Strategies for Making Meaning And Improving Clarity in Any Classroom Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected] Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected]

Strategies for Making Meaning And Improving

Clarity in Any Classroom

Strategies for Making Meaning And Improving

Clarity in Any Classroom

Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected]

Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected]

The College Fear FactorThe College Fear Factor

Edvard Munch: The Scream

Edvard Munch: The Scream

Strategies = Student Success

Strategies = Student Success

The Goal of StrategiesThe Goal of Strategies

•Strategies should narrow the gap in understanding between the student and the instructor.

•Strategies should narrow the gap in understanding between the student and the subject.

•Strategies are transferrable and may be applied across disciplines.

•Strategies should narrow the gap in understanding between the student and the instructor.

•Strategies should narrow the gap in understanding between the student and the subject.

•Strategies are transferrable and may be applied across disciplines.

Strategies for Getting Started




“The best writing is traitor to intent. It grows, line by line, from a terrifying emptiness when there is no purpose, no topic, no clear meaning. Writers write and discover what they have to say from the evolving drafts. It is the writing, not the writer that speaks.” Donald Murray, Write to Learn

“The best writing is traitor to intent. It grows, line by line, from a terrifying emptiness when there is no purpose, no topic, no clear meaning. Writers write and discover what they have to say from the evolving drafts. It is the writing, not the writer that speaks.” Donald Murray, Write to Learn

Getting Started:Interviews

Getting Started:Interviews

•What is something that you want to learn more about?

•What have you read recently in our course texts that gave you pause for concern?

•What is not happening that should?

•What is happening that should not?

•What is something that you want to learn more about?

•What have you read recently in our course texts that gave you pause for concern?

•What is not happening that should?

•What is happening that should not?

Getting Started: Brainstorming

Getting Started: Brainstorming

•Students write down everything that comes into their minds as fast as they can.

•Brainstorming should respond to a question.

•Brainstorming should be in a list format and points need not be related.

•The goal of brainstorming is for students to discover a subject that they want to explore through writing.

•Students write down everything that comes into their minds as fast as they can.

•Brainstorming should respond to a question.

•Brainstorming should be in a list format and points need not be related.

•The goal of brainstorming is for students to discover a subject that they want to explore through writing.

Getting Started: Maps Getting Started: Maps

•Visual learners may find maps to be more effective strategies for getting started.

•Students draw maps that place the subject or topic in the center of the page.

• They draw lines that extend outward from the subject and point toward related ideas.

•Maps may evolve into outlines that shape ideas in a linear narrative.

•Visual learners may find maps to be more effective strategies for getting started.

•Students draw maps that place the subject or topic in the center of the page.

• They draw lines that extend outward from the subject and point toward related ideas.

•Maps may evolve into outlines that shape ideas in a linear narrative.

Getting Started: Freewriting


•Developed by theorist Peter Elbow to teach students how to overcome blocks and anxiety.

•The guiding principal of freewriting is that writers cultivate a comfort with the act of writing and learn how to trust ideas as they emerge.

•Students write nonstop for five to ten minutes in response to a prompt. Students do not share their work.

•Developed by theorist Peter Elbow to teach students how to overcome blocks and anxiety.

•The guiding principal of freewriting is that writers cultivate a comfort with the act of writing and learn how to trust ideas as they emerge.

•Students write nonstop for five to ten minutes in response to a prompt. Students do not share their work.



Strategies for Synthesis: Templates

Strategies for Synthesis: Templates

Synthesis: Using Templates


•Developed by theorists Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein to teach students how to enter academic conversations.

•Instructors use templates to shape conversations and invite student voices into them.

•Many students need templates to negotiate research and analysis.

•Developed by theorists Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein to teach students how to enter academic conversations.

•Instructors use templates to shape conversations and invite student voices into them.

•Many students need templates to negotiate research and analysis.



•Theorist David Bartholomae asks students to use a standard template when stuck.

•While most readers of ________ have said ________, a close and careful reading shows that _________.

•This template may be adapted easily to fit disciplines outside of English. For example, the word “reading” may be changed to “analysis” or “study.”

•Theorist David Bartholomae asks students to use a standard template when stuck.

•While most readers of ________ have said ________, a close and careful reading shows that _________.

•This template may be adapted easily to fit disciplines outside of English. For example, the word “reading” may be changed to “analysis” or “study.”



•Templates are not a panacea.

•Students need frequent practice and assessment.

•Templates do not replace creativity or critical thinking.

•They do give struggling students a starting point to synthesize their ideas with the ideas of others.

•Templates are not a panacea.

•Students need frequent practice and assessment.

•Templates do not replace creativity or critical thinking.

•They do give struggling students a starting point to synthesize their ideas with the ideas of others.

Synthesis: Evaluating Drafts


•Highly structured self-assessments or peer reviews employ directive questions to narrow the gap in student and instructor understandings of an assignment.

•Directive peer reviews teach students how to write for and respond to an audience.

•Highly structured self-assessments or peer reviews employ directive questions to narrow the gap in student and instructor understandings of an assignment.

•Directive peer reviews teach students how to write for and respond to an audience.



•Peer reviews and self-assessments ask students to outline the structure of a draft after completing it in order to correct errors of organization.

•Peer reviews and self-assessments also help students learn how to recognize areas where analysis or evidence support may be weak.

•Peer reviews and self-assessments ask students to outline the structure of a draft after completing it in order to correct errors of organization.

•Peer reviews and self-assessments also help students learn how to recognize areas where analysis or evidence support may be weak.



•Students should work silently during peer reviews or self-assessments.

•Peer reviews work best when students engage in Q&As with each other once an assessment has been completed.

•Instructors should monitor the peer reviews and provide consistent feedback that lets students know whether their responses are thorough and constructive.

•Students should work silently during peer reviews or self-assessments.

•Peer reviews work best when students engage in Q&As with each other once an assessment has been completed.

•Instructors should monitor the peer reviews and provide consistent feedback that lets students know whether their responses are thorough and constructive.

Strategies for FeedbackStrategies for Feedback

•Students may complete structured charts that isolate instructor or peer feedback.

•Charts should be completed in class so that students may receive guidance from the instructor.

•Charts are especially helpful in teaching students how to view feedback as a constructive aspect of the writing process.

•Students may complete structured charts that isolate instructor or peer feedback.

•Charts should be completed in class so that students may receive guidance from the instructor.

•Charts are especially helpful in teaching students how to view feedback as a constructive aspect of the writing process.

The End The End

Activity: FreewritingActivity: Freewriting

WHAT IF ...

(Remember: The goal of freewriting is to let your thoughts emerge freely on the page. Freewriting need not make sense and will not be shared. Begin and end at the sound of the bell.)

WHAT IF ...

(Remember: The goal of freewriting is to let your thoughts emerge freely on the page. Freewriting need not make sense and will not be shared. Begin and end at the sound of the bell.)

Bibliography Bibliography Birkenstein, Cathy and Gerald Graff. They Say I Say: Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd Ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2010. Print.

Cox, Rebecca. The College Fear Factor: How Students and Professors Misunderstand Each Other. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2009. Print.

Elbow, Peter. Writing Without Teachers. London: Oxford UP, 1973. Print.

Birkenstein, Cathy and Gerald Graff. They Say I Say: Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd Ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2010. Print.

Cox, Rebecca. The College Fear Factor: How Students and Professors Misunderstand Each Other. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 2009. Print.

Elbow, Peter. Writing Without Teachers. London: Oxford UP, 1973. Print.

Bibliography ContinuedBibliography Continued

Graff, Gerald. Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind. New Haven, Yale UP, 2004. Print.

Murray, Donald M. Write to Learn. NewYork: Harcourt College, 2002. Print.

Graff, Gerald. Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind. New Haven, Yale UP, 2004. Print.

Murray, Donald M. Write to Learn. NewYork: Harcourt College, 2002. Print.

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Strategies for Making Meaning And Improving Clarity in Any Classroom Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected] Magin LaSov Gregg [email protected]