In real life, writing is always situated in a particular context of communication. In the classroom,  however, writing instruction tends to focus on structural issues rather than how the structures and context interact. To make writing assignments meaningful, then, it is important to put writing tasks in to a productive context. In this presentation, an experienced writing teacher/researcher will discuss the problem of decontextualized writing assignments, and suggest ways to make writing assignments more meaningful and exciting for students.

Paul Kei Matsuda is Professor of English and Director of Second Language Writing at Arizona State University. Paul is Founding Chair of the Symposium on Second Language Writing and Series Editor of the Parlor Press Series on Second Language Writing. Former President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, he has also served as the founding chair of the CCCC Committee on Second Language Writing and the chair of the Nonnative English Speakers in TESOL (NNEST) Caucus. Paul has published widely on various topics on language, writing and professional development in applied linguistics, rhetoric and composition and TESOL, and has received a number of prestigious awards for his publications.

Everyone is welcome to attend!