Writing can be a challenge for many students, more often than not their papers are returned covered with corrections. It is important to encourage students efforts and to place the emphasis on the student's ideas rather than on sentence structure.
Keeping this in mind implement one of the writing activities in this chapter and share your process in your post.
Respond to 2 people.
In government class if the student cant keep up with the notes. The teacher will ask if it is ok if she makes guided notes for them. ( notes that are filled out but some sentences are missing and they have to fill them in.) This is good for them because they still have to pay attention while they fill in what is missing.
ReplyDeleteWe also use proofreading their english essays, we have them wright them and the teacher hands them back. The student pears them up with a partner and they read each others papers. They correct each others papers, they get them back and re-write them.
Yeah, Pam I like it when the teacher uses guided notes. I have one student in particular who gets them in a science class. It helps him to stay with the teacher as she lectures.
DeletePam I agree with you my one student gets his study guide from the teacher and follows along and hes done pretty good on his test.
DeleteI agree Pam, a study guide is great. I had a teacher do this last year for a student that had trouble writting so you could read it. He got a lot more out of class with this modification.
DeleteWhat good ideas & I will use these to help with kids in study lab that we have the end of every day. I like it when we can find things that help students keep up in the classroom.
DeleteThat's a great why to do that we might have to see if that would work for a couple of our students who get overwhelmed with work to just fill in the blank and they would'nt have such a hard time to keep up with the teacher or have to leave the class to get caught up and miss a whole lesson .
DeleteYes Pam I agree with you that guide notes are very helpful for the students, even the ones that
Deleteare not e.d. This way the students can concentrate by following the teacher and keeping on task.
Written Language:
ReplyDeleteActivities 224 and 232
I chose to use a "dry erase marker" for activity 224 and asked four students to write a paragraph. I stressed the importance of using the structure from activity 232 pertaining to a paragraph needing to have a beginning, a middle and an end. I asked them to write a paragraph four sentences long using the starting words: "If I were a dry erase marker I would..."
I told the students to use their imaginations and write whatever they wished. One student wrote about being a dry eraser in the hands of a little girl and how she eventually became a great school teacher. Another wrote about seeing the world as a dry erase marker. The one I liked best was by a young lady who wanted to be the brightest marker because people liked bright colors and she would be liked by everyone. She also wrote that she never wanted to run dry because people threw dried up markers away.
I also had the kids read their paragraph aloud for us. I think this was helpful to show them how they structured their paragraph. Some of our students always say "I hate to write". I hope this sort of activity will help them to appreciate writing. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this activity with the students!
I really like your idea John. I bet they had very good ideas imagine they were a dry eraser.
DeleteJohn that is a good idea,I like how you gave them the first part of the sentense. It helps their imaginations, and when they read it back to you I think it helps them with their reading. It sounds like this was a good activity for your students and they enjoyed it.
DeleteI really like using The Writing Process. Because you break it down on a web map or whatever map you want to use. Then you get your main idea and erverthing it was about. So then after that she can wreite her paragraph with all the ideas she came up with.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with John. If the student would use thinking maps ,writing would be so much easer for them. It helps them keep their ideas in order and helps them rember what they are writing about.
DeleteIn the 4th grade class I help with we have been using a double bubble map for differences - similarities in a story the teacher has read to them. It is such a good way for the student to see how the characters in the book are different but also to see how they are the same. It makes writing so much easier for them if they have something to follow.
DeleteI like this concept of teaching the writing process. It breaks it down on a very elemental level & very basic. Visual is always good.
DeleteMapping is a good tool to use even for general ed students. The visual makes the ideas easier to write.
DeleteOne of the teachers I have worked with uses mapping and then when the students started the actual writing process, they cut each sentence into strips. That way after all the sentences are written and cut, if corrections need to be made its not so overwhelming for them. Also, they can move sentences around. After they put the sentences in order, all they have to do is copy them onto the computer or paper.
DeleteIts a great toolnwith many ways of using it and at different grade levels.
DeleteI think using a graphic organizer or web does amazing for children that have so many thoughts and needs to gather them up so they can be put into a story. They help with everything!
DeleteYes Erica I think mapping is a great idea because it helps on keeping the student's ideas in order.
DeleteYeah Erica, I think maps are a great way to get started when writing anything. It helps the student to get their ideas sorted out and then the can structure them. If more students would use mapping they would enjoy writing so much more.
ReplyDeleteI think so too. There are so many kinds of mapping. But yes i think they would enjoy it too.
DeleteIn the pre-kindergarten class I help with one of the special ed students that has a problem with dexterity and one way we helped was with pipe cleaners. Bending a pipe cleaner into the shape of a letter and then tracing around that letter has helped a great deal. Building his stength in his hands is a big problem and a stress ball or play dough or even clay helps a with that.
ReplyDeletePipe cleaners are a good tool to use, i hadnt thought about using pipe cleaners for letter formations.
DeleteI, too, haven't ever thought of using pipe cleaners. I only heard of using clay or play dough. very neat idea!!
DeleteThis way lets the students have fun and visualize what we expect them to do. Love this activity! Any way to make learning fun is the best way in my book!
DeleteI got some great ideas from this chapter. The one we used first was the finger paints to write the students name. She knows the letters & signs of each in her name but struggles to use an expo marker to write her name. The more we practiced in the paint tray the better she did. It reinforced things too by having the student use her paint covered finger to write her name on a piece paper. Our next trial will be with pudding which should be fun. She can lick her finger & maybe even eat the pudding after. Looking forward to the activity.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way for them to practice their letters. I have also seen it done with shaving cream.
DeleteThis is a great activity and I have actually seen it done. I have done it with thick art paint of different colors put in gallon plastic zip lock bags and my son uses his finger to create letters, numbers, and pictures of all kinds with it laying on the table. He loves it and he is only 3!!
DeleteI really like this chapter because it has so many good ideas for letter formation and beginning writing skills. The activity that we used was tha playdough. We are really just working on making the correct letter shape. So we use alphabet playdough mats. With one of my students we are just working on developing his fine motor skills. I have used scissor cutting activities, lacing cards, stringing beads. This is listed in activity 211.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using play-doh. That is something the student will enjoy working with in most cases. If they enjoy working with it then they are more likely to have fun on the asignment and learn better.
DeleteOne of the ways I use alot with my kiddos is to have them dictate to me and I write what they say. That way they are not focused on their handwriting or spelling, but just focused on the main idea of the assignment. If the teacher wants it in the student's handwriting, they can copy what I have written onto another piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to help out is to use mapping or visual organizers. They are able to see their ideas on paper; pictures also helps.
We scribe for students when the situation calls for it. Exactly for the reasons you cited, so they focus on the assignment and not on their handwriting or speeling issues. This has been a ver effective tool.
DeleteT.James,
DeleteI really like this because sometimes the students have great stories to tell but can’t write as fast as they think. This helps them write a better story with someone’s help.
In our math classes we have a couple that get overwhelmed so we take a sheet and put down a few numbers they have to do then they get to pick a few to where they get a half lesson done odds or evens for them also so when they get done with the paper they think they have done a whole less when they have done half then we grade it other half the next day we graph out there papers for their lessons it's nice
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like something I could use with one of my students. Interesting technique.
DeleteIn the English class I am in, the teacher has the students create a bubble map on what they plan to write about. That way they know what they want to write about and how to structure their essays. Then, the students will write their essay (rough draft). The studets will then write the Intro paragraph first for a certain due date. Then, the 1st paragraph, 2nd paragraph and so on and so on. Each paragraph has a certain due date for the teacher to keep the students on track. The teacher will come around the room on the due date and check to make sure they have them done or if they are late. Once, the whole essay is complete structure wise, the teacher has the students pair up for for peer review to make corrections and what not.
ReplyDeleteThis process is one of the easier processes I have seen a teacher do in an English class. If the student I have to work with falls behind, I usually pull him aside or to another room to work on his paragraphs in further detail. Sometimes we will make another bubble map for the paragraphs themselves. This helps my student to go further into detail with his paragraphs and helps him to have a visual for his writing.
I like the bubble map idea and will incorporate it with our students and with my kids.
DeleteWriting process
ReplyDeleteThe student and I start brainstorming on ideas to write for the subject. Then we chose the topic and he /she tells me whatthey want to say and I write it down. Then we expand on the subject. After that he/she types it and then if he thinks there needs to be changes we discuss if its appropriate for what we are talking about or not.
When I first started teaching, Writing to Read was the "it" program of the time so writing has always been an integral part of my teaching repertoire. There were several ideas in this chapter that I have used both as a regular classroom teacher and as a parent. When my children were preschoolers, we would practice letter formation by writing in pudding and shaving cream, #199 to get the sensory stimulation. I highly recommend doing this activity outside with preschoolers! As a fourth grade teacher we used question-and-answer journals, #215 to respond to the the novels we read together as a class. As a teacher, I found this activity to be very rewarding not only for the student's writing abilities, but for the personal interactions it provided between me and each student. Ideas #229 and #243 stress the importance of allowing children to write creatively without worrying about mechanics and spelling. I couldn't agree more and can tell you that from experience comes success. The more a child practices writing his ideas down on paper, the better a writer he becomes. Sometimes it is so freeing for the child to not have to worry about measuring up to someone's standards and just to write for pleasure. I used this activity with a middle school special education student who was at a 2nd grade reading level. Once he realized that his writing would not be criticized, he went from writing a two to three word paragraph to an entire page.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100% in learning to write freely. Sometimes the studies are so systematic that it is hard for the student to transition to creative or free writting.
DeleteI enjoyed reading this chapter and learning new techniques. I remember when my daughter was first learning to read, she was doing a good job for a first time reader but I noticed that she was unfamiliar with some letter sound and letter combinations. Once we set that foundation we were well on our way to learning to read.
ReplyDeleteIn our classroom we begin our class period with a gratitude journal. The gratitude journal (#215 Journal writing) is meant to open the students mind allowing them to write freely, generate ideas, and to help set goals.
**Kerri,
DeleteThe journal writing is great. You can learn a lot from a student by his writing. They write what they feel and what happens to them at home and at school. The only thing with this is that not all the teacher keep this confidential. Sometimes, the things they write is about another teacher that might make them feel different and the teachers talk among themselves. Sometimes it hurts the students if this happens. Especially if the teacher tells the students that whatever they write is only to write a story not for everyone to know. Once this is taken home the parents know how their child feels.
I like the idea 215 which is a journal writing activity. In English class, they are expected to journal every day for a grade. The teacher will either porvide a prompt for them to write about or she will give them a free write, where they write about what they want to. This is very effective in helping the students learn to put their thoughts into words. This helps them to become a better writer by alowing them the time to practice the art of writing.
ReplyDeleteYes it does help them become better writers. I always like journal writing, you can say so much.
DeleteThis was a very good chapter I enjoyed getting new ideas. The activity 211 we use with our speech kids while they are saying their sounds they are cutting, stringing beads, working with clay. We do alot of the activity 230. Everytime we do a new story we do a circle map. Tell me everything you know about bears, i love when they get so exiced about how many things they know. We just did a compare and contrast 2 bears, its called double bubble map. Really enjoyed the chapter.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was very informational, but also just verified a lot of the activities we already do with our students. We love to do graphic organizers to get the students thoughts all wrote down and so in the end we can get them in the proper order and all make sense. For the lower students that are learning their letters we like to use shaving cream to draw them out or sometimes get a box of popcorn kernels and let them draw with it too.
ReplyDeleteI say anything to make the activity hands on and fun will help the child grasp on to the task and be able to remember it for a long time!
**I worked with the Language Arts class and she read a story and had the student write one. On generating ideas, She used 224 a concrete example, teacher had them write about their neighbor. She also she used 221, a familiar topic, she have them words and things to think about like, the person, their yard, dog, house, trees, cows, horses, and cats. She gave them lots of ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe writing process used was 229, avoid excessive corrections, she just wanted them to write 4 small paragraphs. She also used # 232, teach importance of including beginning, a middle, and an end and didn’t worry about spelling errors or sentence structure.
Once everyone was done she had the students that wanted to read their story or they could have someone else read their story.
I work with boy and he does what's called a "News To You" packet. It consists of writing sentences, cutting and pasting words (fill in the blank/labeling pictures), tracing words and circling the pictures that go with the story. He has gotten better at knowing where things go. When it comes to writing, I will write down the sentence he tells me and then he will copy it down on his paper or I will write it and he will trace it. He writes better when he has a model to look at.
ReplyDeleteGuided notes are great for students because they actually pay attention and only have to answer the questions after class, this waythe students have to pay attention better and focus. In the guided notes the students only need to write down their answers on the blanks and after class the teacher writes down the answers on the board, thay way the students can check their answers. The students sometimes make excuses and don't want to complete the guided notes, so I always offer a reward if the work is finished on time.
ReplyDelete