Write a 1000- to 1200- word essay in response to one of the following topics.
Read “Mother Tongue” in our textbook. What kinds of problems does a person whose English is as limited as Mrs. Tan’s face in the age of social media and instant communication (as described in “Mother Tongue)? Write a classification-and-division essay that identifies and explains the kinds of problems a person might encounter today if the level of their spoken English were comparable to Mrs. Tan’s. Try to update some of the specific situations Tan describes, quoting Tan where necessary, and be sure to document any borrowed words or ideas and include a works-cited page.
To support your ideas and claims, you will need to use information from “Mother Tongue” and/or “Closer Together or Further Apart: Digital Devices and the New Generation Gap” and at least one credible secondary source (accessed from our textbook or the school’s library database).
Amy Tan’s essay, “Mother Tongue,” focuses on spoken language, but people also use different kinds of written language in different situations. Read “Mother Tongue” in our textbook. Write a classification-and-division essay that identifies and analyzes three different kinds of written English that students might need/use: one appropriate for parents, one for a teacher or employer, and one for a friend. For each type, include examples of the types of conversations students might have with these audiences.
To support your ideas and claims, you will need to use information from “Mother Tongue” and/or “Closer Together or Further Apart: Digital Devices and the New Generation Gap” and at least one credible secondary source (accessed from our textbook or the school’s library database).
Guidelines
Your essay should be 1000-1200 words (3-5 pages). Essays that do not meet the word-count requirement will not earn a passing grade.
You will need supporting evidence from at least two outside sources:
One source must be an assigned reading: include supporting evidence, examples, and/or details from “Mother Tongue” or “Closer Together or Further Apart: Digital Devices and the New Generation Gap” (-10 pts.)
The second source may be another assigned reading or a secondary source accessed via our school’s library database. (-10 pts.)
Your essay must include a works cited page (not part of the word count). Be sure to properly cite any outside sources and the assigned reading. (-50 pts.)
A one page, typed freewrite about your essay should be posted by Tuesday of week 10.
Your final draft must be submitted on Canvas by end of day on Sunday of week 11 . Late essays will lose 10 points for every day late.
