The Writing Intensive Program at LCC

The Writing-Intensive Program at LCC

ABOUT THE WRITING-INTENSIVE PROGRAM
LCC offers a substantial number of Writing-Intensive (WI) courses each semester. Faculty interested in teaching a WI course at Leeward submit a WI course proposal form along with a course outline. The proposal is reviewed by the Writing-Intensive Focus Board for adherence to the Writing Intensive Hallmarks.

HOW LONG A WRITING-INTENSIVE DESIGNATION LASTS
A Writing-Intensive designation is effective for four years from the original approval date. (As an example, if a course is approved in Fall 2008, the instructor would need to submit a renewal in Fall 2012.) After that period, if the instructor wants to continue offering the course as WI, s/he needs to submit another WI course proposal form for Writing-Intensive Focus Board review, to ensure that the course still meets WI guidelines. WI course renewals will also be effective for four years. As with new WI course proposals, the WI Focus Board will be happy to work with instructors to clarify guidelines and to consult on WI course design as needed.

At LCC, WI designations are granted for the course taught by the instructor submitting the proposal; if another instructor wishes to teach the same course as WI, s/he is required to submit a proposal for it. The exception to this, as well as to the 4-year WI designation, is courses numbered English 200+, which have blanket WI designation regardless of instructor. Instructors for all other WI courses are required to submit a new WI course proposal form for every additional WI course they want to teach.

PREREQUISITE FOR WRITING-INTENSIVE COURSES
The prerequisite for LCC writing intensive courses is the completion of English 100 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

PROPOSING A WI COURSE
These are suggested steps for faculty to take who are interested in submitting a WI course proposal:

Look at the current list of active WI courses in alphabetical or chronological order to see the range of Writing-Intensive courses at LCC. (We'd like to broaden our offerings, especially in the technical and scientific areas.)

Read the Writing-Intensive Hallmarks to learn the criteria for WI courses.

Consult the Writing-Intensive Focus Board member(s) from your division or another committee member, or contact the Chair if you have questions.

To obtain a Writing-Intensive New Course Proposal form, e-mail Frank Stanton, Writing Committee Chair. He will send you a copy of the form.

FOR YOUR COURSE OUTLINE

Include this statement or something similar: Completion of English 100 or equivalent with a grade of C or better is a prerequisite for this and all other Writing Intensive courses at LCC.

Explain to your students what WI means: Many Writing-Intensive instructors find it valuable to clarify the Writing-Intensive nature of the course in the course outline. In addition to clearly labeling the course as, for example, Speech 251WI, and listing required assignments as you would in any course outline, it’s a good idea to include an explicit statement about your expectations on the first page. Here is a sample of what you might say (you’re welcome to adapt this or write your own statement):
In this Writing-Intensive course, you will do a substantial amount of writing which should help you to learn the course content and also improve your writing skill. Your instructor will help you with your writing by giving you instructions in class and providing you with individual feedback. While Writing-Intensive courses can be demanding, many students find that the act of writing helps them to think more deeply about the subject. In addition, improved writing skills will benefit you not only in your future studies, but also in your employment and personal life.

Include a statement regarding availability of services for students with disabilities. Here's a sample statement you can use:
Student with Disabilities Statement:
Leeward Community College abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which stipulate that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap." Students with documented disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Coordinator of the Kako‘o ‘Ike (KI) program as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. The KI office is located in L-208, across from the elevator in the library building. Students may also contact the coordinator by phone at 455-0421.

See also the FAQs for students about Writing-Intensive courses on this website. Feel free to excerpt this information (no need for attribution) in your course outline.

TEACHING A WI COURSE
Teaching a Writing-Intensive course can be a good deal of work, but many faculty members report that these courses are especially satisfying to teach. Resources available to WI faculty include Writing-Intensive Focus Board representatives, on-campus workshops, and on-line information.

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