Primary Education
Stickwriting Stories Pictography, or "picture drawing" is an excellent strategy with students who are visual learners, or students who may need writing intervention. Because narrative essay writing is typically a multi-step process requiring students to layer their thoughts into a cohesive story, many students are overwhelmed by the writing process. According to Ukrainetz (1998), "Pictography provides mnemonic and organizational support for the recall and discussion of oral narratives and for drafting written narratives as part of the composing process" (Ukrainetz, 1998, p. 198). Stickwriting, or stick-figure drawing is a quick, inexpensive, low-stakes method of drafting which elementary students may find to be more fun and accessible as they venture through the brainstorming process.
Ukrainetz, T. A. (1998). Stickwriting Stories: A Quick and Easy Narrative Representation Strategy. Language, Speech & Hearing Services In Schools, 29(4), 197.
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The Story Face The Story Face graphic organizer is a great tool to use when scaffolding primary students' narrative essay writing. Instead of using a graphic organizer with a complicated series of boxes, why not try out using a recognizable and fun image that primary students will be excited to complete? Typically used for reading comprehension and retelling, the Story Map strategy challenges students to identify and record the basic elements of a story, thereby helping them internalize such elements and use them in their own writing. After students practice filling out the Story Map graphic organizer a number of times using different types of narratives, consider handing them a blank graphic organizer so that they can scaffold their own writing.
Staal, L. A. (2000). The Story Face: An adaptation of story mapping that incorporates visualization and discovery learning to enhance reading and writing. Reading Teacher, 54(1), 26.
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Interactive Journal Writing Interactive journal writing is a great strategy to use with elementary students. Unlike a typical journal in which students may write about a new topic each day, the interactive journal challenges students to create a "sense of story" as they add on to their previous journal entries based on teacher feedback. As teachers read each entry, they comment or ask questions which encourage students to extend their story, rather than begin a new one. This strategy not only builds writing stamina, but also helps students collaborate with their teachers and receive daily feedback on their writing. This is a great way to keep creative juices flowing, while also working on plot development!
Cress, S. W. (1998). A Sense of Story: Interactive Journal Writing in Kindergarten. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26(1), 13-17.
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Secondary Education
Adding Flair Ask middle schoolers to write more and add detail rich in imagery and you will hear groans. How can educators encourage students to ass detail and flair to their narrative essays? Patel and Laud suggest the strategy of "visualizing and verbalizing" before, during, and after writing. Students who use this strategy simply close their eyes and picture what they want to write in their mind. They mind even consider drawing the images they see. In addition, they verbalize what they see or draw to their teachers and peers in order to ease the transition from ideas to actual writing. According to Patel and Laud (2009), "Of 3 students [in the study], 2 made marked improvements, according to measures that included length, number of story elements included, number of images, and a holistic rating of overall writing quality" (Patel & Laud, 2009, p. 2).
Patel, P., & Laud, L. (2009). Helping Students to Add Detail and Flair to Their Stories. Preventing School Failure,54(1), 2-11.
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Narrative Essays and Comic Strips Secondary students will love this narrative writing strategy! Consider using comic strip writing to jump start the brainstorming process, scaffold writing, or enhance writing. Friese (2013) writes, "Illustrations aren't a stage in writing that students should be encouraged to leave behind. Instead, illustrations can add another layer of depth and meaning to a writer's text" (Friese, 2013, p. 28). Why stop at a narrative essay, when you can introduce this mode of writing to add depth to student writing. Student will find comic strip writing engaging and fun!
Friese, E. G. (2013). VISUAL NARRATIVES. Knowledge Quest, 41(3), 24-29.
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Graphic Organizers for Narrative Essays
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All organizers retrieved from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2014/03/graphic-organizers-personal-narratives