Authentic Writing Experiences
Authentic Writing Experiences
Writing blocks should always be authentic learning experiences for students. Whether the authenticity comes from the intended audience or the topic, each time students write it should be meaningful. In my classroom, it is the norm for students to refer to themselves as authors each time they are engaging in writing. This is an authentic experience because it gives students the opportunity to be more intentional about their writing choices, just like professional authors do. I have found that students are more motivated to actively participate in the writing process and publish quality work when they identify as an author.
In Teachers As Writers, we created writing lesson plans centered around revision strategies. Revision is often a step in the writing process that gets the least amount of attention. However, through revision students learn to challenge their own ideas, thus deepening and strengthening arguments. For this lesson, I chose the revision strategy "model with student writing" from Teach Writing Well (Culham, 2018). We used a personal narrative written by a former 4th grader as our student model.
Standards: W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. |
In this lesson students:
1. Identified writing choices that aligned with the characteristics of a personal narrative. 2. Discussed how the author could revise her narrative. 3. Analyzed their own writing to identify areas of improvement, more specifically how they could include more narrative writing elements in their stories. |
W.O.W Books
In our Reading in the Content Areas course, we explored several read aloud books from different genres. We were tasked with choosing our favorite books from each genre to write and post a book review on Good Reads. Using quality books for read alouds supports students from diverse backgrounds by allowing them to hear fluent readers in action and enjoy exciting, culturally relevant books that they can relate to and learn from. This activity relates to culturally responsive instruction because it allows freedom of text choice which promotes a sense of ownership and accountability. Student engagement and motivation also increases with an authentic writing experience while composing and publishing their reviews using digital platforms.
Please click on the links provided below to read a few of my favorite WOW Book reviews.
Incorporating Digital Literacies
During New Literacies and Media, we learned about the benefits of integrating digital tools and media into our literacy classrooms when creating 21st-century learners. In order to make sound instructional decisions about integrating technology, educators should consider the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The TPACK framework supports the overlap of technology, pedagogy, and content to create more authentic learning environments for students that promote intentional usage of digital tools. This framework creates more active, creative, and authentic opportunities for students to utilize technology. Prior to learning about the TPACK framework, the use of technology was usually an afterthought. However, implementing this framework has helped me to be more strategic and intentional about how I incorporate digital literacies.
Project Based Inquiry Global (PBI-G)
Standards:
RL.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. 1.G.2: Understand how humans and the environment interact within the local community. RI.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem W.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem |
PBI-Global is an instructional framework that fosters collaboration and meaningful global connections through inquiry projects.
5 Phases of PBI-Global project: 1. Ask compelling questions 2. Gather & analyze sources 3. Creatively synthesize claims & evidences 4. Critically evaluate & revise 5. Share, publish & act Our PBI-Global project was the collaborative effort of first graders and high school juniors to answer the compelling question: How can one kid change the world? This project was both engaging and relevant to both classes. Students created videos, digital story books, draw & tell presentations, and ultimately participated in a service project. The student engagement and motivation both increased during this project because each class was creating products for authentic audiences, not simply for the teachers. This learning was meaningful and relevant because the students had total creative control of the entire process, even the topic. |
References:
Barber, S. (2017, April 24). Building Choice Into Your Students' Reading. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-choice-student-reading-susan-barber
Culham, R. (2018). Teach Writing Well: How to Assess Writing, Invigorate Instruction, and Rethink Revision. Stenhouse Publishers.
Hutchison, A. & Woodward, L. (2014). A Planning Cycle For Integrating Digital Technology Into Literacy Instruction. The Reading Teacher, 67(6), 455-464.
Spires, H.A. [Hiller Spires]. (2017, September 14). The Design Features of PBI Global [Video]. Name of website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLmiz9CXd8I
Spires, H.A., Kerkhoff, S.N., & Graham, A.C.K. (2016). Disciplinary literacy and inquiry: Teaching for deeper content learning. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 60(2), 151-161.