Contemporary Issues in Rhetoric:  Rhetoric in the Classroom

Conred Maddox, Jr, English

This paper investigates the instruction of composition as a rhetorical production, which requires the instructor to heuristically adjust presentation of the material to the students who are his or her audience.  The analysis of the scholarly material associated with this position suggests that composition classes incorporate portfolio-style instruction.  This approach allows the instructor in collaboration with the student to assess and resituate instruction using teaching heuristics that value the student’s cultural influences and learning style.  One may understand the theoretical underpinning of this approach as theory/no theory, as is the case for rhetorical presentation.  When one engages a rhetorical stance, the determination of approach after initial design is heuristically adapted according to the nature of the audience, therefore, suggesting which theory or theories to employ, how long, and how much.  The implication for the instructor is that he or she will use the portfolio style instruction to better situate instruction on a student-to-student basis.