Blog #4 Writing and Representing: What do you think is important to teach students about writing and representing?
It is important for students to generate an awareness of the major forms of writing in elementary school, including print code (grapho-phonics), grammar (syntax) and meaning making devices (semantics). Through the use of poetic, expressive and transactional writing, students will explore various forms of writing through the creation of short stories, letters, logs, journal entries and poems as outlined by the BC Ministry Education Integrated Resource Package.
I believe that in order to support the Ministry’s PLOs all students should receive their own personalized writing folders and students should be provided with information regarding the writing tools within their folders. As outlined by Savage (2000) and Nahachewsky (2011), the folders will be placed in an easily accessible spot for the students. Within every folder, each student will have their very own name tag, personal dictionary, think pad, journal (with room for illustrations) and a doodle book. By providing the materials and easy access to their own writing folders, along with instruction and role modeling of writing and representing by the teacher, students will be guided through the use of these resources. As Savage mentioned, some tools will be easier for students to work with right away (ex. Journals) while some resources should be introduced slowly at a time when the students are more able to independently engage in the writing process (ex. a classroom post office). Personally, when experimenting the think pad concept in EDCI 302 for the first time ever conceptualizing creating a written work of my own since being an elementary school student, allowed me the opportunity to generate an idea for a children’s book that I am now in the process of creating as a means of sharing my work with students in the future. The story concept that I generated in that class is a very simple idea but it will be a children’s book about my dog Mello who is a Bernese mountain dog and who spends six months of the year cougar and bear patrolling at Camp Thunderbird in Sooke, BC where my husband works as the Summer Camp Director. I am looking to create this work for the five and six year old campers whom have yet to discover Mello’s mischievous ways. The intent is for the book to be a humours with little text and lots of visuals and used as a means to provide information about Mello’s Thunder-lifestyle to the youngest campers on site. The story will be “written” by Mello and have a short authors blurb at the back signed with her paw print.
As part of the composition process and through the implementation of workshops and mini-lessons as described by Graves (1983), Calkins (1986), Atwell (1987), Savage (2000) and Nahachewsky (2011), students will work to compose, draft, revise, edit and make their work public by sharing with others. As suggested, students will receive three part feedback, what was enjoyed, things that there may be questions about and suggestions for the work. This can also be described as “two stars and a wish!” While some students may find it personally challenging to share their work with others, it is recommended that teachers remind their students that writing is an ongoing process and it is advisable that the teacher share their work with the class and bring in a local author guest speaker if possible to engage the students and share the common nature of the composition process. This was demonstrated in our EDCI 302 class when local children’s author Robin Stevenson came and spoke with our class. We also saw this idea represented by the visit of Mr. Walter Dean Myers in “Love that Dog” by Sharon Creech.
It is important to teach students spelling in the context of writing. Edwards and Malicky (1996) recommend that this process begin from grade two onward. These authors state that while some students may test well on spelling tests, this does not necessarily mean that these words will become part of their stored knowledge and may be spelled incorrectly in their future works. It is recommended that students make attempts to spell words for themselves initially and circle any mistakes within their own work and seek to correct these mistakes independently with the use of a personal dictionary or word wall or with the assistance of their teacher. Ves Thomas (1979) published a book called Teaching Spelling: Canadian Word Lists and Instructional Techniques. Within this book Ves Thomas, has produced lists based on the frequency of the words elementary school students use most often when writing. This book is a valuable resource for teachers in identifying which words may be useful as a being basis for assessing words with the students. Another way of working with students to develop their spelling is to have the students practice the words they have identified to have spelled incorrectly within their own work. Savage, noted that one visual way of practicing these words is for students to work in pairs and develop personalised flash cards. Throughout the year, students may also wish to keep record of the words that they initially struggled with and have successfully mastered as a visual representation of their spelling accomplishments.
In class we discussed the changing nature of our world in relation to our tech savvy students. As writing involves the command of grapho-phonics (print code), it is important for students to possess an ability to print, cursive write and type their work on the computer. Students are taught handwriting by their teachers so that they are able to produce a legible form of writing with the least amount of effort and concentration as possible. With this in mind, teachers need to pay particularly close attention in ensuring they instruct their students in the dominant cursive writing style within their province or territory (Seminar, 2011).
Carswell (1988, 301) noted that “studies in the role of language and learning have emphasized the need for learners to find meaning in the world through the use of language as a tool of exploration.” It is important that teachers model the value of reading and writing with their students as there are many different ways for students to represent their writing across the curriculum. Some forms of representation include: dialogue or response journals, charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, graphic organisers or data collection sheets and the design and creation of posters. Another alternative suggested by Edwards and Malicky, is to create a series of books about a local area where students become actively involved in the research and go to the areas and libraries, interview people and search archives and publish the books at their schools local library. For example, the authors suggest that the first step for students to participate in expository writing is to understand that they are writing for an unknown audience and their task is to become experts of local history in their area. In the case of Jessie Hache’s Grade Four class at Petite Rivere Elementary School in Lunenberg County, Nova Scotia, the students worked together to publish a book about the oral history of their community and included stories, drawings, biographies, history, lists, poems, recipes, directions for games and maps. At the completion of the book, the students hosted an evening presentation in the community hall that incorporated readings, drama and song. This community book that the students created together and shared in such a meaningful way is one of my favourite ideas about representing writing in Constructing Meaning: Integrating Elementary Language Arts.
The BC Ministry of Education states that the aim of English Language Arts is to provide students with opportunities for personal and intellectual growth through writing and representing to make meaning of the world and to prepare them to participate effectively in all aspects of society and as such, students need to be able to communicate their ideas, information, and feelings critically, creatively, and articulately, using various forms of writing and representing. This is why it is so important for educators to instil a passion in their students regarding ELA and provide all members of the classroom community the opportunity to represent and share their written work. There are so many forms of writing and representing that students can engage in such as, journals, short story creation, play writing, logs or poems. The ideas stated in the blog above are only just the tip of the iceberg. As a result of the many forms of writing and representing, if we all continue to share our ideas, English Language Arts has the potential to reach students far beyond the classroom.
