Questions to Ask Students on the First Day of Classes
First Day
Talking with students about writing helps them and us to reflect about writing and to clarify mutual expectations. Consider asking your students to discuss (or to write about) any of the following questions:
What kinds of writing have they done, both in and out of class? Do they feel confident about their writing?
What are the purposes of writing? (In other words, what do they use writing for?)
What kinds of writing do they have the most success with? The least?
What steps do they take when writing a paper? Do they complete multiple drafts?
Do they know where to go if they want help with their writing or simply would like to have someone else read their work?
What kinds of commentary on their writing do they find to be the most helpful?
What would they like to improve upon?
