Resources from the Short History of Writing InstructionNewsweek's 1975 article, "Why Johnny Can't Write"
"Your Kindergartner's Writing Under Common Core" from Greatschools.org ILA, NCTE, etc. "Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches" In the comments, please feel free to read one or more of the resources linked here and write a response to get the conversation going!
2 Comments
Laikyn Hackett
3/13/2017 12:50:49 pm
For my response, I am focusing on discussing 'Why Johnny Can't Write'. This article has been mentioned in several of my classes, but I have not gotten a chance to read it until now. Although the issue that is being addressed is an undeniably relevant one, I do feel that this shift in writing style has to do with the change in medium in which we write. Now, most of our writing is geared towards electronic publishing, and the elaborate formation of words has been replaced with being as short and concise as possible. Readers have become impatient, simply wanting to click on an article and get the main idea of its purpose before moving onto another piece. It also has to do with the fast-paced lifestyle that a majority of us partake in. Looking back 100 years ago, people knew how to appreciate a book and didn't have the compelling feeling of wondering what's out there that they're 'missing out on'. So while yes, writing has lost its significance that it once held to a majority of people, I do not believe that all hope is lost. I also have to argue that writing is something that takes talent, and while everyone can write and improve their work, its unfair to compare modern writers to classical writers and their style. Saying a generation 'can't write' is a bit unfair, and instead we need to be looking for ways to improve the writing of today, not comparing it to how things used to be.
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Sara Cain
4/2/2017 03:54:38 pm
I thought Jessica Kelman's article, "Your kindergartner's writing under Common Core Standards," served as an informative, accessible response to Merrill Shiels' piece, "Why Johnny Can't Write." As our world changes as a result of technological advances, writing styles shift to adapt to the new mediums, so we need to prepare students for real-world writing. Kelman's piece focuses on what happens in kindergarten classrooms in order to accomplish this task. Young students are now required to illustrate and verbally describe their writing, as well as write in three different styles: informative, opinion, and narrative. They learn about the revision process through discussion with classmates and their teacher, and discover foundational grammar rules through read-alouds and the act of writing itself.
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