How to Best Reach All Students...

Dudley-Marling (2009) begins chapter five by stating, "The mark of skilled writers lies in varying what they say and how they say it- selecting the appropriate genre features- according to the social situation (purpose, audience, social context) (pg. 65).  I want my students to be capable of varying their work to this degree.  It is so crucial for students to learn that we write with different styles for different audiences and different purposes.

I appreciate that Dudley-Martin advocates for teachers to include multiple and varied genres.  Some students will make a connection with narratives while others will connect with digital literacy.  I understand the importance of introducing multiple genres for my students to explore.  It is beneficial to push all students to try writing in different genres until they find that connection.

In my field placement class, my mentor teacher encourages the students to try out most genres.  One of the struggling writers wrote an action-packed narrative, and the mentor teacher suggested that he take that story transform it into a comic.  She pointed out that all of his dialogue and action verbs would be better suited in this particular genre.  Since the class has yet to study comics as a genre, the teacher pointed out some excellent mentor texts that were in the classroom library.  I am looking forward to find out more about his story transformation.

As Dudley-Marling (2009) points out, "...deliberately reading a wide rage of genres to students encourages them to broaden the purposes and audiences for their writing, and it provides data for children about how different genres work" (p. 68).  Varying the daily read-alouds exposes the students to more genres while allowing them to experience genres that they may have never experienced before. Reading and writing are truly interconnected!

In chapter six, I learned about the multiple dimensions of writers-  "a composer of ideas, and editor who understands structures and conventions, and an author who understands that her writing has power" (Dudley-Marling, 2009, pg. 89).  I love thinking of the individual student writer as having multiple dimensions in their writing.

Chapter seven provided multiple ways to engage students in improving spelling and conventions.  In my previous teaching experience, I placed far too much value on correct grammar conventions.  I am finding out that I did not give my students choice and ownership over their writing.  Dudley-Marling's (2009) statement, "Students tend to drop the meaning and personal investment attached to the act of writing when the point of writing becomes achieving the highest possible score" made a huge impact on me (pg. 110).  I do not want to be the teacher that causes students to lose their personal investment in writing.  I am determined to become the best possible teacher for my students.

I am learning more each time that I teach and conference with the students in the writing workshop environment.  I will apply these readings to make my teaching more effective and my writing conferences more helpful for the students.


Dudley-Marling, C., & Paugh, P. C. (2009).A classroom teacher's guide to          
          struggling writers: how to provide differentiated support and ongoing      
          assessment. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.