Writing
Student Voice in Writing, Process-Oriented Writing, & Creative Writing Strategies
Global Editing vs Sentence Level
The writing process can often focus too heavily on sentence-level mistakes. Editing run-on sentences, spelling errors, and missed commas are important; however, if the structure of the paragraph is off or the essay does not follow the prompt- do the smaller mistakes matter?
A refocus on the overall structure and concept of the words, sentences, or paragraphs should be the first step to any good writing strategy. Over time, language and grammar can be developed.
Big Idea: Writing gives a student a voice; Grammar is the voice of the outside culture. Both are important, but a student's voice should be fostered first.
Writing and Typing
Writing is a tricky process and requires many skills. Two of the underlying skills that students must develop are their handwriting and typing skills. This may be tricky for some students. Luckily, students have access to a wide range of tools in my practice!
Talk-to-Text- In almost all Google Applications there is a voice typing feature. When used, students may dictate their ideas to the computer. This is helpful for independence in writing where typing skills need practice.
Scribes- If students are unable to fluently use programs or need a more interpersonal method of generating ideas, having a partner or adult type their paragraphs can be a helpful tool.
Preferred Style- Students always have the right to learn and produce work in the style they see fit. Learning is a journey and all paths are different. A student may choose to physically write on paper, type on the computer, or work with the teacher to develop another way of producing their work.
