This particular article focused on writing and what it means to be a good writer. Before I read the article, I thought to myself, "well a good writer has perfect grammar and their writing makes sense". The article noted that that there are three elements of good writing which are clarity , vocabulary and spelling. I for one think that people struggle with vocabulary. For example, there are many people who still struggle with using words such as (their, there, they're) as well as ( by, buy, bye) among other words. Additionally the article brings up the importance of writing in the real world. It mentions that alot of today;'s jobs require you to submit a piece of writing in order to be considered for the job. Gallagher states, “People who cannot write and communicate clearly will not be hired, and if already working, are unlikely to last long enough to be considered for promotion". Gallagher brings up a important point. People should be able to be not only good speakers but great writers. However, there are many people, including me at times, who simply can't put thoughts on to paper. So, I feel like jobs should allow people maybe a retake or even a follow up prompt were people like me can have a second opportunity.
Gallagher states, "students who are taught how to write without being taught the real-world purposes behind authentic writing are much more likely to end up seeing writing as nothing more than a school activity—nothing more than a series of obstacles to overcome in order to pass the state test or to get to graduation. It is incumbent upon us to show them that the ability to write well serves as the cornerstone of a literate adult life". I believe that in order to get student to become great writers they should be allowed to write whatever they're passionate about. This doesn't mean that they wont follow guidelines in fact it means they'll follow the guidelines as a way to make their writing stringer, One can also have a broad topic or a large selection of writing prompts to get kids to want to write, of course these topics should be relevant to the students you're serving.
^ The images show how different grade levels address writing in the classroom.
Questions:
1) What was one time you wrote on something you felt passionate about?
2) What do you think makes a good writer? spelling? perfect grammar?
3)What are ways to keep kids actively writing?
-Ashley
Hi Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI love the anchor charts you provided in this post! I honestly don't think a good writer would consist of having good grammar. To me, a good writer is someone who is able to convey their thoughts clearly to their audience and also keep their reader really engaged in their writing. I also feel that a writer should be able to have the choice of how they would like to write, so they can choice to use their own dialect, mother tongue, etc. I feel that sometimes using more than one language can really express yourself a lot better.
As for ways to keep my students be engaged in writing, I would mainly explain writing as a way to express themselves. So I would probably let them keep a journal where they can enter entry of their lives in it. I can also give them the opportunity to do more creative writings in class. This way they can see a purpose in writing.
Hi Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI did not know that being a great writer was broken up into those three categories. I agree with you when you say that we should allow our students to write about something that they are passionate about. I wrote my research paper about something to do with prisons and that topic is something that I am fascinated about, so I had a lot to say and it wasn't as excruciating as usual.
Hey Desirae,
DeleteI think that's awesome. Did you feel as if that paper was a breeze to write since it was something you were passionate about? Thank you for sharing!
Hey Ashley! I remember I really liked when I would have a free write. We kept a journal and when I got to choose what I wanted to write about I was so much more motivated to write more. I think it's hard to work on grammar especially with with ELL students, I think it's just having constant reminders as well as modeling for students!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI was always passionate when it came to writing about Palestine. I don't think any of that stuff necessarily makes you a good writer, but it makes you a writer who has correct punctuation and grammar. A good writer is someone who writes with feeling.
Thanks,
Besan
HI Ashely,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think you discussed a very important topic. In my opinion, I don't believe that writing is more than just using proper grammar and appropriate vocabulary. I think that many people great writers are those who are able to express their thoughts through creativity and uniqueness. Good writing, is one that is personal and speaks your heart. Further, I also remember a time when my professor allowed us to write about any moment we desired. She ensured that we chose a topic that meant a lot to us. This is key to great writing. When you are able to decide to write about something meaningful, then your writing is likely to turn out great.
HI Ashely,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think you discussed a very important topic. In my opinion, I don't believe that writing is more than just using proper grammar and appropriate vocabulary. I think that many people great writers are those who are able to express their thoughts through creativity and uniqueness. Good writing, is one that is personal and speaks your heart. Further, I also remember a time when my professor allowed us to write about any moment we desired. She ensured that we chose a topic that meant a lot to us. This is key to great writing. When you are able to decide to write about something meaningful, then your writing is likely to turn out great.
I do not think the focus should be on how ACCURATE the writing is but how well the child's thought has been represented in his or her writing. If the student is capable of showing his or her learning and understanding then accuracy should not be a extreme issue.
ReplyDelete