Those of you who have visited my blog before may have noticed that I did a little face-lift to the design. I've changed the name from Literacy Links to ACS Teacher Talk because this will be a place to share instructional ideas that span wider than just literacy. The URL address remained the same, just to reduce headaches.
Here is a little something to get you started with keeping writing a focus:
One of the easiest strategies to try out in your classroom is pre-writing and reading analysis with FAT-P. If you have forgotten, the acronym stands for:
Form: What are you being asked to write?
article, letter, blog post, proposal, instructions
Audience: For whom is this piece likely written?
friend, classmates, teacher, employer
Topic: What are you writing about?
Purpose: What is the author trying to accomplish with this?
to inform; to persuade
These are a few ways to use it in your class:
- First, have students write the acronym in their daybooks. If you want a typed version for them to paste in notebooks, click here. It is also a good idea for them to flag it with a small sticky note or highlight the edge of the paper since we want them to reference it often.
- Have students read articles or text and determine the FAT-P before they begin discussing or writing about the piece.
- It can be used to "attack" a writing prompt and help students to understand what they are being asked to create. (Sample below)
- After writing an initial draft, have students answer the FAT-P for their own writing.
- During peer review/conferencing, have students read someone else's work and see if they can provide the FAT-P for their peer's writing.
If you have other ideas, please leave them in the comment section. Have a great year teaching and learning!
Chandra Manning
