Teaching Writing

This course explores Composing Text through PLN research based best practices. Course activities focus on adaptable approaches to increase opportunities for students to write, while adapting to the required needs of varied curricula and The State Standards. PLN 17 mentor texts are “Craft Lessons” (2nd edition) by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi and "The Plainer Truths of Teaching, Learning and Literacy" by Morton Botel and Lara Paparo. Participants also read articles from PLN 17 Online Accessible Readings.

The PLN frameworks provide the theoretical foundations and structure for this course: The Four Lenses of Learning and The Five Reading Writing Talking Processes. These research based frameworks shape how educators examine texts and how we reflect on classroom composing lessons. The Four Lenses of Learning reflect a life long perspective on language, literacy and learning. Participants must purchase and bring the Fletcher text to each class. PLN provides a copy of "The Plainer Truths of Teaching, Learning and Literacy" as a mentor text and a list of online accessible articles.