Being a writer-teacher is crucial for fostering student success in writing. Here’s some tips on how teachers can embody this role effectively.
Get Your Writing Instruction Right
Students are motivated to emulate the norms and techniques of other writers, especially their teacher! By imitating their writer-teacher, students increase their feelings of success and reduce their fear of failure.
- To learn more – [Getting Writing Instruction Right]
Provide Realistic Mentor Texts
Create mentor texts that align with the goals of the writing project. Give students time to engage with these texts, discussing and analysing them together.
- To learn more – [Reading In The Writing Classroom]
Model All The Writing Processes
Demonstrate the writing process, from reading as a writer to publishing finished manuscripts into your class library. Model various aspects such as how you generate ideas, plan, draft, revise, proofread, and give feedback to friends.
- To learn more – [No More: ‘I Don’t Know What To Write’ Lessons That Help Children Generate Great Writing Ideas For 3-11 Year Olds]
- [No More: ‘I Don’t Know What To Write Next…’ Lessons That Help Children Plan Great Writing]
- [No More: ‘My Pupils Can’t Edit!’ A Whole-School Approach To Developing Proof-Readers]
Encourage Discussion and Feedback
Model how to discuss and give constructive feedback to peers in the classroom. By embodying the writer’s life, teachers can empower students to navigate the writing process with confidence too.