Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher
Much like Book Love by Penny Kittle, Write Like This appeals heavily to my practical, pragmatic side. The content is very much geared towards real-world writing and focuses on specifically how to help students improve their writing. Gallagher gets to the heart of what students need to know and focuses on making improvements in student writing rather than providing approaches that only yield results on standardized tests.
I am most intrigued by his reorganization of writing from writing forms to writing purposes. He proposes a list of 6 purposes including: express and reflect, inform and explain, evaluate and judge, inquire and explore, analyze and interpret, and take a stand and propose a solution. He notes there may be more purposes, but these are the most important to him at that time. While approaching each purpose the teacher can then weave in the different writing forms to accomplish the task.
I am intrigued by this approach because, particularly at the intermediate level, students have already been exposed to the different writing forms and therefore may not need to review the breakdown of material for another year. Instead students are exposed to a highly engaging purpose for writing and writing forms are presented when they are most appropriate. Gallagher really emphasizes the importance of modeling writing to students and that is the perfect time to review the writing forms. Also, for students who already are familiar with the writing form they can move ahead while the teacher pulls together guided writing groups to review the finer points of the writing form being use for that particular purpose.
My mind was completely spinning while reading this great resource and has continued to toil about as I prepare for the school year. I am not sure how things will work out, but Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher my become my writing textbook this year. He lays out so many activities that I feel I can work through this book while I learn, experiment and familiarize myself with a vastly different approach to teaching writing.
Certainly worth a read for an intermediate or high school teacher.
Happy reading!
James
I am most intrigued by his reorganization of writing from writing forms to writing purposes. He proposes a list of 6 purposes including: express and reflect, inform and explain, evaluate and judge, inquire and explore, analyze and interpret, and take a stand and propose a solution. He notes there may be more purposes, but these are the most important to him at that time. While approaching each purpose the teacher can then weave in the different writing forms to accomplish the task.
I am intrigued by this approach because, particularly at the intermediate level, students have already been exposed to the different writing forms and therefore may not need to review the breakdown of material for another year. Instead students are exposed to a highly engaging purpose for writing and writing forms are presented when they are most appropriate. Gallagher really emphasizes the importance of modeling writing to students and that is the perfect time to review the writing forms. Also, for students who already are familiar with the writing form they can move ahead while the teacher pulls together guided writing groups to review the finer points of the writing form being use for that particular purpose.
My mind was completely spinning while reading this great resource and has continued to toil about as I prepare for the school year. I am not sure how things will work out, but Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher my become my writing textbook this year. He lays out so many activities that I feel I can work through this book while I learn, experiment and familiarize myself with a vastly different approach to teaching writing.
Certainly worth a read for an intermediate or high school teacher.
Happy reading!
James
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