#NZLA16 - Motivating the reluctant writer using oral language strategies

Tools 4 Teachers

“Effective Literacy Practice”

“Learning through Talk”

Difference between oral and written language

What are the expectations for oral language at my level? (p42 Learning through Talk - handout)

Oral rehearsal - scaffold towards achieving writing tasks. Reluctant writers needs lots of talking.

“Reading and writing float on a sea of talk” James Britton 1970

Talking important throughout whole writing process, not just at the beginning.

Thinking time, then talk.

Notice, talk about everyday things. On wb, as part of taking roll?

Oral Language and written word don’t always fit together (text type, purpose, grammar); how to fix this? (writing often mirrors the way we talk)

Idea: Neighbourhood Maps for generating ideas. Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher as mentor text. (at the end of the year, pass on their maps to the next teacher)

Good writing makes you feel uncomfortable. When your students trust you, they will add some of the more uncomfortable facts of their life into their everyday writing.

http://jamesgulliverhancock.com/illustration/

Practical Ideas

Dictogloss

Read mentor text x2, students jot down keywords & phrases, buddies put their notes together to reconstruct text. Give scaffolding to reluctant writers. Groups of 4, aiming for grammatical accuracy, not replicating word for word (they might come up with something better).

Example:

Fear, Captain Hardcastle (teacher)

Slim, wiry, football

Thin, hard legs, ram, skin colour = mutton fat -> feeding in vocab & grammatically correct sentences

Dark vermilion, bright orange hair

Listening Grid

Ss get grid, read sentences slowly, Ss ID and record relevant information on grid as notes. In buddies, work on describing one aspect. Use info to write sentences or paragraphs

Ss have to listen, but the grid helps to minimise how much writing. Grid will be filled with correct facts in the end. For target students, cross out some of the boxes so they only have to listen for some of the info.

Speaking / Writing Frame

• _____________ measures ____________ in diameter.
• Can you believe that the temperature is ______________?
• Something else about the temperature is __________________.
• You can see _____________ on the surface of ___________.
• Another interesting fact about ________________ is _____________.

Walk and Talk

To Model the writing process

To ______________ (missed that, sth. with auditory process?)

Summary

Talk throughout writing process

Mindful planning for learning activities

Oral language naturally woven into your writing programmes and classroom