Sommers revision strategies of student writers and experienced adult writers summary sommers lecture called revision strategies of student writers and experienced adult writers starts with words of the author, the reason for this, i suspect, is that current models of writing process have directed attention away from revision 378. English 3100 20thcentury composition theory and practice. Sommers shows how teachers too often write comments that come off as arbitrary, idiosyncratic, contradictory, and even mean, even though they. Across the drafts nancy sommers harvard university for the past thirty years, i have been a teacher of writing work that i love, especially teaching firstyear students. Nancy sommers, responding to student writing, in concepts in composition, ed.
A tas guide to teaching writing in all disciplines. Discusses the findings of a study of teachers written comments and evaluations of student essays. Written comments may take the form of paragraphs at the end of a student draft, or notes on email or a. Responding to student writing evergreen state college. A writers reference with exercises with 2016 mla update. Responding to student writing nancy sommers more than any other enterprise in the teaching of writing, responding to and commenting on student writing consumes the largest proportion of our time. Responding to student writing nancy sommers college. Responding to student writing college composition and communication, may 1982 in her first braddock awardwinning essay, sommers takes a look at the academic writing process from an unexpected angle as she unpacks the meaning and the motive behind teacher comments. Sommers theories on teaching writing are compatible with constance weavers theories on teaching grammar an inch wide and a mile deepfocus on one or two selected skills within each assignment to build and develop each students proficiency rather than trying to address every error in the writing. Being aware of how students perceive and react to our commentary as instructors can positively inform the way we respond to their writing. In her article across the drafts, nancy sommers discusses her interest in the effects of teachers responses to student writing in the undergraduate program at harvard university. Nancy sommers reading response my senior exit portfolio. The problem nancy sommers was addressing in her article i stand here writing is how students are misinterpreting the use of sources.
The ways i think about responding to writing, the ways i interact with students, the ways i listen a lot of that has been shaped by nancy sommers. Most teachers estimate that it takes them at least 20 to 40 minutes to com. Responding to student writing the macmillan community. Nov 24, 2014 english 3100 20thcentury composition theory and practice.
Jan 21, 2020 nancy sommers 1982 from harvard university found that most instructors comments were not textspecific and could be interchanged certainly a result of time and space constraints, but also frustrating for students who are unable or insufficiently prepared to apply a generic comment to their own specific writing sample. I hear the voice of my father reading to me from struvelpater, the german childrens tale about a messy boy who refuses to. Responding to the student writing was written by nancy sommer. Sommers is an internationally recognized leader in the field of writing studies and a prizewinning writer. Responding to student writing college of the holy cross. To me the most helpful response to student writing is immediate verbal help on the first drafts, actually sitting with a student and helping him put the words on paper freedman 56.
While sommers has always been interested in the effect of teachers responses to. Chapters 3 and 4 of the elements of teaching writing by katherine gottschalk and keith hjortshoj. In a short reflective essay, i address the content of theory and practice in nancy sommers revision strategies of student writers and experienced adult writers, in which i read and articulated the article in connection to the course text and class discussions. Summary in the article revision of student writers and experienced adult writers, nancy sommers uses a case study to show what student writers and experienced writers do when they write and then revise which lasted approximately 3 years. When students were asked each year to describe their best writing experiences, two overriding characteristics emerged.
That essay has helped many teachers think more intentionally and act more skillfully when they respond to what students write. Her articles revision strategies of student and experienced writers, responding to student writing, and between the drafts are three of the most widely read and anthologized articles in the field. Major issues should be treated more prominently and at greater length. Nancy sommers, responding to student writing sometimes, we inadvertently give students conflicting messages. Nancy sommers has done a great deal of research on what constitutes effective responses to. Pocket style manual 8th edition diana hacker macmillan. In her research she examined the revision process of student writers and experienced adult writers to see what effect revision. More than any other enterprise in the teaching of writing, responding to and commenting on. Review of responding to student writers by nancy sommers. Braddock awardwinning nancy sommers has taught composition and run composition. Jul 22, 2016 a twotime braddock award winner, sommers is well known for her research and publications on student writing.
She ends her essay with a call to encourage student writers to see writing as a discovery process, as a repeated process of seeing, and then seeing again. Low end 20 minutes per paper x 20 students x 8 papers per semester 53. Read responding to student writers, sommerss 20 book, for more expansive advice. Written from one teacher to another, nancy sommers responding to student writers offers a model for thinking about response as a dialogue between students and teachers and for thinking about the benefits of responding to writers as well as to their writing. Week 3 nancy sommers revision strategies english 12. Terrence tivnan, lecturer on education, is performing the statistical analysis. It first begins saying that most teacher comment on their student papers although most students get confused with this. Nancy sommers, sosland director of expository writing, and a team of researchers are conducting the pioneering study. Nancy sommers harvard graduate school of education.
Revision strategies of student writers and experienced adult writers nancy sommers although various aspects of the writing process have been studied exten sively of late, research on revision has been notably absent. Writers reference 9th edition diana hacker macmillan. The professors guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. I hear the voice of my father reading to me from struvelpater, the german childrens tale about a messy boy who refuses to cut his hair or his fingernails. The researchers are following about 25%, or over 400 members, of the harvard class of 2001 through their col. Responding to student writing compiled by phyllis frus, associate director this special issue of the sweetland newsletter brings together some of the best advice available about responding to student writingwhether you are teaching a writingintensive course at the introductory or advanced level, or simply assigning an essay or two over the. Nancy sommers asserts that writing teachers spend most of their time responding to and commenting on student writing. Just as it requires a great deal of effort for students to craft a successful essay, the author reminds us that teachers. As principal investigator of the harvard study of undergraduate writing, she tracked the college writing experiences of 400 students from the harvard class of 2001 to understand the complex role writing plays in undergraduate education. With linda simon, she has written the harpercollins guide to writing. Nancy sommers responding to student writers emily carr blogs. Nancy sommers studies the writing development of college students. The drafting stage of the writing process thoughtco. Among the results of the study are the fact that most teachers comments were not text specific.
Sommers begins to quantify time spent commenting on student writing. Read her 1982 essay responding to student writing, based on her study of teachers comments at new york university and the university of oklahoma. Read her 2003 essay across the drafts, based on the harvard study of undergraduate writing. Student attitudes and preferences for video commentary or microsoft word comments during the revision process.
Copies are available for free in the center for writing upon request. Most teachers estimate that it takes them at least 20 to 40 minutes to com ment on an individual student paper, and those 20 to 40 minutes times 20. Erlbaum, 2003 erlbaum, 2003 how to write the perfect essay introduction. A twotime braddock award winner, sommers is well known for her research and publications on student writing. Revision strategies of student writers and experienced. The reason for this, i suspect, is that current models of the writing process have directed attention away from revision. Responding to student writing the evergreen state college. For english 591 with carol nowotnyyoung, november 1, 2012. Start with a positive comment that starts the conversation sommers or continues an existing conversation. The reason for this, i suspect, is that current models of the writing process have directed. A brief instructor resource, nancy sommersresponding to student writers offers a model for thinking about response as a dialogue between students and teachers and for thinking about the benefits of responding to writers as well as to their writing. A brief instructor resource, nancy sommers responding to student writers offers a model for thinking about response as a dialogue between students and teachers and for thinking about the benefits of responding to writers as well as to their writing. Responding to student writers is a modest book, written from one fellow teacher to another, to remind us of the many ways in which respond ing extends the. For many, nancy sommers wrote the book or at least the article on response.
Responding to student writers by nancy sommers pages. Between the drafts nancy sommers i cannot think of my childhood without hearing voices, deep, heavily accented, instructive german voices. Oct 14, 2019 nancy sommers, responding to student writing, in concepts in composition, ed. Nancy sommers 1982 from harvard university found that most instructors comments were not textspecific and could be interchanged certainly a result of time and space constraints, but also frustrating for students who are unable or insufficiently prepared to apply a generic comment to their own specific writing sample. How do i evaluate student writing texas tech university. Writing across the curriculum responding to student writing.
What follows below is a summary of sommerss article. While sommers has always been interested in the effect of teachers responses to students writing. In the beginning of the article she talks about the difference between a fact and truth. Rethinking nancy sommerss responding to student writing, from 2006, which includes a reflection from sommers and short essays from several other scholars. There is no reason why you have to read all of your students. In responding to student writing, nancy sommers with lil brannon and cyril knoblach test the widely used and the least understood method for student responding in writing. Responding to student writing efficiently hamilton college. Nancy sommers responding to student writers the macmillan. Conventions in teacher response to student writing. Journal of education for business, julyaugust, 325330. Responding to student writing your comments on student writing should clearly reflect the hierarchy of your concerns about the paper. Pocket style manual, 8th edition macmillan learning for. Previously she directed the composition program at the university of oklahoma and taught in the english department at rutgers university, where she was a henry rutgers research fellow. Responding to a students paper involves 1 reading it carefully while making marginal comments, 2 writing a final comment in which you sum.
They made a conducts research on teachers at new york university and the university of oklahoma, they found out that the teachers comments on students are indistinct. Responding to student writers edition 1 by nancy sommers. Student frustrations before considering some approaches to evaluating and responding, it can be helpful to consider the student writer perspective. What follows below is a summary of sommers s article. I have always been curious about the ways in which students read and interpret my commentswhy they find some. Seeing beyond hearing is the point to make revision a lot easier and effective. Student frustrations before considering some approaches to evaluating and responding, it can be helpful to consider the studentwriter perspective. They made a conducts research on teachers at new york university and the university of oklahoma, they found out that the teachers comments on students are indistinct the. Sommers ends the article by stating that all writers should see their writing as with their own eyes.
Written from one teacher to another, nancy sommers responding to student writers offers a model for thinking about response as a dialogue between students and teachers and for thinking about the benefits of responding to. Responding to student writing comments and grades on student writing arguably constitute the most serious, sustained teaching intervention you can make in a students writing career. Braddock awardwinning nancy sommers has taught composition and run composition programs for more than three decades. Across the drafts by nancy sommers teacherly musings.
Four stories of writing and personal development in college. Although the article is more than a few years old now, it continues to offer a useful perspective on responding. Nancy sommers transcript welcome to pedagogue, a podcast. College composition and communication, v33 n2 p14856 may 1982. Her articles revision strategies of student and experienced writers and responding to student writing are two of the most widely read and anthologized articles in the field of composition. Responding to student writing harvard writing project. The text is about common mistakes the teachers make when commenting an essay of a student. Sommers shows how teachers too often write comments that come off as arbitrary, idiosyncratic, contradictory, and even mean, even.
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