Wonderful Real-World Writing By Anita L. Green Central Carolina CC

Write Like This : Real-World Writing Purposes In the real world, people write. Helping students learn the different purposes for writing is essential for their success.

College and Career Readiness Standards 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content 3. Write narratives to develop real experiences using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. 7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Let’s Write What was your worst writing experience?

Vocabulary Definitions Evidence –Observable data either physical or reliably reported Warrants –Common sense rules, general statements about how people and things behave Conclusions –Reasoning that must be supported with evidence and warrants

Crime and Puzzlement (Book 1, p. 22) By Lawrence Treat

Vocabulary Definitions Evidence –Observable data either physical or reliably reported Warrants –Common sense rules, general statements about how people and things behave Conclusions –Reasoning that must be supported with evidence and warrants Examples Evidence –There are flowers “From Joe” and a pictureof Joe on display Warrants –Generally when flowers and a picture are on display, the person is special Conclusions –Therefore Joe is special to Amy Crime Scene: Do Not Cross

Express and Reflect Expresses or reflects on own life and experiences Often looks backward in order to look forward Examples: Journals, poetry, autobiographical narratives, blogs, Twitter, Facebook

Just Because….

Inform and Explain States a main point and purpose Tries to present the information in a surprising way Examples: Answers to questions, essays, brochures, reports

Lesson Idea “The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.” – Maya Angelou Lesson Idea

Do I Have to Write the Question? This is one of the easiest ways to teach students how to write to inform and explain. When they ask, “Do we have to write the question?” tell them the question should be included in the answer. The reader should know what the question was by the way you wrote your answer.

To Model This Strategy For minimal preparation, use the questions at the end of chapters as your model. Sample Question: How do I get my students to answer questions in complete sentences?

Model Answer Students need to answer questions in complete sentences and the easiest way to teach them to do this is to show them how to use the language of the question in their answer. By teaching them to incorporate the question into the answer AND to use the names of persons, places, or things as they answer, the students are demonstrating content knowledge and understanding.

Evaluate and Judge Focuses on the worth of person, object, idea, or other phenomenon Usually specifies the criteria to the object being seen as “good” or “bad” Examples: Social Media, Reviews, Critiques

Lesson Idea Students write advice about situations in their lives and how to survive them Students respond to topics through social media in a non-threatening arena, where their ideas, thoughts and feelings can be voiced and not judged.

Analyze and Interpret Seeks to analyze and interpret phenomena that are difficult to understand or explain Examples: Reviews, critiques, lab reports, literary interpretation

Lesson Idea Make a list of everything you see in the picture. You have five seconds. Look again for ten seconds. Look again and make a list with the people around you.

Inquire and Explore Wrestles with a question or problem Hooks with the problem and lets the reader watch them wrestle with it Examples: Reports, research projects, inquiry lessons, labs

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution Seeks to persuade audiences to accept a particular position on a controversial issue Describes the problem, proposes a solution, and provides justification Examples: Research projects, essays, letters to the editor, problem/solution papers

Lesson Idea Would You Rather? is a game that offers choices that seem impossible. Would you rather be able to fast forward life or to rewind it? Would you rather die lonely with no enemies or die hated by many?

from Write Like This (2011) Kelly Gallagher who adapted it from Bean, Chappell, and Gillam (2003) PurposeExplanation Express and Reflect  Expresses or reflects on own life and experiences  Often looks backward in order to look forward Inform and Explain  States a main point and purpose  Tries to present the information in a surprising way Evaluate and Judge  Focuses on the worth of person, object, idea, or other phenomenon  Usually specifies the criteria to the object being seen as “good” or “bad” Inquire and Explore  Wrestles with a question or problem  Hooks with the problem and lets the reader watch them wrestle with it Analyze and Interpret  Seeks to analyze and interpret phenomena that are difficult to understand or explain Take a Stand/Propos e a Solution  Seeks to persuade audiences to accept a particular position on a controversial issue  Describes the problem, proposes a solution, and provides justification

PurposePossible Writing Topics Express and ReflectMy first class The first time a student dropped My first graduate Inform and ExplainThe First Adult Education classes Why more adults come back to class Evaluate and JudgeBest Teaching Practices Sage on the Stage VS Guide on the Side Inquire and ExploreProfessional Development Opportunities Networking Across Curriculum Analyze and InterpretDoes Assessment lead to Retention Does new standards lead to students being ready for college? Take a Stand/Propose a Solution Teachers should be given greater recognition as teaching professionals (and pay) Teachers should have more freedom to individually decide how they will teach and assess. = One Topic: Teaching

Exit Paper What was your best writing experience?