Writing Instruction

Hansen & Kissel
Writers have three guidelines they follow.   Guideline 1: Writers are decision makers.  They have make various choices when begin to choose a topic and how to write about it.  Guideline 2: Writers consider their audience.  Writers have a variety of audiences they can write for.  Writers have to choose the right words for who they are writing for.  Teachers tend to focus on the state testing, which in turn puts limits on student writing.  Guideline 3: Writers evaluate their work.  Peer collaboration is one way for students to check their work.  Checking their work and redoing it allows the student's writing to evolve and grow.  They set goals to incorporate in their writings.  The article mentions writing being a social process.  By broaden the definition of writing, new ideas are brought to the classroom.  These ideas engage students.

Sweeny
This article discusses how new literacies are changing the definition of writing.  Messaging apps(twitter, texting, blogs) allow a group to feel connected.  It creates a community of writers.  Since  messaging apps carry a social context, often times students want to impress their peers.  They know their work will be public.  Online forums help students work collaboratively.  They can add notes, give feedback, and even edit in some instances.  The article gives a lot of resources and ideas on how to incorporate new literacies in a classroom.  The wonderful thing about new literacies is they are exciting in the class and outside the class.  This allows for students to begin understand how important communication is.  Technology isn't going anywhere, teachers need to find ways to incorporate it in the everyday classroom.

Hinchman-Thomas
Writing is important.  Teachers have gotten away from focusing on writing.  Reading has become the main idea in most classrooms.  Writing needs to be viewed as something more than grammatical teachings.  Not just making students write a pre made-plug in model form, but truly letting kids write.  Allowing students to create their own thoughts, not just transferring someone else's thought in their words.  Students also need to learn the process of writing.  It's not just done once it's writing the first time, but that over time it evolves.  Students need chances to write for different purpose and audiences.  Teach students the idea of writing to think.  They can express their thoughts and ideas.  By jotting it  down the idea can become  something.  Using a journal helps students write their views. They begin seeing the world and noticing it.  Structure times for students to practice writing.  Then give them feedback individually.  After talking to each student, the teacher gets an idea what the whole class needs.  Then give mini whole class lessons.

Text to Text
I have done a lot of research in the areas of new literacies.   I am fascinated by the idea of how traditional writing is changing.  It truly bugs me when I hear people say, students just don't write and read anymore.  Honestly, students are reading and writing more today than ever.  They are constantly engaged in technology which is full of having to read websites, video games, and text messaging.  I think all the text link together with this idea that the term literacy has to be broadened.  By looking at literacy through this tiny lens people are missing the idea of how much students are reading and writing.  Sure it can always be improved, but new literacies really are engaging students more than ever before.
Text to Self
I am fascinated with this idea of technology integration and how it's changing our world.  I know some may see it as societies demise.  I choose to look at it as a door to a whole new world (corny as that sounds).  Possibilities are endless with this idea of broadening the literacy definition.

Text to World
Technology isn't going away.  Teachers and parents need to understand  this idea of students learning though technology.  Fighting against technology integration is like trying to suck up all the air in one breath (horrible analogy, but you get the idea).  It isn't going to happen.  Instead, look at it in a positive manner and get excited about all the possibilities.

Question:
How have you integrated new literacies in your own class?  Or if you don't have a class, what would you love to try out?