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Upcoming events for literature instructors

April 3, 2009

KALAMAZOO--"Renovating the Culture of Instruction in Literature" is the topic of presentations and lectures Thursday and Friday, April 9-10, on the campus of Western Michigan University.

Noted educator Dr. Sheridan Blau of the University of California-Santa Barbara, will lead a series of discussions as the final participant in the Department of English's 2008-09 Scholarly Speakers Series. His visit to WMU is co-sponsored by the Third Coast Writing Project. All events are free and open to the public.

Renovating the Culture of Instruction in Literature
Event schedule

  • Thursday, April 9, 7 p.m.
    Blau will share a model and theory of literary instruction in his talk "True and False Knowledge in the Teaching and Learning of Literature" in Room 2028 of Brown Hall. A reception will follow.
  • Friday, April 10, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
    Blau will conduct the first of two hands-on workshops in Room 210 of the Bernhard Center. "Dismantling Interpretive Communities in Literature Classes: Students as Producers of Responsible Interpretations" will focus on practical classroom strategies for helping students develop as strong, independent readers able to produce thoughtful and intellectually responsible interpretations.
  • Friday, April 10, 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
    The second workshop, "Writing about Literature in an Authentic Academic Community," also takes place in Room 210 of the Bernhard Center. In it, Blau will explore how students at all levels can produce effective academic writing by taking on legitimate roles in an intellectual and literary community.

About the speaker

Blau is a professor of English and education at UC-Santa Barbara, where he also directs the South Coast Writing Project. A well-known and influential educator, he is the author of the 2008 book "The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers."

Contact

For more information, contact Dr. Anthony Ellis, assistant professor of English, at anthony.ellis@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2606.

Media contact: Deanne Molinari, (269) 387-8400, deanne.molinari@wmich.edu

WMU News
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