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already have if they have passed tryouts), a GPA requirement that must be sustained
throughout the season, and also certain disciplinary expectations. As a member of the
squad, we are expected to act in a certain appropriate way. For example, no inappropriate
social media posts are allowed, and we are expected to stay out of any disciplinary
trouble at school. If we were to get in trouble at school (i.e detention, or referrals) we
would get demerits, which would eventually get us kicked off the team. The next part of
the new member packed is the expected costs. This basically outlines all the monetary
costs, such as uniforms, competitions, or practice wear that will all be included in the
final cost of the season. Also, the athletes are required to put in a lot of time and effort
when participating with the team, so that is a cost for them as well. The following part of
the packet is the calendar. This yearly calendar presents all the times and dates for any
events that the cheerleader will have to be required to attend. This includes practices and
times, school events, sporting events, charity events, and competitions. This is especially
helpful to have all the dates already planned and laid out for us that way we can plan in
advance. Last, there is a list of all contact information that we will need. This includes
coaches, team moms, athletic directors, etc. Basically anyone we should ever need to get
in touch with at any time during the season.
Tracing Genres Using Activity Theory
After reading Activity Theory: An Introduction for the Writing Classroom by
Donna Kain and Elizabeth Wardle, one being the author of our textbook, I learned about
activity theory. Activity theory helps you consider what a particular group is trying to
accomplish, how it has gone about trying to accomplish that work in the past, and how it
is doing so now (Wardle 273). The authors present this idea of an activity system
through a diagram of a triangle, showing all the different parts. These parts consist of
tools, motive, division of labor, community, rules, and subject. If I analyze any genre in
my discourse community using these parts, I would be able to understand how each
interacts with my discourse community and the other different elements of the triangle. I
would consider my genre of the new member packet to fall under the category of tool. It
is used at the beginning of the year to outline and present several different aspects of the
team up front. It corresponds with the rules of the discourse community, because
obviously if there were different rules they would have been stated under the expectations
in the packet. It affects division of labor because the coach and/or athletic director would
be the people composing and presenting this packet to the new members. The teammates
are the people who are reading the new member packet and interacting. The new member
packet as a tool also affects the motives of the team. If the packet were to have different
expectations for the season overall, the motives probably would not be the same either.
For example, if as teammates we were expected to have certain skills or have certain
conduct, the motive would be to win based off of those skills and maintain good
reputation in school.
Using Lenses to Analyze Genres
Ann Johns, a popular linguist, looks at discourse communities, a concept from
John Swales, and analyzes the concept a little bit deeper. She takes a look at the
value systems, authority structures, conflicts that arise, and a few
other things. Overall, she gives readers a couple different lenses to
look at discourse communities. They are authority, values, identity,
cost, change over time, and gatekeeping. When using the example of