ISU Writing: Recent Episodes
The Writing Program at Illinois State University
ISU Writing features three podcast series from the Writing Program at Illinois State University, “Let’s CHAT,” and “Beyond 101,” and "ENG 145 Podcast for Instructors."
Our “Let’s CHAT” podcast series was named for one of our key program concepts, Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). Our program differs from many general education writing programs in our active use of current research and theory in Writing Studies (and related fields that research learning and literacy), as well as our own Citizen Writing Research. We use research in genre studies and CHAT, research on learning transfer and cognition, as well as other kinds of research and theory. But in our efforts to engage with theory and research, we’re trying to move beyond just learning about it. We want to enact it: To observe its traces in our daily literate practices and to incorporate what we are learning into our personal knowledge as literate citizens. Our podcast series helps to bring together interested members of our community to talk about praxis—how the theories and research we read can make their way into our daily practice as writers, and as people who need to share our knowledge with others.
“Beyond 101,” our newest podcast series, invites undergraduate students to return to our program and talk with other students and/or their former instructors about their writing and research experiences since moving Beyond 101. Students discuss how learning program methods, concepts, and terms might have transferred to different areas of their life, whether in other courses, hobbies, or professions, in the way they think, or have come to view literate practices. Students also offer advice to current and future students as well as share tips, tricks, and a few laughs. Your voice matters.
The "ENG 145 Podcast for Instructors" was developed during the 2018-19 academic year by ISU Writing Program Leadership Team (WPLT) ENG 145 Coordinator Charles Woods to highlight the differences between teaching ENG 101: Composition as Critical Inquiry, ENG 145: Writing in the Academic Disciplines, and ENG 145.13: Writing for Business & Government Organizations. The majority of instructors teaching these classes are graduate students at the Master's & PhD level, as well as Non-tenure track (NTT) instructors working for the Writing Program. Even though these two classes share many, but not all, Learning Outcomes, the ways in which instructors approach courses in the writing program is different, as these classes consist of different objectives and different populations of students. As we continue to develop a community of learners devoted to strong pedagogy, feel free to continue the conversation in the comments section.
Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Dorothy M. Stone, to talk about her article “I Read It from (Back) Cover to Cover: Reading Japanese Manga as Literate Activity,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 12.2.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Tiffany Bishop, to talk about her article “Filling the Blank Page: Writer’s Block and What to Do with It,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 9.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Alyssa Herman, to talk about her article “The Danger of Filter Bubbles and Digital Isolation: Exploring Ethical Research Practices,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 10.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Kelly Pierce, to talk about her article “Behind the Silver Screen: The Movie Theater as an Activity System,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 11.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Allison Hauser, to talk about her article “Sorry You Have to Read This: The Five Stages of Writing with Anxiety,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 10.2.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Brittany Larsen, to talk about her article “Show What You Know: Trusting Yourself as a Credible Source,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 10.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Emily Capan, to talk about her article “Through the Looking Glass: Applying Makeup to Genre and Transfer,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 10.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Amber Laquet, to talk about her article “Real Heroes Don’t Always Wear Skates: Alter Egos in Roller Derby,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 9.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Sammy Moe, to talk about her article “In the Weeds with Literate Activity in the Restaurant Industry,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 12.2.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Amber Laquet sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez, to talk about his article “Tools Add Agency in Mario 3D Platforms: How F.L.U.D.D. Engages in Activity Theory in Super Mario Sunshine,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 12.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Ellen Sundermeier, to talk about her article “The Magic of Handwritten Letters: Socialization in J. R.R. Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 12.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez sits down with Grassroots Writing Research Journal author, Shawna Sheperd, to talk about her article “Is it More Than Morbid Fascination? The Empowering Effect of True Crime Podcasts,” in the Grassroots Writing Research Journal 12.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Emily Capan sits down with four Grassroots Writing Research Journal authors, Leslie Hancock, Edmund Ankomah, Serenah Minasian, and Laurel Krapivkin, to talk about the articles that they wrote for the most current version of the journal, GWRJ 11.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Emily Capan sits down with four Grassroots Writing Research Journal authors, Leslie Hancock, Edmund Ankomah, Serenah Minasian, and Laurel Krapivkin, to talk about the articles that they wrote for the most current version of the journal, GWRJ 11.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Emily Capan sits down with four Grassroots Writing Research Journal authors, Leslie Hancock, Edmund Ankomah, Serenah Minasian, and Laurel Krapivkin, to talk about the articles that they wrote for the most current version of the journal, GWRJ 11.1.
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Welcome to A Conversation with the Grassroots Author! Emily Capan sits down with four Grassroots Writing Research Journal authors, Leslie Hancock, Edmund Ankomah, Serenah Minasian, and Laurel Krapivkin, to talk about the articles that they wrote for the most current version of the journal, GWRJ 11.1.
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Host: Hi Yun Jung
In this episode, instructors Lynn Dill, Laurel Krapivkin, and Bry Tidmarsh have a more thorough discussion about how to integrate social justice issues in the writing classroom. They talk about what the term ‘social justice’ means and describe the class activities and projects they use to introduce the topic.
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Hosts: Maddey Renken and Allison Mool
This episode of the Beyond 101 Podcast explores the writing practices of looking for a job! Allison and Maddey sit down with Mark Fauble and Lisa DeWeert, advisors at ISU’s Career Center, who share great insight about how writing works in the Career Center and for students on the job hunt.
Host: Hi Yun Jung
In this episode, instructors Katy Lewis, Liz Cachey, and Allison Hauser have a conversation about building classroom communities. They discuss strategies to overcome the challenges in community building, and share insights on the ways of making students feel that they belong and are welcome in the classroom.
Charles Woods talks with Matt Schering about his approach to teaching ENG 145 as a multimodal composition course. Charles and Matt also discuss specific resources instructors might use to introduce multimodality.
ENG 145 Coordinator Charles Woods sits down with fellow Writing Program instructor Andres Sanchez to talk about Sanchez’s Adaptability assignment he has incorporated into his teaching of English 145.13: Writing for Business & Government Organizations at ISU.
In the third episode of the English 145 Podcast for Instructors, ENG 145 Coordinator Charles Woods sits down with fellow Writing Program instructor Blake Reno who contrasts the differences in teaching English 101 at ISU with teaching English 145 at ISU.
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Hosts: Colleen Keefe and Gabby Haskell
In this episode of the Beyond 101 Podcast, Colleen and Gabby chat with Erin Link and Don Davis from Health Promotion and Wellness about writing practices in marketing and communication. They talk about the resources they create for ISU — including the Toilet Talks found in stalls across campus!
ENG 145 Coordinator Charles Woods sits down with fellow Writing Program instructor Michael VanCalbergh who contrasts the differences in teaching composition in the ISU curriculum with his previous stops in higher education.
ISU Writing Program instructors Charles Woods & Courtney Cox discuss the differences in teaching ENG 101: Composition as Critical Inquiry & ENG 145: Writing in the Academic Disciplines.
HOSTS: Maddi Kartcheske and Colleen Keefe
In this episode, Maddi and Colleen sit down with the Illinois State University Student Body President, Beau Grzanich, to discuss the writing he does on a daily basis. Beau explains, in great detail, the vast amount of communication that takes place through a variety of media.
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HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín
In this episode, instructors Jeff Rients, David Hansen, and Tiffany Bishop all discuss a variety of assignments and projects they use in their classrooms to help students better understand the concept of uptake. Each instructor has a different way of introducing and integrating the topic at different times throughout the semester.
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HOSTS: Maddi Kartcheske and Colleen Keefe In this special two-part episode, Maddi Kartcheske and Colleen Keefe interview executive board members of three different sororities/fraternities to discover some of the unseen writing practices that are crucial to Greek Life. The first episode deals with the day-to-day activities of two established chapters, and the bonus episode looks at the writing that goes into colonizing a brand-new chapter!
HOSTS: Maddi Kartcheske and Colleen Keefe In this special two-part episode, Maddi Kartcheske and Colleen Keefe interview executive board members of three different sororities/fraternities to discover some of the unseen writing practices that are crucial to Greek Life. The first episode deals with the day-to-day activities of two established chapters, and the bonus episode looks at the writing that goes into colonizing a brand-new chapter!
HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín In this episode, writing instructor Courtney Cox and consultant Demet Yigitbilek talk about how learning outcomes 7 (multimodality and multimedia) and 8 (translingualism and cultural approaches to literate practices) come together in their teaching and consulting sessions. Their unique insights into their own pedagogical practices come from a realization of their own identities as literate individuals in transnational and domestic spaces.
HOSTS: Maddi Kartcheske and Mackenzie Flowers
In this episode Maddie and Mackenzie will sit down with two group leaders from the ISU Alternative Breaks program to learn more about this fun program at ISU that provides opportunities to volunteer and lead community service projects over winter and spring breaks.
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HOSTS: Maddi Kartcheske and Mackenzie Flowers
In this episode Maddie and Mackenzie will sit down with two group leaders from the ISU Alternative Breaks program to learn more about this fun program at ISU that provides opportunities to volunteer and lead community service projects over winter and spring breaks.
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HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín
In the second part of the transnational genres series, writing instructors and MA students Su Yin Khor and Karlie Rodriguez tell us about their boundary-crossing genre knowledge and how this might become handy in different studenting and teaching contexts, from Sweden and Puerto Rico to the U.S.
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HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín
In the first part of the transnational genres series, writing instructors and PhD students Reda Mohammed, Claudia Sánchez and Hannah Kroonblawd talk about how they utilize their knowledge on writing practices in Egypt, Spain, Ireland and China as they move across different situations.
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HOSTS: Cristina Sánchez-Martín & Shane Combs In this episode, Karishma Verma and Andrew Del Mastro discuss their experiences moving across the stages of being ENG 101 students, ENG 101 consultants and ENG 101 instructors in our Writing Program. While reflecting on their learning of how to transform their knowledge, they offer practical advice to other MA students who will be writing consults and instructors.
HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín In this episode, Wesley Jacques and Bailey Craig engage in a conversation about how they, as users of mainstream varieties of English, navigate translingual and transcultural genres. As an ENG 101 student, Bailey also discusses some of the ideas she has been taking up in her class and asks Wesley questions pertaining his article “The E-Cat’s Meow: Exploring Activity in Translingual Mobile Gaming”.
HOST: Cristina Sánchez-Martín In this episode of Let’s CHAT, our guests Danielle Sutton and Jillian Merrifield share peer-assessment activities from their ENG 101 courses. Instructors will better understand what integrating peer-assessment in their course plans entails. Finally, Danielle and Jillian discuss how Learning Outcome 2 (Peer and Self-Assessment: Learning to Assess What’s Working and What Isn’t Working) relates to other Learning Outcomes.
HOSTS: Nathan Schmidt and Annie Hackett
In this food packed episode, our hosts, Annie and Nathan, learn what makes a perfect calzone with the owner of D.P. Dough in uptown Normal, and gain some behind-the-griddle perspectives with the freshman hiring manager of Watterson Dining Center.
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HOST: Evan Nave This podcast asks a former Consultant to reflect back on her experiences in ENG 101.10 and offer advice to incoming Consultants. In sharing what she wished she would have known at the beginning of her work as a Consultant, this guest passes along valuable information for those Masters and PhD students who are preparing for their positions within ENG 101.10
Guest: Taylor
HOST: Evan Nave
In this podcast, a former Consultant shares the skills, behaviors, and dispositions that served him well during the two semesters he spent working with ENG 101.10 students at ISU. He offers insights into the inner workings of ENG 101.10 and explains how he successfully navigated the structures of Study Group Sessions and 1-On-1 Sessions.
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HOST: Evan Nave
Everyone has expectations for what their responsibilities will be as Consultants within ISU’s Writing Program. “What will I be asked to do?” “How will I spend my time as a Consultant?” What are the learning needs of first-year writing students?”
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HOST: Evan Nave
What does a Consultant actually do within ENG 101.10? This podcast is all about the planning, development, and execution of activities within Study Group Sessions and 1-On-1 Sessions. Here, a successful former Consultant offers her suggestions for how to lead and facilitate genre studies/CHAT learning with ENG 101.10 students.
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HOST: Evan Nave
ENG 101.10 requires that Consultants build and maintain varied professional relationships and lines of communication (with students, instructors, other Consultants, the ENG 101.10 Coordinator, other members of the Writing Program Leadership Team, etc.). In this podcast, two former Consultants outline the ways they utilized resources to become successful in their roles within ENG 101.10.
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HOST: Evan Nave
In this podcast, an experienced former ENG 101.10 Consultant shares how his experiences in ENG 101.10 impacted his eventual teaching of ENG 101. In the process, we learn how some of the skills and dispositions acquired as a Consultant support one’s design of ENG 101.
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HOST: Evan Nave
This podcast shares the personal accounts of the positive and constructive interactions experienced Consultants have had with ENG 101.10 students in past semesters. Two Consultants (1 first-year Masters student and 1 second-year Masters student) describe the challenges and rewards of working with ENG 101.10 students, a population that often differs from ENG 101 students in subtle but important ways.
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HOSTS: Jeremy Hurley and Deb Riggert-Kieffer
This special edition episode focuses on the experiences of implementing CHAT in the classroom from the perspective of an NTT faculty member with experience utilizing the rhetorical triangle model and a PhD student who has been working with a CHAT framework for three years.
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HOST: THADDEUS STOKLASA These advanced instructors impart their knowledge, foibles, misconceptions, and reconceptions. It’s a fascinating interview with two people who know their craft and are still honing it. Helpful for incoming instructors and experienced ones. April 17, 2015
HOST: THADDEUS STOKLASA A helpful guide through the MA experience. From orientation, to the usefulness/travails of consulting, to finally teaching one’s first class. March 23, 2015
HOST: THADDEUS STOKLASA This conversation focuses on the journey of teaching in our program while simultaneously learning how to teach in our program. Please excuse the rattlesnake that kept getting near the recording equipment. March 2, 2015
HOST: THADDEUS STOKLASA The panel discusses uptake genre. What makes them so hard, are they bullshit, and whether it’s important for the students to recognize how much they’ve…well, taken up. November 18, 2014
HOST: THADDEUS STOKLASA Our panelists discuss strategies and practical application of the hows, whys, whens, and whats teaching students to incorporate non-school genres in their concept of composition. October 27, 2014
HOST: CHAMERE POOLE Chamere Poole speaks with members of the Writing Program’s Experimental Teaching Group about introducing and assessing uptake genres in the writing classroom. April 22, 2014
HOST: CHAMERE POOLE The group discussed the ways they’ve applied CHAT to their own scholarship, and then how that has informed their classroom teaching. March 27, 2014
HOST: CHAMERE POOLE The discussion addressed how students view these concepts of transfer and trajectory and the strategies for using Grassroots and other resources to help student undertake effective decision-making in their writing research. March 5, 2014
HOST: CHAMERE POOLE
The Critical Inquiry Ambassadors discuss the relationships between ENG 101, COM 110, and research at Milner Library. Topics include commonalities in terminology, research aptitudes, transfer, and how to continue this collaboration between ENG 101, COM 110, and Milner Library.
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HOST: CHAMERE POOLE Our first podcast episode! And we’re diving right into CHAT, but thankfully, we’ve got three lovely instructors to walk us through it.
HOSTS: Nathan Schmidt and Annie Hackett In this exciting episode, our new podcast hosts, Annie and Nathan, investigate how writing works in the circus. With guests from Milner Library and Gamma Phi Circus Troupe, Annie and Nathan explore a “sparkling, exciting, stupendous” range of literate activity related to the Greatest Show on earth!
HOST: MICHELLE WRIGHT In this episode, students return to talk about their experience in ENG 101 and how that’s influenced their following semesters.
HOST: MICHELLE WRIGHT To kick off this new podcast, Michelle Wright invites her former students back for a discussion about their collective experience with ENG 101.