Course Profile The Writer’s Craft (EWC4U), Grade 12, University Preparation, Public
Unit 5: Writing for Specialized Audiences
Time: 20 hours
Activity
5.1 | Activity 5.2 | Activity 5.3 | Activity 5.4
| Activity 5.5
Unit Description
A variety of writing
tasks include both assigned and student-selected topics for a range of
specialized audiences including academic, business/technical, and creative
communities. Particular attention is paid to the application of research in
careers in writing and publishing. The written speech and its related
conventions as well as the conventions for a business or technical audience are
also examined. Students investigate emerging conventions of web-based writing,
and work in collaborative groups to investigate the writing of one emerging writer
or form, e.g., the hypertext novel. Students prepare a variety of writing tasks
in draft form. Through teacher and peer conferencing, students select one of
the writing pieces from this unit to submit in final polished form as a
culminating activity.
|
Activity |
Time |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
Tasks |
|
5.1 |
3 hours |
IW2.01 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Based on prior
research/investigation, students write a short essay or article for novice
writers outlining “key advice” for the field. |
|
5.2 |
5 hours |
PW1.07 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Students design a
business proposal to attract potential investors for new equipment for the
school. |
|
5.3 |
3 hours |
IW1.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Students write a
speech on a social issue. |
|
5.4 |
4 hours |
PW1.05 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
Students, in
groups, develop an evaluation criteria and assess a website. |
|
5.5 |
5 hours |
PW1.02 |
Knowledge/Understanding |
In groups,
students investigate the work of one non-traditional author, either in print
or in a web-based environment; the groups “jigsaw” report results of inquiry. |
Time: 3 hours
As a writing community, writers often provide
support, ideas, and strategies for other writers. In this activity, students
explore the role of writer as mentor for other writers. In small groups,
students read various essays and excerpts by writers on the practice and craft
of writing and discuss the key themes and advice presented in the piece with
the whole class. Students write a short essay or article, suitable for novice
writers, outlining “key advice” for the field.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practising the Writer’s
Craft
Learning
Expectations
IW2.01 - summarise
interviews with and articles by a variety of writers about the craft and
practice of writing to increase knowledge of the technique, skills and process
of writing;
IW2.02 - analyse
selected works and articles by writers from around the world to compare their
practices and beliefs about writing;
PW1.02 - use
information and ideas generated from research, discussion, reading, viewing and
exploratory writing to develop the content of written work;
PW1.06 - select
appropriate techniques, vocabulary, voice and style and use them effectively to
communicate ideas and experiences;
PW1.07 - edit
written work by revising drafts to refine content, form, technique, vocabulary,
voice and style.
·
Students should
have some familiarity with expository writing.
·
Students should
be able to describe the stages of the writing process.
·
Students should
have experience writing for a variety of audiences.
·
As an
introduction for this activity, the teacher may wish to invite a local writer,
or a number of different writers from various fields, e.g., advertiser,
copywriter, researcher, clergy, lawyer, journalist, communications officer,
technical writer, to discuss the role of writing in their lives and work.
Possible areas of focus might include: what it means to be a writer, the
writing process as they see it, and the demands of writing for a public
audience.
1. In their writer’s journal, students respond
to how the speaker (or one of the speakers) has impacted their views on
writing.
2. Divide the class into groups of four
students. Give each student in the home group a different essay or an excerpt
discussing the craft and practice of writing. Suggested readings might include
passages from Timothy Findley’s Inside Memory, Ursula LeGuin’s Steering
the Craft, Stephen King’s On Writing, and Tillie Olsen’s Silences.
Direct the students to read the piece individually and to highlight key pieces
of advice provided by the author. Once the students have read the piece, they
should form “expert” groups who have all read the same excerpt.
In these expert groups, students discuss the
following questions:
· Who was the writer’s intended audience? Provide examples to support your opinion.
· What were the writer’s key suggestions or pieces of advice about writing?
· Do you agree with the writer’s suggestions? Explain.
· Do the writer and the passage encourage you to become a writer? Explain.
· Following the discussion with their expert group, students should return to their home groups to share their findings. The teacher may wish to have students summarize and consolidate the advice given by the writers using a graphic organizer.
3. In order to develop an
understanding of what novice writers already know about writing, students
should interview two people who enjoy writing about their views on writing
using questions such as: “What is writing?”, “What steps do you follow when you
write?”, “If you could ask a professional writer three questions about writing,
what would those questions be?”
4. Individually, direct the students to
brainstorm quickly a number of responses to the prompt: “What I’ve learned
about writing in this course…” Students share their responses in partners.
5. Students then create a draft article or essay
on one aspect of writing for novice writers. Students share their responses in
a peer conference. The rubric (Appendix 5.1.1) could be used as a formative
assessment tool for this conference. Students make notes in their writer’s
journal about possible changes they may make to their essay or article for a
final version.
·
The teacher may
wish to make anecdotal observations of the students’ ability to identify and
discuss key issues from the articles on the craft of writing.
·
Students should
have the opportunity to conference with peers throughout the writing of their
essay.
·
Students may
choose to revise and publish their essay and to share it with a selected
audience.
·
A rubric has been
provided for the assessment of the essay (Appendix 5.1.1). The teacher may wish
to use this rubric as a formative assessment, or students may use the rubric as
a reflection tool for self-assessment, or as the basis for discussion in a peer
conference.
·
Some students may
require additional support with the structure and stylistic elements of an
article or essay. This support may take the form of a teacher-provided graphic
organizer, a template, or guiding questions around which to frame the article.
·
Students may be
given extra time to complete the activity as appropriate.
Findley, T. Inside
Memory: Pages from a Writer’s Notebook. Toronto: Perennial Canada, 2000.
ISBN 0006386199
King, S. On
Writing: A memoir of the craft. New York: Pocket Books, 2001. ISBN
0671024256
LeGuin, U. Steering
the Craft: Exercises and discussion on story writing for the lone navigator or
the mutinous crew. Portland, OR: Eighth Mountain Press, 1998. ISBN
0933377460
Olsen,
Tillie. Silences. New York: Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence, 1978. ISBN
0440079004
Appendix 5.1.1 – The
Craft and Practice of Writing Rubric
Time: 5 hours
Students, in
collaborative groups, prepare business proposals for funding to purchase a
specialized piece of equipment, e.g., computers, sports equipment, technical
equipment, for use in the school. Each group’s proposal has a different
intended audience: the district school board, the student’s council, community
service groups and businesses.
Strand(s): Practising the Writer’s Craft
Learning
Expectations
PW1.11 - produce
thoughtful, reflective publications and prepare them for distribution to wider
audiences;
PW1.12 - use group
skills effectively during the production of written work;
PW1.07 - produce
effective written work by revising drafts to refine content, form, techniques,
vocabulary, voice, and style.
·
Students should
have previous experience with goal setting.
·
Students should
be familiar with the format, tone, and techniques of report writing.
·
Students should
be familiar with persuasive writing techniques.
·
At this point in
the course, it is expected that students will be very comfortable with the
writing process and with electronic formatting of written assignments.
·
The teacher
prepares in advance of the activity a brainstorming guide, the template for the
proposal, the self-assessment checklist, and the evaluation rubric for the
final product. A sample template and rubric have been provided in the
appendices for this activity.
·
The teacher
gathers names of community service groups and businesses that would be suitable
as intended audiences for the proposals.
·
The teacher
should ensure that each student has access to a computer to produce the final
documents.
·
Several days
before beginning the activity, the teacher should gather information from the
students about the section of the report they prefer to write. The teacher will
use this information to form collaborative groups of at least five students
each, taking care to accommodate and balance individual student’s interests and
abilities.
·
As a homework
assignment in anticipation of the writing the students will do for the
proposal, the teacher could provide a resource for the students to review the
techniques of persuasive writing.
1. Have the students, in their assigned groups,
identify for one another the areas for which they have indicated an interest.
Each group’s work begins with designating one member to be the project manager
responsible for keeping discussion on task and collating the pages of the final
product while other members should take responsibility for keeping notes during
the brainstorming. Other members should be responsible for supervising crucial
steps of editing and proofreading.
2. Once
all members of the group have assumed duties, distribute to each student a copy
of the brainstorming guide and assign each group a different intended audience
for their written proposal. Informally assess each student’s participation in
the brainstorming process by moving from group to group as the class uses the
guide to direct their discussion. Collect the notes from each group at the end
of the discussion to ensure that these are available for the next stage of the
activity.
3. Give each group one copy of the template for
the proposal and direct students to focus on the section of the proposal for
which they indicated an interest. Their task is to draft the content for that
section. All students in the group should contribute to the summary and
conclusion.
4. Review with the whole class the techniques of
persuasive writing. Collect the draft work from each student in the class and
assess the writing for clarity of language, persuasiveness, and completeness.
5. The students word process the draft versions
of their sections. All students then bring their drafts back to their group,
and the project manager reads the proposals aloud. The members designated to
supervise the editing process take suggestions from the group for achieving
unity and coherence. At this stage, each group should determine the actual
titles for the proposal sections according to its intended audience.
6. While the editors make the changes to the
final drafts, the other members of the group draft the summary and the
conclusion and design the cover. The group members then incorporate the
editorial changes into their drafts and print final copies.
7. Students who have few changes in their work
prepare good copies of the cover, the summary, and the conclusion. The project
manager collates the final copies of each section from the writers and submits
the proposal for teacher evaluation. Each student completes the self-assessment
checklist.
8. The teacher redistributes the finished
proposals so that the groups assess one another’s proposals according to the
rubric. Each student individually writes an analysis of the proposal under
evaluation, giving an individual decision to grant or deny the request for
funding. Each student should provide justification for this decision. The
teacher evaluates each student’s analysis for logical reasoning, clarity of
expression, and credibility.
·
Formative teacher
assessment of each student’s group work and draft version
·
Group assessment
of final product by students
·
Self-assessment
for the Business Proposal (Appendix 5.2.2)
·
Peer-assessment
Rubric for the Business Proposal (Appendix 5.2.3)
·
Teacher
evaluation of students’ analysis of proposals
The teacher may
provide voice-activated word processing, voice recording equipment or a scribe
where appropriate to allow all students to engage in the discussion and produce
the final work.
Careers
Solutions Training Group. Writing in the Workplace. Cincinnati:
South-Western Educational Publishing, 2000. ISBN 05380690186
Clark, Lyn. Business
English and Communication. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2000.
ISBN 0075517760
Geffner,
Andrea. Business English. New York: Barron’s, 1998. ISBN 0764102788
Guffrey,
Mary Ellen and Patricia Burke. Canadian Business English. Toronto: ITP
Nelson, 1999.
ISBN 0176166262
Appendix 5.2.1 – Business Proposal Template
Appendix 5.2.2 –
Self-Assessment for the Business Proposal
Appendix 5.2.3 –
Peer-Assessment Rubric for the Business Proposal
Time: 3 hours
This activity allows
students to explore the conventions of speech writing. Students investigate the
writing techniques that are unique and particularly effective for writing that
is intended for oral delivery. Students choose a current social issue, identify
a relevant target audience and write a speech that addresses the controversial
nature of the topic.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer's Craft, Practicing the Writer’s
Craft
Learning
Expectations
IW1.02 - describe
the distinctive elements and conventions of a variety of forms within specific
genres;
PWV.01 - produce
informational and literary writing for a variety of purposes and audiences,
independently and collaboratively, with an emphasis on developing substantial
content and using appropriate forms techniques, vocabulary, voice, and style;
PW1.01 - write
regularly for various purposes, including to explore ideas, feelings and
experiences; incorporating interesting words and phrases; respond to the
writing of others; assess their own work; experiment with different choices of
vocabulary, phrasing, sentence patterns, imagery, and style; discuss writing
with peers;
PW1.10 - use group
skills effectively to produce written work.
·
Students should
be familiar with the techniques of effective oral communication.
·
Students should
have an understanding of how to use a variety of organizational patterns in
written communication.
·
Students should
be familiar with the elements of persuasion and rhetorical devices.
·
The teacher
should collect speeches, in print or video format, before starting this
activity with the class.
·
The focus of this
activity has been structured to reflect the time allotted. The teacher may
choose to expand this activity to include the analysis and writing of speeches for
a wider range of purposes, e.g., political campaigns, motivational speeches,
fundraising events, personal recognition.
·
The Course
Profile for English Presentation Skills, Grade 11 has many valuable resources
to support this activity.
1. Students use the prompt below
to write a short response in their writer’s journals.
Making a Difference – If you could devote your life to one political or
social cause what would it be? Explain your choice. How would you help to
support this cause?
2. Divide
the class into groups of four. Distribute a piece of chart paper to each group.
Have the students divide the paper into four boxes with the title “Speech
Writing” in the middle of the page. Each student will use one box to answer the
following question: Why do we write speeches? Once students have completed
their answer, they rotate the page so that they can read another student’s
answer and add to the response. Students then answer the second question in the
same box: When do we hear speeches in our daily lives? Students then rotate the
page one more time and answer the following question: How do the techniques of
speech writing differ from other forms that are intended for written
publication only? Students rotate the page one last time to add comments to any
of the responses in the final box. Students should then discuss each other’s
responses in small groups and as a whole class.
3. Distribute a speech to each group of
students. Possible speeches might include: Justin Trudeau’s eulogy to his
father “A Son’s Goodbye,” Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” and
Winston Churchill “We Shall Fight on the Beaches.” Students analyse their
speech using the Speech Analysis Form provided (Appendix 5.3.1). Alternatively,
this could be done as a whole class with a series of speeches, such as current
political addresses, clips from videos, historical speeches, on videotape. In
this case, students would watch all of the clips and then do a comparative
analysis of two of the speeches in small groups. Students may benefit from a
class discussion of effective media/visual techniques and the roles of various
media in a presentation.
4. Discuss with students the significance and
role of speeches which are used to inspire or call others to action, e.g.,
political speeches, speeches which address a social issue. Students choose a
social issue that is personally significant. Based on the topic selected,
students identify a suitable target audience for this speech. Students draft a
speech to this target group.
5. Once students have drafted their speech, they
share their work in small groups. The groups may provide formative feedback
using a rubric. Alternatively, groups may be asked to provide personal
reactions and suggestions for improvement interactively through oral discussion
in their groups.
6. Students may choose to polish the speech and
prepare it for summative assessment by the teacher.
·
Formative
assessment of the speech by peers
·
Formative
assessment of the group’s speech analysis
·
Formative or
summative assessment of the speech by the teacher using a rubric
·
The teacher may
wish to have the students videotape their speeches and share them with the
whole class or small groups for peer review.
·
Students may
choose to prepare a presentation with visuals. In this case, presentation
software such as PowerPoint could be used to enhance their presentation through
the use of graphics, data, and visuals.
CBC – http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/trudeau/justin.html
This website contains the text of Justin Trudeau’s eulogy to his father.
PGNY – http://www.ny.com/holiday/mlk.html
This site provides links to Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream”
speech.
Speech Tips
– http:// www.speechtips.com
This site has some useful tips for beginning speech writers.
Winston Churchill
Homepage – http://www.winstonchurchill.org/
Several of Winston Churchill’s speeches can be accessed through this site.
Appendix 5.3.1 –
Speech Analysis Form
Time: 4 hours
Students work first
in groups, then on their own, to analyse and assess the quality of a website
related to personal or professional writing. The website may target any
relevant audience selected by the student: family writing,
teachers/instructors, professional writing, writing for the cyber-public, e.g.,
an Internet novel, a hypertext story. Students should be encouraged to select a
focus that they may use as reference for their major course project. Also,
since students will be working in groups for the first component of the
activity, the teacher may choose to organize groups by student interest: for
instance, poetry group, novel group, writing for young people, careers in
writing group, etc. In that way, each group can focus on an area of shared
interest in order to establish criteria for the website assessment and then
“share” individual website selections for mutual enrichment and contribution to
ongoing independent writing projects.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practising the Writer’s
Craft
Learning
Expectations
PW1.05 - use
information and ideas generated by research, discussion, reflection reading,
viewing, and exploratory writing to develop the content of written work;
PW1.12 - use group
skills effectively during the production of written work (e.g., participate in
collaborative writing projects, share responses to works in progress);
IWV.01 - analyse a
variety of forms of writing, including poems, personal essays, narratives,
stories, plays, and specialized informational texts, to evaluate their
effectiveness.
·
Students should
have some familiarity with basic Internet search functions, including using
multiple search engines for a subject search, using “help” features of a given
search engine, and employing Boolean operators to narrow all Internet search.
·
For students who
are not familiar with basic Internet search functions, the teacher should
provide instruction on basic Internet search strategies.
·
Prior to the
assignment of the activity task, allot class time for students to investigate a
sampling of websites selected by the teacher. Using the Appendix 5.4.1, the
class may work through a selected sample in order to understand what makes a
quality website.
·
Prior to
beginning this activity, the teacher should review with students school and
board policies and procedures with regard to appropriate Internet use.
·
Students must
submit the website (URL) to the teacher for approval prior to completing the
assessment of the site.
1. In groups, students identify criteria through
which to assess the quality of a website.
(Appendix 5.4.1)
2. In groups, students construct a checklist or
scoring scale using the criteria identified.
3. Groups hand in one copy of the assessment
tool to the teacher to be checked prior to the Internet search activity.
4. For students who are not familiar with basic
Internet search functions, the teacher should provide instruction (either
directly or through a guest visit by the computer teacher) on basic Internet
search strategies. Provide time in class for students to compare search engines
with their peers in order to consolidate understandings of a basic web search
process.
5. Once students have selected two search
engines and understand the basic rules for conducting a search on each, they
should conduct a subject-specific search and select a website that they wish to
assess.
6. Using the scoring scale constructed in their
writing groups, each student should assess the selected website and summarize
the findings. (The teacher may choose to provide a graphic organizer or outline
page for this purpose.)
7. Once students have completed their website
assessment, they should return to their writing groups and report their
findings.
8. Writing groups can maintain the results of
these findings in their working portfolios for future reference, in particular,
this activity will support the ongoing work on the Magnum Opus.
(Final Unit Task).
9. Individual students hand in a copy of their
website assessment summary, along with the URL for the website to their teacher
for assessment.
·
Extension
activities for highly technologically informed students may include a
special-interest peer teaching seminar on a selected topic or an informative
pamphlet or informational page to be used in Writer’s Craft or other classes
regarding assessing and evaluating websites.
·
Teacher
assessment of individual website assessment summary
·
Informal
self-assessment of search investigation process (In writer’s notebook)
Evaluating Webpages,
U.C. Berkeley Library
– http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides?Internet?Evaluate.html
ICYouSEE: A
guide to critical thinking about what you see on the web, Ithaca College
Library
– http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html
The Good,
the Bad and The Ugly: or, Why It’s a good idea to evaluate web sources, from
New Mexico State University library –
http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html
Virtual
Library - a general bibliography of current websites for teacher reference,
including rubrics for evaluating websites can be found at WWW Virtual Library:
Evaluating information sources
– http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln/htm
University of
Western Ontario Effective Writing Program –
http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/writing/owl.html
Appendix 5.4.1 –
Assessing a Web Page: Student Assignment Sheet
Time: 5 hours
This activity
provides opportunities for imaginative and critical thinking through reading
and analysis of some aspects of “postmodern” explorations of writing. If
students have been introduced to a postmodernist critical stance in their
literature studies, introductory discussion of the parameters of this topic may
be fairly brief. However, if the ideas of postmodernism and postmodernist
writing are fairly new to students, the teacher needs to set aside time to allow
for some introductory activities in order to acquaint students with some
foundational concepts and to check for understanding.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practicing the Writer’s
Craft
Learning
Expectations
PW1.12 - use group
skills effectively during the production of written work, e.g., participate in
collaborative writing projects, share responses to works in progress;
PW1.02 - write
frequently for various purposes, including exploring ideas, feelings, and experiences;
responding to the writing of others; and making inferences about the craft of
written explorations to identify imaginative approaches and to improve written
work;
IW2.02 - analyse
selected works and articles by writers from around the world to assess their
practices and beliefs about writing;
IW1.01 - analyse and
assess how techniques, diction, voice, and style are used in a range of forms
of writing to communicate effectively.
·
Students, on
their own, should be able to analyse a short passage to identify distinctive
elements and conventions.
·
Students should
be able to assess the relationship among ideas in a passage and respond to
those ideas from an individual response level.
·
Students should
be able to analyse and assess the effectiveness of selected techniques,
diction, voice and style in conventional forms of writing.
·
Students should
have a basic understanding of postmodernist beginnings, e.g., prior exposure to
the writing of an author such as James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, or Samuel Beckett.
·
Teachers of
English need to remain aware of the ever-changing worlds of literacy and text.
Conventions of literature such as the sequential narrative, conventional use of
language, and English grammatical rules, and “print-only” text have been
challenged and re-interpreted by writers in a variety of ways. The introduction
of electronic technologies (with its own ever-expanding language) has
challenged even concepts such as page, “margins”, even left-to-right reading.
This activity is intended to provide the teacher with the opportunity to
explore some of the foundational concepts of these challenges and to give
students the chance to apply their own knowledge and skills in the
investigation of Writer’s Craft to a range of modern and current texts.
Particular attention should be paid to texts which have taken a radical or
challenging look at traditional forms of writing.
·
Since emerging
literacies and hypertext literature should also be included in this section,
the teacher may choose to integrate the expectations and content for Activities
5.4 and 5.5 of this unit as a single “current perspectives” cluster. This
activity is not intended to be comprehensive, but should introduce students to
a basic conceptual framework for postmodernism and to a few significant writers
who have challenged conventional ideas of narrative, structure, text, and the
role of the author in writing. For example, samples of work by Samuel Beckett,
T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce are often available in high
schools. Authors such as Douglas Coupland, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino,
William Gibson, and Salman Rushdie may be familiar to students. Authors such as
Robert Kroetsch, George Bowering, and Phyllis Gotlieb have short works which
can contribute to this activity and which are available in standard Canadian
literature anthologies. For basic discussion purposes, the teacher should help
students establish a context for reading, either through a limited library or
web search of definitions of postmodernism or a brief seminar or presentation.
Integration of examples from other disciplines (such as Andy Warhol’s art,
music by Stravinsky, Benjamin Britten, or John Cage, bill bissett) is
encouraged. Note: Teachers should consult the board’s list of approved
texts for selections.
·
Note: The term “postmodernism” is broadly used to
describe a range of changes in literature, expanding rapidly in the latter half
of the twentieth century. Those changes are often characterized in reading by
experiments in narrative structure and style (beginning with such inventions as
James Joyce’s stream of consciousness writing or Samuel Beckett’s theatre of
the absurd). The text selection for this activity can be wide and varied. Plan
for a range of student choices.
·
Gender Issues:
Early postmodernist writing and current hypertext e-literature tends to feature
male authors. This issue will provide an opportunity for gender-issues
awareness through class discussion.
1. Through questioning, assess students’ prior
knowledge of postmodernism. Have they heard the term before? Can students make
links through another discipline (revisionist history, art, music, dance)? A
variety of strategies might be used in order to establish a common context for
this activity, based on the teacher’s interest or expertise; however, brief
suggestions follow:
· Show a sampling of Andy Warhol’s work; compare it with samples of traditional pieces. Ask students to respond to the samples and imagine the reaction of every day art viewers and critics when Warhol first introduced his ideas.
· Show a short film clip of the explosion of the atomic bomb, either from available documentary film text or from commercial film, e.g., Fat Man and Little Boy, 1989, Paramount, as per availability and school viewing rights. Ask students to consider what effects a single technological change has made on society.
· Have students find definitions of postmodernism on the Internet or in print resources. In small groups or in pairs, students can consolidate varied definitions to arrive at a shared concept.
2. Provide a brief sample of
early postmodernist text as available in the school, e.g., a short reading from
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man or from Samuel Beckett’s Waiting
for Godot to review the concept.
3. Students, in small groups or in pairs, can
identify key “conventions” which are being challenged in these early
experiments.
4. Using a T-chart and, if possible, using a
web-based sample as reference, have students compare and contrast reading processes
of conventional and electronic text, e.g., left-to-right text in print,
“three-dimensional” reading processes for hyper-linked text on the web; use of
print-for-meaning vs. use of graphics, symbols; introduction of new words and
concepts as a result of electronic technologies.
5. Explain the small group research activity:
“In your writing groups, you will select one option from those provided or
choose an area for study and submit your idea for approval. Your group will
read a small sampling from the topic selected and prepare a brief presentation
in order to share your findings with other members of the class.”
Options
·
Read and prepare
a summary presentation of a website article or essay outlining a brief history
of' postmodernism in literature.
·
Read and respond
to a web-based story or segment of a hypertext novel. (Website suggestions
provided with this activity.)
·
Analyse one
selected short story which demonstrates features of postmodernist writing: for
example, “A Short Story” by George Bowering in The Oxford Book of Canadian
Short Stories Atwood & Weaver, ed.
·
For enrichment or
extension, students may wish to create an original work reflecting components
under study.
·
Students with
strong technological interests and expertise may wish to work in a web-based
format to experiment with hypertext writing.
·
Links to other
subject disciplines with regard to trends and changing concepts of literacy may
provide extension opportunities.
Atwood, M.
and R. Weaver, R, eds. The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English.
Oxford, 1986. ISBN 019540565X
Beckett,
Samuel. Waiting for Godot. New York: Wilshire Publications, 1987. ISBN
0802130348
December,
John, ed. Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine. ISSN 1076-027X,
January, 1999. vol 6, no. 1 – http://www.december.com/cmc/mag/current/toc.html
Eastgate
Systems Inc. – http://www.eastgate.com/
Electronic
Literature Organization - directory – http://directory.eliterature.org
Govier,
Katherine. The Immaculate Conception Photography Gallery and Other Stories.
Toronto: Little, Brown, 1994. ISBN 316319848
Hay,
Elizabeth. Small Change. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1997. ISBN 088984187X
Joyce,
James. A Portrait of the Artist
as a Young Man. New York:
Wordsworth Editions, 1998.
ISBN 1853260061
Joyce,
Michael in “serious hypertext”, Eastgate Systems, Inc.
– http://www.eastgate.com/people/Joyce.html
Schoemperlen,
Diane. Forms of Devotion: Stories and Pictures. Toronto: Harper Collins,
1998.
ISBN 0002245663
|
Criteria |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Level |
|
Knowledge/
Understanding |
- demonstrates
limited understanding of the writing process |
- demonstrates
some understanding of the writing process |
- demonstrates a
considerable understanding of' the writing process |
- demonstrates a
thorough understanding of the writing process |
|
Thinking/Inquiry |
- demonstrates
limited analysis and synthesis |
- demonstrates
some analysis and synthesis |
- demonstrates a
considerable degree of analysis and synthesis |
- demonstrates a
high degree of analysis and synthesis |
|
Communication |
- demonstrates a
limited sense of audience and purpose through selection of content, style,
and tone for the essay |
- demonstrates
some sense of audience and purpose through selection of content, style, and
tone for the essay |
- demonstrates a
clear sense of audience and purpose through selection of content, style, and
tone for the essay |
- demonstrates a
strong sense of audience and purpose through selection of content, style, and
tone for the essay |
|
Application |
- makes revision
suggestions to clarify content and meaning through proposed changes to
organization, voice, style, and tone with limited effectiveness |
- makes revision
suggestions to clarify content and meaning through proposed changes to
organization, voice, style, and tone with some effectiveness |
- makes revision
suggestions to clarify content and meaning through proposed changes to organization,
voice, style, and tone with considerable effectiveness |
- makes revision
suggestions to clarify content and meaning through proposed changes to
organization, voice, style, and tone with a high degree of effectiveness |
Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1
(50%) has not met the expectations for this activity or assignment.
COVER (Give the
title of the proposal, the names of the group making the proposal, the starting
date of the project.)
SUMMARY (Provide a
one-paragraph summary of the key points of the proposal, including the
request.)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
(Define and describe ideas, vision, purposes, and goals.)
STATEMENT OF NEED
(Outline the need that this project would satisfy; justify the plans.)
METHODS AND
ORGANIZATION (Outline the steps for putting the plan into action; describe how
the plan will continue over time.)
BENEFITS AND
ADVANTAGES (Address these from the points of view both of the requesting group
and the granting group.)
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (Propose budget that includes materials, advertising, distribution,
and unanticipated costs.)
CONCLUDING STATEMENT
(Look to potential future use of the project. Describe anticipated outcomes for
the project.)
Planning
1. My responsibilities in the group were to
_____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
My work in this area was satisfactory/unsatisfactory because
____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Writing
2. I contributed to the brainstorming for the
proposal when I _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. My work in drafting/editing the section of
the proposal assigned to me was satisfactory/unsatisfactory because
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Polishing
4. I contributed to the summary/the
conclusion/the cover/the design/the final copy by ___________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
My work in this area was satisfactory/unsatisfactory because
____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
|
Criteria |
Level |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
|
Knowledge/
Understanding |
- demonstrates
limited knowledge of techniques |
- demonstrates
some knowledge of techniques |
- demonstrates
considerable knowledge of techniques |
- demonstrates a
thorough and insightful knowledge of techniques |
|
Thinking/Inquiry |
- uses
organizational progression with limited effectiveness |
- uses
organizational progression with some effectiveness |
- uses
organizational progression with considerable effectiveness |
- uses highly
effective organizational structure toward a case |
|
Communication |
- uses a positive
tone and awareness of purpose to a limited degree |
- uses a positive
tone and awareness of purpose to a moderate degree |
- uses a positive
tone and awareness of purpose with considerable clarity |
- uses a positive
tone and awareness of purpose with a high degree of clarity and confidence |
|
Application |
- uses the
required language conventions with limited accuracy and effectiveness |
- uses the
required language conventions with some accuracy and effectiveness |
- uses the
required language conventions with considerable accuracy and effectiveness |
- uses the
required language conventions with a high degree of accuracy and
effectiveness |
Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1
(50%) has not met the expectations for this activity or assignment.
|
Purpose and
Audience ·
What is the
author’s purpose for the speech? ·
Who is the
author’s audience? |
|
Content ·
What is the
author’s key message? ·
How effectively
does the writer’s content support his/her audience and purpose? ·
What specific
examples or anecdotes are particularly compelling as a reader/listener? |
|
Style and Tone ·
What is the
overall tone of the speech? ·
How effectively
does this tone support the author’s purpose? ·
What figures of
speech and stylistic devices are used: to convey meaning, to illustrate
central ideas, or to appeal to the nature of the intended audience? |
|
Structure ·
How does the
author draw in his/her listeners? ·
How does the
author structure the speech? ·
How are
transitions made between various parts or ideas in the speech? ·
How effectively
does the speech’s conclusion capture the essence of the speech? |
Student Assignment Sheet
Instructions: Before you set out to assess a Writer’s Craft
website, you need to establish criteria for judging that site. In your writer’s
group, use the following guiding questions to help you determine criteria for
judging the website. Then, on your own, you will be asked to:
a) select a website related to writing and the
Writer’s Craft AND
b) evaluate that website using the criteria
you’ve established in your groups.
When you are
finished your investigation, you will return to your writer’s group and present
your website evaluation. Your group will peer-assess your presentation and will
add your website resource to their working portfolio as a reference source for
further study.
1. Trustworthiness
A website can be
attractive and interesting, but if it doesn’t provide information that is true
and worthwhile it’s a waste of web surfer time.
·
How will you
“check references” on your website? What constitutes a well-referenced website?
·
How will you
screen the site for bias?
·
How will you
judge the expected accuracy of the information on this site?
2.
Clarity/Organization
·
What criteria
will you use to judge the organization/layout of the website?
·
What do you
expect to see on the home page? What navigational tools do you expect to see?
·
What general
rules will you establish by which to judge the quality of the layout and
placement of text, graphics, photos, or hot links on the site?
3. Usefulness
A website needs to
be user-friendly. That means that it needs to recognize its target audience and
structure its
components/information to meet the needs and interests of the target readers.
·
What criteria will
help you to judge a website as “less useful”? For example what criteria would
measure both a young people’s website and an academic website?
·
What makes a
website more or less user-friendly?
·
How will you
judge the “match” between site and intended user?
NOTE TO GROUPS: When you are finished setting out your
evaluation criteria, construct a checklist or scoring scale to use when you “go
surfing.” Be sure to provide a copy of your assessment tool to your teacher
before you begin your web search.
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