Assignment #7: Grade Level Writing Portfolio

Below is the link to our group assignment #7 Grade Level Writing Portfolio.
Our team members are Kyoungchun Kim, Woo Je Joe, Nan Hee Jung, and Yoolbin Kim.
By clicking the link, you can enjoy our portfolio. It's free.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16490975/KyoungchunKim%2CWooJeJoe%2CNanHeeJung%2CYoolbinKim.doc

Chapter 12 Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is the writing for the purpose of arguing logically, giving other points of view, and persuading others to change opinions or to do something. Dedalus (2010) states, "Persuasive writing, also called argumentative writing, is a type of communication that seeks to influence or alter a reader's opinion." Persuasive writing can be performed by an appeal to reason, character, and emotion. Since persuading itself is difficult even for adults, teachers are prone to presume that children don’t know how to persuade, so this writing style is not appropriate tothem. But in reality, children can persuade and have been persuading others in daily life. Wilkinson and his colleagues (1980), after investigating the ability of children to write persuasively, they found that children at all ages could state an opinion,and not surprisingly, that as children grew older, they were better able to provide a logical justification for their opinions (cited in Tompkins, 2008, p. 270). Thus, teachers should teach children with different writing types depending on their level. That is, persuasive poster is for the low level, persuasive letter is for the middle level, and persuasive essay is for the high level.

According to the material that Soohyun Kim posted on her blog, in order to write a persuasive letter, a writer need to have the reasons why his opponent should follow his suggestion, as well as the reasons why his suggestion might not be the best. That’s exactly right. To persuade somebody successfully, a writer should see a given topic from both his perspective and his opponent perspective. It reminds me of one proverb, "If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle."

References

Dedalus, D. (2010). Persuasive writing activities and lessons. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6547676_persuasive-writing-activities-lessons.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chapter 11 Poetry Writing

Through this chapter, I’ve acquired two valuable facts. The first fact is that there are many types of poems and poetic devices and each type of them has its own advantages. Hart (2010) states, “Poets that are able to make the best statements use techniques that are able to get points and philosophies across.” Thus, when teaching students writing poems, teachers should emphasize the strong points of each poem so that they take advantage of it. The second fact is that the contents of poems are more essential than the forms or rules of poems because those formations might spoil students’ creativity and imagination. Tompkins (2000) indicates, “The need to adhere to the formula in these poems may restrict children’s freedom of expression” (p. 251). Also he adds, “The message of the poem is always more important than adhering to the formula” (p. 252).

According to Jaeun Kim, children should practice how to develop a poem under teachers’ help. That’s right. Knowing is one thing and doing is another. Once children learn basic information such as poetic forms, structures, and devices, they should try to apply what they learn to writing a poem because children learn by doing. In addition, practice makes perfect understanding of knowledge.

References

Hart, B. (2010). How to become a poetry writer. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4779601_become-poetry-writer.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chapter 10 Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing is painting pictures with words, which means making writing more detailed and vivid with using specific information, picking up words carefully, inventing sensory images, making comparisons, and containing dialogue. There are five useful techniques in descriptive writing like specific information, word choice, sensory images, and comparisons. If I use one of them when teaching writing, I’d like to choose comparisons. It’s because metaphors and similes look like poems that children can read with ease. In addition, they can stimulate children’s imagination and understanding to develop. Geller (1985; cited in Tompkins, 2008, p. 225) states, “Children grow in their understanding of figurative language and their ability to say, read, and write comparisons." Morse (2010) adds, “Often, when a concept is difficult to understand, the poet will use a figure of speech to draw a comparison to something more easily understood.”

According to Jaeun Kim, students should be taught some descriptive writing techniques by teachers. I also agree with her opinion. Students have to know writing rules and skills to be good writers because the information is a guide to an exemplary writing. Thus, teachers should actively help them to be excellent writers as keeping in mind the fact that teachers are the only guiders in class.

References

Morse, S. (2010). How to write a comparison poem. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_5620131_write-comparison-poem.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chapter 9 Narrative Writing

Narrative writing is a writing strategy with using children’s favorite stories, which are made up of five elements, plot, setting, characters, theme, and point of view. The structure of stories looks quite complicating for children to understand. But  Applebee (1980; cited in Tomkins, 2008, p. 200) asserts he found that by the time children begin kindergarten, they have already developed a concept of what a story is, and these expectations guide them as they respond to stories and tell their own stories. Tompkins adds, “Child develop their concept of story through listening to stories read aloud and telling stories during the preschool years” (2008, p. 210). Thus, teachers should encourage children to try it after teaching basic information for narrative writing and showing many types of narrative writing examples. DLesson (2010) states, “Students must see what a narrative essay looks like and what conventions it uses before they can learn to write one of their own.”

According to Minkyu Kim, children can learn reading by being read stories, writing by reading books, and finally making stories on their own. I can say that again. Exactly it proves what Applebee and Tompkins say above is right. Children already have a concept of a story learned inductively inside and they can even tell their own stories. So what teachers need to do is only to help them draw and develop their potentials with teaching basic writing information.

References

DLesson (2010). How to teach narrative writing. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_2181924_teach-narrative-writing.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chapter 8 Expository Writing

 

I used to think that children couldn’t write any reports without learning basic writing skills and I presumed that they only liked fiction not informational nonfiction, so I thought teachers should teach children simple writing skills with interesting fiction like a fairy tale. However, Donovan (2001) and Kamberelis (1998) changed my fixed idea arguing, “Too often, teachers assume that children are more comfortable writing stories instead of nonfiction, but researchers have provided compelling evidence that children even those in kindergarten and first grade, can write expository text” (citing Tomkins, 2008, p. 172). In addition, if teachers have students write about what they like, the writing will be more comfortable and easier. O’Brien (2010) said, “By making expository writing relevant to them, you can teach your students to be better writers and better communicators.” Thus, teachers should throw away such a stereotype and help children develop their potential giving them basic data such as expository writing form and features, and plagiarism.

According to Wooje Joe, writers need to build up a well organized structure in expository writing so as to help readers understand writing clearly. He suggested using graphic organizers for a well built structure. I have the same opinion as him. Graphic organizers can have writers think up a variety of ideas about a topic and can help organize those ideas in an orderly way. Moreover, writers can see all the ideas and writing structure directly.  

References

O’Brien, M. (2010). How to teach expository writing for the second grade. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4460949_teach-expository-writing-second-grade.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Chapter 7 Biographical Writing

In general, writing is the most difficult skill to teach children among four skills, speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Through reading this chapter, I found some possible solution for teaching writingefficiently. It is to provide them with some powerful motivation to write about. If writing topic is intimately related with their own life or their favorite people’s life, they can easily get motivated to write. Tompkins (2008) observes, "Children like to investigate the lives of well-known personalities as they read biographies and share information about themselves and their lives as they write personal narratives and autobiographies" (p. 147). Hamlett (2009) also states, "A person doesn't have to be famous to merit a biography. She should, however, be someone whose life experiences are going to be sufficiently interesting and/or enlightening to your prospective readers." One biographical writing type that appeals to me is "All About Me"Book because it is all about children themselves and they can choose the topic together with teachers for each page. Moreover, children can draw pictures, which are their favorites, about themselves.

According to Jaeun Kim, integrating reading and writing workshop is effective in learning biographical writing. I totally agree with her. Whether teachers educate reading and writing separately or not, they are complementarily related, so one field helps studentsunderstand the other better. As students read books, they learn writing indirectly and vice versa. Thus, joining two workshops together will make a great synergy effect. Also through the workshop, students can get a better understanding about what biographical writing is like as appreciating a lot of writing examples.

References

Hamlett, C. (2009). Biography writing tips. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/way_5176067_biography-writing-tips.html

Tomkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.