Resources and tips for teaching writing
in this issue of Writing Points

• How does this grab you? An in-context vocabulary list builder

• Federal stimulus: Resources to restart teaching, learning

• Writing expectations for college-bound kids

• 31 new pages on thesis, writing process, & grammar topics

• Grab a "2-fer' and build a website

Writing Points presents vocabulary resource
Grab this tool to build in-context word lists

Most vocabulary builders work in isolation. VocabGrabber works on vocabulary in the context of reading material. You can develop vocabulary lists from any digitized text, which means you can give students a vocabulary list knowing they will encounter those words in their reading.

Here's how VocabGrabber works:

You or your students paste a copied passage into the box on the VocabGrabber page and hits the button. The software analyzes the passage and produces information about words used in it. The data includes

• Word frequency (a key to thesis or theme identification).

• Relationships of words to each other.

• Parts of speech of the words as used in the passage.

• Whether the word is part of a specialized vocabulary, such as technology, history or geography.

• Definitions of words in the passage with illustrations of the word use in context.

Although VocabGrabber is a great tool for teaching literacy, it has two limitations:

• It does not replace teaching. You have to show students how and why to use the tool.

• Users need digitized text; print materials won't work.

If you are teaching a literary classic in the public domain (a Jane Austen novel for example), or using articles from an online database, finding digital copies won't be a problem. If you want Josh and Caitlin to work with their history textbook, you may not find a digital copy.

Writing Points presents: free resources
Federal stimulus to restart learning

The federal department of education has a wealth of free resources for teaching and learning. Dozens of federal agencies have contributed more than 1,500 federally supported teaching and learning resources.

You can find materials by type or subject matter. The types are animation, primary sources, photos, and video.

In language arts you'll find digital materials about literature, poetry, reading, the English language, and media.

Writing Points presents: goals
Writing expectations for college-bound kids

Adjusting to college can be tough. Writing teachers can help students prepare for one of the adjustments by making sure students have been exposed to a variety of academic writing situations.

The Council of Writing Program Administrators (WPA) has set out these expectations for students in first-year college composition:

• Adapt writing to the needs of the writing situation.

• Be able to think, read, and write critically.

• Understand the writing process well enough to be able to revise and edit at any stage.

• Know the conventions of writing in different kinds of texts.

• Be competent users of digital media.

You can be sure students are up to the challenge by giving them writing assignments in high school that require them to adapt to a variety of academic writing situations.

Writing Points presents: 31 new pages
Thesis, writing process, & grammar topics

Since last month's Writing Points came out, I've posted 31 new pages. The first batch is about the writing process. Here's what you will learn in those pages:

• Learn more about the expository writing process
• Learn what distinguishes composition from prewriting.
• Learn the ripple strategy for brainstorming content fast.
• Learn how speed drafting helps writers regain spontaneity after they've spent hours preparing to write.
• Learn to translate textbook revision checklist jargon into terms students understand.
• Learn how students can make their own revision checklist that's better than any in any English textbook.
• Learn some revision techniques for specific student problems.
• Learn what editing is and does.
• Learn how to teach students to apply a personal editing checklist.

I split off pages about teaching grammar for writing from pages about teaching for standardized bubble tests. The second batch of new pages is about teaching grammar for writing to beginning writers whose first language is English. Note those boldface terms, please. Techniques in the following pages are not appropriate for every situation or every learner.

• Sentence recognition: writing complete sentences is an acquired skill.
• Subject of a sentence is a concept native speakers know.
• Pronouns show subjects.
• Subjects and verbs.
• Subject-verb agreement.
• Why students write sentence fragments after years of English.
• A sentence fragment recognition trick.
• Run-on sentences know no bounds.
• Teaching comma use: the #1 comma error.

I also split pages on the definition and organizational patterns of nonfiction writing away from the writing process thread. You'll find them now under a thread that begins with a discussion of elements of nonfiction.

You will also find new pages about creating and using thesis statements:

• An expanded definition of the term thesis statement
• A thesis builder (graphic organizer)
• A discussion of the working thesis, which is quite different from a published thesis
• A page about essentials for a good thesis and one about extra elements that improve an OK thesis.

Writing Points presents: a note from Linda
Grab a SBI '2-fer' and build a great website

Building a website is a great opportunity those of you who teach writing to experience the angst that your students go through as they write. There are also other reasons for building a website, notably the income it can produce. Building a web site requires work over a period of time, just as writing does. Do you sense a compare-and-contrast writing prompt coming on?

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An SBI website is also a good investment for folks who want to begin building a business for retirement income or a household in which mom or dad needs to stay at home but wants to build skills and future income.

I'm not ready to start my second site yet, but when I am you can be sure I'll grab one of these great special deals.

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The next issue of Writing Points should be released July 15, no providence preventing.

Until then, keep your pencil sharp.

Linda