Future of U.S. Foreign Aid Strategy

1. (5 min) - Begin class session with a brief discussion of students’ main takeaways from the day’s readings (assigned as pre-session homework, linked above). As students volunteer their takeaways, the instructor should type them into the “Intro: U.S. Foreign Aid Strategy” slide on the activity slide deck (linked above).
2. (5 min) - Using the activity slides for support, remind students that in March 2025, the Trump administration in the United States announced its intention to dramatically overhaul U.S. foreign aid strategy. Instructors might supplement information presented in the slide deck with information gained from their own background knowledge and research.   
3. (5 min) - Explain to students that this class session will be spent as a writing workshop, in which students will work individually to outline an opinion essay on U.S. foreign aid strategy.
4. (40 min) - Have students use the Essay Outlining Worksheet (linked above) to process their notes from the readings and form their arguments. Students are encouraged to access the readings on their phones or laptops to help them complete the worksheet.
5. (5 min) - Guide students through a brief class debrief of the activity. Conclude with a note that writing takes time, practice, and attention. Students may appreciate the reminder that writing is a learned craft, rather than a natural talent. Students may also appreciate the encouragement to trust themselves when processing information and forming opinions, rather than relying on AI to do this work for them.

Note:

• This activity is designed to encourage students to develop their skills and confidence in academic writing. The worksheet may be modified to meet students’ needs or competency levels. Instructors are encouraged to share their own writing-related struggles or hesitations when introducing the activity, as a way of establishing a space in which students can work and ask questions about stumbling blocks without fear of judgement.