Adulting with WAC: Adult Learners in the Composition Classroom
The WAC Journal seeks scholarly work at the intersection of writing with teaching, curriculum,
learning, and research focusing on our special issue topic of how WAC pedagogies (dis)engage adult and returning learners. Our review board welcomes inquiries, proposals, and articles from 3,000 to 6,000 words.
For this special section, scholars are invited to relate theory and/or experience with practice in their discussions of ways we might transform WAC to serve returning or adult learners in WAC courses. Adult learners typically have more responsibilities to navigate outside the classroom, encounter different social and cognitive needs, and must revisit skills after a much longer gap than students matriculating straight out of high school. The following are example questions that could help guide one’s approach:
- How do we serve adult learners with varying degrees of academic experience but substantial professional or life experience?
- How do we assess writing competencies of adult learners?
- How might adult learners transform WAC classrooms and/or influence public rhetorics in the classroom?
- How can WAC programs promote belonging among adult learners, including those who may also be working professionals, caregivers, neurodivergent, or disabled?
- What might WAC administrators and faculty foster to create a community of resources for adult learners’ success inside the classroom?
We are especially interested in contributions that take creative approaches to WAC, writing to learn, or experiential learning and promote solidarity and inclusion across racial, gendered, class, or age-related identities in a variety of institutional contexts. Additionally, submissions by adult or returning learners that focus on any of these topics are welcome.
Submissions:
● Should range between 3,000 and 6,000 words.
● Should be submitted via Submittable
- ohttps://parlorpress.submittable.com/submit/18762/wac-journal
- Enter the title of your submission as follows: Special Section: Adult Learners
Deadline for Submissions: December 8, 2023 11:59pm (PST)
Notification of Acceptance: by March 2024
Revised Manuscripts due: by April 2024
Publication: July 2024-August 2024