From Accuracy to Discourse: Analyzing the Evolution of Writing Pedagogy in Controlled Composition and Traditional Rhetoric

Abstract

This paper examines the Controlled Composition approach to writing instruction, which gained prominence in the first half of the nineteenth century. This method emphasizes linguistic accuracy, focusing on grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and cohesive devices, while treating writing as a process of applying language rules in a controlled, error-free manner. Rooted in structuralism and behavioral theories of language learning, it views texts as autonomous entities that can be analyzed independently of their context. The paper attempts to explore how this approach influenced writing pedagogy, particularly through techniques like sentence combining and substitution exercises designed to reinforce correct usage. It then highlights the limitations of the Controlled Composition approach, particularly its neglect of the reader's role, the contextual nature of communication, and the writer's agency in meaning-making. In response, the paper shifts to discuss the Current Traditional Rhetoric approach that emerged in the 1960s, which broadens the scope to include discourse-level structures, cultural differences in writing, and the organization of paragraphs. This paper also explores how rhetorical patterns, such as the use of models, outlines, and paragraph analysis, are used in this approach to teach students how to structure more complex texts. Finally, the paper critiques this approach for its over-reliance on rigid structures and its ethnocentric assumptions about writing practices, stressing the need for a more nuanced understanding of writing instruction that accommodates cultural diversity and student agency.