Literature and Writing 1

Literature and Writing 1

What effect does the use of literature have on improving primary students writing performance and engagement?

Cathy Ryan

Dr. David Koppenhaver

RE 5710

2/24/11

Literature and Writing 2

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection. ~Anais Nin

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.~ Toni Morrison

Teachers have learned much about how students should be taught to write. I think students very often get caught up in "am I doing this correctly" or "will people understand what I'm saying" or “I don’t know what to write about” and other such phrases that tend to stifle their creativity. Given this quandary of ideas I began to contemplate what strategies can be used in the classroom to enhance student’s confidence in their writing performance and facilitate writing engagement. Through many classes in my master’s program the use of literature to assist students in the writing process has been given much emphasis. This idea brought me to my research question:

What effect does the use of literature have on improving primary students writing performance and engagement?

Research on using literature models to improve student’s writing performance

Research reveals that by explicitly teaching students to identify the structure in what they read and use that structure in their own writing helps them realize what is contained in literature and in the composition process. Literature offers clear models for students to follow. A study by Hubbard and Newell (1999) reveals that students that have trouble recognizing sight words struggle to read and comprehend sentences and stories accurately therefore, writing sentences and stories correctly becomes more difficult. Kowalewski, Murphy, and Starns (2002) judge that modeling, direct instruction, and making good connections between good literature and good writing can contribute to the improvement in student’s writing. Picture books serve as exemplars of the six qualities of effective writing (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) and provide a scaffold for students to incorporate these writing attributes in their original compositions.

Research on using literature models to improve student’s writing engagement

Research reveals that the initiation of the writers’ workshop has truly redefined how educators teach writing. In teaching the students should be given the opportunity to live the “writerly” life. This means that students need to see life through a writer’s eyes. They need to always recognize and be given writing opportunities. In addition, students must read like a writer in order to learn how to write like a writer. Through literature, students can meet a writer or creator. A study by Daly and Sharko (2010) reveals that presenting students with children's literature, as a way to create meaningful writing assignments and providing opportunities to share, can foster student motivation to write. Literature can help provide background knowledge, and spark imagination. Literature encourages interaction.

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Literary texts are often rich is multiple layers of meaning, and can facilitate discussions, sharing feelings or opinions. A study by Conroy, Marchand, and Webster (2009) state including literature in writers’ workshop had positive results in a recent study. They report an increase in student motivation and enthusiasm. Students looked forward to and were excited for the daily writing activities. The students especially loved publishing stories and “showing off” their final work. Results show that students found the writing process easier since the Writer’s Workshop included many posters and literature resources for the students to use. Compared to previous years, these students found it easier to think of story ideas and create a complete story.

Impact on student writing performance and engagement

Research has shown general improvements in student’s writing performance in Kindergarten through eighth grade by using exemplary teaching practices which include, increased vocabulary development, definitions for types of writing, ongoing review of literary devices, and linking examples of quality literature to student writing (Miller, A. Christine;Cross, Lorraine., 2001). The models students are exposed to significantly affect what they compose. For example, to learn how to write poetry, students should read plenty of poems. Many teachers attested to the power of authentic literacy activities. Children need opportunities to understand and to apply purposeful writing. Teachers can help students identify meaningful writing in and out of the classroom setting. Evident, real-life uses help children see the indispensable function of writing. A few examples of purposeful writing for young children include postcards, greeting cards, bookmarks, brochures, menus, ads, friendly notes, maps, lists, book recommendations, and newspapers. Evidence suggests that students came alive when they realized they were writing to real people for real reasons or reading real-life texts for their own purposes. Research provides teachers with evidence that more authentic literacy activities are related to greater growth in the ability to read and write new genres (Duke, Nell K.; Purcell-Gates, Victoria; Hall, Leigh A.; 2007). According to Certo, Moxley, Reffitt, and Miller, J.A ( 2010), students believed that writing before and after literature circles enhanced the discussion, and helped build their self-confidence as writers. Using literature is a proven way to facilitate or brainstorm ideas before children are asked to write about a specific topic (Dolezal, Sara E.; Welsh, Lindsey Mohan; Pressley, Michael; Vincent, Melissa M., 2003). Students should be allowed to reflect on what they write. It helps them to understand their own voice. In addition, it calls their attention to what writing traits and skills they are using. Reflection on their own writing can facilitate an awareness of writing traits, and students ‘efforts to incorporate them in their writing (Kowalewski, Murphy, and Starns., 2002). As suggested in Ranker’s study (2009) using literature, during the lessons, allowed the students opportunities to locate sections in the literature that addressed the topic of focus, marking relevant pages with a sticky note so as to later transfer the idea to a sentence strip. These sentence strips were later used to construct the final text that the student would later submit for a page in their own book.

Implications for the Future

The Internet and digital technologies have provided the platform for written communication to evolve beyond the traditional printed page, and current online practices focus on the increased use of Web 2.0 capabilities, which include the use of video, hyperlinks, icons, animation, and text to create multimedia documents. The Internet allows people to communicate through websites, blogs, and social networking sites. This type of writing is becoming more prevalent in the workplace, so exposing students to this

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process may provide them with skills that will translate directly to their future work as adults. Kervin and Mantei (2009) proclaim the development and creation of non-linear texts within primary classrooms is of current interest as they reflect the types of texts accessed and created by users of technology and afford children opportunities to make connections between their in and out of school literacy experiences. Webpages and search engines, and the Microsoft PowerPoint application were the resources used in their study. The children’s use of the technology was embedded within literacy teaching episodes. Each case shows that technology was used in ways that support the learning rather than directing the experience. Analysis of the cases reveals the children’s movement between traditional pen-and-paper resources and the computer as they authored their text. Their study describes this process and the implications it presents for what we understand about the pedagogy of writing, the creation of text and the opportunities for providing classroom literacy experiences aimed at supporting and fostering student learning. Ranker (2007) deems the ways in which teachers approach students during writing conferences is highly attuned to how the individual student composes. He concludes that in the particularity of writing processes, reiterating the importance of not approaching students in a one-size-fits-all fashion.

Read (2010) states that through literacy inquiry, we can build students’ background knowledge of genres. Then, through modeling, shared writing, and collaborative writing, we support students as they approximate the expectations and conventions of the chosen genre. By making our expectations more explicit and overt there is an increased the likelihood that students will feel successful as writers of many genres. Papoulia-Tzelepi (2004) argues that students as young as age 10 can produce argumentative written products with varying levels of success. The most important result of his investigation seems to be the positive change in students’ writing after a teaching intervention related to direct teaching scaffolding thinking during literature engagement on the topic. Reading aloud in general develops oral language proficiency, which can have a tremendous impact on eventual success in reading and writing (Dix, Stephanie; Amoore, Liz, 2010).

Reflecting upon and researching ways to improve my teaching was empowering. Teaching writing was a struggle every year. New writing ideas came and went without affecting my pedagogy, without making a difference in my classroom. They were simply cookie-cutter gimmicks that were unable to create real change. Actively researching by observing students, asking questions, and searching for answers gave me the power to make my classroom a different place, a place where 2nd graders can blossom into independent, motivated writers. Reading aloud to children and immersing them in literature can provide the foundation for extending children’s oral language and ultimately written language.

Annotated Bibliography

Kervin, Lisa; Mantei, Jessica. (2009). Using computers to support children as authors: an examination

of three cases. Technology, Pedagogy & Education, Mar2009, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p19-32, 14p, 1 Color Photograph, 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart; DOI: 10.1080/14759390802704014

The authors observed children over extended periods as they collaborated with teachers and peers to author non-linear texts for a range of purposes. Three case studies will be reported, providing examples of how three cohorts of primary school children (one lower primary, one middle primary, and one upper primary) responded to the challenge to create texts using Information and Communication Technology and the specific learning observed. What is interesting about these cases is the process that the children

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engaged with as they planned, constructed and evaluated their texts. Each case presents an example of classroom experiences where children use computers to author texts and a foundation upon which we can examine the learning they demonstrate. Through the analysis of field notes, photographs, interview transcripts, children’s work samples and teacher/researcher reflections, the researchers were able to respond to the following three questions:

·  What happened when the children were encouraged to create text using

computers?

·  What affordances did computers offer these children as they engaged with

literacy learning experiences?

·  How can teachers of these children make best and judicious use of computers to

facilitate classroom literacy experiences?

The children’s use of the technology was embedded within literacy teaching episodes. Before beginning the physical task of creating text, the need to deconstruct non-linear texts emerged. Engaging the children in examining different websites with particular emphasis on how they were organized enabled the identification of key navigational and design features within the text to assist the meaning-making process. This then supported the process of planning the text. The children diagrammatically planned their text as they captured their ideas in a storyboard format. The children were able to demonstrate their familiarity and understanding of this structure which had been developed during the time spent investigating a range of websites. Analysis of the data provides insight into how teachers can learn from these cases where children use computers throughout the authoring process. The analysis provides scope to examine how teachers can operate within a literacy paradigm that recognizes and imbeds Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in classroom literacy experiences.

I chose this study because my students are often interesting in publishing their written compositions in a word document on the computer, and I often use technology in my reading and writing lesson plans. Technology is used in my classroom on a daily basis. I have a Promethean Board in my classroom, and I have been instructed by our principal to use this technology resource across the curriculum whenever possible. I have used my computer and the Promethean Board to allow students access to video streaming, interactive lessons created as a flip chart, Power Point presentations, and creating published books from their writing journals. I have created many interactive lessons on flip charts, in which the students will need to manipulate the sequence of a story that was read, or respond by writing a new beginning, or ending to a specific type of genre story. In addition, the children in my class often ask to write, or publish a story they have written in a Microsoft Word document. They often get their ideas for what they want to write about based on the type of text (genre) we are focus on during the week.

Duke, Nell K.; Purcell-Gates, Victoria; Hall, Leigh A.; Tower, Cathy. (2007). Authentic literacy activities for developing comprehension and writing. Reading Teacher, Dec/Jan2007, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p344-355, 12p, 3 Charts; DOI: 10.1598/RT.60.4.4

The two-year study involved 26 second- and third-grade teachers and their students from school districts serving families of low and middle socioeconomic status. The interest was in the development of students’ ability to comprehend and compose informational and procedural texts in science. All of the teachers in the study worked to introduce authentic literacy activities with informational and procedural texts in science and to understand the construct of authentic literacy. To judge the

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authenticity of a literacy activity, they look at two dimensions: purpose or function and text. Authentic purpose or function means that the activity serves a true communicative purpose— for example, reading informational text to inform oneself or to answer one’s own questions, or writing to provide information for someone who wants or needs it—in addition to teaching and learning particular skills or content. To be authentic, a text (written or read) must be like texts that are used by readers and writers outside of a learning-to-read-or-write context. For example, a newspaper read in class must be either a newspaper brought in from outside the classroom or a newspaper specially written for the classroom that is close to identical in form, language, and so on to one from outside the classroom. These authentic texts and purposes are contrasted, within our frame, with those texts written primarily to teach reading and writing skills for the purposes of learning to read and write or to develop literacy skills, strategies, values, and attitudes— literacy activity we term “school only.” Prototypical school-only texts include worksheets, spelling lists, short passages with comprehension questions, flashcards, and lists of sentences to be punctuated. School-only purposes for reading these texts are to learn or improve reading and writing skills. School only purposes for writing these texts would be to assist in the teaching and learning of literacy skills. The teachers participated in summer workshops devoted to building an understanding of authentic literacy, and each teacher was coached once a week for the entire year she or he was part of the study. K–W–Ls (Ogle, 1986) were often used by teachers for eliciting questions about topics. These activities followed the K–W–L template for the most part (K = what we know; W = what do we want to know; L = what we have learned). The teachers first elicited what the students knew—for example, about sound. Then they elicited questions the students had about the topic— what they wanted to know—structuring their reading of informational text about sound. In a similar approach, teachers announced a new science topic, read aloud from a text about it, and then asked students if they had any questions on that topic. These questions guided future reading. Audience is generally agreed to be a critical aspect of writing process and product. The construct of audience played a major role in the conceptualization of authentic writing with the idea of authenticity in the light of real-life writing practices. Teachers established real audiences and readers at different distances from their student writers. Many texts were written to be read by readers outside the school setting, such as the brochure written for visitors at the nature center. This study offers multiple strategies to bring authentic literacy activities into the classroom to engage students in reading and writing about informational text.