Red circle logo reading Wring at LaGuardia: Foundation & Transformation

Teaching Writing at LaGuardia

Author: J. Elizabeth Clark

J. Elizabeth Clark (she/her/hers)

  • Asking Questions is Key by Evelyn Burg

    ENG101 Research Paper Body: Asking questions (in-class, 5 pts) For the whole class to think about and briefly discuss: What makes a question good?  Learning objective: This gives you some practice in pursuing lines of inquiry by using these questions while writing your research paper after you have completed your first paragraph. It also shows…

  • Transitioning from ENA 101 to ENG 102: A Low Stakes Writing Assignment by Anita Baksh

    Rationale:  Students sometimes have difficulty recognizing how the writing skills acquired in ENG/A 101 transfer to ENG 102. They also might be intimidated by the practice of reading and writing about literature. To assist them with this transition, I introduce them to a short piece of literature and have them practice analyzing and writing about…

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  • Text reads improving thinking skills on a green background with the image of an open book with a magnifying glass

    Script for Introduction to Improving Thinking Skills for Students Video / PowerPoint

    For ENA 101 Faculty in the small-group classroom: Script for the intro to critical reading video English 101 requires students to write a research paper. Good reading skills are a central element in solid writing, especially when research is involved. This ALP class strengthens critical reading skills and improves writing allowing for more time on…

  • Text reads integrating reading and writing on a yellow background with the image of a book and a pen

    Introduction to Critical Reading for Faculty by Evelyn Burg and Anita Baksh

    (See student centered video on critical reading and improving thinking skills) Introduction Good reading skills are a central element in solid writing, especially when research is involved. This ALP class (ENA 101) allows students to strengthen critical reading skills and improve writing by allowing for more time on task and full explication. There are different…

  • Text reads improving thinking skills on a green background with the image of an open book with a magnifying glass

    Pre-writing and Critical Thinking by Anita Baksh and Evelyn Burg

    Brainstorming and Gathering Information Using Concept Maps  Brainstorming ideas and gathering information are important parts of prewriting, the beginning phase of the writing process. A concept map is a helpful tool that allows writers to  collect and organize information,  visualize an overview of a topic, particularly a debate,  understand relations between items, obtain ideas to…

  • Text reads integrating reading and writing on a yellow background with the image of a book and a pen

    Three Modes of Writing: Narrative, Exposition, and Argument (PowerPoint & Activity) by Evelyn Burg and Anita Baksh

    Click to download the PowerPoint Slides for Three Modes of Writing Worksheet for Three Modes of Writing: Narrative, Exposition, and Argument (Accompanies Google Slides: “Three Modes of Literary Expression”) Lesson and Low-Stakes Activity (1 hour) Learning Goal: The accompanying slide show offers a basic lesson on the three types of written expression, with class participation…

  • Text reads integrating reading and writing on a yellow background with the image of a book and a pen

    Critical Reading Activity and Food Memory Writing Assignment by Anita Baksh and Evelyn Burg

    Learning Outcomes This lesson: allows students to practice critical reading skills such as annotation introduces students to techniques for reading literary texts and analyzing literary devices including imagery and metaphor prepares students to write a short narrative essay Materials: Excerpt from Esmerelda Santiago’s When I was Puerto Rican: “Prologue: How To Eat a Guava” Part…

  • Text reads improving thinking skills on a green background with the image of an open book with a magnifying glass

    Introduction to Improving Thinking Skills by Evelyn Burg and Anita Baksh

    Improving Thinking Skills–Critical Reading Click below to download the “Critical Reading” file (PowerPoint)

  • Screen with two dialogue squares and the text introducing academic discourse

    Introduction to Academic Discourse for Students by Marisa A. Klages-Bombich

    “Introducing Academic Discourse” by Marisa A. Klages-Bombich (Video)

  • Red and White Bull's Eye with text deceleration slow and focused

    Deceleration: Applying Past Knowledge (Activity) by Lalit Bajaj

    What do I already know about writing? What assumptions do I have about writing in college? What have I learned about college writing that I didn’t know before?

  • Red and White Bull's Eye with text deceleration slow and focused

    Deceleration: 10-Minute Exercise–A Noteworthy Experience (Activity) by Lalit Bajaj

    Directions: When you entered college, what was one noteworthy (important to you) experience you had? What did you learn from this experience? This experience doesn’t need to be big, but it does have to be an experience that taught you something. The experience can be as simple as meeting a fellow student or going to the…