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Well-built writing prompts
Consider process as well as product

Writing assignments that require a constructed written response are called prompts. They have nothing to do with timely performance, as I'm sure you are aware from excuses you've heard for late assignments.

Rather, they give opportunities, reminders, or suggestions for writing, as in "You might want to write this essay if you don't want to stay home from the basketball game Friday night."

Such assignments are a normal part of life in both the workplace and in academic settings.

In work situations, the assignment-giver is interested only in the final product.

In school, however, the writing process is as important as the product it delivers, so each formal prompt should include instruction in the writing process.

Below is an overview all the pages on the subject of of writing prompts for teen-age and adult students currently available on this site. For your convenience, I've included some that are on other threads.

 informalwriting
Linda Aragoni says

Questions &
answers on
informal writing

My ebookShape Learning, Reshape Teaching answers 24 questions teachers at all levels and in all disciplines ask.

It includes informal prompts on writing mechanics topics and discussions of the sample prompts to help teachers use informal writing for formative assessment or learning activities.

MORE

Linda

Linda Aragoni

Pages that explain the functions of prompts

Good prompts contain a writing topic, put it in context, and provide clear directions to help students respond.

Good writing assignments accomplish more than one course objective.

To help you understand how all this information comes together, see my discussion of expository prompts.

Pages about formal prompts on this thread

Formal prompt should cue a student response.

Formal prompts call for care from students and teachers

Good formal prompts do much more than say it's time to write.

Authentic formal prompts teach

Formal expository prompts multitask

2 expository prompts , one good, one bad

Free high school ELA prompt deals with passive voice

Free high school ELA written project prompt includes online research

2 free middle school ELA prompts about onomatopoeia and online searching

3 persuasive essay prompts on ELA topics

4 argument essay prompts on ELA topics

Authentic ELA uses of expository narrative prompts.

3 ELA narrative prompts that won't make teen guys squirm.

Pages on this thread about informal prompts

Informal prompts about homework beat homework.

Informal prompts can be students' admission ticket to class.

Teachers must respond to informal writing without grading or editing it.

Functions that can be served by a daily prompt

Choose a type of daily prompt that fits your teaching needs.

A daily prompt, like daily exercise, need not be same activity each day

Pages about informal prompts on other threads

You will find some pages about informal writing prompts on other threads on this site:

A definition of informal writing on the expository writing thread.

Information about my book Shape Learning, Reshape Teaching: An English Teacher's Guide to Using Informal Writing with Teens and Adults on the expository writing thread.

A discussion of write-to-learn prompts on the best practices thread.

A discussion of informal prompts as a classroom management aid on the best practices thread.

Several pages about using informal prompts for formative assessment on the assessing and grading thread.

Return Home from this page starting the writing prompts thread.

Published 09-Aug-2008; updated 30-Dec-2011
SLRT
e-book Shape Learning, Reshape Teaching

 

Comment of You-Can-Teach-Writing visitor

Son hates writing

I just found you and your site. I am a mom of a 12 y/o 6th grader who hates to read and write. He can't write without help by me. I have had him tutored and begged for extra teacher help to no avail.

Your site has been a godsend.

~ Dawn
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