Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan
It is important for students' education and growth that writing and
literature be taught in the classroom. Writing and reading give students the
chance to improve their language skills, develop creative and imaginative
critical thinking skills, learn about many cultures and viewpoints, improve
their communication skills, and get ready for future academic and professional
success. When I read about teaching writing and literature tactics and
practices in this unit, I realized that it was just professional development
for what I already knew. It helped me become aware of some of the educational
suggestions that I might use in my classroom to supplement the current
standards or curricula. Since it is acceptable for secondary instructors of all
subjects in grades 6 through 12, I learned how to modify methods for use with
students with impairments and English language learners (National Center for
Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, 2016). The "recommended
practices" offered in the reading are doable and adaptable to any teaching
setting.
The “best
practices” new to me
The one "best practice" that is new to me out of all the ones
offered is recommendation number three, which proposes using student writing
assessments to guide instruction and feedback. It's because, via this approach,
I discovered that teachers continuously review students' skills and modify
training until the desired outcome is attained (National Center for Education
Evaluation and Regional Assistance, 2016). Formative assessment of student
writing can offer insightful information about their areas of strength and need,
which can subsequently be utilized to enhance instruction and give useful
feedback. I came to realize that this procedure may entail marking written
assignments, going over and composing written remarks, and having one-on-one
conferences with students to go over their work. Teachers can assist students
in identifying and working on the areas that require the most attention by
focusing on particular writing components, such as organization, voice, and
grammar. Teachers can also assist students in understanding what quality
writing looks like and provide them with the tools and methods to enhance their
own writing by utilizing formative evaluations to direct instruction.
Additionally, I've never tracked student progress previously, but
formative assessment tools like exit slips and error analysis enable teachers
to do just that. I discovered that before introducing a new strategy or skill
to a class, I must first determine the students' areas of strength and need.
Then, I must evaluate student writing to customize instruction and target
feedback. Finally, I should make sure to regularly check on the student's
development as I teach writing strategies and skills (Nebraska, n.d.).
The “best
practices” familiar to me
Recommendation
1 proposes explicitly teaching suitable writing methods utilizing a
model-practice-reflect instructional cycle. This is where I find the "best
practices" that I am most familiar with. It suggests instructing students
in particular steps of the writing process in addition to teaching them how to
choose and use techniques like prewriting, drafting, revising, editing,
proofreading, and publishing. This is why I've started implementing it in my
classroom (Online Materials - Recommendation 1, n.d.). I monitor students'
adherence to it by checking that they employ transitional words and phrases, an
active voice, clear and succinct language, and the right sentence structure. I
encourage my students to watch a technique in use, apply it on their own, and
then assess both their writing and their use of the technique (Sedita, 2017). I
employ a model-practice-reflect instructional cycle while explicitly teaching
suitable writing skills, going through the phases outlined below:
·
Model: Start by demonstrating a certain writing technique to
the students. Show them an example of your writing and explain the approach you
took to produce it. This could be anything, such as phrase form, word choice,
or organization.
·
Practice: Give students the chance to practice applying the
tactic. Homework assignments or in-class writing exercises could be used to
accomplish this. Encourage students to use the technique in their own work and
get comments.
·
Reflect: Lastly, give students a chance to consider how they have
applied the technique. Individual or group discussions, as well as written
contemplation, may be used for this. Ask students to reflect on future
potential applications of the method and how it affected the calibre of their
writing.
I make my students repeat
this cycle with different writing strategies until they have a strong
understanding and can apply them to their own writing.
One
strategy that I would like to incorporate into a future lesson for secondary
learners
Integrating
writing and reading to stress essential writing traits is one method I would
like to utilize in a session for secondary students since I am certain it would
work well for them for several reasons:
•
It improves their comprehension of writing:
By carefully reading a sample text, students can gain a deeper knowledge of the
fundamental elements of writing and how they affect the effectiveness of the
text as a whole. Students can then use these writing techniques in their own
writing as a result of this.
•
It promotes engagement: Students can actively
participate in their education by using this strategy to take note of examples
of crucial writing components and incorporate those components into their own
work. With this involvement, learning may go deeper and content may be retained
longer.
•
It offers opportunities for peer feedback and
collaboration: Students can learn from one another and receive insightful
criticism that can help them hone their writing skills by exchanging writing
samples with peers and giving feedback.
•
It improves their writing abilities: By
concentrating on important writing elements, students can raise the standard of
their writing and make it more interesting and useful for their target
audience.
Thus, helping students improve their writing abilities and comprehension
of literary works is a key component of teaching writing and literature. It
could entail educating students on writing conventions like grammar, style, and
organization as well as methods for editing and revising their own work.
References
Nebraska. (n.d.). Use
assessments of student writing to inform instruction and feedback.
https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Teaching-Secondary-Students-to-Write-Effectively-Recommendation-3.pdf
Online Materials - Recommendation 1. (n.d.).
https://sites.google.com/uci.edu/ies-educators-practice-guide/recommendation-1?pli=1
Sedita, J. (2017). Teaching Secondary Students to Write
Effectively. https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/teaching-secondary-students-to-write-effectively/
Teaching secondary students to write effectively. (2016). Institute of Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/wwc_secondary_writing_110116.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment