New Graduate Course Preview | WRD 545: Teaching Writing Online

Why Learn to Teach Writing Online? In recent years, the convenience, accessibility, and pedagogical possibilities of online learning have drawn in students and teachers alike. As more students turn to online spaces for education, writing teachers must understand the pedagogical possibilities for these learning environments. To help students prepare to teach online, the MA in WRD will offer WRD 545: Teaching Writing Online in the upcoming Spring 2017 quarter. The course is an elective, of particular interest to students pursuing the concentration in teaching writing and language. On the course’s website, Prof. Michael Moore says that he aims to explore

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Spring & Summer ’17 Courses Are Here!

The Course Cart for Spring and Summer 2017 classes opened this week, and registration begins February 5! If you’d like a comprehensive list of WRD’s course offerings, visit the Student Resources page at WRD’s website. There, you can plan your class schedule with detailed course descriptions at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Any questions about what classes to take? Email your program director or contact the department at wrd[at]depaul.edu.

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Course Spotlight: Teaching ESL Writing Update

Overview of WRD 543 Students in Dr. Jason Schneider’s WRD 543: Teaching ESL Writing course learned to better understand the theoretical and practical issues connected to writing studies in an increasingly diverse world. WRD 543 is a graduate-level course, open to all MA in WRD students, and is offered every other year. It provides concentration credit for students in DePaul’s Teaching Writing and Language concentration of the MA in WRD and counts for Methods credit for those students pursuing the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate. Structured around readings and weekly discussion posts, the course helps students

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Recap: Professor Krista Ratcliffe’s Talk on Rhetorical Listening

As students and scholars of rhetoric, we understand that others’ conceptions of what is good or true are influenced by their beliefs and values. But how can we apply this understanding? How can we use our rhetorical knowledge to more effectively traverse difficult conversations, like those happening on our campus and in our city during this contentious election season? In a talk sponsored by the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse, given on Friday, October 7, Professor Krista Ratcliffe of Purdue suggested rhetorical listening as a teachable tactic to help students—and everyone—learn how to listen to and participate in conversations

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Recap: National Day on Writing

Two weeks ago, the WRD Department joined other schools around the nation to celebrate National Day on Writing (October 20). Founded by the National Council of Teachers of English, this day aims to draw attention to the fact that no matter who you are, writing is an integral part of your life. To help with the day’s celebration of all things writing, WRD faculty, staff, and students went out on campus to ask DePaul, “Why do you write?” We received all sorts of responses, from writing out of necessity (my professor makes me) to writing for self-expression and to create

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Winter '17 Courses Are Here!

It’s time to start thinking about Winter. The Course Cart for Winter 2017 classes opened this week, and registration begins October 13! If you’d like a comprehensive list of WRD’s course offerings, visit the Student Resources page at WRD’s website. There, you can plan your class schedule with detailed course descriptions at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Any questions about what classes to take? Email your program director or contact the department at wrd[at]depaul.edu.

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WRD Alumni Spotlight: Molly Rentscher

Molly Rentscher is the latest alumna to be featured in the WRD Spotlight series. She graduated in 2015 with a Master’s in Writing, Rhetoric, & Discourse. Currently, Molly works as a writing center coordinator at Arizona State University. What have you been doing professionally since you earned your degree? I earned my degree in June of 2015, and shortly thereafter, I accepted a full-time position at Arizona State University (ASU) as a writing center coordinator. In my position, I am responsible for managing all aspects of operations for the West campus Writing Center and Graduate Writing Center; this includes hiring,

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2016 WRD Awards Party Recap

The Sixth Annual WRD Awards Party was a great success thanks to the participation of WRD majors and minors, MA in WRD graduate students, and MA in NMS graduate students! This year’s party was held on Friday, June 3 in the Lincoln Park Student Center. As always, it was a great evening to honor WRD and NMS graduates, enjoy food, listen to live music, and catch up with classmates, alumni, and faculty. Photos from the evening can be viewed below. The award winners and Pi Epsilon Pi inductees are listed below: Best Undergraduate Essay “Feliz Cumpleaños!” by Wendy Ramirez Best

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News and Updates

News and Updates from MA Alumni and Faculty

Here’s an update on what some of our MA in NMS and MA in WRD students, graduates, and faculty members have been up to in the last six months!   NMS Students and Alumni Yasmin Alesia (2016) switched careers from the advertising to the tech industry. With the help of her NMS degree, she has started a new job as a UX/UI Designer for Rand McNally. Yasmin is the main designer for OverDryve, Rand McNally’s biggest and upcoming consumer electronic device for the connected car industry. Laura Collins (2013) shared her artwork in the exhibit The Olsen Twins Hiding From The Paparazzi at the THINK1994 Museum in New York City.

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Faculty Spotlight: Jason Schneider

Professor Jason Schneider is the newest tenure-track member of the WRD faculty. Having taught at DePaul as a Visiting Assistant Professor since 2012, he moved into his current position of Assistant Professor in the department during fall quarter. With an MA in applied linguistics and a PhD in rhetoric from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Schneider felt immediately at home in the WRD program. Today, Schneider wears many hats here at DePaul. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in teaching English as a Second Language and coordinates the graduate certificate program in TESOL. Over the summer, he oversaw the creation of WRD 111, a new course for

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