Download Low Stakes Writing for ELTM

Low Stakes Writing for
Fun & Fluency
Heidi Fridriksson
Brunei-US English Language Fellow,
National Institute of Education in Cambodia
Overview
• Definition of low stakes writing
• Why use low stakes writing?
• Common teacher concerns
• Low stakes writing tools
What exactly is
low stakes writing?
What exactly is
low stakes writing?
Low Stakes
High Stakes
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Freewrite
Blog
Book Review
Journal
Email to Teacher
Research Paper
Argument Essay
Exam
Why low stakes writing?
Low stakes writing
develops fluency &
enhances engagement
Low stakes writing
reduces anxiety
“a safe place to try out
new language, to experiment”
-Williams, 2008
Low stakes writing
allows students to
personalize their writing &
find their voice in English
Common Concerns
Common Concerns
• Assessment
Common Concerns
• Assessment
• Time (in the term)
Common Concerns
• Assessment
• Time (in the term)
• Time (in the day)
Common Concerns
• Assessment
• Time (in the term)
• Time (in the day)
• Variety
Common Concerns
• Assessment
• Time (in the term)
• Time (in the day)
• Variety
• Level
Think Pair Share
Low stakes writing to prepare
ideas
• Think: Ss write for a short time (2-5 min
usually) on a topic
• Pair: Ss share what they wrote with a
partner
• Share: Ss share answers with the full
class
Try It!
Think / Pair / Share
Have you ever used low stakes writing in
your teaching? What kind of low stakes
writing tools did you use?
Picture Composition
Low stakes writing for mixed
ability groups
• Students look carefully at the picture
• Teacher pre-teaches vocab and asks
WH questions to give them ideas
• High students can write a whole story;
low students can write just a few words
Multi-Entry Journals
Low stakes writing as
conversation with text
The Author Says
In this space, put
quotations or ideas from
the reading
I Say
In this space, put down
your responses to the
author’s ideas
The Author Says
In this space, put
quotations or ideas from
the reading
If there’s a book you really
want to read, but it hasn’t
been written yet, you must
write it.
-Toni Morrison
I Say
In this space, put down
your responses to the
author’s ideas
The Author Says
In this space, put
quotations or ideas from
the reading
I Say
In this space, put down
your responses to the
author’s ideas
If there’s a book you really
want to read, but it hasn’t
been written yet, you must
write it.
-Toni Morrison
I’m not sure if I agree or
disagree with this. I find it
inspiring (I could write a
book!). But I also find it
scary (I don’t know if I can
really write a book!)
Maybe what Morrison
means is that there is a
writer inside everyone. We
just have to find our ability
and motivation.
Try It!
The Presenter Says
In this space, write
down one thing you
found interesting in this
presentation
I Say
In this space, put down
your responses to this
idea
Dialogue Journals
Low stakes writing as
conversation with
teachers and classmates
Do you like learning new languages? Why or why not?
When you’re finished, pass this paper 3 people to the right!
Read your classmate’s ideas. Do you agree or disagree?
Try It!
-Write one idea from my presentation
-Respond to that idea
-Pass your paper to a peer
-Read and respond to your peer’s thoughts
-Pass the paper back to them
Application
• Which of these activities do you think
would work best for your future teaching
context? Do you have any LSW tools to
share?
Questions?
REFERENCES
Alexie, Sherman. The joys of reading and writing: Superman & me. In Dorris, M. & Buchwalk, E. (Eds.), The
most wonderful books : Writers on discovering the pleasures of reading. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions.
Bartholomae, D. & Petrosky, A.R. (1986). Facts, artifacts and counterfacts: Theory and method for a reading and writing
course. Portsmouth: Boyton/Cook Publishers.
Bauer, L. & Sweeney, L. (1999). The use of literary letters with post-secondary non-native students. Learning
Assistance Review, 4 (1), 33-41.
Blanton, L. (2008). Speaking of absence: when the connection is not there. In Belcher, D. & Hirvela, A.
(Eds.), The oral-literate connection: Perspectives on L2 speaking, writing and other media interaction (pp. 10-25). Ann
Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press.
Cameron, J. (Producer & Director). (2010). Avatar [Motion picture]. USA: Twentieth Century Fox Film
Corporation.
Christenbury, L. & Kelly, P.P. (1983). Questioning: A path to critical thinking. Urbana, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse
on Reading and Communicative Skills and National Council of Teachers of English.
Evans, S. (2008). Reading reaction journals in EAP courses. ELT Journal, 62 (3), pp. 240-247.
Kreeft, J., Staton, J., Richardson, G. & Wolfram, W. (1993). In Kreeft, J. & Staton, J. (Eds.), Dialogue journals in
the multilingual classroom: Building language fluency writing skills through written interaction (pp. 196-221).
Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Mlynarczyk, R. W. (1998). Conversations of the mind: the uses of journal writing for second-language learners. Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Salas, S. & Garson, K. (2007). Chifa: Freewriting within a required curriculum for adults. In Burns A. & De
Silva J. (Eds.), Planning and teaching creatively within a required curriculum for adult learners (pp. 239-246).
Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Thesen, L. (1997). Voices, Discourse, and Transition: In Search of New Categories in EAP. TESOL Quarterly,
31 (3) pp. 487-51.
Williams, J. (2008). The speaking-writing connection in second language and academic literacy development.
In Belcher, D. & Hirvela, A. (Eds.), The Oral-literate connection: Perspectives on L2 speaking, writing and other
media interaction (pp. 10-25). Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press.