I know I don't often contribute to the listserve, but I always keep
abreast. This issue, though, seems an important one to me.
Though there may be multiple umbrellas for "people concerned with
writing" to come under, Inkshed is unique in that it invites English
department people, writing center people, writing program people, even
people from business and government, and /people from education/ to be a
part if they choose. It is partly this cross-fertilization that makes
Inkshed a community unlike others. Although CCCCs has an implicit
invitation to educationalists (though we are all educationalists), I
think Inkshed is more explicit (and smaller and Canadian - both good
things). The name of the organization (Canadian Association for the
Study of Language and /Learning/ - notice it's language, not writing)
seems to me to capture the group because we are all interested in how
are people learn and use language.
I have always felt that stuff I wanted to present at Inkshed would be
accepted, listened to seriously, even though it might be about
Kindergarteners, or middle school children, or adults. Since the
relative demise of the Canadian Council of Teachers of English Language
Arts (or at least it's profile), there are few place where educators in
Canada can discuss language learning.
The numbers at the Manitoba conference were somewhat disappointing, but
I think people see Manitoba as a "not very interesting place" to go
(though I think that's not true). However, I don't see that as a trend -
a glitch perhaps. I think Tanya is right, 195 people on the listserve
indicates a lively community.
Let's wait until the body is cold before we hold the funeral.
Cheers
stan
--
stan straw
professor of language & literacy
270 education bldg
university of manitoba
winnipeg, manitoba R3T 2N2
phone: 204-474-9074
fax: 204-474-7550
email: [log in to unmask]
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