When we have students watch us write in our teacher notebooks about what we’re reading, we not only share our expectations for their notebook-keeping, we give them a mental model for writing critically and analytically about what they read, says literacy leader Laura Robb.
Ready to leave Granny’s snooze-inducing grammar lessons behind? Three simple yet powerful changes in grammar instruction can make a big difference in how students use grammar as a creative tool to shape their writing, says literacy coach and teaching consultant Patty McGee.
Poetry “pauses” can become the heart and soul of English class AND address almost any reading and writing standard. Teacher-author Brett Vogelsinger shares three examples – poems that can help students extend their understanding of structure, character and personal narrative.
Writing is often overlooked as a positive way to help students and educators relieve stress, explore inner feelings, process their thinking and stretch their imaginations. Everyone at school is busy, writes Jeremy Hyler, but reflective writing is too powerful to put aside.
As you work with your students on grammar instruction, Sean Ruday recommends emphasizing that grammatical concepts are key parts of writer’s craft toolkit. An understanding of the precise purpose of each tool will help them become thoughtful and artful communicators.
Matt Glover shows teachers how they can marry genre units with craft and process studies to give students choice and agency throughout the school year. ELA teacher Rebecca Crockett thanks Glover for revealing ways to teach state standards and give writers more autonomy.
Being a teacher who writes is the secret to being a successful teacher of writers! To help up your game, consultant and author Stacey Shubitz suggests ways to share your own writing in class with students and offers hints on how to develop and stimulate a personal writing habit.
Create Compose Connect / Improving Student Writing
by Jeremy Hyler · Published 10/10/2018 · Last modified 12/06/2019
If your students have trouble switching back and forth from informal to formal writing – with all the inherent grammar, punctuation and capitalization problems – you’re not alone. Rather than just blame it on technology, Jeremy Hyler is using some tech to fight back.
Teaching students to eagerly revise their first drafts is “the Mt. Everest of writing instruction,” says renowned author Ruth Culham. The originator of the 6+1 Writing Traits program argues convincingly that revision must be the primary focus of the writing curriculum.
Mary Tedrow makes a strong case for daily student writing that generates ideas and wonderings not only in English but all content areas. Sarah Cooper finds Tedrow’s detailed guide to using Daybooks and her recommendations on grading and indexing particularly helpful.
