Writing Workshop

WRITING WORKSHOP LITERARY CRITICISM Curriculum Constructs and Assessment: English/Language Arts Cynthia Gallagher

Introducti on

C o n sid e r yo u r jo u rn a l, g ro u p d iscu ssio n s, a n d th e tw o b a sic g e n re s o f lite ra tu re a s yo u se le ct a to p ic a n d stru ctu re a th e sis, su p p o rtive th e sis, a n d co n clu sio n ( s):

Ø Nonfiction

Ø Fiction (Creative Forms) Ø Prose

Ø Prose Ø Essays Ø Journalism (Informational) Ø Historic books Ø Research papers Ø Textbooks Ø Other Instructional books Ø Letters

Ø Nonfictional genre are based on: Ø Length and purpose Ø Basic persuasion Ø Dialectic persuasion Ø Analytic Ø Narrative qualities Ø Degree of Improvisation

Ø Short story Ø The Novel Ø The Play Ø The Screenplay Ø Experimental Forms

Ø Poetry Ø Free-form Ø Metrical Form Ø Figurative Qualities 

Method for Selection of a Topic Ø Student Determination (Smagorinsky, 2003)--Refer to current interests noted in ongoing journal Ø Consider the subject matter Ø Is it fiction or nonfiction?

Ø Brainstorm in respect to ongoing decision shaped by class ØC o n sid e r yo u r su b jediscussions ct m a tte r

C o n sid e r th e to p ic , th e sis, co n clu sio n , a n d fig u ra tive sp e e ch a n d a n a lo g ie s ( C re w s, 1 9 8 7 ) yo u w o u ld like to d e ve lo p ØC o n sid e r a llh yp o th e se s a n d co n clu sio n ( s ) th a t yo u r th e sis w illsu p p o rt Ø

Structure of the Workshop Tw o W e e ks ( 1 0 d a ys) d e vo te d to th e W ritin g W o rksh o p Plan Pro p e r a s id e n tifie d b y th e re fe re n ce s a n d a ccu m u la tive e la b o ra tio n s o f th e M iln e rs Day #

Writing Structural Strategy

Purpose

1

Teacher/Student Conferences

2

Teacher/Student Conferences

3

Expand, elucidate upon original premise; decide on general, specific genres to develop; brainstorm Relay and substantiate topic to fellow students; each student has an opportunity to reflect upon specific concerns of the main subject, writing process Reveal structural disorders, awkward coordination

4

Status of the Class Conference Share and develop the writing process, confer programs, share Mini Lesson

5

Mini Lesson

6

Teacher/Student Conferences Status of the Class Conference Group Share Group Share Group Share

7 8 9 10

potential new topics, subtopics, theses, transitions Share further concerns about rhetorical and figurative functions, thesis, style, voice, conclusion, writing process Report on development, revisions, transformations, conclusions

Evaluate and report problems, progress Share with enthusiasm the relationships of individual work Compare and evaluate the topics, tone, rhetoric Contrast figurative devices, voice, style, genre

Instructional Strategy for Writing Skill Development

Ø Because “writing is an extended process that includes prewriting, writing, and rewriting (revising and editing),” “all modes of written discourse take only one shape” --both fiction and nonfiction are developed through prewriting, free-writing, organization tools, and mind-mapping (Milner, 2002, p. 299) Ø The Writing Process Instructional Strategy is a holistic process—from the focus or topic, the thesis or substance branches into a transition and conclusion or climax and denouement or resolution.

Instructional Strategy for Writing Skill Development—Extended Writing Process Ø Prewriting Ø Journal Entries Ø Generated Ideas Ø Brainstorm Ø Discussion Ø Structuring Ideas Ø Outline thesis to conclusion Ø Mind-mapping Ø Freewriting

Ø

First D ra ft ØQ

u e stio n R e sp o n se s ØS tru ctu ra lTa sks ØC o m p le te o rig in a l co n te n t ØD iscu ssio n

Instructional Strategy for Writing Skill Development—Extended Writing Process Ø Revise and Edit Ø Proofread Ø Polish syntactic, paragraph, sequential construction Ø Revise syntax, grammar, punctuation Ø Reconsider and revise logical rationale Ø Revise introduction, body, conclusion,

Ø

Pu b lish , G ro u p S h a re ØR e a d

a lo u d ØPo st fo r vie w in g ØC o m p ile in to a b o u n d vo lu m e a n d a ccu m u la tive p o rtfo lio ØS h a re b y w e b p a g e ØS h a re a t lo ca l b o o ksto re a n d lib ra ry a u th o r re vie w s

Purpose of the Writing Task Ø Written and Oral English Language Conventions

(1.0) are addressed through this Workshop Proper, Extended Writing, and Portfolio Process. Thus, the following are achieved:

Ø Students will write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. Ø They will demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of English usage. Ø They will produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and capitalization.

Ø Students will reflect appropriate manuscript

Component of Collaboration or Sharing of Student Work ØPost to online sources such as: Øhttp://www.pdfcoke.com ØAcquire a class web or individual webs through internet providers or through a independent server ØSubmit to the school newspaper (most include hardcopy and softcopy editions) ØSubmit to community and academic news, both online and brick-and-

Method for Tracking and Evaluating Student Work Ø The student workshop enables students and teachers to refer regularly to the student’s writing portfolio, thus, the method for tracking and evaluating student work: Ø This method permits evaluation and writing by osmosis, allowing students to develop writing through a gradual process. Ø Teacher guidance augments the overall process, as the mentor or teacher evaluating student work regularly. Ø The method of tracking and evaluating student work enables permits learning and evaluating a language by osmosis-regular exposure and application of that language leads the language learner and writer to fluency. Ø The student requires the attention that the teacher conveys through the process of absorption or diffusion. Ø The portfolio model is beneficial to the mentor or teacher who seeks to effectively track and evaluate student work toward

Performance-Standards Based

Two-Tiered Rubric Ø The two-tiered portfolio rubric of C.B. Burch developed by students divided the rubric into two sections (Burch, 1997): Ø (1) The quantity of the contents of the portfolio, which comprises 60 percent of the awarded credit— writing, metawriting/reflection, peer writing, and

Rubric Name

Volume of Content Added to Portfolio through Quality workshop Added (60%toofPortfolio grade) through workshop (40% of grade)

Topi Thesi PeerEvaluations c s

Conclusion Revision

Voic e

Structure MetaDevelop- Mechanics cognitive ment style

Referenc es Ø Brainerd, L., Lee, R. and Roebuck Reed, C. (2006). California subject matter for  teachers, 2nd Edition. New York: Kaplan Publishing Company. Ø

Ø Burch, C.B. (1997). Creating a two-tiered portfolio rubric. English Journal,  86(1), 55-58. 

Ø California State Board of Education (2008, August). Language arts content  standards for public schools. Retrieved December 3, 2008, from  http://www.cde.gov/be/st/ss/ Ø Crews, Frederick, University of California, Berkeley (1987). The Random House  handbook, 5th Edition. New York: Random House. Ø Milner, Joseph and Lucy (2003). Bridging English, 3rd Edition. New 

 

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