The Rhetoric courses focus on guiding students to explore their personal interest. Tailoring to each student's writing proficiency and linguistic characteristics, the course cultivates dialectical thinking through heuristic teaching while enhancing communication skills via contextualized practice. Additionally, Professor John Maclean, the instructor of the course, places significant emphasis on the continuous optimization and innovation of the course, thereby systematically improving undergraduates' academic English writing capabilities.

At the start of the semester, it's vital for the professor to precisely gauge each student's writing level to flexibly adapt teaching plans and group set-ups. Previously, students were typically asked to write and submit a short essay independently. But after brainstorming with fellow teaching assistants, Lin Haowen opted for an innovative approach. He introduced a creative "interview" method: arranging for course assistants (TAs) to have a short chat with students at the end of the first week of the semester. This not only bridged the gap between students and TAs, fostering a more harmonious learning atmosphere, but also directly assessed students' English-speaking skills, yielding remarkable results. 

In response, Lin Haowen meticulously designed the questions for this "interview." On one hand, these questions helped students quickly grasp the course content, encouraging them to freely discuss their expectations for the course and share perspectives on course-related topics. This allowed students to gradually deepen their understanding of the course through relaxed exchanges. On the other hand, this approach subtly assessed students' English proficiency, providing Professor Maclean with valuable reference for teaching planning. Lin Haowen explained, "This method not only bridges the gap between students and teaching assistants to foster a more harmonious learning environment but also directly evaluates students' oral English abilities—a win-win strategy with significant effect."

The Rhetoric course is designed to closely align with real-world needs, encouraging students to develop systematic thinking frameworks while completing socially relevant writing tasks. Through analyzing complex issues from multicultural perspectives, students deepen their understanding of intricate topics. Lin Haowen believes that one effective way to help peers engage with new knowledge and methodologies is by "creating a sense of connection." For instance, when introducing argument construction, he guided students to draw parallels between academic English writing and familiar Chinese essay techniques in the college entrance examination. This analogy enabled students to rapidly identify breakthrough points for understanding new concepts, significantly accelerating their grasp of fresh knowledge.

Additionally, Lin Haowen often immersed students in real-world scenarios. For example, when hot spots of society emerged, he posed questions like: "Suppose you need to refute a viewpoint from this news article—how would you structure your language and use evidence to persuade others?" This approach helped students realize that academic writing is not an abstract, inaccessible mystery divorced from real life. Instead, it is simply another method of expressing ideas, deeply connected to daily communication. This shift in perception significantly boosted students' enthusiasm for group discussions, motivating them to actively engage in classroom interactions and deepen their understanding and application of writing knowledge through collaborative exchanges.

Furthermore, Lin Haowen shared with us some fascinating stories from his experience. During his discussion sessions, students occasionally cited the same passage when seeking evidence to support their viewpoints. Surprisingly, different students often derived completely divergent meanings from identical content. "This occurs because students sometimes take passages out of context, focusing only on isolated phrases rather than comprehensively analyzing the entire text," explained Lin, "They overlook contextual connections and the author's intent, leading to misinterpretations." As a teaching assistant, he carefully guided students to analyze texts from a holistic perspective, teaching them to outline textual structures and grasp core themes. When students cited evidence, he encouraged them to revisit the text's overall framework, reflect on the role of specific sections within the broader context, and clarify the true meaning of phrases through repeated analysis of the context. This approach systematically enhanced their text comprehension abilities. "I aim for every classroom discussion to become an opportunity for students to deeply explore knowledge and elevate their critical thinking," shared Lin.

Reflecting on his own journey, Lin Haowen noted that while facilitating students' growth, he himself reaped substantial personal rewards. "During this process, my communication skills and time management abilities improved significantly, and my sense of responsibility deepened. I developed a more profound understanding of pedagogical logic, mastering the art of breaking down abstract concepts into vivid, tangible examples to enable students to grasp the material effortlessly." Meanwhile, Lin emphasized that his logical expression skills were further honed. Through frequent interactions with international students, he gained a profound understanding of diverse cultural backgrounds, significantly broadening his intellectual horizons.

Upon learning he had won the ZJUI Top TA Award for the spring semester, Lin Haowen felt both surprised and deeply gratified. The recognition from students provided him with immense encouragement. "During my time as a TA, every moment spent clarifying doubts and helping students overcome academic challenges reinforced my belief in the power and value of education," he shared. What left the deepest impression was guiding a student with weak English foundations and a fear of speaking to gradually improve his English writing skills. Initially, this student struggled to distill core arguments and often made basic grammatical errors. During repeated office hours, Lin focused on facilitating his in-depth exchanges with group members. From refining the thesis, constructing outlines, to polishing details, he systematically helped the student integrate into vibrant group discussions, enabling him to master writing rhythms within a supportive peer-learning environment. The journey of accompanying students' growth was profoundly meaningful. "Now, I eagerly anticipate continuing to contribute to education—like a guiding light illuminating others' paths towards their dreams," concluded Lin.

▲  Group Photo of Lin Haowen (second from the left) with Prof. John Maclean and other writing assistants.

In organizing discussion sessions, as teaching assistants, we must foster a lively intellectual atmosphere rather than merely acting as messengers for professors or Q&A robots for students. Our role is to guide students to freely engage in discussions and actively express their opinions. As TAs, it is our responsibility to encourage students to generate intellectual sparks through exchanges, prompting them to fully utilize discussion time to apply and reinforce knowledge, thereby maximizing the value of these sessions.