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Kerns and McCaleb (2019) explore fascinating facts about interactive, stimulating, and personal writing activities within the scope of a larger literacy strategy which promotes both reading and writing through writer’s workshop. A writer’s workshop gives literacy a chance to come alive. It short, writer’s workshop develops prolific student roles and involves actively engaging students in the writing process by training them in a fun and informal workshop. Lucy Calkins was one of the original founders of the innovative writer’s workshop. Feinberg (2020) defines writer’s workshop as a personalized approach with direct instruction through mini lessons as a reiteration of Calkin’s statement. The teacher and students act as co-collaborators in the writing process in regards to proper spelling, grammar, and syntax. The
teacher also guides the students with creative expression and setting up a story with detailed
characters, a setting, a plot, and resolution. Calkins and her colleagues were once criticized for not focusing on phonics, therefore they developed a unique phonics program aligned with engagement practices which apply phonics to interactive reading and writing. Ralph Fletcher was another founder and promoter of writer’s workshop, as he and his wife have hosted intriguing training seminars on the subject matter. Columbia Public Schools (2020) extols how Fletcher encourages a writer’s notebook to be a safe haven for students’ thoughts and feelings. Art is encouraged through photos, stickers, heart and mind maps, and colorings. This stimulates the imagination into storytelling mode, and both easy physical and breathing exercises are fully promoted as well. Students work through phases such as mini-lessons, free choice writing, conferring, and share time. A writer’s workshop is intended to be a warm, welcoming, and exciting place for all students involved.
First and foremost, writing must be personally meaningful to the writers, and then have cultural or social significance to readers. The terms studio thinking and workshop thinking are undoubtedly attention-getters in the fact the term studio connotes artistic expression, exploration, and free-thinking. Students choose topics of genuine interests in which they can connect with from everyday life experiences. Students may work in pairs or in groups for for freewriting to brainstorm new and imaginative ideas. Once this is accomplished, the workshop thinking may begin. In this phase, students may begin creating characters, plots, settings, and themes for their stories. During the workshop, students can start using their imaginations to think about how they want to create their characters and how to tell an innovative and intriguing story. Students learn about the technical mechanics of grammar, spelling, and syntax that goes into excellent, well-planned storytelling and writing. Teachers may provide examples and have a special time for individual and group sharing through reading, storytelling, or even acting. Artwork and other creative forms of expression may be accompanied by the writing as well. The teacher can model creative construction as a means of gradually giving students greater responsibility in writing projects.
Kerns and McCaleb (2019) do not specifically mention the involvement of English language learners, however, they do address honoring cultural diversity and significance. Cultural diversity is recognized by reading and listening to unique stories and having lively discussions about different ethnic groups, customs, and languages. Activities such as crafts, dancing, music, and children’s games from other countries can generate greater cultural awareness as well. Breiseth, Lafond, and Roberson (2011) make a concise connection between literacy and engaging migrant and immigrant students and their families in schools and communities. The literacy research team spoke about the paramount importance of involving these students and families in regards to participation in various activities and functions such as tutoring, sports, and parent-teacher organizations. Schools could reach out to parents by sending letters home with students, sending texts or emails, or by setting up a classroom site on the district’s website or on Google Classroom Hangout. Teachers may also simply invite parents to events during an initial open house night at school. Going a step further, envisioning an
innovative a bilingual or multicultural reading and writing club in a school might spark huge
excitement and interest in many people. In short, this could connect the idea of a writer’s
district’s website or on Google Classroom Hangout. Teachers may also simply invite parents to
events during an initial open house night at school. Going a step further, envisioning an
innovative a bilingual or multicultural reading and writing club in a school might spark huge
excitement and interest in many people. In short, this could connect the idea of a writer’s
workshop with a writer’s club and a community partnership. Mainstream students and their
parents could get together with English learners and their families to read and write stories,
and learn from each other. Diversity assemblies and culture nights would bridge the gap between
culture groups and languages. Everyone could have an equal say in the creative process, and
learn academics from a literacy point of view as well as a social studies point of view. Equality
is important of course, but so is equity. Equity can easily be accomplished through small
accommodations or slight modifications such as the use of visuals, graphics, gesturing, total
physical response, and restating or rephrasing for better comprehension. Hands-on manipulative
use is very helpful as well for tactile activities involving abstract ideas. Iconology, the use of
icons on a word wall can be tremendously aesthetic and fun to stimulate learning and discussion.
All of these strategies are staples in English language learning and teaching, and could be
modified for an ELL-focused writer’s workshop with a mainstream peer buddy club.
In conclusion, the articles mentioned in in this collaboration collection may seemingly
deal with two separate topics—a writer’s workshop concept and family engagement for migrant
and immigrant families, however, they can easily be connected in the fact that an after-school or
early evening reading and writing clubs for mainstream peers and English language learning
friends can actually increase academic knowledge of English and reading literacy for both sides
and the scholastic spectrum. Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS) Family (2007), revealed schools
functioned best when they act as partnership or open-door schools where parents and families
are welcomed to visit and inquire about students’ well-being and academic progress. The come-
if-we-call or fortress schools do not foster good relations with parents or students if they seem
unwilling to get to know families and the needs of the study body. Building relationships,
sharing power, and addressing differences edify links to learning such as specialized workshops
that deal with reading, writing, and expanding comprehension in academic partnerships. Special
cultural events such as diversity assemblies and culture nights can increase ethnic and language
appreciation by connecting families and friends in schools and communities.
References
Breiseth, L, Lafond, S., & Robertson (2011). A guide for engaging ELL families: Twenty
strategies for school leaders. íColorínColorado!
https://www.colorincolorado.org/sites/default/files/Engaging_ELL_Families_FINAL.pdf
Columbia Public Schools (2020). Writer’s Notebook. Centricity.
WRITERS%20NOTEBOOK%20EEE.pdf
Feinberg, B. (2020). The Lucy Calkins project: Parsing a self-proclaimed literacy guru.
Education Next.
https://www.educationnext.org/the-lucy-calkins-project/
Kerns, W. & McCaleb, A. (2019). Writing workshop: A chance for literacy to come alive.
Missouri Literacy Association/The Missouri Reader. https://view.joomag.com/the-missouri-reader-vol-43-issue-2/0068358001574051031?short
TSS Family (2007). Four versions of family partnerships. Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction. https://dpi.wi.gov./sites/default/files/imce/sspw/TSSFamily_FourVersionsof
FamilyPartnerships.pdf
Matthew Freeman lives and works in Springfield, Missouri, where he is currently an English language learning (ELL) paraprofessional at Central High School. He completed his master's program in TESOL at Missouri State University to prepare him to be an ELL specialist, a Spanish teacher, or general education elementary co-teacher
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Writer's Workshop for English Language Learners
by
Matthew Freeman