Sunday, April 28, 2013

How Does Your Class Write?

When I write best, I write in the quiet with no distractions. 

When I was teaching the grade 3-4 class last year, I imposed this onto the class during when they would write in their journals as well as most other writing periods. For the most part it worked OK. I found myself being a taskmaster sometimes when the students would talk. I guess it was more than sometimes.

It's a fine line between collaboration and chatting. 


This year I have been more relaxed during writing times, encouraging my students to discuss their writing with each other. 





Help each other spell words they don't know. Their preferred method is going up to the whiteboard or chalkboard to write it there. Come to think of it, I think they are copying me.



There are also times when students will just get on with their writing.


Why did my thinking change?

Since my students are young and inexperienced EALs, I could not help then with all their questions, so this all happened early in the year when I would tell students to ask a friend for help.

There are times when I want to see what my students can do on their own. But even when the students are helping each other, I can evaluate who is helping and who is being helped. I can hear their questions and answers. We are now working on reading our writings to each other after we finish and giving helpful feedback.

They have come a long way this year.

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