When we talk “Circulation” in the First-Year Writing Context, we often situate the practice as something we think about towards the end of our writing, as we ask students to think about the constraints and affordances of genre when sharing their work with a specific audience. Even in the FYW Graphic, “Circulation” is positioned as the final “Habit of Practice.” And considering the circulation as a rhetorical context of sharing our work is undoubtedly important. We encourage students to tailor their writing for the needs of their audience and venue, consider the unique constraints and affordances of genre, and be mindful of how their work contributes to a broader, ongoing discourse and its life after publication as it “circulates.”
But circulation is more than this single practice. It is also a vital part of the learning process that takes place in our classrooms every day. In the FYW classroom the “Circulation” of ideas, perspectives, and—of course—our writing is a collaborative, multifaceted practice that helps the formation, development, refinement, expression, and sharing of writing. Starting with the in-class discussions, fieldwork, research, workshopping, peer-review, and ultimately sharing a piece of writing, the recursive and collaborative practice of circulation is embedded throughout the FYW course and the composition of any writing.
We invite you to join our sessions exploring the concept of circulation in all its multifariousness. From encountering already produced materials, early ideation, collaborative work and feedback, rhetorical context, and much more, we raise the question: what is the role and value of “circulation” in the writing classroom?
Nov. 1, 2024 | 8:30am–2:00pm
Student Union Ballroom | UConn Storrs