•  
  •  
 

Keywords

writing assignment, classroom writing, writing practice, English teachers

Submission Type

Commentary

Preview

Once, I wrote a letter to my US senator, a request from my older brother who had left the country voluntarily just a few months before. In the letter, I explained my brother's complicated situation with his legal status and pleaded for his case. This letter became the catalyst for a writing assignment in my classroom. Students wanted to write their own letters and pleas to government officials, too, explaining their different family members' situations in hopes that their letters would make a difference. And so, they set out to write. They wrote like I had never seen them write. They edited and revised many times without complaint. I was impressed. The success of this writing assignment was clear. We had a topic of high interest. We had a real audience, a model to follow, and lots of motivation.

Download

Share

COinS