The End of Composition Studies?

Can we teach writing?

Smit argues that:
1. There is no evidence or very little evidence that the writing skills we teach actually transfer to other contexts

2. The only real way to learn writing is to be part of a discourse community; we learn writing by being immersed. If we could bring an immersion model to the writing classroom, then we could teach people how to write within at lesat one discourse community.

3. Writing is acquired. To the extent you can teach it, you have to teach the similarities between discourse communities ("strong skills"). And similarities across genres.

4. We need an acquisition-rich learning environment.

5. Connections to Heath and to Gee -- some communities immerse children in discourse communities that are already similar to the discourses they'll need in professional contexts, and some communities are shut out of professional communities and so can't immerse their chidlren in them. Built-in inequality.