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Writing about Reading

1/17/2014

2 Comments

 
What is the role of writing in the reading workshop???
    Our overarching goal in reading is comprehension at deep levels of understanding.  There are many tools that help to achieve this.  One of these tools is writing.
    When asking students to write about reading, you should have them write in an authentic way (that's for them, not for you!)  This can look very different for all students.
    Writing long is just one way of fleshing out thoughts about your reading.  However, if you see that kids are writing beautiful essay-like writing about their reading every day, and it's totaling about the same amount of time (or more) as their actual reading, they are probably not using their time wisely.
    Writing about reading can be short, messy, and organic.  It can be on a post-it, index cards, or in a notebook.  It can be in phrases, sketches, or short sentences.  They can create timelines, tables, T-charts, or anything.  You should teach your student different ways to organize their thoughts, always highlighting how these help comprehension.  This will enable kids to create their own ways to write about reading. 
    One final tip is that when kids write about their reading, you should ask them to think about how this will influence their next round of reading.  If it doesn't, then it really didn't help them!
    What role does writing play in your teaching of reading?  How does it enhance your students' comprehension?  What questions do you have about this important topic?
2 Comments
Jaime Weaver
1/28/2014 08:33:41 am

I feel like this is a very important topic because it can be confusing for teachers. They know their students need to write about their reading but, as you said, the time element is key. We need to think about the purpose of the writing and the needs of the student. Otherwise, the writing takes away from the time students have to READ:)

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Dana
1/28/2014 10:24:16 am

In a world where assessment and evidence seem to be some of the most common themes in conversation, I love your advice in this post. It is easy to see writing about reading as simply a way to assess thinking or even to find next steps in our teaching. I think we may often overlook or forget that it is also one way that readers can grow their ideas and interact with the text.

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    Tom Marshall

    You need a learner's soul, a teacher's heart, a coach's mind, and a principal's hand!

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