Writing Strands Activities
National Writing Institute Curriculum Stresses Process and Purpose
Although intended for homeschool students, David Marks' Writing Strands curriculum provides excellent guidelines for anyone who teaches or evaluates student composition.
Writing Curriculum for Homeschoolers and Classrooms
David Marks' Writing Strands (1-7) curriculum provides a fantastic guideline for teaching process writing. Although intended for homeschool students and their parents, the National Writing Institute Series offers practical assignments backed by solid research for any teacher of writing. First published in 1988, the seven-level writing program lives up to the promise of its subtitle. It is indeed "a complete writing program using a process approach to writing and composition."
Process Writing
Process writing is a philosophy that promotes the teaching of composition through progressive activities that encourage drafting, proof reading for specific skills and rewriting. Process writing teaches students to work toward a product worthy of "publication." Publication may take the form of a "reading" for family members or even a showcased piece on a bulletin board or refrigerator. A printed newspaper representing work from a family, classroom, writer's group or homeschool co-op might likewise provide purpose for the writer. At all times students are encouraged to consider the relationship between the writer and his purpose, audience and subject.
Writing Activities
Along with daily writing activities, each of the successive Writing Strands workbooks provides guidance for homeschool parents and other writing teachers who wish to provide meaningful activities and purposeful advice for proofreading. All activities follow a set of ten National Writing Institute Standards that promote the hard work and fun rewards inherent in process writing.
Inexperienced and seasoned writing teachers alike will find the text's breakdown of skills quite helpful. For each exercise, the author includes the following tools:
- Skill Areas: Does the lesson teach point-of-view? Description? Organization?
- Objectives: What are the specific objectives for each of the lessons? What will a student understand if s/he completes the lesson?
- Record of Progress: Students are asked to evaluate the strengths of their own writing as well as areas that need practice.
Marks also provides a list of common problems along with definitions, rules and examples. The list can be used by teachers in conjunction with the Evaluating Writing workbook or by older students who use self-assessment.
Cornerstone of the Classical Curriculum
Since grammar, spelling, and mechanics are taught in the authentic context of the writing, it is not surprising that author Susan Wise Bauer promotes Writing Strands as a useful series for homeschoolers using a Classical Curriculum. Students who complete this series will have a very thorough experience with a multitude of writing genres from business letters to persuasive writing to expository compositions.
