March 30, 2008 at 4:48 pm (Wordless Picture Books)
Tags: wordless
Please visit a few of these websites.
- Locate and read several wordless picture books. What do you think? After reading the two articles (Cassidy and Reese) on wordless picture books, Ch. 3 in Best Practices, and the list of wordless picture books, think about how and why you might implement an instructional writing approach using wordless picture books. Do you see how the framework for authoring the text of wordless picture books could be a developmentally appropriate scaffolding technique for students’ story writing? Where might this approach “fit” with McKeough, Palmer, Jarvey, and Bird’s developmental framework for teaching story composition? As you ponder the utility of the wordless picture book approach to story writing, think about possible grouping configurations, the books you may choose, and your goals for this instructional approach:
Might your goal be:
• to help students see themselves as readers/writers
• to develop fluency in reading and writing
• to assist children in writing complete descriptive sentences
• to encourage students to develop longer, more creative, and more descriptive stories
• to carefully examine story elements or characterization
• to provide a springboard to writing for those students who have “nothing to write about” or for struggling writers
• to enhance vocabulary
• to stimulate oral and written communication and social interaction
• to foster problem-solving skills
• to promote critical thinking, creativity, etc.
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March 18, 2008 at 12:37 am (Memoir)
This Wednesday we will BEGIN our study of memoir. After you have read the three memoirs, My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, Shortcut , and Family Pictures, please think about how you conceptualize memoir. Feel free to bring in any memoirs available to you. You will find a list of titles on your Memoir handout.
Please check out the children’s literature queen of memoir, Patricia Polacco. I think you will enjoy your visit to her website.
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March 17, 2008 at 11:58 pm (Writing and Assessment)
A few ideas to ponder from Ch. 13 Best Practices; how do these statements connect with your experiences; with our class readings?
- Writing should be an integral part of instruction because WRITING REVEALS THINKING (p. 267).
- Writing takes time and patience (p. 267).
- Best practices in writing assessment begin with an authentic task, where purpose and audience are clear and meaningful, where support and feedback are readily available, and where the final product has academic value for the student (p.269).
- Student writing provides information about both content and process, about what students have learned and how well they can communicate it (p. 272).
- What a writer needs most is words (p. 279).
- Develop and draft, review and revise, polish and publish (p. 280).
- Students can demonstrate understanding by transforming resources and experience into a genuine composition-the building of something new from a collection of basic elements (p. 283).
- TEACHING STUDENTS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AND RESPONSIBLE LEARNERS IS DIFFICULT, BUT ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE IS CRITICAL FOR REFORM OF SCHOOLING IN OUR COUNTRY (p. 284).
- Do your writing assessments include rubrics that gauge students’ capacities to transform the substance of the topic?
- Do you believe that assessment should be an integral ongoing part of our instruction? Should assessment inform our instruction?
Please review the NCTE and IRA Standards for the English Language Arts
Do you notice any parallels to multigenre writing?
Please feel free to check out Rubistar and Writing Fix. What do you think?
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March 5, 2008 at 6:03 pm (Uncategorized)
Please click on multigenre-projectnotes3.doc FOR TODAY’S CLASS.
As many have said, seeing is believing! In today’s workshop, you will have an opportunity to explore books/ologies published as multigenre works. Working from Youngs’ and Barone’s model, explore and interact with the various books; use your handout Multigenre Projects: Getting Started in the Classroom and your textbook Writing Without Boundaries to guide your inquiry today.
- As a group, choose one book; jot down your:
- Impressions
- Connections
- Wonderings (pp. 26-27 textbook)
2. Make a list of the plethora of genres represented in your book. Please refer to your handouts (possible genres) and the book for assistance. 3. Choose a few genres (split this up) and use the genre discussion guide (pp. 55-63) as you explore, in-depth, this genre. 4. Discuss possible ideas for your individual projects. What questions remain…
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