This activity allows students to develop their writing skills in an environment where they are not being assessed or evaluated. Writing developed in this manner is rarely taken beyond the first draft and is usually written in short bursts. Students are encouraged to play with words and style, and may be given the opportunity to share their work.
Strategies/Skills Used
Writing Skill 1: I generate ideas in a variety of ways.
Writing Skill 4: I write so my thoughts flow smoothly and are easy to read.
Writing Skill 5: I carefully choose the most effective words to express my ideas.
Writing Skill 7: I use my personal style to make my writing unique.
(1) Have students engage in an individual “free write.” Keep in mind the characteristics of a free write:
- Topics are open ended, experimental, and selected by the student.
- Comments made are only positive and never critical, because the pieces are about the process, not the product.
- Free writes can be initiated with or without a prompt and should occur in the classroom frequently.
(2) If you wish, offer students writing prompts. Possible prompts:
- One-Word Memory Association – Give students a single word, and allow them to write down all their memories associated with it.
- Random Word Association – Write a list of random words on the board, and allow students to write a phrase they associate with each.
- The Longest Sentence in the World – Ask students to write, without using any punctuation, until the end of the timed write.
Primary
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Intermediate
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