Responding

In Anson’s article on the social construction of error he asks the question “at what point is an error no longer an error” (13). Which to me follows the discussions on whether or how to teach grammar and how do we correct errors, and the bigger, what are errors. As I keep learning more about teaching both language and writing I believe in language being driven by purpose more and more, that it is something that exists within a context that determines whether it is correct instead of whether it meets rules that when it comes down to it are arbitrary, decided on by whatever majority has the greatest influence and subject to change. But this just drives me crazy when it comes to planning practical things for the classroom or responding to students’ writing because it means that what I decide to correct or respond to is just as subjective.

Being aware of this seems good but sometimes seems to lead me into vague and unhelpful commentary that flips between content and more grammar focused, saying they could change it maybe depending on what they were trying to say or who they’re writing for, or if some other thing applies and they should totally listen to me but don’t really need to and it’s good/fine but really have to since I’m the teacher/tutor. Comments that begin with something specific in mind but end up obfuscated by trying to include a rationale intended to let them know that, “sure I corrected that grammar thing but it wasn’t really important, or was only important because of the purpose of the format and it isn’t as important as that comment next to it about more content stuff which you should definitely pay attention to now”. Because when going over papers, especially for language students, they want and sometimes do really need to know about the grammar things. Especially when in classes where they are being held to the level of native speakers and may not have understanding teachers.

Which made me like what Sommers had to say about tailoring feedback to draft/stage in the process of writing. That the first drafts are where to just ignore the grammar things and respond to the bigger ideas and organization things. Which makes sense to me, as she talks about why edit the little grammar/formatting things when they might/will probably re-write the section. But I again get stuck at how to practically apply this. As a tutor, most students come to me with papers just one time. They bring a draft that I help them with and then I don’t see another draft (maybe they already showed it to someone else or will after making revisions but I don’t typically know about it). So how do I decide what response style is appropriate? Especially when they generally want more editing than feedback on content. Which leads to the problem described above of me giving those corrections that may imply the editing/grammar/formatting things are as key as the content with confusing rationales to counter the implication. While trying to make them focus on content stuff. And not lose them during this commentary verbal or written, or frustrate them.

When being the teacher, other practical issues apply. Such as that I am 1 person to around 30 students. Reading every one of their drafts and having a few rounds of drafts sounds like what I want to do, but is awfully time consuming. And even then has the same issues surrounding what Anson talked about with how I perceive the writer and how I see, or don’t see, errors.

I like trying to explain the why behind things, whether what I got about their writing as a reader or why that isn’t a good/academic way to say that, but sometimes it seems to confuse them. That clear question in their eyes about why am I wasting their time talking nonsense. But other times a more enthusiastic look and “oh” as they get it, it being to keep working on their content and writing skills with an awareness that the ability to do things like punctuate perfectly is something that depends on things more removed from the basic writing/communicating their ideas. But I’m pretty sure I’m still only kind of helpful giving feedback.

Laura