This is my first post, so forgive me if I don't post it correctly. I
joined this listserve because I am a 6th grade reg ed teacher in an inclusive
setting and working on my Masters' in Reading and Literacy K-6. I have been
soaking up all the info so far and am so excited when I come to a program, book
or strategy I know about!
I wanted to share some ideas for those who recently posted comments about
the Step Up to Writing Program. While I am unfamiliar with the program, I
noticed the consensus seemed to be that it helped students with their
organization, but stifled voice and word choice.
I recently had the pleasure of attending an all day workshop with Erik
Cork, a writing consultant. His workshop is called "Rap, Rhythm and Rhyme:
Rebuilding the Writing Foundation." He kept a group of teachers entertained
for the whole day and got everyone excited about trying out his ideas inn our
K-8 school. One very simple idea that might help those using any program that
stifles voice and word choice is Cork's collection of "Illegal Words". He
simply complied a group of the most overused words in students' writing and has
teachers facilitate a brainstorming session to find alternatives to these
"illegal words." For example, in my room, we have illegal words posted and
underneath each one are a plethora of Big $ Words to use. For example, instead
of sad, we generated a list that included joyless, melancholy, blue; depressed,
etc. Every time a student uses a Big $ word orally or in writing, they earn a
buck (pretend) that they can later turn in for prizes. They can also get
points for catching the teachers using illegal words, which is how I found out
I use "good" excessively!
My school is fortunate to have Mr. Cork coming for an all-day workshop for
our students in grades 3-7 and word from another school in the district who had
the honor, were singing his praises. I'll get back to you after his visit to
share the feedback from teachers and students.
One last simple idea, from a grad class, is for students to circle 5 words
in their first draft writing piece that they think they can improve. In a
whole group, to model in the beginning, have student help generate alternatives
(3) for each circled word, then choose the one they think fits best. Both of
these strategies can help students vary their word choice and infuse their
voice into their writing, while also doing some important word study about the
slight nuances of words and figures of speech. Thanks for listening!
Here is the link to Erik Cork's website, where you can purchas materials or get
more info:http://erikcork.com
~Kecia, 6th gr teacher/ K-6 Literacy grad student
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