My ELA classroom: A vision and kit of tools...

After reading through my first blog entry and reflecting on how my thoughts and ideas about my ELA classroom have changed since then, I concluded that my vision is not all that different. However, my toolkit of strategies for teaching writing and oracy is more robust. One cannot have an effective vision without tools. I realize that as I enter different classrooms with different students I will have to mold my vision and strategies to fit the learners in front of me.

What does my toolkit consist of? Well, since my first entry I have learned that the curriculum is more malleable than I had anticipated which can allow/ require more creativity for the teacher. I have a bank of helpful strategies for teaching writing such as literacy circles, writing workshops, barebones stories, writing territories, shredders, providing writing prompts and encouraging children to take their writing to the publishing stage. These strategies can address a number of issues that may surface with the students, such as difficulties developing ideas, feeling hindered by poor spelling skills or simply not interested in sharing that which they have written.

The strategies for writing that I have mentioned above are generally more geared towards older grades. In this entry I have returned to discuss kindergarten and grade one students. Since they are at a very early stage of writing, it is so important to encourage engagement in writing and oracy with these students. In addition to providing a rich atmosphere full of language and books, I would provide many opportunities for speaking and listening in the classroom. The sooner students are comfortable and capable speaking with their classmates, the more successful they will be throughout their academic careers. Lessons on oracy might include lunch bunches where small group of students eat with the teacher and have the opportunity to practice asking questions to each other. In class, I would provide the opportunity for students to practice telling stories either about something they did, read or imagined. Additionally, I would incorporate drama into the classroom either by following a story structure or by integrating short activities that encourage dialogue and action.

In comparison to oral language, writing may be a new and more challenging concept for these young students. It is therefore most important to facilitate the enjoyment of the writing experience with a balance of success and correction. This is where it is very valuable to use different strategies to engage children in the process and to make a distinction between free writing and writing that is to be shared or displayed for an audience.

Therefore, in both the instruction of writing and oracy, my classroom will be a safe place to express thoughts and ideas through written and oral language using many different strategies and techniques. It will be a place where students feel engaged with language, where they are willing to take risks and develop a positive perspective on continued learning. 

Can they all be writers?

The answer is... of course they can.  This entry will focus on what is important to teach children about writing.  Although I will be referencing grade 6 & 7 learners in this post, the concepts are importantly developed throughout a student’s life.  In fact, perhaps most importantly is the consistency of these points over time.

I believe there are 3 main categories to teach about writing.  Firstly, foster a sense of enjoyment of writing in your students.  As described in Constructing Meaning, enjoyment will increase the efficacy students’ experience.  Casey and Hemenway explain in their article, Structure and Freedom, to allow students to choose their writing subjects, provide free write time and perhaps designate a particular time for writing during the day.  Additionally, I think it would be important that not all pieces of written material are handed in for marking.  This relieves the pressure for students and allows them to focus on the process of getting pen to paper.

A key feature in fostering enjoyment is utilizing different forms of written expression. The authors of Constructing Meaning explain that the three voices of writing are: expressive, poetic and transactional.  Students my naturally feel more comfortable with one of these forms but it is important to provide the opportunity to explore each of them.  Additionally, students in grades 6 & 7 will be coming to class with opinions and experiences of writing that may not all be positive.  This reinforces the importance of incorporating different methods to encourage writing such as; barebones stories, pass along stories and the brainstorm of writing territories.

A teacher’s open mind is critical to facilitating the unique students in a class.  For example, some students may need to record their ideas, type on a computer or dictate to someone else to write.  Although the students are not writing with these techniques, they are starting the process of getting their thoughts and ideas out.  Robin Stevenson supports these methods because she believes in the importance of generating ideas as a writer’s critical first step.  She also mentioned that we should be aware that students might have different preferences in how they start their writing.  For example, she starts with the development of a character.  Therefore, it is equally important to teach foundational tools of writing, such as outlining, as it is to encourage the creativity and individuality of each student’s writing process.

Secondly, at every age it is essential to support learners in understanding the importance of revision. The IRP provides a great circular sketch on page 349, which demonstrates how much of the writing process is dedicated to revising and drafts. Perhaps a condensed version of this could be displayed in a grade 6 or 7 classroom.  An article I found on the NCTE website illustrated the benefit that comes from requiring students produce many drafts of their work.  The author, Kristen Robbins, who was reflecting on her experience as a new teacher, found that she could support students best if the feedback and corrections were made during the process rather than as responses to the final copy.  The author explained that she would conference with her students, and create mini lessons from what she saw the students were struggling with. I really appreciate this focus because I think, that if as a teacher you are putting your energy into refining the work over the course of several drafts, then you are encouraging students to recognize the significance of the process.  Hopefully this will lead them to appreciate and enjoy the time and energy required for quality work.  Another benefit of this process-centered model is the ability to keep concept learning in context.  Similarly to how Robbins develops mini lessons from her students’ work, I would also ensure that each student was generating a list of words they find challenging or certain mistakes in syntax that they make regularly. This leads me to my final point about what to teach about writing.

Finally, personal investment is a vital part of teaching writing to students. Teachers are in powerful positions to shape the students they work with.  They need to be able to critique and reinforce, model and facilitate.  When students leave the class each day, I feel that it is most effective if teachers have instilled some form of personal responsibility in their students.  The IRP for ELA delineates The Gradual Release of Responsibility diagram on page 341, which demonstrates the steps necessary to reach an independent stage.  Casey and Hemenway’s article is a perfect example of this phenomenon.  The case study focused on a student throughout her schooling.  Although she was a very engaged writer in grade 3 and appreciated the attention and energy required to produce good work, her effort in writing dwindled, as she got older.  Had the student taken greater ownership in her work, I believe she would have been more successful in the writing process in the later grades.  The sixth and seventh grades can be difficult years socially and emotionally for students. It is vital that as teachers we are proactive in facilitating an environment that encourages the development of their ownership of learning.  Students will do a much better job if they want to write well and aren’t just searching for completion or a grade.