If only I knew then what I knew now... when I taught middle school it was my belief that writing workshop needed to be quiet. "Writing time" was quiet, only during conferencing was conversation allowed. In some ways I think this met the needs of the average student. Unfortunately, it did little to assist my most struggling students. I would certainly incorporate many more opportunities for students to share their thinking and plan their writing with one another, if I knew then what I know now.
As a third grade teacher, it was my bias that talk would be incorporated in our writing workshop. I came into writing workshop expecting this level of chatter with younger students.
We must model for students talking about writing, and talking through writing so that they will have this strategy for their own writing.
Angie I also attended the conference and it was excellent. As a literacy coach, I have often referred to Vygotsky's research. I have shared his ideas about "language leading learning" as a way to encourage teachers to think about increasing the opportunities students have to engage in purposeful discourse. Dr. Gentile gave me a great deal to think about with regard to our older struggling students. His practice of always expecting students to speak to him in complete sentences is one way to develop their oral language skills and seems like it would be easy for teachers to implement. As people, especially the students, spoke to each other around me on Friday, I was amazed at how often their utterances were not complete sentences. We can't expect students to write in complete thoughts if they are not accustomed to doing it in their oral language.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! We do need to demonstrate for students talking about writing, and through writing. This talk can also be in the form of an oral rehearsal for their writing.
It is amazing how important talking out loud is for many areas. I try to talk through and model organizational opportunities too.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to do something on a "writing problem is a thinking problem" etc for my final presentation. I wish I could have seen this presentation. Having gone to school for Speech Language Pathology and working as one seems like a perfect fit for this class. Maybe another grad degree too.