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Perhaps because writing instruction has moved away from an emphasis on "rules," developing writers tend to show improvement in content but little movement in mechanics. Given that classes that focus solely on writing are only a fraction of a student's program of study, writing instruction must necessarily extend beyond the first-year composition sequence. For non-specialists, this prospect can be daunting. We suggest that using grammar games in the online classroom can help non-specialists guide learners towards mastery of these skills; we further suggest that the "Grammar Boosters" in GCU's Student Success Center can be modified into games by non-specialists. In this presentation, we present a sample game (for use as is and as a template). We also offer best practices for effective use of games in discussion forums.

Presenter Information:

Jen Santos

Jen Santos has taught first-year writing classes for both online and ground learners at GCU. Santos earned her Ph.D. in English from Arizona State University; she serves on an MLA executive committee, has presented at international writing conferences, and has co-authored several book chapters about best practices for teaching writing.

Brian Raftery

Brian Raftery has taught first-year writing classes for both online and ground learners at GCU. Raftery earned his M.A. in English from Syracuse University; since joining GCU's full-time faculty in 2010, Raftery has supervised online English faculty and is currently serving as domain lead for the ground English faculty.