Vignette or Episodic Writing to Produce Authentic Work

[Lindsey Wells]

My classroom consists of 7th and 8th graders from very low socio-economic backgrounds. Many students come to me reading and writing far below grade level and several have very recently come from another country. Most of my students will be the first in their family to graduate and have the opportunity to attend college. I tend to foster this environment. My classroom is very inviting, colorful, and literate. I create a safe "home" or "base" for my students and then challenge them beyond their expectations.

 

For my presentation, I would like to focus on the idea of vignette or episodic writing to produce real or authentic papers. This idea stems from a book called Close Up that I read with my 8th graders. It deals with teens who cannot live at home for various reasons. It is real life and discusses tough issues through the eyes of young people. I have found that all of my students, low performing or not, have a story to tell. Through writing in vignettes, students are able to capture a very precise moment in time to explain their childhood. I have found that if I ask for a life story, I recieve a long and wordy tale of nothingness. But by modeling powerful vignettes, students are able to focus their story-telling and create very meaningful writing. Though conventions are still lacking in many final products, their voice is extremely authentic and their stories are as well.

[Leigh A. Rasmussen]

Lindsey,

Wow, what a powerful foundation for a student's writing. Speaking/writing from the soul or gut is hard but can be a release for some students. Helping them develop the vocabulary and writing skills to make their stories complete will be challenging but extremely rewarding for all who participate. I am interested in how you will outline this lesson for the students. I am ELL certified and understand that sometimes these students have to go through a process of first thinking of their thoughts in their native language then they express it in English. I understand that these are not the only students you are speaking of; however I wonder if allowing them to talk and record their stories first might be interesting? They could listen to the recordings and edit their choice of vocabulary, and parts of how the story sounds.

 

Using their real life experiences can only enrich the vignette. There are so many interesting real life experiences out there to use as examples too. I hope you might be able to make a collection of papers and maybe allow the students to illustrate their vignette. What a collectable you could create!

Sincerely, Leigh