Unpacking the Writing Process

One of my challenges was to unpack the Writing Process and provide resources on the blog for writers to follow.  Link

The resources have been linked and have been used in separation but the whole process needs to be embedded in daily writing.  This will require some 'free time' for students to work through the process and expectations of completed published pieces within a term.  

This will be my focus for the start of Term 3 and will support the work on Slow Writing.

The impact of blogging

The same blog from the UK that I referenced in the previous post regarding Slow Writing has made clear links between student blogging and progress in writing achievement.

http://inthetwelve.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/early-impacts-of-blogging/

Please click on the image for a closer view.

While these levels do not correspond to those we use in New Zealand, there is a significant suggestion that the greater the number of blog posts made by students, the greater the progress in writing achievement.

This perceived link between progress and post numbers might be worth tracking over time, although I still believe that quality of constructive input and personal responsibility for editing also play a role in writing progress.

Slow Writing

Amongst the blog focussed writing and editing, there still needs to be inspiring motivation and clear direct teaching.    Following a lead on using Angry Birds as a writing motivation, I have come across  something called Slow Writing.

http://inthetwelve.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/begging-borrowing-stealing/

Read about it on the blog above.  
Time is spent following this process, thinking carefully about every word used.

SLOW WRITING:
Sentence one must appeal to the senses.
Sentence two must use three adjectives.
Sentence three must start with an adverb.
Sentence four must contain a connective.
Sentence five must use exactly three words.
Sentence six must be a question.

This would require direct teaching about adjectives, adverbs, connectives and the use of the senses.  It would give regular use of these tools, short pieces of writing for easy editing and quick publication.  The motivating topic of focus could be writing within Angry Birds, eating sour worms, video clip responses and images.

Sharing my learning journey

I shared my action research learning journey at Educamp with a good response.

SMACKDOWN presentation slides