Can Fish Complain About English When They Don't Speak It?

Fish's lecture face

In the New York Times article, titled "What ShouldColleges Teach? Part 3," the author Stanley Fish discusses what is of importance in teaching levels in college level writing. A couple main points talked about were how sentence structure and grammar need to be taught more thoroughly. He also claims language can be an "instrument of power.” When learning the language of writing you must be equipped with the tools to speak in the present condition needed at the time. Everyone has the right to his or her own language on any given topic however; we need to be taught which language is most appropriate in given situations. When allowing students to write in their own personal language can be devastating to their college career because they will not know how to write in an educated manor or a scholarly manor. What college professor would want to read something that sounds very ill educated.

 

I agree but disagree with Fish’s claim. I agree the students should learn their way with the language and grammar then manipulating it for the particular subject it is needed. Language is beautiful thing it is what connects us with every single person around us. Language is required in every single part of schooling whether it be math, English, or even music  they all have some kind of form of communication in common. When trying to communicate in a scholarly manor there are many things you do not want to happen.

 

Over the course of an eight-week period, I witnessed five tutoring sessions at The Ohio State Newark Writer’s Studio. I found that with watching these sessions I have many ideas to support Fish’s main clause. I feel it is important people learn how to communicate in an educational manor however, I disagree with the fact that it is not just that simple we need to try to understand what people take away from our writing. Many people try to communicate many things through writing. Although as I said they try, does not always mean they successfully do so.  Many people can get the wrong idea when ideas are not explained thoroughly and clearly.
 

In the midst of those eight weeks we were asked the question repeatedly what we feel is most to college level writing, which is similar to what Fish is talking about but not exactly. I discovered that language was the most important thing to college level writing however it was not language exactly it was what people could take away from the language itself. So I agree with Fish’s statement that people need to learn to write the language but also we need to be able to step on the other side in the readers shoes and think what are people going to take away from the piece of writing being written.
 

Have you ever read something on Facebook or Twitter and someone misspells every word and sounds very unintelligent or “stupid”? This is your perspective of person and we acquire them quite quickly without even knowing people. People can get a perspective of you as a writer and with the example I just mentioned early maybe incompetent? When someone reads your paper you do not want them thinking you are lazy because you did not what to correct misspelled words and ill grammar. It is all about creating a perspective for you through the reader’s eyes.

 

Overall, I agree to disagree. Fish is right students need to learn sentence structure and grammar. At the same time we should teach students to figure out what you want people to take away from the particular piece of writing being written. With all these tools in mind, I feel students will be very prepared for writing in college. If all these factors were taught could you imagine what college essay would look like if students actually knew how to use all the tools needed to make a well written essay.