Learning Log Entry #11

At the beginning of the semester, I thought I had a pretty thorough understanding of the different genres we were going to study. I thought this way because when I first started teaching I taught ELA classes. I taught students the writing process and introduced them to different genres of writing. The knowledge I have gained through this class makes me think about what I was teaching those children in North Carolina. I realize my understanding of writing and reading different genres was limited. From taking this class, I now have a deeper understanding of all the genres we studied.

Specifically, I have learned about the different features of each genre that makes it unique from the others. For example, when I was preparing for my biographical genre expert presentation, I learned the genre is separated into three different categories. The biography category can easily be recognized because someone writes the story about another person. The autobiography category is also identified easily because the author tells the story about himself or herself. I did find that the personal narrative category is easily confused with the narrative genre. In an earlier post, I described the differences between the two. Writing that post allowed me to think through my confusion between the two and realize there are distinguishable features. The narrative genre requires more development into the characters, plot, setting, and theme. A personal narrative is less developed and is told by the person who experienced the event. Personal narratives are usually shorter and are told from first person point of view. Narrative stories are made up and told from various points of view.

I also have a deeper and more defined understanding of the text features of the persuasive and descriptive genres. I learned there are three specific ways to persuade and different types of arguments are used in persuasive writing. The persuasive genre seems the most natural for students to write in since they learn to be persuasive from a very young age. Reading the descriptive chapter and reading descriptive books, made me realize how difficult it can be for some students to write in this genre. I now understand students can struggle to create vivid pictures for readers, leaving out important sensory details that makes the descriptive genre unique. I must instruct and guide my students through selecting words carefully, using their senses to create mental pictures for the reader, using different language techniques, and including dialogue. These features are what makes the descriptive genre stand apart from the other genres we studied.

I have gained a deeper understanding of the journal genre and think all the types of journal Tompkins (2008) discussed have a specific use within the classroom. Reading in this genre allows students to connect more fully to the characters. When students write in the journal genre, they are creating historical documents. The simulated journal is the most unique type of journal because students take on a different perspective as they write. I have learned more about the letter writing genre too. The most predominant feature of this genre is the audience. When students write different types of letters, the purpose determines their audience. The purpose of writing expository texts is to allow students to share their knowledge in a variety of ways. When students are reading and writing in this genre, it is to gain or share information. The audience is considered wide and unknown by the author in the expository text.

Of all the genres, I feel I learned the most about the poetry genre. I learned specific strategies to teach students to write different types of poems.  Previously, I have encouraged my students to complete form poems, but I didn’t consider this a real form of poetry. At this point, I still somewhat intimidated to teach my students poetry but now I feel I at least have a starting point.

I wish I could go back to North Carolina and reteach the students I taught first years of my career. I would have introduced my students to reading and writing different genres in an entirely different way. For example, I would have brought in texts to initially expose students to a specific genre. Then, I would have encouraged students to begin writing in this genre, I would provide support and examples like the teachers provided in Furr’s (2003) article. I would decrease support over time and introduce genres one at a time.

Furr, D. (2003). Struggling readers get hooked on writing.  The Reading Teacher, 56(6), 518-  

          525.