Teaching Strategies and Skills Development

Robin Mellum, a children's book writer and middle school teacher, discusses her structured writing program. She emphasizes six key writing skills: voice, hooks, sentence complexity, figurative language, vivid imagery, and show don't tell. Mellum explains the importance of teaching these skills in a specific order to build student confidence and engagement. She also highlights the integration of these skills throughout the year and the potential for community collaboration among teachers.

What is the primary focus of the Writing Workshop?

• Spelling accuracy

• Reading comprehension

• Developing six key writing skills

• Teaching grammar rules

Who is Robin Mellum?

• A college professor

• A science fiction author

• A children's book writer and middle school teacher

• A high school teacher

What does the Structured Writing Program emphasize?

• Student-led engagement

• Strict adherence to grammar

• Memorization of vocabulary

• Daily quizzes

Why does the workshop focus more on routines than processes?

• Routines are less time-consuming

• Processes are outdated

• Routines help develop actual writers

• Routines are easier to teach

Which skill is considered the 'signature' skill in the workshop?

• Figurative Language

• Hooks

• Voice

• Sentence Complexity

Why are hooks important in writing?

• They engage the reader

• They make the text longer

• They are easy to write

• They are only used in advertisements

What is the third skill taught in the workshop?

• Show Don't Tell

• Sentence Complexity

• Vivid Imagery

• Voice

How is figurative language integrated into the workshop?

• Through weekly quizzes

• Through separate lessons

• By highlighting examples during reading

• By memorizing definitions

What is the last skill taught in the workshop?

• Show Don't Tell

• Sentence Complexity

• Hooks

• Voice

Why is the order of teaching skills important?

• To fit the school schedule

• To follow a traditional curriculum

• To ensure students learn the most important skills first

• To make grading easier