Writing for Real

Abstract

As a teacher of English learners, I realize how challenging the act of writing can be. Typically, listening and speaking skills develop before reading and writing skills, especially in terms of correct grammar and vocabulary use. It is double the challenge when the learner has a specific learning disability in written expression. At the beginning of the school year, my fourth graders spent time writing articles about programs and activities that made our school unique. Each learner identified a school adult who would be knowledgeable about the subject and e-mailed specific questions to him or her. After that came the more complex task of drafting, revising, and editing their articles. At the end of the process, I asked how my students wished to publish their work, and most just wanted a printout of their articles. I suggested other options to broaden their audience: Google Drive, my ESL Classroom blog (http://eslclassroomk6.blogspot.com/), and even Twitter with #comments4kids. With some persuading, two students decided to try the blog with a mention on Twitter. A few days later, I showed them the finished product. At the bottom of the blog post, we noticed one comment. We clicked there to read positive feedback from the students' classroom teacher. The student who typically struggles with writing beamed from ear to ear. Writing for an authentic audience and viewing this feedback in a concrete, public forum built greater motivation than a flat “Good job.” At least for him, writing had a purpose, and now it mattered. Even when just starting a new writing piece with that group, my students are plotting how to share their work. As teachers, we have the task of bringing purpose back to the writing process. This could be via Skype sessions with authors to discuss recommendations for a current set of narrative drafts or a virtual tour of a museum that generates questions for the curator. My students have recently “visited” Yellowstone National Park and Crater Lake, creating word banks of specific imagery for their writing. They have used apps such as StoryBuddy 2 and the website StoryBird (https://storybird.com/) to create and then share polished work with more than just the classroom teacher. They have asked me if they can spend class time reading each other's writing and if they can share it with just one more person. Another writing project that my students recently undertook was to share a challenge that they face as English learners. This was based on a grassroots community project, inVISIBLE Americans, which students used as a model for their own work. One third grader wrote, “I have a difficult time because I can't be with my dog,” explaining that his family had to leave the dog behind when they moved. At the end, he concluded, “If I made a wish, I would say I want to stay with my dog.” He agreed to post it on the blog. Two weeks later, he asked me, “How many views does my story have?” Social media and current technology allow adults to connect, receive gratification, and increase their motivation to create and share. Why should we assume our students would not respond in a similar way? A one-to-world view of teaching and learning is one in which learners and facilitators use resources beyond the school's brick-and-mortar walls to find, create, and share new learning. This approach has the potential to expand our learners' worldview and prepare them for the interconnected reality outside of classroom settings. That way, even our struggling writers find a reason to give writing another try. Deanne Morales teaches English learners at Paradise Elementary School, PA, USA; e-mail deanne_morales@pequeavalley.org.