ENGL 2900
The Expressive Pedagogy
The Expressive Pedagogy
 The Expressive pedagogy is an aesthetic and critical theory of
writing that places emphasis on the expressive qualities. It is
writing that reveals something about the person who created
it.
The Expressive Pedagogy
 This pedagogy originated in the ‘60s and ‘70s in opposition to
current-traditional rhetoric which focused on standard forms
of writing and “correct grammar.”
The Expressive Pedagogy
 The focus of the pedagogy is on the writer, rather than
the audience, message, or language.
 The expressive pedagogy encourages a sense of writer’s
presence, “voice,” or ethos; even in research-based
writing.
The Expressive Pedagogy
 In response to the Vietnam War, teachers and writers began
to argue that “voice” empowers individuals to act in the
world.
 Partially inspired by Freudian belief systems, teachers were urged
to recognize the unconscious as the real source of motivation and
behavior.
The Expressive Pedagogy
 The goal is to help students discover themselves through
exploration in writing. They should begin by writing for
themselves rather than an audience.
 Works to break down the barriers between “aesthetic” writing and
“pragmatic” writing, arguing that the two should work together.
The Expressive Pedagogy
 Advantages:
 Allows students to be more engaged in writing
 Helps to dispel fears of writing.
 Does not inhibit the natural writing process of students
 Encourages an enjoyment of writing and literature
The Expressive Pedagogy
 Disadvantages
 Such an approach ignores emphasis on content or skills as essential
elements of good writing.
 Teachers who focus on expressive discourse want to assign nothing but
writing about personal experiences; not writing about information,
data, or ideas.
 “Writing for self ” cannot really exist. Ultimately all discourse is
intended for an audience.
 Writing activities and processes such as “free writing” are primarily
useful for personal narratives or for the pre-writing process, but are
nearly incapable of producing rhetorical or pragmatic discourse.
The Expressive Pedagogy
 The Rebuttal:
 The goal is not to replace content, but to infuse it with voice.
Essays and research papers will not be replaced by personal
narrative.
 Although this pedagogy is an effective tool, it cannot be the sole
pedagogy in a classroom. Like any other teaching method, it must
be used in conjunction with other tools to produce the desirable
results.
 Methods like “free writing” are intended to help students develop
their written skills and voice. Such practices are written solely for
the writer, and not for an audience.
The Expressive Pedagogy
The Expressive Pedagogy