Teaching Writing to Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learners

"As a writing teacher for twenty-some years, I wish I′d had access to this material." -Marilee Sprenger, Educational Consultant Seattle Pacific University "Helps teachers see how to approach writing in ways that make it fresh, relevant, and accessible." -Carol Ann Tomlinson, Professor of Educational Leadership University of Virginia "True to one of the basic tenets of writing, the book shows rather than tells . . . . This makes for a fun and engaging read." -Erin Sullivan, Research Associate University of Connecticut Are your picture-smart, music-smart, and body-smart learners lagging behind their word-smart and number-smart peers? Donovan Walling offers innovative new ways to help these learners become effective writers! With an emphasis on matching teaching method to learning style and developing both basic writing competencies and higher-level thinking skills, this resource offers instructional strategies, sample lessons, and pathways to fluency that focus on Organizing ideas "artistically" Using walkabout strategies to clarify concepts Using pattern and rhythm for writing sense, and much more Twelve sample lessons and a learning styles self-assessment make this an essential resource for teachers, literacy coaches, and curriculum designers who want to expand writing curriculum and incorporate more non-linear methods into their instructional repertoires.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1. Writing Processes and Differentiated Instruction Assembly-Line Writing Teaching Writing for Meaning Learning Styles and Differentiated Instruction Stimulus, Process, and Product Learning Styles Self-Assessment References 2. Writing About Real Things School Writing Versus Authentic Writing Multidimensional Authentic Response Writing And Then: The Process Phase Pathways to Fluency Sample Lesson 2.1: Respond As a ___ Might Sample Lesson 2.2: Multidimensional Authentic Response Writing References 3. Observing, Then Writing Sensory Reportage Visual Reportage Auditory Reportage Kinesthetic Reportage Translation Into Different Forms Sense Exploration Writing Up the Taxonomy Sample Lesson 3.1: Template and Checklist Strategies Sample Lesson 3.2: Observation and Sensory Reportage References 4. Organizing Artistically Pearls-on-a-String Organization Inductive and Deductive Organization Inverted Pyramid Organization Identifying Key Ideas Another Translation: Factual Reportage Sample Lesson 4.1: Gathering and Organizing Information Sample Lesson 4.2: Artistic Organization 5. Clarifying Ideas Using Walkabout Strategies Walkabouts Paragraph Walkabouts Auditory and Kinesthetic Paragraph Walkabouts Collaborative Planning, Drafting, and Revising Guide on the Side Sample Lesson 5.1: Paragraph Walkabout and Sense Exploration Sample Lesson 5.2: Paragraph Walkabout Analysis 6. Using Patterns and Rhythms for Writing Sense Discerning and Adjusting Patterns and Rhythms Translating the Visual and the Auditory for Kinesthetic Learning Brevity, Elaboration, and Conceptual Density Outlining to Revise Sample Lesson 6.1: Outlining to Revise — and Revising Sample Lesson 6.2: Patterns and Rhythms for Writing Sense 7. Choosing the Right Words Basic Words: Nouns and Verbs Correct and Politically Correct More Basic Words: Adjectives and Adverbs Brevity Spelling Improvement Sample Lesson 7.1: Reviewing the Words Sample Lesson 7.2: Up Close: Choosing the Right Words References 8. Increasing Focused Engagement Selective Correction The Importance of Portfolios Making and Using Rubrics Rubrics and the SAT Essay Concluding Thoughts and a Final Checklist References Resources Print Online Index

About the Author :
Donovan R. Walling is a writer, editor, educator, and consultant. He serves as a senior consultant for the Center for Civic Education. He has taught art, English, and journalism in the United States and abroad and has worked as a curriculum administrator in public school districts in Wisconsin and Indiana. From 1993 until 2006 he was director of publications for the education association Phi Delta Kappa International. Walling is the author or editor of more than a dozen professional books for educators and numerous articles and other publications. He is nationally recognized in the field of art education, where some of his publications include Under Construction: The Role of the Arts and Humanities in Postmodern Schooling (Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, 1997); the Corwin Press books, Rethinking How Art Is Taught: A Critical Convergence (2000) and Visual Knowing: Connecting Art and Ideas Across the Curriculum (2005); the core chapter on visual and performing arts for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’s Curriculum Handbook (2002), and the “Art in the Schools” entry for Macmillan’s Encyclopedia of Education (2003). Walling’s recent books include Public Education, Democracy, and the Common Good (Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, 2004) and Teaching Writing to Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learners (Corwin Press, 2006).

Review :
"I think the content in this book is excellent and it makes a great contribution. As a writing teacher for twenty-some years, I wish I’d had access to this material...This is important and seminal work that is needed for differentiating writing for students with strong learning preferences." "True to one of the basic tenets of writing, the book shows rather than tells...The author consistently conveys ideas through metaphor, symbolism and simile, without extraneous words or overly elaborate imagery. This makes for a fun and engaging read." "The book helps teachers see how to approach writing in ways that make it fresh, relevant, and accessible. It is substantive and not a twinky ′feel good′ book. ...it will be useful to teachers who work diligently to help students become more competent and confident writers." "The book makes a distinct contribution to the teaching of writing; I am not aware of any other book that addresses the issues so comprehensively."