Basically, it goes back to the study of the Progymnasmata we read last fall. Personally, I hate using them, but that's because I have developed a series of intuitive templates in my head.
Most students have not.
The use of templates allows students to say what they need to say using solid academic phrases, modifying words, developing a useful academic vocabulary.
Next time around, or perhaps this time around after I look at their first drafts, I want to develop a plan for including TS/IS in the curriculum.
I learned to develop templates at a very early age. I remember being in about fourth grade and being asked to write reports about animals. I went to the encyclopedia and basically copied what they said, changing the vocabulary so that it was in my own words.
ReplyDeleteIt seemed like cheating at the time, but I don't think so now.
The instructions were to write in our own words, and I did that. My sentences were clear because I had a clear structure to follow.
I wonder now if that is one of the things that taught me how to write.
I was talking to Kirsten about this concept. We are both intuitive learners. As a result, we tend to identify patterns and follow them without actually thinking about them.
ReplyDeleteI asked her if she had read any articles about student learning by templates, by patterning. TSIS and the Progymnasmata are examples of this.
I told her I was thinking of this as a thesis topic--She said "writing by ear?" Exactly the title I was thinking, I told her.
She had seen some things that were like this, but not quite. Definitely an idea for further research.