Language-Activity and the Teaching of Composition.

The problems that the composition teacher finds in student writing and the philosophical hazards involved in dealing with the concepts "language" and "writing" are considered first. Active and static models of writing are examined in terms of their philosophical and pedagogical implications. Static conceptualizations of language and writing are criticized and eventually rejected, because they reinforce the composition student's fundamental misconception of his or her language activity as a reporting activity. This product-oriented notion of language activity can be seen in the composition student's writing behavior and, also, in both traditional and contemporary teaching procedures. Active conceptualizations of language and writing, on the other hand, are endorsed because they direct the composition student and composition teacher to adopt the process-oriented compose model of language activity. Pedagogical implications of this model are discussed in terms of useful writing assignments and appropriate classroom teaching behaviors. The compose model of writing is also discussed and justified in terms of practicality and humaneness. (Author/AA)