The Wide World of Writing

1. The Wide World of Writing January 29, 2009 Lori G. Wilfong, Ph.D.

2. Agenda • Introductions • Writing theory into practice • 9 ways to write a summary • Short answer & extended response • A few more writing activities (just for fun) • The multigenre project

3. 10 words or less • Tell us your name and where you teach • Then, tell us about yourself in ten words or less

4. My example… • Lori Wilfong • Assistant Professor of Literacy and MCED • Kent State University, Stark Campus • Boater, traveler, reader, from Los Angeles, Jayhawk supporter, cook, shopper

5. 10 words or lessSummary Strategy #1 • Scaffold summary writing by having students subtract out the 10 most important words of a piece of text. • 10 words can be manipulated into sentences on post-it notes or note cards

6. A little bit more about you… • What is the best piece of writing you have ever written? What makes it your favorite? • What kinds of topics do you like to write about? • What are your favorite writing genres? • What kind of feedback do you like to get about your writing • Do you characterize yourself as a quick starter or a procrastinator?

7. And finally… • What is your relationship with deadlines? • Do you like to write in silence or with background noise? • What tools and equipment do you like to use for writing? • Do you prefer to write in class or at home?

8. Have you ever asked your students these questions? More importantly, would they even know the answers to these questions?

9. Writing theory • “Writers facing a blank page, like readers approaching a text, have only their individual linguistic capital to draw on.” • Louise Rosenblatt

10. Rosenblatt on the writing process… • It is always an event in time. • The writer is always interacting with a personal, social, and cultural environment. • Writing is, therefore, always a function of individual and environmental factors.

11. SWBST – Somebody Wanted But So ThenSummary Strategy #2

12. Efferent vs. Aesthetic writing • Efferent Car accident example • Aesthetic

13. Efferent vs. Aesthetic Writing Examples

14. More Rosenblatt – I can’t stop! • Authorial reading • Expression-Oriented Authorial Reading • Reception-Oriented Reading

15. Rosenblatt’s final words • “Hence, the teaching of reading and writing at any developmental level should have as its first concern the creation of environments and activities in which students are motivated and encouraged to draw on their own resources to make “live” meanings.”

16. The Most Important ThingSummary Strategy #3 • The most important thing about efferent and aesthetic writing is _______________________________. • But, the most important thing about efferent and aesthetic writing is _______________________________.

17. Break time!

18. What I think, I can say. What I say, I can write.What I write, I can read. What I read, I can share.

19. Found PoetrySummary Strategy #4 • Found poetry • Taking prose and turning it into poetry. • Choose a passage that you feel is important or exemplifies the text that is 75-100 words long. Write the passage on a separate piece of paper. • Carefully discard words or phrases from the passage that do not subtract from the meaning – usually articles, conjunctions, but sometimes other phrases that are unnecessary

20. Found Poetry, continued • Pretend that you have to pay for each word you are keeping and you want to pay the minimum. Get rid of any words that are not of the utmost importance. • Copy your saved words onto a new piece of paper. Structure it so that it looks and sounds like poetry. • Make sure you cite the real author!

21. Make Writing an Everyday Part of your Curriculum • Entrance Slips • Exit Slips • Written Conversations • Classroom Learning Logs

22. Entrance Slips – Getting Juices Flowing • Name two things you already know about this topic. • What are two facts you remember from yesterday’s class? • Summarize yesterday’s lesson in 10 words or less.

23. Exit Slips- Reinforcing today’s learning for tomorrow • Describe 2 things you took away from today’s lecture. • Summarize today’s lesson using SWBST • Write a test question over today’s material (multiple choice, short answer, etc.)

24. Written conversations-Think-Pair-Share in written form • Write down you reaction to what you just read (set a time limit). • Switch papers with a partner and read and respond to their reaction (set a time limit).

25. Classroom learning log-Preserve learning for posterity! • Record facts & concepts • Reflect on new ideas • Alert the teacher to students’ misunderstandings and provide opportunities to redirect students’ thinking

26. A classroom routine… • Week ____ • Describe the most important concept you learned this week and why it’s important to you. • Record the number of times you made contributions in class and describe the nature of the contributions. • List at least one additional source for learning more about what you are studying in class.

27. Fish bonesSummary Strategy #5 • Select one of the everyday writing strategies (entrance slips, exit slips, written conversations, or learning logs) • Complete a fish bones sheet about that strategy • Backbone – main idea • Supporting bones - details

28. A few more random writing strategies: • I Am Poems • Copy Change • Discussion Webs

29. I Am Poems • “I am” poems • Fill-in-the blank poem that makes writing poetry seem easy • Online resource: • http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm • Fill out one of your poems as your favorite historical figure

30. Two-Voice Poems • Partner up with someone who wrote their “I Am” poem from another perspective. • Choose a stanza and write out your poem in two voice form • Be prepared to share!

31. Copy Change • Get your feet wet and ready to write • Scaffolds the writing experience • Easy to provide success on first try Other examples: I Am poem; the Most Important Thing

32. Discussion Webs • Read text • Introduce central question or statement • In pairs, come up with pro and con responses • Pairs join and compare responses. Work towards a conclusion • Report to the class conclusion with best supporting reason

33. Discussion web statement: • Should students be held accountable for spelling and grammar in short answer/extended response questions on the OAT and OGT?

34. Four-Two-OneSummary Strategy #6 • Individually, generate four words or concepts that summarize your learning about writing this morning. • With a partner, share your words. Together, come up with two common words or concepts about writing. • In a small team, share your words. Together, come up with one word or concept that best summarizes your learning about writing. • As a whole class…