I’m going to give a rundown of pros and cons as well as a list of ideas of how to get the most out of your Daily Oral Language. (It’s also referred to as DOL, D.O.L., Daily Language Review, DLR, and D.L.R.)
Daily Oral Language was so hot for so long… but it has fallen on [...]
Research based report writing deals extensively with the organization of information and ideas. That’s a VERY, VERY important part of what “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” teaches! After using “Pattern Based Writing: Quick and Easy Essay” your students will easily be ready for these “Fifteen Steps to Fantastic Research Reports!” (I’ve outlined the [...]
Do’s and Don’ts of Language in Report Writing: How to Use Formal Language
• Do Use Passive Voice – You the author stay hidden. Focus on the facts and issues of the subject you are writing about. What do you think about those facts and issues? Not important. However, the facts and issues are important. The cause [...]
State Standards, Standardized Tests, and… Writer’s Workshop?
In the real world of state standards and standardized tests, it can be a little difficult for a teacher to get their head around what Writer’s Workshop is. As long as I have been teaching there has been a continuing push towards making teachers more and more accountable for [...]
Controversy in the World of Writer’s Workshop
Teaching writing… in the world of teaching… is “controversial.” So few teachers really feel they know how to teach “writing” well. Everyone feels they teach “grammar” just fine, but writing… This feeling of uncertainty creates defensiveness and high emotions.
But even in the world of teaching writing… just the mention [...]
Six Reasons You May Want to Use a Writing Prompt When Teaching Children Writing
1. Challenge students’ thinking and writing skills
2. Create interest in writing and inspire creativity
3. Get reluctant writers writing
4. Help students develop the habit of writing every day
5. Practice for writing assessments
6. You are giving a classroom assignment that involves writing
Kinds of Writing Prompts for Elementary and Middle School [...]
What is a paragraph and how do you teach children to write a paragraph?
“A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea or topic. A paragraph usually contains between 5-8 sentences about that one main idea or topic. All of your sentences in the paragraph must be about that one main idea or [...]
What is the Purpose of Your Writing Prompt? Have You Defined a Goal or Objective?
The most important thing about a writing prompt is for the teacher to have a purpose for the writing prompt. Many teachers don’t think a lot about what their purpose is when they put up a writing prompt.
The thought process usually [...]
Should You Teach Your Students to INVENT a Good Story, or to TELL a Good Story?
The truth is that there is very little difference between a personal narrative essay and a fiction story. After all, who doesn’t look at a fiction story and then look at the author and say, “Oh, I didn’t know…” And [...]