Chapter+6

=Curriculum Approaches for the Differentiated Writing Classroom= //"A butterfly charts his individual course.// //The young author chooses his writing destiny."//


 * Overview:** In their final chapter Chapman and King focus on the importance of providing students with writing experiences which will emphasize "each student's individual needs" (137). The authors hope that acknowledging this attention to student's individual needs will help students develop skills they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. This expressivist concern with writing reflects the ideas of expressivist scholars like Peter Elbow and Lad Tobin who define the act of writing in regards to the search for an individual voice in order to discover meaning. This concept empowers students to think freely and idealistically. The teacher's role therefore in teaching writing, is to encourage student's individuality and self-discovery.

//"Agendas are given to students who need individual, specific assignments. The Agenda is designed for the student who does not need to work on the total group's activities. Assignments teach the **standards on the student's ability level** using stimulating, challenging activities in his area of interest. Busy work is not included. A time line is set for completion of the work. As each task is completed, it may be placed in an Agenda folder. The student keeps a checklist or **reflection log** in the folder. The reflections may be useful as **assessment** pieces. An Agenda may be part of an approved contract that addresses the **learner's diverse needs**"// (139). Advantages of Agendas include:
 * **__Agendas__**
 * **__Benefits﻿__**
 * 1) The ability for a student to work at their own pace
 * 2) Student can choose the sequence of their writing tasks for their own project in their own allotted amount of time
 * 3) Working independently helps student gain valuable insight into **"self-directed learning"** (143)

An Agenda is an example of an **independent writing project**, which has its own set goal and purpose. Like Agendas, independent writing projects need a well-developed time line and prerequisite standards before the project's onset. Sometimes the goal of an independent writing project is designed "with an essential question to answer, hypothesis to prove, or problem to solve" (143). Chapman and King focus on the importance of the student and teacher working together cooperatively to create a writing experience that cultivates valuable growth in the student's needs before, during, and after the writing experiences.
 * __**Individualized Writing Projects**__

=Summing It All Up=
 * //"A goal of teachers is to provide the guidance and support each student needs to become an effective author. Differentiated instruction provides student authors with an **understanding of their thinking styles, their intelligences, and their personality profiles.** Recognition of their **strengths** and genuine praise builds the young authors' confidence in their writing ability. They learn to view errors and weaknesses as **opportunities to improve**" (146).//
 * //"An effective author knows how to identify topics of interest and his **most comfortable style** for writing assignments and informal writing. He knows how to use his **knowledge and related experiences in his writing**. The productive young writer knows how to **use various writing forms to communicate information** he has learned. He **possesses a repertoire of writing strategies he can apply automatically to organize and communicate his ideas**" (147).//
 * //"The effective writer knows how to use the **steps in the writing process**. He realizes that revisions are always possible. He is aware that he may make many attempts before he produces a final copy" (147).//

Chapman and King stress the conventions of the developing young author as an individual process:


 * 1) **Internal motivation** drives the author to succeed
 * 2) The author looks forward to each writing experience as a **self-fulfilling** challenge