Students need more writing support than we can possibly offer them, writes literacy consultant Lynne R. Dorfman. Peer conferences are a safe, supportive structure that will help writers grow in their problem-solving capacity while experiencing the joy of collaboration.
In Part 2 of her article on conferencing with student writers, teacher-author Marilyn Pryle tells how she manages multiple conferences with each student during a class period. The key: give students small manageable tasks they can do on their own.
In the first of two articles about conferencing with middle grades writers, teacher-author Marilyn Pryle identifies a pair of critical elements that need to be present in early conversations: (1) praise; and (2) a focus on meaning – not grammar.
