NCTE’s National Day on Writing (#WhyIWrite) is Friday, October 20. To help celebrate, we’ve pulled together a dozen of the many great posts about teaching writing that are freely available at MiddleWeb. You’ll find ideas, inspiration, and ready-to-use activities here.
Writers get better by writing, says author and ELA teacher Marilyn Pryle. “It’s our job to have students write regularly, genuinely, and with ownership.” She shares three fun writing tasks (including directions, a model and a prewrite activity) that get the job done!
When students blend multimedia elements into their writing projects, interest and engagement can zoom up, writes teacher-author Sean Ruday. Ruday highlights a five-step process he uses in PD workshops to help teachers make the tech meaningful and not maddening.
We love to share writing about student writing! Here, in no particular order, are 10 of our readers’ favorite articles. You’ll find a range of posts by teachers, authors and writing coaches. And there’s a bonus for teachers who love to help students fuse words and images.
Writing flow, says author and principal Matt Renwick, is achieved through the habits one builds by regularly participating in the experience. He offers suggestions on how teacher and student writers can establish writing rhythms and find flow in their craft.
Good writing instruction doesn’t have to be complicated, says literacy consultant Sarah Tantillo. No matter what genre you’re teaching – a paragraph, a timed essay or a full-blown research paper – she recommends these basic steps. Rubric included!
Future of History / Student writing about history
by Aaron Brock · Published 12/08/2013 · Last modified 11/22/2019
Inner city middle school teacher Aaron Brock describes how he scaffolds the writing of a thesis-driven history essay with good results for students.
About Working Draft / Working Draft
by Kevin Hodgson · Published 10/07/2013 · Last modified 11/19/2019
MiddleWeb’s new English/LA blogger Kevin Hodgson (aka, dogtrax) introduces himself and promises to learn from and with teachers and other readers.
Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay by Kimberly Hill Campbell and Kristi Latimer provides a process, plan & writing formats “that breathe life back into student writing,” says teacher-reviewer Liz Wisniewski.
