Monday, September 13

By class time, the following activities should be completed:

  1. Create a post that shares a list of three discourse communities you participate in. Use a couple of sentences to describe each discourse community you listed, and discuss the basic “values, assumptions, and ways of communicating” found in each one. Look at the criteria I posted in the Announcement for this week. Post it under Introductory Work and title it Full Name, My Discourse Communities.
  2. Respond (hit the “reply” button on the following hypertext) to the Discussion Question “Problems and Issues”: Go back to your list of Discourse Communities and name two or three problems or issues that are central to each one.
  3. Read the major writing assignment for Unit 1 on OpenLab under Major Assignments. We’ll talk more about it during our next class, but you should start thinking/planning/writing it now (the above assignments will help).
  4. Read my Announcement for Week 4.

During class, we will DISCUSS:

  • We’ll spend time discussing our first major writing assignment for Unit 1. Be sure to have read it and bring questions!
  • We’ll also be breaking into small groups to discuss both My Discourse Communities and your responses to the Discussion Question “Problems and Issues,” so having those two assignments completed by class time is essential!

Homework:

  • Read and be prepared to discuss Mary Wollstonecraft’s “Dedicatory Letter” (don’t worry, you only need to read the three pages under the heading “Dedicatory Letter”) to A Vindication of the Rights of Woman for Monday, September 20.
  • Watch or read the transcript of Stella Young’s TedTalk. Be prepared to discuss it on Monday, September 20.
    • After reading Wollstonecraft’s letter and reading/watching Young’s speech, consider the following for discussion in class:
      • What is Wollstonecraft’s discourse community? What is Young’s?
      • What’s the issue each of these women are sharing about their discourse community?
      • Who is the intended audience for each work?
      • How are the letter and speech similar? How are they different?
      • Which did you feel more connected with? Why?

City Tech is closed on Wednesday, September 15!