Composition Instruction

 

     

            Writing is fun, and many other ELA teachers enjoy it, too. However, it can be safe to say that it didn't start that way for everyone. I didn't always like reading or writing. I remember struggling with my reading and composition skills at a young age. I was nervous about writing, which made me want to write less. I had some fantastic teachers who helped and inspired me along the way. While I am in the practice of becoming a teacher, It makes me think about how some students feel about their composition skills. It encourages me to connect with them in hopes of them realizing their writing is worth something. At this time, I will share my thoughts and knowledge about how I would design composition instructions with you. I hope this makes you think about your writing and your journey. You might even inspire someone else someday.

One way I found to be a personal strength in giving students instructions in their writing is by assessing their work. In ELA, countless activities will have ways for students to improve their writing skills, whether they realize this or not. The problem is that students might not see all writing as a learning experiment, but we will. That is why we need to be careful in what we grade within their writing when we want them to grow as writers. Students know they are getting graded on an essay they have written for the past two weeks, but what about the journal entries or bellwork over a small prompt? As a teacher, is it worth grading everything they write? Feedback is still valuable even if you don't attend to assess something. Some positive feedback can do wonders, and you should be honest about what you plan to evaluate. "In my experience, the best way to prevent students from confusing the assessment of their writing with their identities as writers or as people is to make sure that criteria we're' using to assess writing is clear"(Ebarvia,139). It's important to talk with your students about what elements make up writing, their understanding, and how they can transfer that onto paper. What is the difference between a student writer and a student's writing? I want my students to know what I look for when I read their writing. Furthermore, I want them to learn how to assess their writing. 

Ebarvia expands on this idea by teaching her students about the 6 + 1 traits of writing. These elements are idea, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. What's great about these elements is that they are universal to most writing. I can share a text with my students, and we can evaluate the aspects of that story. A great way to break down meaningful characteristics in writing is for students to be able to apply this every time they write.

The instructions on assessing writing are essential to approach with your students, not just for your benefit but the students as well. There are activities, as well as assignments, that can help students practice defining their identities within their writing. The first step that I would take is to have them sample others' writings. Bringing different text materials into the classroom, not just for their literary inspiration but to experience other written works, helps them identify their writing style. After all, if someone wanted to become a famous writer, you wouldn't have them stop reading other people's books. Inspiration and new ideas are all around us; we must allow students to find them in different forms of light. Ebarvia even mentioned bringing children's books and poetry to class for students to read, which is a great way to get a visual representation. Children and picture books are fun and beautiful to look through. I love to look and read through them when I get a chance. You would be surprised to find the words within to have a deep connection to current problems for adults—an excellent start for building a bridge for students. Art can be a powerful subject, "The power of drawing is that visuals can often help students capture the contradictions and dualities of their identities in ways that words can not"(Ebarvia,102). A fun thing about visual representation for students is that you can probably create or add visual elements to any assignment—for example, the text "Get Free" talks about heart, hand, and home maps. Students can organize their thoughts with pictures, designs, and all the colors they want. They express things they like to do, about their personality, and show us their family and lifestyle. It's an excellent way for students to let their creativity flow without worrying about some writing elements. I would suggest these as a get-to-know-you activity; this would go incredibly well when you are trying to have their experience in writing shine through. They can be a great mental break for more significant writing projects; sometimes, having to write long essays can give students the freedom of a break but still keep their attention span. Not everyone is a great artist, but expressing yourself can still be fun—an essential aspect for your students to understand and feel comfortable with. 

What about speaking up in class? It is not always a favorite among students, and understandably so. However, teachers, students, and I must remember that it is not always about speaking up or being the loudest but knowing that your voice is welcome and that you do not have to ask to share your opinion or thoughts. I want my student's voices to be respected; as Dr. Lyiscott points out, "When we operate with the mindset that we are "giving" students voices, we align ourselves with a deeply problematic and historical orientation"(Ebarvia,158). Students already have a voice; they might not use it in your classroom, but they will use it whenever they feel ready. The idea is to show students a safe space for their voices to be respected and heard. In my experience, it takes patience for some students to want to speak up in class, which is okay. I will not enforce but encourage them to try. 

I hope all of you found this information exciting and enlightening. Try something new in your classroom and expand your horizons on opportunities to reach out and help your students with their composition practice. Students might not be excited about writing, but we, as teachers, will always continue the excitement of wanting to teach them and want to hear their stories.

                Ebarvia, T., Cherry-Paul, S., Johnson, A., Osborn, A., Parker, K. N., & Silvas, T. (2024). Get free: Anti-bias literacy instruction for stronger readers, writers, and thinkers: Corwin, a SAGE Company.