Looking Again: Revision and Developing the Eyes to See the Qualities of Good Writing

Presented by Georgia Heard [email protected]

Association of Teachers of English Quebec Write All About It: Fall Fare November 4, 2013

Three Revision Toolboxes

There is a thin line between teaching revision strategies and teaching qualities of good writing or craft. You can’t just suggest to kids that they revise their leads. You must show them what good leads are, and talk about how to craft a good lead. Revision is linked to knowing the qualities of good writing. 1. Structure Toolbox

[Writing] … is a piece of architecture…. It’s a building—it has to have walls and floors and the bathrooms have to work. --John Irving

2. Word Toolbox

The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. --Mark Twain

3. Voice Toolbox

It’s my tone of voice. It’s the writer’s presence in the story. --Jessica Anderson

The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques that Work (new edition, 2014) by Georgia Heard (Heinemann) Rereading with Different Lenses Rereading with the Lens of Focus and Clarity

 What is the heart of my story?

 Is there a clear theme, thesis or main idea?

 What is the focus of my topic?

 Do all the details support my focus?

Rereading with the Lens of Language

 Is my language clear, precise and concrete?

 Are there any words that I can crack-open and find other words that are

more specific?

 Are my verbs vivid and active?

 Are there any parts where I can elaborate and add more detail?

Rereading with the Lens of So What?

 How can I get my readers to care about my topic as much as I do?

 If I add this detail, will it make a difference to my writing? Other Lenses

 Sentence Variation

 Sound

 Feeling

The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques that Work (new edition, 2014) by Georgia Heard (Heinemann) Revision Conferences You’re teaching the writer not the writing – Lucy Calkins

 What did you revise today? How has it made a difference to your writing?

 Now that you’ve finished a draft with which lens would you like to reread your writing?

• I’m going to read your draft out loud and as I read listen for places where you might want to crack open a word, phrase or sentence?

• Tell me what comes to your mind or what you notice as you listen to me read your writing.

• As you listen to your writing – do you see any other pictures or images in your mind?

• How does your writing sound to you? Any place where you think you could add more or need to change?

• End the conference with a compliment.

The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques that Work (new edition, 2014) by Georgia Heard (Heinemann) Writing Center Revision Tools

 Post-it-notes

 Colored pens

 Correction fluid (white-out)

 Flaps of paper and “spider-legs” (long strips of

paper)

 Scotch tape to add-on sentences

 Scissors

 A thesaurus and a dictionary

The Revision Toolbox: Teaching Techniques that Work (new edition, 2014) by Georgia Heard (Heinemann) 7 Revision Tools for Adding Words and Text

1. Caret ^

2. Sticky Notes

3. Spider Legs

4. Blank Page

5. Numbered or Lettered Asterisks

6. Circles

7. Arrows