synchronous or asynchronous modality Adapting Active Learning Strategies to Remote Environments Active learning strategies involve planning activities in which students are […]
Student Motivation in a Remote Environment
Keeping students motivated in a remote course is a common challenge not only in remote writing courses, but across various subject matters. Without in-person contact, it may often be more difficult for faculty to pick up on students’ nonverbal cues, which may often signal their disinterest or unenthusiasm. The resources below offer tips and suggestions […]