Launching Multigenre Writing with Elementary Students Reanea Wilson Greater Houston Area Writing Project 2005

If we did pick up a stray piece of writing in the street, one of the first things we would do is try to figure out what it was. We would examine the boundaries of the text—its beginning and ending and margins. We’d flip it over to see if there was anything on the back. Before the beginning – before reading the first word—we have already assessed the genre. We may occasionally fail to figure out what this thing is from such scanning, and in that case, we’re going to begin reading it with the question, What have I got here? Randy Bomer, ix

…Teaching about genres is made more powerful by allowing students to become insiders in the world of that genre.

I now notice the differences in my process when I pick up the front page of a newspaper, immerse myself in a novel, snuggle up to read a bedtime fairy tale, reference a cookbook, look at real estate listings…I approach each with a different set of expectations, questions and needs. Lattimer, p. 3

In order to become competent, literate members of society, students must be able to navigate multiple genres. Students need to learn about particular genres through implicit experience and explicit instruction. (Lattimer, pp. 3-4)

A multigenre paper arises from research, experience, and imagination. It’s not an uninterrupted, expository monolog nor a seamless narrative nor a collection of poems. It's composed of many genres and subgenres, each piece self- contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images, and content. Romano, page x

Genre Types Recipes Poems Letters Memoir Fantasy Plays

Genre Types Genre Types Brochure Interview Alphabet Books Concrete Poems Fables News Article

Where to begin

Blending Genre Introducing Multigenre writing to studentsIntroducing Multigenre writing to students Day 1- have students explore their thinking through writing after reading aloud each piece. Then discuss as a whole class, what each genre is doing, what each writer achieves with language and information; image and rhythm. Day 1- have students explore their thinking through writing after reading aloud each piece. Then discuss as a whole class, what each genre is doing, what each writer achieves with language and information; image and rhythm. (Romano, p. 28)

Blending Genre Day 2- share an entire multigenre paper in class Day 3-share the topics others have written about Day 4-students submit chosen topics Day 5-begin multigenre writingDay 2- share an entire multigenre paper in class Day 3-share the topics others have written about Day 4-students submit chosen topics Day 5-begin multigenre writing (Romano, p. 28)

Introducing the study Best Guess Gathering Immersion Sifting Touchstone Try-Its Writing Reflecting/Assessing (Kendall, 2004)

Best Guess Gathering Reading and examining the selected texts, we make our best guesses about the featured genre. What do we notice? This process will all the students to create a working definition of the genre. (Kendall, 2004)

Immersion In this step the students will read a text and notice the details of the writing by studying: Lead Conclusion Punctuation Attention-grabbing language (Kendall, 2004)

Sifting This step will help the students to develop a ‘critical eye’. Sifting involves: –Identify examples vs. non-examples –What are the important characteristics we can use throughout touchstone texts. (Kendall, 2004)

Touchstone Try-Its 1.You have read the text and you love it. 2.You and your students have talked about the text a lot as readers first. 3.You find many things to teach in the text. 4. You can imagine talking about the text for a very long time. 5. Your students can read the text independently or with some support. 6. The text is written by a writer you trust. 7.The text is a good example of writing of a particular kind (genre). (Kendall, 2004)

Writing A careful balance needs to be maintained between the genre-specific expectations established by the teacher and the ownership of the work by the students. The teacher chooses the structure, but the students own the content. (Lattimer, pp. 6-7)

Topics & Research Student selects topic Begin research Refine topic Select genres Initiate writing process of first draft, revising & editing, and final draft. (Kendall, 2004)

Assessing Lattimer differentiates between assessment and evaluating. Assessment is done daily. It includes student progress for the purpose of adjusting instruction to better support student learning. Evaluation is the final, end of-the-unit measuring of student abilities against a rigorous standard, determining whether or not the students meet the learning objectives. (Lattimer pp )

Multigenre Paper Grading Minimum of 5 genres20 pts. 4-6 pages, typed or 10 pts. written neatly Content/accuracy50 pts. Mechanics10 pts. Bibliography10 pts.

Modifications Guided reading groups to model skills and strategies Partner research GT students make independently explore a genre different from whole class, however, following the previously illustrated format.

Resources Lattimer, H. (2003). Thinking through genre: units of study in reading and writing wrokshops Foreward by Randy Bomer. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers Romano, T. (2000). Blending genre, altering style. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc. Kendall, J. (2004). Julie Kendall's Weekly Writing Workshop Journal. Retrieved Jul. 18, 2005, from Writing Workshop #16: Feature Articles-Into the Fire! Web site: