Writing for Change is designed to be a flexible teaching resource. With this tool, you as an instructor will be able to find and prepare writing exercises, relevant to a range of issues related to difference, power, and discrimination.
Many of the writing activities cover more than one “-ism.” Those that address a specific DPD topic include a variation that suggests how to adapt it to one or more other topics. Some of the exercises have special requirements--such as copies of a particular article or access to the Internet--but most can be completed with only pen and paper or copies of the relevant page, your guidance and your students’ ingenuity.
The writing exercises are grouped by the approximate amount of time needed to complete them. Skim the list of titles or check the index for keywords to find a specific topic. The exercises are presented in various formats that you can adapt depending on
what discipline or field you teach in,
how large your groups of students are,
how each exercise will be scored or graded,
where they will be completed,
how theoretical or “hands on” you want the assignment to be, and
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type |
Theme(s) |
No. of Students |
Materials |
|
Response, Discussion | Sexual Orientation, Ethnicity, Culture, Age, Religion | Individual, Pair | Handout |
Comparing Instead of Contrasting
|
Response | General | Individual | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion, Freewrite | Ethnicity, Religion, Appearance | Individual, Pair | Handout |
|
Response | Gender | Individual | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion, Survey | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response | Age | Individual | Handout |
|
Rewording | General | Individual | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion | Sexual Orientation, Religion | Individual, Group | Handout |
Treating People in Parallel Manner
|
Rewording | General | Individual | Handout |
|
Discussion, Write & Pass | Sexual Orientation, Age, Religion, Disability | Group |
Handout |
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type |
Theme(s) |
No. of Students |
Materials |
Adapting to Cultural Differences
|
Response, Discussion | Culture | Individual, Group | Handout |
Analyzing Argumentation in Your Major
|
Response, Discussion |
General |
Individual, Group |
Handout, Article |
Challenging the Pseudogeneric Man
|
Discussion, Rewording | Gender | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Discussion, Rewording | General | Pair | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion | General | Group | Handout |
|
Discussion, Rewording | Gender | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Discussion, Presentation | General | Group | Handout |
Interrupting Lesbian- and Gay-Baiting
|
Response, Discussion | Sexual Orientation, Ethnicity | Individual, Group | Handout, Article |
|
Response, Discussion | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response | Ethnicity | Individual | Handout |
|
Discussion, Rewording | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response | General | Individual |
Handout, Internet |
|
Response, Discussion | Ethnicity | Individual, Group | Handout, Article |
Uncovering Attitudes About Sexual Orientation
|
Response, Discussion | Sexual Orientation, Religion | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type |
Theme(s) |
No. of Students |
Materials |
|
Response, Discussion | Gender | Individual, Group | Handout, Article |
Examining the Mechanisms of Power
|
Response, Discussion | General |
Individual, Group |
Handout |
|
Discussion, Rewording | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response, Survey |
General | Individual | Handout |
Putting the People Back into Language
|
Discussion, Rewording | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
|
Response, Discussion | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type |
Theme(s) |
Students |
Materials |
Analyzing Assumptions in Academic Writing
|
Response, Discussion | General |
Individual, Group |
Handout, Article |
Analyzing Audience in Academic Writing
|
Response, Discussion, Rewording |
General |
Individual, Group |
Handout |
Considering Body Size, Shape, and Movement
|
Response, Discussion | Appearance, Disability | Group, Class | Handout |
|
Response | General | Individual |
Handout, Reference |
Recognizing Social Justice Issues in Your Field
|
Response, Discussion |
General |
Individual, Group |
Handout, Reference |
Shedding Light on Color
|
Response, Discussion | Ethnicity | Individual, Group | Handout |
Thinking About Race in Academia
|
Response, Discussion |
Ethnicity, Gender |
Individual, Group |
Handout |
|
Response, Discussion | Ethnicity, Religion | Individual, Group | Handout |
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type | Theme(s) | No. of Students | Materials |
Abstracting and Synthesizing Information
|
Response | General | Individual | Handout, Journal |
|
Response, Interview | General | Group | Handout |
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Writing on Social Justice Issues
|
Response, Discussion |
General |
Individual, Group |
Handout, Book |
|
Response | Class | Individual | Handout, Reference |
Examining the Construct of Race in the Sciences
|
Response | Ethnicity, Gender | Individual | Handout, Reference |
Formulating Your Stance on an Issue
|
Response | General | Individual | Handout, Reference |
|
Survey, Presentation |
General | Individual | Handout, Reference |
|
Response | Ethnicity | Individual | Handout, Reference |
|
Response, Interview | Religion | Group | Handout |
Understanding Pejorative Terms
|
Response, Presentation | General | Individual, Group | Handout |
Thinking About Gender in Your Major
|
Response | Gender | Individual |
Handout, Reference |
Activity Name and Objectives |
Activity Type |
Theme(s) |
No. of Students |
Materials |
|
Response | General | Individual |
Handout, Resources |
|
Response | Workplace | Individual |
Handout, Reference, Resources |
|
Response | Workplace | Individual |
Handout, Reference, Resources |
|
Response | Appearance, Disability | Individual | Handout |
Participating in a New Community
|
Response, Participation | General | Group | Handout |