Engaging Writing Assignments about Literature
Erin Faultersack
Writing and literature go hand in hand. It is hard to think about one, without considering the other. Writing is an essential part of understanding, analyzing, and thinking about literature. As Carol Jago points out in her article Crash! The Currency Crisis in American Culture, “Because writing about literature disciplines the mind. It challenges students to look closely into what they read and express clearly and powerfully what they find there” (Jago). As teachers, we must use the tools of writing to help our students think deeply about the literature that we are assigning. Let’s help our students see the wonderful connection between reading and writing!
Writing Communities
In The Literature Workshop, Sheridan Blau mentions many great ideas for integrating writing with literature. One excellent suggestion that he gives having students write interpretative papers, but using their peers to help build interpretations. For this assignment, students will choose one piece of literature (from a given list) and then write separate papers based on their own initial interpretations of the work. Then, after writing their papers, students will meet back in their groups and read each other’s papers. In this process, students are noticing familiar ideas and interpretations of their own as well as new ideas that they may have not considered prior. In the next stage, students will strengthen their papers and add new ideas if they choose. Here, if students are taking interpretations from their peer’s paper, they will have to quote that student in their paper. This assignment is great in so many ways. The students are learning to cite other sources, in a simple and comfortable fashion. Also, the students are building a strong sense of community in their classroom.
Modern - Day Connections
Another very important aspect of incorporating writing with literature is to bring a modern sense to reading. Some texts can be difficult to understand, but when putting a modern twist on it, it can sometimes be a lot more comprehensive to most students. Christian Knoeller writes, “Such popular forms do provide several marked advantages-among them student familiarity with genre conventions, as well as classroom-appropriate use of contemporary language and dictions. In fact such exercises asking students to write an updated version of a canonical dramatic text are arguably an act of interpretation” (Knoeller). Students can translate texts into present-day interpretations in many ways; writing scripts, translating with modern-day vocabulary, or even acting out particular scenes are.
Responding with Poetry
Both Christian Knoeller and Craig Steenstra both suggest the idea of using poetry to help students become engaged in literature. “By writing poetry about their reading, students are engaged in the interpretation and expression of the text. Providing students with avenues to explore their inventiveness is crucial to bringing them into the learning
process” (Steenstra). Many students may complain about writing poetry, but as Steenstra points out, they always would almost rather choose poetry over writing a two-page essay. Inviting students to write poetry in response to literature opens new avenues for both students writing and textual interpretation, whether writing in like genre, extending an existing text, or responding to a poem with a poem” (Knoeller). Poetry can really help students feel expressive about a piece of literature!
Personal Reflection
The main message that I receive from Erin's article is that teacher's really need to get their heads out of the ground and start finding ways to be more creative ways in getting their students to really want to search for their interpretation of a text. Whether they the quite student or the outspoken student in the classroom, every student has a very strong opinion towards an interpretation of a text; and with such strong interpretations comes the desire to be very expressive.
Of course, the first thing we need to do as teachers it out students hooked into the text. Therefore, I love Erin's idea of creating a modern twist to a text. By doing this, students will feel that they have an actual connection with the text - not to mention the strong interpretations that they will demonstrate. Of course, if you really want to impress your students, stay away from the mundane essay as the finalizating of a unit.
While the five paragraph essay is crucial to the standardized test - making dodos, the students need a break for crying out loud. An English teacher doesn't only need proof that their students comprehend a particular text from the typical essay - allow the students demonstrate through dramas, songs, poems, artwork, or whatever have you. As long as the students abide by your guidelines, the demonstrations of comprehension are limitless - while the five - paragraph is a short limit.
Of course, the first thing we need to do as teachers it out students hooked into the text. Therefore, I love Erin's idea of creating a modern twist to a text. By doing this, students will feel that they have an actual connection with the text - not to mention the strong interpretations that they will demonstrate. Of course, if you really want to impress your students, stay away from the mundane essay as the finalizating of a unit.
While the five paragraph essay is crucial to the standardized test - making dodos, the students need a break for crying out loud. An English teacher doesn't only need proof that their students comprehend a particular text from the typical essay - allow the students demonstrate through dramas, songs, poems, artwork, or whatever have you. As long as the students abide by your guidelines, the demonstrations of comprehension are limitless - while the five - paragraph is a short limit.