Teach the Prewriting Stage
Prewriting Strategies and Before Writing Activities for Students
Getting students to identify what they want to write about is the first step of the writing process.
A child sits at his desk, with pencil in hand looking at a blank piece of paper, with no idea what to write about. Teachers should teach students how to think of something to write about rather than give endless story starters. Students need to learn what to do in the prewriting stage of the writing process.
Prewriting stage is the time for students to think and develop ideas about a topic. The writing is limited to lists, charts, and short writing pieces. The prewriting stage is not about structure; rather it is about the gathering of information to assist during the composing stage of writing.
Prewriting stage is the time for the student to explore topics via brainstorming, talking, drawing, and reading.
Brainstorming for Ideas
Students can brainstorm in small groups, alone, or with the class. The purpose of brainstorming is for students to compile a list on a topic. As each student talks about a specific topic, another student feeds off their idea for another idea for the same topic.
Teacher Idea: Teacher asks students an open ended question such as what is your favourite thing about snow? A brainstorming session does not have a right or wrong answer rather a multitude of answers to one question that feeds off each other.
Mapping
Brainstorming also aligns with mapping. Brainstorming is a random list, while mapping is a more organized list as it begins with one main theme. For mapping the teacher may suggest a word or the student chooses a word such as dogs. The student thinks of ideas that are associated with dogs. Each idea is linked to the main idea with arrows.
Teacher Idea: Teacher writes weekend in a bubble on the board and students as a group or individually thinks of all things associated with their weekend.
Talking about Ideas
Everyone loves to talk about things that interest them. During recess you will the latest about a student’s ultimate save in hockey or how their dog ate their favourite pair of sneakers. Talking can be informal or formal. Students may be asked to interview parents or a friend.
Teacher Idea: Students interview fellow students about their favourite hobby or sport. Students make notes about the student to reference later in the writing stage.
Drawing Ideas
A picture is definitely worth a thousand words. Some students are able to write after they have drawn a picture of their favorite sport or movie. Often without the picture, students have little words to describe an event.
Teacher Idea: The teacher puts a picture on the chalkboard and has the students write about it. Some students may draw about the color, or an event similar to the drawing. A variety of ideas will flow from one drawing.
Reading and Gathering Ideas
As you read a book many ideas begin to flow as you remember a time similar to this situation. As well, the student may relate to the character in the story or know someone with similar characteristics. Reading a poem or a story will engage the student and have them thinking.
Teacher Idea: Read a descriptive paragraph to the students and let them write about anything. Another choice is to do a picture walk in a book or read a poem.
Choosing a Topic Ideas
Things I Know: On a piece of paper students write about the things they know about. Students may choose from this source for a topic idea.
Rapid Writing: Students are give 5 or 10 minutes to write about anything. Whatever comes to mind the student writes about, it does not have to have any logic or organization. Students reread their rapid write and pick a topic to write about.
Observations: Students write about an observation they made today or in the past. Students can write about a doctor visit, line up at the grocery store, recess or any other idea.
People: Students chose a person to write about. They can describe the person physically or write about their job. There are many things a student can write about for one person.
