Do you struggle with teaching writing? Do your students struggle with writing? Does their writing frustrate you? Does your writing instruction bore them? Do you believe there has to be a more effective way to teach writing? Have you tried different methods? Have you explored different theories? Do you believe there must be a method or a theory that works effectively for every student and every teacher? Well, that time is near. I call it “The Ultimate Writing Curriculum.” My team of scientists and I are currently working hard to create it.
This ultimate writing curriculum will take students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. It will be an interactive software database guiding and monitoring each student enrolled in the program. This writing program will be both interactive and adaptive. It will incorporate grade-by-grade analysis as well as student-by-student analysis. This ultimate writing curriculum will span all the subjects across the entire curriculum. Additionally, it will incorporate all state standards from across the nation and all known theories, strategies, and ideas surrounding effective writing instruction. Yes, I am hard at work and have a ways to go.
This software solution will allow for high-speed scanning of all student work. This software will analyze all writing across a minimum of 1,052 natural traits of good writing. Of course, I will include all six traits from the Six Traits of Writing model. However, each trait will be broken up and dissected and then reformatted with additional criteria: modes of writing, grade level, ESL/ELL level, learning disabilities, strengths/weaknesses, GPA, and socio-economic environment (just to name a few.)
This software solution will allow for work input from each stage of the writing process. It will be able to monitor and evaluate each stage while incorporating the time spent at each stage of the writing process. It will also analyze every type of writing imaginable: note-taking, brainstorming, journaling, free writing, poetry, academic writing, and creative writing (just to name a few.)
The purpose of monitoring, evaluating, measuring, and analyzing is to guide instruction. As such, this ultimate writing curriculum will be highly individualized. It will be able to meet, match, and even exceed students’ needs. The system will include high-tech biofeedback tests, allowing for the accurate analysis of students’ natural learning styles and state of being. These tests will determine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles and incorporate the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. It will analyze all these learning styles alongside the most proven theories surrounding effective writing instruction.
Since the first step of effective writing instruction is delivering assignments with high built-in motivation, all assignments will be individually computer-generated, providing challenging yet highly motivating assignments. This ultimate writing curriculum will include a complete article database, allowing appropriate grade-level and skill-level student research into almost any subject or topic.
This article database will integrate with a national curriculum database. As such, this article database will be an extension of every textbook in each subject. All curriculums across the nation will integrate within this system. This article database will tailor articles to individual student needs based on reading ability and many other factors. All this means no more boring and unrelated writing prompts! Students will read, research, and respond to the topics they are just dying to write about, topics even their closest friends would not have guessed in a million years.
Although this ultimate writing curriculum is automated, it allows for both teacher and student input. Teachers and students can override the system’s decisions several times yearly. This will have the effect of both guiding and training the computer.
Additionally, teachers will be able to emphasize strategies and theories they feel are important and which they believe will be effective. Students will continually provide information about their interests and educational goals. Using this massive database of knowledge that will develop over time, the system will make decisions designed to challenge and support areas of weakness and strength. The computer will determine when students are simply being lazy and when other more serious issues are involved.
This closed, dynamic system will constantly evaluate, grade, provide feedback, and assign remedial work, all in a nurturing way. As it is a computer, students will gladly accept this unbiased feedback, which is free of emotion and judgment. This computer will have weekly conferences with each student about their writing and progress. Students will be able to respond to suggestions in these discussions, and while doing so, the system will evaluate each student’s attitude to the suggestions and adapt its feedback strategies. Additionally, the computer will review prior problem areas, looking for patterns of struggle and resistance followed by success. It will remediate in a way that has been successful in the past.
This ultimate writing curriculum will spiral naturally while always headed towards specific and measurable goals. Students will be introduced to all types, styles, modes, and writing genres through its spiraling process. Furthermore, this ultimate writing curriculum will spiral students toward their natural interests and abilities. The writing instruction will be in line with their strengths, as well as with their long-term college and career goals.
I am working on this ultimate writing curriculum night and day. Just sorting through the multitude of writing theories is a full-time job. Phase 1 of creating this ultimate writing curriculum has involved determining the foundations of good writing and creating a framework that guarantees that all students will be able to achieve true writing success. The result of this first phase is Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay. It provides the foundation and framework that all students must have. It is perfect for all grades 2-8 students and for remedial writing instruction in high school or above. Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay is the true foundation of writing success!
I am happy to announce that Phase 2 has recently been completed! It’s called Academic Vocabulary for Critical Thinking, Logical Arguments, and Effective Communication, aka Academic Vocabulary for Absolutely Everyone! It creates the foundation of clear, logical, and organized thinking required for academic and professional success.
