Question: How should one
teach writing?
Answer: “ ‘Writing is
not too difficult to be achieved,’ wrote Lou LaBrant in 1957, adding, ‘but the
components call for direct, full experience rather than for mere learning about
the process. Despite this there are today in the freshman classes of our
nation’s colleges some hundreds and even thousands of freshmen who are having
their first experience in selecting a subject and writing their ideas about it.
They have outlined, parsed and punctuated bits, have perhaps written paragraphs
(parts of pieces), but they lack experience with the full production.” P. 103.
“In the end, LaBrant leaves us with a
vivid metaphor for the distinction between school writing and authentic
writing: ‘Knowing about…writing and its parts does not bring it about, just as
owning a blueprint does not give you a house.” P. 104.
Comment: A reminder. Grammar exercises are not the same as actual writing. RayS.
Title: “Revisiting
LaBrant’s ‘Writing Is More than Structure’ (English
Journal, May 1957).” PL Thomas. English
Journal (September 2011),
103-104.
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