Arizona State University, Norton Professional Books

Jessica Early, author of “Next Generation Genres: Teaching Writing for Civic and Academic Engagement”

There’s been so much researched, written and lamented about learning loss during the pandemic — and that definitely happened for many students. But Jessica Early sees a silver lining.

Early is an English professor at Arizona State University and director of the Central Arizona Writing Project. Most of her research focuses on how to teach writing and how important it is.

In her new book, "Next Generation Genres: Teaching Writing for Civic and Academic Engagement," she advocates for a different way to approach writing, one that goes beyond the five-paragraph essay to methods and forms that are more accessible for people from linguistically and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

The Show spoke with her to learn about the method and the importance of teaching strong writing.

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