Talk About Writing


Book Description

Talk about Writing: The Tutoring Strategies of Experienced Writing Center Tutors offers a book-length empirical study of the discourse between experienced tutors and student writers in satisfactory conferences. The study uses a research-driven, iteratively tested framework to help writing center directors, tutors, writing program administrators, rhetoric and composition researchers, first-year composition instructors, and others interested in talk about writing to systematically analyze tutors’ talk and to use that analysis to train new tutors. The book strives toward two main goals: to provide an analytical research and assessment tool—the coding scheme—that other researchers can use to understand writing center tutor talk and to provide a close, empirical analysis of experienced tutor talk that can facilitate tutor training. The study details tutors’ use of three categories of tutoring strategies—instruction, cognitive scaffolding, and motivational scaffolding—at macro- and microlevels and results in practical recommendations for improving tutor training.




Clear and Simple as the Truth


Book Description

Everyone talks about style, but no one explains it. The authors of this book do; and in doing so, they provoke the reader to consider style, not as an elegant accessory of effective prose, but as its very heart. At a time when writing skills have virtually disappeared, what can be done? If only people learned the principles of verbal correctness, the essential rules, wouldn't good prose simply fall into place? Thomas and Turner say no. Attending to rules of grammar, sense, and sentence structure will no more lead to effective prose than knowing the mechanics of a golf swing will lead to a hole-in-one. Furthermore, ten-step programs to better writing exacerbate the problem by failing to recognize, as Thomas and Turner point out, that there are many styles with different standards. In the first half of Clear and Simple, the authors introduce a range of styles--reflexive, practical, plain, contemplative, romantic, prophetic, and others--contrasting them to classic style. Its principles are simple: The writer adopts the pose that the motive is truth, the purpose is presentation, the reader is an intellectual equal, and the occasion is informal. Classic style is at home in everything from business memos to personal letters, from magazine articles to university writing. The second half of the book is a tour of examples--the exquisite and the execrable--showing what has worked and what hasn't. Classic prose is found everywhere: from Thomas Jefferson to Junichirō Tanizaki, from Mark Twain to the observations of an undergraduate. Here are many fine performances in classic style, each clear and simple as the truth. Originally published in 1994. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.




From Talking to Writing


Book Description




Talk for Writing Across the Curriculum, How to Teach Non-Fiction Writing to 5-12 Year Olds (Revised Edition)


Book Description

This bestselling resource has been fully updated, putting formative assessment at the heart of the Talk for Writing process and showing how to help children love writing across the curriculum. By helping children speak the language of non-fiction in a fun engaging way before they attempt to write, the Talk for Writing approach builds children's confidence and linguistic ability enabling them to craft their own writing. In the new edition, this practical resource offers: • Fully worked, tried and tested examples of how to apply Talk for Writing to each non-fiction text type • A wide range of fun activities helping children internalise how to express and link text effectively • A process that co-constructs learning so that children learn how to structure text and create toolkits of key ingredients • Guidance for teachers in England on how to apply the approach across the primary curriculum • An OLC including new footage of Pie Corbett demonstrating Talk for Writing and new footage of classes engaged in the approach • Advice on how to use the DVD and handouts to train all staff in the approach • Evidence of impact from cold to hot tasks Designed for busy teachers, Talk for Writing across the Curriculum, second edition, will help transform children's writing and attainment across the curriculum. "This book celebrates the importance of talk in becoming and growing as a writer: talk to share ideas; talk to analyse text; talk to co-construct writing; and to talk to evaluate writing. Throughout the book constantly underlines the importance of talk for learning and the many creative and rich ways talk can be used to help young writers internalise the rhythms and patterns of text. Full of practical ideas and activities, the teaching combines being creative and being critical in a wholly integrated way. An invaluable resource for primary school teachers!" Debra Myhill, Professor of Education at the University of Exeter, UK "The teaching of reading has always taken priority in policy and practice in literacy. Pie Corbett and Julia Strong have produced a very welcome counterweight to that dominance in their Talk for Writing Across the Curriculum. It is so refreshing to see suggestions for teaching to bring elements of language together, especially when done in such an entertaining and engaging way as this. This new edition makes a 'classic' even better." David Wray, Emeritus Professor, University of Warwick, UK "This latest update of Pie and Julia's best-selling book reflects changes in the curriculum, strengthening the T4W approach, using cold and hot tasks, showing new worked examples of how to apply T4W to each non-fiction type and placing formative assessment at the heart of the process. It is exciting to see how all the best ideas and findings in education are converging, evidenced in this latest 'up to the minute' excellent publication." Shirley Clarke, Formative Assessment Expert




If You Can Talk, You Can Write


Book Description

When we talk, we tell stories and present ideas—rarely with much anxiety. But think about writing something and panic sets in. Overcome this crippling response by learning how to “talk” on paper. Joel Saltzman tells it like it is—with compassion, humor, and the “uncommon wisdom” of famous writers, artists, and musicians. Based on his popular workshop for the UCLA Writers’ Program, this is a program with proven results. You’ll discover how to: >Conquer the killer P’s—Perfectionism, Paralysis, and Procrastination. >Silence your inner critic. (“Shut up, already. I’m trying to write!”) >Stop worrying about the “rules” of grammar. >Get inspired when you don’t feel inspired. >Write with conviction, not apology! This best selling book gives you the daring and freedom to “talk” on paper without worrying whether it’s good or bad or what it’s going to “be”—the kind of writing that’s creative, energetic and, most of all, truly your own.




How To Talk About Writing


Book Description

With insight and clarity, Barbara Turner-Vesselago distils the essentials of ‘How To Talk About Writing’ into six revolutionary discoveries. This book provides invaluable advice for all who long to respond constructively to writers who seek their input, but who don’t know how or where to begin. Seasoned writing mentors and editors will be inspired to abandon old paradigms of editorial criticism. Those new to giving feedback will find straightforward tips—easy to comprehend and instantly rewarding to apply. Barbara Turner-Vesselago is the author of two successful writing books and a mentor to hundreds of published authors worldwide. Informative and user-friendly, this is a vital guide for writers’ groups, university seminars, and even for frank and informal one-on-one discussions between friends.




Straight Talk on Writing


Book Description

This compelling book provides you with eighteen insightful interviews with bestselling authors, writing instructors, agents, award-winning writers and more. You'll learn how to create characters, plot more effectively, live the writer's life with purpose and abandon, and much more. Interviewees include Orson Scott Card, George Singleton, Donald Maass, Dinty Moore, Peter Selgin, James Alexander Thom, and many more. The interviews are casual, relaxed, revealing and instructive. Dig in!




Using Talk to Support Writing


Book Description

Using Talk to Support Writing presents a new and innovative approach to the teaching of early writing. The authors discuss both theoretical and practical issues around using talk in the classroom to support children as they learn to write. Set within the context of national concern for achievement in the development of writing ability, it addresses the gap in understanding early teaching and focuses on the exploration of talk and writing interface.




Joining the Conversation


Book Description

Grounded in the best practices of effective writing instruction, Joining the Conversation’s rhetorical approach teaches students the key critical thinking skills they will draw on as they begin to explore and respond thoughtfully to the complex conversations around them. From reflective and informative to analytical and persuasive writing, chapters follow real student writers as they find a conversation, develop, revise, and document their writing. Thoroughly revised, the fourth edition includes new student projects and more support for academic reading, critical thinking, and assessing credibility and bias.




Speaking Frames: How to Teach Talk for Writing: Ages 10-14


Book Description

Now revised and expanded Speaking Frames: How to Teaching Talk for Writing: Ages 10-14 brings together material from Sue Palmer’s popular Speaking Frames books with additional material covering the primary/secondary transition. Providing an innovative and effective answer to the problem of teaching speaking and listening, this book offers a range of speaking frames for children to orally ‘fill in’, developing their language patterns and creativity, 'and boosting their confidence in the use of literate language patterns. Fully updated, this book offers: material for individual paired and group presentations and talk for writing links to cross-curricular ‘Skeletons' transition material and guidance on ‘bridging the gap’ between primary and secondary schools support notes for teachers and assessment guidance advice on flexible progression and working to a child’s ability suggestions for developing individual pupils' spoken language skills. With a wealth of photocopiable sheets and creative ideas for speaking and listening, Speaking Frames: How to Teaching Talk for Writing: Ages 10-14 is essential reading for all practising, trainee and recently qualified teachers who wish to develop effective speaking and listening in their classroom.