10+Tools+to+engage+writing

= Ten Tools to Engage Hesitant (and all) Writers in Writing =

Short URL to the keynote presentation - http://db.tt/sXwjSm8N Printed Handout - http://db.tt/sXwjSm8N PPT version - http://db.tt/sXwjSm8N



 Try using these 10 tools to spice up your writing curriculum and engage hesitant (and all) writers in the process and publishing of their writing.

 Presentation Handout  BCTF New and Beginning Teachers Updated -

=Overview=

Why Bother?

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Our World has changed - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnh9q_cQcUE

Do students need to learn the basics before they can explore the advanced?


 * No** - students do need enough background, but that doesn't need to be formal instruction. A musician can play incredible music and be blind, or not know how to read music. They understand some of the basic background but don't have expertise in 'reading' music.

Consider Paul McCartney - http://felsenmusick.blogspot.com/2007/06/why-cant-walrus-read.html

Our students ability has been underestimated (Alan November)

- You will hear that Grade 2 students can't critically evaluate a website. While we may not send Grade 2 students to a Google Search for Beavers, you will find teachers that have Grade 2' s access three websites, choose which site is best for their needs and justify their choices. We can have primary students interacting with the internet and learning to critically evaluate it.

- You may also hear that students hands are too small, the mouse is too hard to navigate, all the computers are good for at primary are playing games.

To counter that consider this drawing by Grade 2 students.

or this project by Grade 2's studying plants

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=Why Bother?=

Questions that arise are often **why bother?**
 * Why bother** to spend time learning with technology?
 * Why bother** taking time away from learning PLO's to learn with technology?
 * Why bother** teaching something that is not in a PLO?

The answers are really simple - 1. It is required by the BC Ministry of Education 2. It is required for students to be literate in today's society.

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/program_delivery/ictk12_overviewchart.pdf

From the 1996 K - 7 ICT IRP, "It is still expected that students will gain
 * the knowledge, skills, and attitudes described in this document but it is expected that the teaching and learning will be integrated across all other subject areas**. Information and communications technology is a tool to support and enhance student learning. The **learning outcomes described in this document should be incorporated into all of the learning students are engaged in**." http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/resdocs/itk7.pdf

=**What is IML? (Information and Media Literacy)**=

This is currently 'in definition' on Wikipedia; however, our working definition is as follows:

//IML is a combination of information literacy and media literacy. The purpose of being information and media literate is to engage in a digital society; one needs to be able to use, understand, inquire, create, communicate and think critically. It is important to have capacity to effectively access, organize, analyze, evaluate, and create messages in a variety of forms. The transformative nature of IML includes creative works and creating new knowledge; to publish and collaborate responsibly requires ethical, cultural and social understanding.//

Three documents are attached: - to provide additional [|background on IML] - to provide a [|simple overview] - to provide a [|simple self assessment] or

Communication is key to literacy.

Check out this site for a snapshot into communication for 21st century learners

[|communication.]

media type="custom" key="5393075" See in original moving form @ [|http://fcweb.sd36.bc.ca/~amboe_k/communication.html]

For the Surrey School District, we have defined six aspects or learning capacities of Information and Media LIteracy(IML)
 * What does Information and Media Literacy Look like?**


 * 1) Use
 * 2) Understand
 * 3) Inquiry
 * 4) Create
 * 5) Communicate
 * 6) Think Critically

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) recently refreshed their National Educational Technology Standards for Students ([|NETS-S]). They are defined similarly as


 * 1) Creativity and Innovation
 * 2) Communication and Collaboration
 * 3) Research and Information Fluency
 * 4) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
 * 5) Digital Citizenship
 * 6) Technology Operations and Concepts

What does this look like as a writer?

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Machine is Using Us - http://www.youtube.com/v/6gmP4nk0EOE

=Common Language of Writing=

Definition of Literacy
According to Wikipedia The traditional definition of **literacy** is considered to be the ability to read and write, or the ability to use [|language] to [|read], [|write], [|listen], and [|speak], [|[1]]. In modern contexts, the word refers to reading and writing at a level adequate for [|communication], or at a level that lets one understand and communicate ideas in a literate [|society], so as to take part in that society." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy

According to the BC Ministry of Education's IRP for English Language Arts teaching with a variety of texts includes the expectation of including of " oral, visual, or written language forms **including electronic media.**

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/ela_k7_2006.pdf page 15


 * Terminology**

The following are aspects of the writing process and may not flow in a linear fashion.

>> **Pre-writing** - Brainstorming, planning, building ideas, setting the stage, choosing audience and purpose. >> **Drafting** - Getting ideas recorded, starting to organize >> **Revisions** - Rework to improve structure, logic and ideas. Focus on improving meaning, style and form >> **Editing**- Improving Grammar and conventions >> **Proofreading** - Checking for errors >> **Publishing**- Producing a 'final' or 'clean' copy - Sharing with an audience - May include additional features - Images, illustrations, dedications, author notes, title page etc

The BC Ministry of Education has developed Writing Performance Standards for K to 10. These are located: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/writing.htm //Working with Performance standards allows students and teachers to both have the same language. Within the Performance Standards for Writing, the following definitions are applied://
 * Performance Standards**

>>//Meaning// - ideas and information, including development and use of detail >> //Style// - clarity, variety, and impact of language >> //Form// - attention to the “rules” of the particular form of writing >> //Conventions// - spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and legibility

The links for the following have been moved to writing activities

Storyboarding Mind Mapping Peer Editing Digital Images Digital Photography Book Making Movies Blogs Wikis Podcasts Word Processing Google Earth

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