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.

Chapter 4 Assessing Children’s Writing

Students absolutely need writing assessment in order to make better writers, so teachers regularly observe students’ writing process, and giving attention to the quality of their writing product. Davis (2010) states, “Portfolio assessment is important because it measures the progress of a student and examines the instructional process, not just the final product." Among various forms of writing assessment, the most impressive one to me is portfolio because teachers can apparently examine writing process and writing product after finishing writing. Also portfolio is more realistic than any other writing assessment form. Tompkins (2008) asserts, “It is a more authentic form of assessment because entire writing projects-rough drafts that have been revised and edited, prewriting notes and diagrams, and checklists and rubrics that have been marked-are included to document learning” (p. 91).

According to Jaeun Kim, children ought to grow the ability to assess their writing on their own. I am with her on that point. It is important to have others like teachers or classmates evaluate their writing, but assessing their writing by themselves is more important in that it can develop children’s autonomy. In addition, self-assessment can help children to grow metacognition.

References

Davis, S. (2010). Purposes of portfolio assessment. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5103845_purposes-portfolio-assessment.html

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

Chapter 3 Writing Strategies and Skills

Strategies are problem-solving behaviors that writers use thoughtfully and consciously, and they are generating, organizing, visualizing, monitoring, playing with language, revising, proofreading, and evaluating. Skills are information-processing techniques that writers use automatically and unconsciously. The skills are structuring skills, mechanical skills, language skills, reference skills, handwriting skills, and computer skills (Tompkins, 2008). That is, strategies come from conscious process and skills come from unconsciousness process. So they are all necessary in writing. However, in order to be capable writers, writing strategies are indispensible. Collins (2008) stated, “Successful writers use mental procedures to control the production of writing. We call these mental procedures writing strategies.” Thus, teachers have the responsibility to teach them both strategies and skills inductively and deductively. As role models, teachers should demonstrate or show how to use those strategies and skills. At time same time, teachers should give students the explicit explanations and instructions about them.

According to Minkyu Kim, children need to learn strategies and essential skills while trying to think of a composition or writing to be good writers. His opinion is so true because capable writers are those who can take advantage of both strategies and skills. Because strategies and skills are charge in different areas and their roles are quite different in writing process, students are supposed to learn both from teachers.

References

Collins, J. (2008). Writing strategies. Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo. Retrieved from http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/writingstrategies/index.htm

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

Chapter 2 Writing Workshop

Writing workshop is composed of writing, sharing, minilessons, and reading aloud to children. It gives children plenty of chances to experience writing process making books and many types of writing. Brown (2010) states, “Creative writing workshops offer the writer the opportunity to share his work with other like-minded individuals, to meet and greet and receive critically constructive feedback on their work.” Especially Tomkins (2008) emphasizes the importance of writing process through this chapter. He describes, “The writing process is a tool that children can use for any project, and learning that process is the most important goal of writing workshop” (p. 50). Even though writing product is as important as writing process, teachers should keep in mind the fact that writing product is only made by though writing process.

According to Jaeun Kim, students should be able to select a topic and process writing independently. I do agree with her. In essence, writing is a lonely work done by a writer himself. So teachers need to give students some time to do work by themselves. Like Jaeun said, writing workshop can be a great opportunity for students to grow their independence in writing.

References

Brown, T. (2010). The advantages of creative writing workshops. Suite101.com. Retrieved from http://www.suite101.com/content/the-advantages-of-creative-writing-workshops-a237854

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

Chapter 1 Teaching Children to Write

The most important facts that I realized through this chapter are two. The first fact is that even young children can learn writing from just experiencing writing, not from starting to learn letters, words, and sentences (Tompkins, 2008, p. 5). The second fact is that in order to improve their writing more effectively, students need teachers' many kinds of support. Through this support, students can expand their knowledge and linguistic capabilities about writing (Gibbons, 2002; cited in Tompkins, 2008, p. 21). When teaching English younger children before, I haven't even thought about teaching them writing because I just supposed that they were just too young to understand writing. In other words, I totally ignored their potential. Now that I learned younger children can be taught writing thought writing and they can be much better writers with the help of teachers, I would keep that in mind and help children to write as a facilitator. Ambro (2010) indicates, "If a teacher knows some of the characteristics of educational facilitators, she can help students own the learning process by developing a good rapport and providing a positive role model who leans toward empowering students to explore more about the subject at hand."

According to Julien Sanghyo Park, the important elements of writing instructionthat teachers should teach are decision about purpose, audience, and format,as well as the range of available options. I totally agree with her opinion. Students should know those specific components for writing before they get started. That is why prewriting stage is needed and essential and teachers should take advantage of the prewriting stage sufficiently during writing class.

References

Ambro, S. (2010). Qualities & characteristics of educational facilitators. eHow, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6363944_qualities-characteristics-educational-facilitators.html

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

Assignment # 3 Graphic Organizers

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