It is time to get into the wonderful world of writing. For alot of people it is a frustrating experience. Sometimes they just can not think of the ideas and other times they have the ideas, but do not know where to start or how to develop the story line.
There is a wonderful book called 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. This book is written by Ruth Culham. If you want more indepth understanding about these traits, borrow the book from your local library. The six traits are:
Ideas and content
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluencey
Conventions
The six traits is not a model for the writer to follow step by step, but rather a means to help the writer create a better final result.
Ideas and content is that stage where the writer brainstorms topics in any format.
Organization is where the writer takes all of their ideas from Ideas and content and creates a structure to the story with the ideas. The writer uses this stage to group the ideas into the various sections of the final writing. This is also the stage where the writer creates a thesis statement, the leads (proving the thesis) and the conclusion.
Voice is the uniqueness of the writer - what makes it Stephen King verses Bev Ascah, or Shakespeare. This is a hard concept for new writer to grasp and develop. Remember it is not what is written but how it is written. Are you a writer that makes it very first person, or someone who writes makes it very third person - as if you are writing for someone else. No matter what kind of writer you are striving to have quality voice, will help the reader find the piece honest and sincere. A good writer wants to strive to make sure that what they write does not sound like a list of facts.
Word Choice helps to develop the writers voice - are the word choices very simple or are they longer more complicated words. The words should sound natural to the reader, helping to make an accurate mental picture. If the writer, is writing for a young audience, and is using long complicated words, then the reader is lost and the word choice is not appropriate. We often see this problem when students discover the joys of a thesaurus - the words may have the right meaning in the right spot, but do not make sense with the audience or even with the writers voice.
Sentence Fluency is one I find easy to do - I read what I have written outloud. If I find that the sentences flow easily together throughout the piece then I know I have sentence fluency. Sentences should fit together nicely, sounding natural and making sense. The reader should not have to re-read to understand.
Quality sentence fluency also includes using a variety of sentence lengths and patterns. We do not natural speak in sentences that are all the same length, which is why when writing we need to do the same thing. Short sentences may be used for effect - to emphasize a point.
Conventions - good old fashion grammar. Conventions focus on the punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar etc. Good grammar allows the reader to appreciate the story or message of the writing. Good grammar helps the understanding and flow of the piece, and appreciation of not only the piece but also the writer.
As you are helping your student to become a better writer, make sure you have specific goals in mind. With your student in mind brain storm a list them of goals you want to work on and exactly how you are going to work on them. Make sure you give yourself dates to check and double check so that you stay on track.
Have fun.
Wednesday 26 February 2014
Monday 24 February 2014
You have a student who just can not sit still - thinking ADD - please don't, there are so many people ID with ADD when really it might be is just that their intelligence strength is in the area of bodily-kinesthetic and they think better if they are moving. These students have the ability to work well with objects involving both fine and gross motor skills. These students learn best by doing.
When it comes to math, it is easy to help these students - give them manipulatives - by physically using the objects helps them learn the concept. This does not mean that they need to have the manipulatives, it just makes it easier.
If your student struggles sitting still - like lots of us try having them sit on a large exercise ball - worked great in my LD class. I have students who were ID as ADD, but they could focus just fine if I let them sit on a ball, stand at their desk - I didn't care as long as they got their work done, and done well and neat.
For the joys of creative writing, if your student does not like writing the story, combine it with drama. Have the student physically move about to tell the story. At first you can scribe the story, but as the student gets better at creating the story, have them act out the first part and then dot and jot the story out. It does not have to be written out completely in the beginning, just get the ideas down. Once the ideas are written the next steps are easier, because the writer can now envision the story in his mind.
Take this idea a step further, by having the student create a puppet show out of their story.
Remember if you have a student who is very physical, do not be upset that they are moving, just don't let it get in the way of learning for themselves or for others.
For my next posting I will begin looking at the traits of writing. While writing can come naturally for some of us, we still need the structure to make sure that we do not forget anything. See you next time.
When it comes to math, it is easy to help these students - give them manipulatives - by physically using the objects helps them learn the concept. This does not mean that they need to have the manipulatives, it just makes it easier.
If your student struggles sitting still - like lots of us try having them sit on a large exercise ball - worked great in my LD class. I have students who were ID as ADD, but they could focus just fine if I let them sit on a ball, stand at their desk - I didn't care as long as they got their work done, and done well and neat.
For the joys of creative writing, if your student does not like writing the story, combine it with drama. Have the student physically move about to tell the story. At first you can scribe the story, but as the student gets better at creating the story, have them act out the first part and then dot and jot the story out. It does not have to be written out completely in the beginning, just get the ideas down. Once the ideas are written the next steps are easier, because the writer can now envision the story in his mind.
Take this idea a step further, by having the student create a puppet show out of their story.
Remember if you have a student who is very physical, do not be upset that they are moving, just don't let it get in the way of learning for themselves or for others.
For my next posting I will begin looking at the traits of writing. While writing can come naturally for some of us, we still need the structure to make sure that we do not forget anything. See you next time.
Thursday 20 February 2014
Well I am back with a quicky today. Trying to help your child with math facts in a fun way - Go to a local store that sells Dungeons and Dragons stuff and pick up a couple of dice with more than 6 sides. If you are practicing addition pick a number between 100 and 200. (I am trying to write this while watching the Gold women's hockey for the Olympics - not easy) What you do is simply roll the two dice, and add them together. You then add that to your running total. Who ever reaches your predetermined number wins. Example. Johnny rolls a 8 and a 4, adds them together and gets 12. One his next turn Johnny rolls 2 and 8 adds them together to get 10. Johnny then adds the 10 to the 12 to get 22. The players keep doing this until he or the other player reaches the predetermined number.
You can do the same thing, except with multiplication. If you are doing multiplication choose a larger number, simply because it is faster to get to the predetermined number. You are going to multiply the numbers on the dice, but then add that product to the running total.
To take this idea on step further, start with a number like 150, roll your two dice, and subtract the sum of the two dice, from your running total. It just makes the practice a little more fun.
We won - GOLD - Go Canada Go!!!!
You can do the same thing, except with multiplication. If you are doing multiplication choose a larger number, simply because it is faster to get to the predetermined number. You are going to multiply the numbers on the dice, but then add that product to the running total.
To take this idea on step further, start with a number like 150, roll your two dice, and subtract the sum of the two dice, from your running total. It just makes the practice a little more fun.
We won - GOLD - Go Canada Go!!!!
Monday 10 February 2014
Let's get onto the musical intelligence
The student whose strongest area of intelligence is in the area of music, is the student who is always going around singing - that's me. This area of intelligence develops earlier in life then any other area of intelligence. Those who have high levels of musical or rhythmic intelligence hear the tone, rhythms and sound patterns in the environment.
For this student, poetry that has a rhythm is a natural, while other poetry does not sound right, like something is a missed. Use that natural ability to help them with the areas of school work that they struggle with. Have they got a word that they struggle to spell - make it into a sign song; ex. or - an -ge, break the words into the natural syllables within the word. ex under - stand - able.
Need help memorizing those silly math facts - there are multiple songs out there designed just for that - helping people learn those facts. It is a fun way to learn those facts. When it comes to fractions show them how music is full of math - whole notes, half notes etc etc etc. It makes that subject more relevant to the student and therefore easier to learn because there is a reason.
For this student, poetry that has a rhythm is a natural, while other poetry does not sound right, like something is a missed. Use that natural ability to help them with the areas of school work that they struggle with. Have they got a word that they struggle to spell - make it into a sign song; ex. or - an -ge, break the words into the natural syllables within the word. ex under - stand - able.
Need help memorizing those silly math facts - there are multiple songs out there designed just for that - helping people learn those facts. It is a fun way to learn those facts. When it comes to fractions show them how music is full of math - whole notes, half notes etc etc etc. It makes that subject more relevant to the student and therefore easier to learn because there is a reason.
Monday 3 February 2014
Well folks I am getting better here at posting it has only been a couple of days - focus focus focus!!
Let us examine that visual - spatial intelligence. The student with a stronger visual-spatial intelligence then other areas of intelligences will find art, mapping and etc to be easier and more enjoyable. We all enjoy doing that which we find easier. But how do you use this strength in helping the student in other areas of their educational life. These are students who can see the visual world and recreate even without that world in front of them. An example would be the child that can draw a more accurate map of her neighbourhood then the rest of the class, or is putting together jigsaw puzzles that way above their age. The student is able to visually see the whole picture even though they do not have the actual picture right beside them.
This student will find geometry very easy as they can see the whole picture. This student will enjoy strategy games as they find seeing the whole picture easier then people like me. The question is how do you help this kind of person in school when they are having difficulties.
In language spelling should not be a problem, but writing a story maybe. This is because they see the whole story, but by the time they get to the end of the story they have forgotten the ending OR they see the main details but forget the smaller details. These students do not really need the story map I have talked about because they can already see the story. To help them create a more complete story have them point form every little idea they can think of for the story. After they have all the ideas group the ideas with the different parts of the story - beginning, middle and end. I have used highlighter, one colour for each part of the story. The students enjoy it. Reassure the students that they can add more details as they go.
Once they have all the ideas (or most of them written down) they can start actually writing the story. This kind of student may balk at this step - their logic, and it is sound, that they know what they want to happen in their story. Help them understand this is to help them make sure they remember everything that they want to put in the story.
For the area of math, if the student has difficult understanding the concept, bring out the concrete materials, they like to see the visual. Once they have the concept they should have no more difficulties because they can build on what they have already know and understand.
Till next time - have a good day.
Let us examine that visual - spatial intelligence. The student with a stronger visual-spatial intelligence then other areas of intelligences will find art, mapping and etc to be easier and more enjoyable. We all enjoy doing that which we find easier. But how do you use this strength in helping the student in other areas of their educational life. These are students who can see the visual world and recreate even without that world in front of them. An example would be the child that can draw a more accurate map of her neighbourhood then the rest of the class, or is putting together jigsaw puzzles that way above their age. The student is able to visually see the whole picture even though they do not have the actual picture right beside them.
This student will find geometry very easy as they can see the whole picture. This student will enjoy strategy games as they find seeing the whole picture easier then people like me. The question is how do you help this kind of person in school when they are having difficulties.
In language spelling should not be a problem, but writing a story maybe. This is because they see the whole story, but by the time they get to the end of the story they have forgotten the ending OR they see the main details but forget the smaller details. These students do not really need the story map I have talked about because they can already see the story. To help them create a more complete story have them point form every little idea they can think of for the story. After they have all the ideas group the ideas with the different parts of the story - beginning, middle and end. I have used highlighter, one colour for each part of the story. The students enjoy it. Reassure the students that they can add more details as they go.
Once they have all the ideas (or most of them written down) they can start actually writing the story. This kind of student may balk at this step - their logic, and it is sound, that they know what they want to happen in their story. Help them understand this is to help them make sure they remember everything that they want to put in the story.
For the area of math, if the student has difficult understanding the concept, bring out the concrete materials, they like to see the visual. Once they have the concept they should have no more difficulties because they can build on what they have already know and understand.
Till next time - have a good day.
Thursday 30 January 2014
What other kinds of intelligences are there
Ok folks we have looked at the two intelligences that have the easiest times at school - and can actual be bored, so they don't do as well as they could.
The other five areas of intelligences are: existential intelligence, inter.intrapersonal intelligence, bodily - kinesthetic intelligence, visual - spatial intelligence and musical/ naturalist intelligence. The other day I mentioned that we would be looking at the individual whose strongest intelligence area is visual-spatial, but before we go further on this area let us review exactly what intelligence is.
My son has come up with a wonderful view on our mental abilities - KIS.
K stands for the knowledge you know. That is the stuff you know and forget. That would be like you know where you placed your keys today, but tomorrow you forgot where you put them - it is simply knowledge.
I stands for intelligence. Intelligence is the ability to understand abstract concepts. You are born with that, it is not something you can gain or loss (unless you have brain injury) This is the area that we have been talking about for the last few postings.
S stands for smarts. Smarts is how well you put those two together, how well you use your intelligence with the knowledge that you know to accomplish something.
So back to the intelligences. Let us remember that we are talking about that naturally occurring ability to understand certain areas. We are talking about which area is the strongest in an individual. Just because someone is strong in bodily - kinesthetic intelligence it does not mean that you have another super athletic person, it simple means that is their area of intelligence that is the strongest,
I have gotten side tracked here but hopefully my ramble has been enlightening. I will get back to the viusal-spatial intelligence next time.
The other five areas of intelligences are: existential intelligence, inter.intrapersonal intelligence, bodily - kinesthetic intelligence, visual - spatial intelligence and musical/ naturalist intelligence. The other day I mentioned that we would be looking at the individual whose strongest intelligence area is visual-spatial, but before we go further on this area let us review exactly what intelligence is.
My son has come up with a wonderful view on our mental abilities - KIS.
K stands for the knowledge you know. That is the stuff you know and forget. That would be like you know where you placed your keys today, but tomorrow you forgot where you put them - it is simply knowledge.
I stands for intelligence. Intelligence is the ability to understand abstract concepts. You are born with that, it is not something you can gain or loss (unless you have brain injury) This is the area that we have been talking about for the last few postings.
S stands for smarts. Smarts is how well you put those two together, how well you use your intelligence with the knowledge that you know to accomplish something.
So back to the intelligences. Let us remember that we are talking about that naturally occurring ability to understand certain areas. We are talking about which area is the strongest in an individual. Just because someone is strong in bodily - kinesthetic intelligence it does not mean that you have another super athletic person, it simple means that is their area of intelligence that is the strongest,
I have gotten side tracked here but hopefully my ramble has been enlightening. I will get back to the viusal-spatial intelligence next time.
Monday 27 January 2014
A lot has happened since my last post. I really must get more disciplined in posting. Since December 11th, we have had Christmas, and my area of the world had a snow storm. I was one of the privileged few that went without power for a week - right over Christmas. It was definitely a Christmas to remember. My kids are telling the world that it was the Christmas that mom was trying to freeze them out. We did survive, a couple of friends lent us generators, (2) and one of those friends not only cooked our Christmas dinner they brought it up to the house for us - we were very touched.
Now where were we; the math - logical intelligence. The individual who is strongest in this area of intelligence finds creating stories very frustrating. (The cow jumped over the moon what more do you need thinks this kind of mind.) To help this individual help them create a story path to start off with. It is a very structured process so helps make sure that they get all the points. Another suggestion is that in the beginning have the writer write about something that has actually happened in their life. That is exactly what I have done here. Realize that the first five steps are done in point form, don't worry about full sentences, grammar or spelling, that is what step 6 is for.
Step 1 -Create a character - Bev - a woman
1. mother, slender, wearing black pants, white shirt, hair tied back, lunch bag and purse in her hand
Step 2 - Create a problem - trying to get to work, and the car will not start
1. puts the key in the ignition, turns, and nothing
Step 3 - Create a solution to the problem - gets the car fixed
1. have starter replace, and pays the bill
Step 4 - Create 2 to 5 events between the problem and the solution
1, tried pushing
- thinking the starter was out of alignment tried pushing the car a bit to see if it would help - no luck
2. tried to jump start the car
- calls friend to jump start, thinking it might be the battery - no luck
3. call tow truck to take it to the garage
- give up and call a tow truck to take the car to the garage
4. call a friend to drive her to work in the mean time
- ask the friend to drive her to work
Step 5 - add details to each of the above steps.
for the sake of this I have written these details in this colour above.
Step 6 - Write the above steps in story order in full sentences.
This should give you a good idea of what I am talking about. With the younger students, to give it a visual I actually draw a road on the paper or blackboard, and put the first four steps up. Think of the process as sandwiching it - the beginning, the end and then everything else in the middle.
I hope this helps. Next time we will be examining visual - spatial intelligence. This individual has the capacity to see the visual world and recreate aspects of it, even without the object right there - definitely not my strength.
Now where were we; the math - logical intelligence. The individual who is strongest in this area of intelligence finds creating stories very frustrating. (The cow jumped over the moon what more do you need thinks this kind of mind.) To help this individual help them create a story path to start off with. It is a very structured process so helps make sure that they get all the points. Another suggestion is that in the beginning have the writer write about something that has actually happened in their life. That is exactly what I have done here. Realize that the first five steps are done in point form, don't worry about full sentences, grammar or spelling, that is what step 6 is for.
Step 1 -Create a character - Bev - a woman
1. mother, slender, wearing black pants, white shirt, hair tied back, lunch bag and purse in her hand
Step 2 - Create a problem - trying to get to work, and the car will not start
1. puts the key in the ignition, turns, and nothing
Step 3 - Create a solution to the problem - gets the car fixed
1. have starter replace, and pays the bill
Step 4 - Create 2 to 5 events between the problem and the solution
1, tried pushing
- thinking the starter was out of alignment tried pushing the car a bit to see if it would help - no luck
2. tried to jump start the car
- calls friend to jump start, thinking it might be the battery - no luck
3. call tow truck to take it to the garage
- give up and call a tow truck to take the car to the garage
4. call a friend to drive her to work in the mean time
- ask the friend to drive her to work
Step 5 - add details to each of the above steps.
for the sake of this I have written these details in this colour above.
Step 6 - Write the above steps in story order in full sentences.
This should give you a good idea of what I am talking about. With the younger students, to give it a visual I actually draw a road on the paper or blackboard, and put the first four steps up. Think of the process as sandwiching it - the beginning, the end and then everything else in the middle.
I hope this helps. Next time we will be examining visual - spatial intelligence. This individual has the capacity to see the visual world and recreate aspects of it, even without the object right there - definitely not my strength.
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