Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Writers Use Mentor Texts ~By Suzy Leopold

Writers know the value of reading mentor texts. 

My students at Lincoln Land Community College, know the value of reading mentor texts. Students in my classroom read for pleasure becoming proficient readers. Through daily reading, freshman learn how to write and make improvements with their writing.

Mentor texts can be used in a variety of ways for all students and writers. Mentor texts become powerful models to inspire students and writers.

There are times when I share direct instruction to guide students and model for them good writing elements and what to look for.


"Let's look at what real writers are doing. Let's see how 
we can learn from these writers." 
Ralph Fletcher, Author

A shorter reading passage can be used as a mentor text to focus students' attention with a mini-lesson.
I picked these flowers for you
from my 2018 garden.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Here's an example of a mini-lesson using direct instruction along with what I might say . . .

Today's lesson includes author's word choice. Let's read, and look for word choices made by the author on these two pages.

Now reread. This time as you read, jot down and write as you answer these questions:

1. Do you note active verbs?
2. What word did the author chose? Think of a synonym that may work.
3. Did you find interesting figurative language, such as a metaphor?

I don't always require students to focus on a particular concept, such as word choice. Some lessons are less structure, allowing students to discover what is working in a piece of writing. As an educator, I must encourage higher order thinking through the six steps of Bloom's Taxonomy [there are several variations of Bloom's Taxonomy--a cognitive development tool]. The highest level of learning takes place is through evaluating. To do so, students are judging the value of the material being read for a given purpose.

Click on the link again and you'll note active verbs used by students for this learning outcome: evaluate, appraise, assess, compare, and so forth.

"Every writer, no matter how skilled you are or how beginning 
you are, encounters and reads something that can 
lift and inform and infuse their own writing."
Ralph Fletcher, Author

Writers and readers use mentor texts to discover why writers are successful. Reading and examining books as model texts encourages readers and writers to become better at the craft of writing.

Mentor texts are powerful tools--books that students and writers can learn from, glean from and eventually affects your writing in positive ways.

There are numerous methods for reading and examining mentor texts to support students and writers.

I'll share a mini-lesson on the Book Head Heart Reading Framework.

The BHH model was developed by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst. They are the authors of DISRUPTING THINKING WHY HOW WE READ MATTERS.

"What do we mean by Book, Head, and Heart?
This is a simply a short, telegraphic phrase to suggest 
that we need to pay attention to the text, to our thoughts about it, 
and to what we feel and how we might have changed, 
no matter how slightly, as a result of reading."
Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst

BHH Reading
The BHH framework is a great tool for students and writers to stop, notice, and note.
DISRUPTING THINKING
WHY HOW WE READ MATTERS
Reading carefully requires a certain amount of stamina, concentration, and patience. There are moments when a reader needs to slow down and ask what is working and what isn't.

Open up a mentor text and read it. Now read the story for a second time--better yet, read it aloud. Consider using the BHH Reading Framework. Find several ideas that can be used as a take-away to make your own writing polished and satisfying.

Next month as you participate in ReFoReMo, with coordinators and contributors, embrace mentor texts in a way that makes room for your meaning to improve your writing.

Check out these Picture books by Ralph Fletcher
This tab shares books for writing teachers and there are excellent tips for all writers on the teacher hangout tab.

19 comments:

  1. So many fabulous resources here for REFoReMo month, Suzy. TY. Great post.

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    1. Do hope you and all writers find some useful ideas to use when studying mentor texts, Kathy.

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  2. Appreciations for the advice, dear Suzy.

    And also, for the lovely flowers from your garden (although probably picked earlier in the year?)

    Happy Valentine's to you & your Hubby, too.

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    1. Your cutline answers my question! More Heart Day thoughts to you & to all our Group Blog writers & readers.

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    2. My pleasure to share flowers from my garden with you and our GROG Blog readers.

      Happy Valentine's Day to you and Paolo.

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  3. Wonderful lead-in to Reading for Research month. Thank you! And happy Valentine's Day - love the flowers!

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    1. Always my pleasure to share writerly tips and flowers with the readers of the GROG Blog.

      Happy Valentine's Day, Patricia.

      Suzy

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  4. A great way to organize our thoughts. Thanks.

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    1. You are welcome, David. There is much to look for and take note of while reading & analyzing mentor texts.

      Thank YOU for being a GROG blog follower.
      Suzy

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  5. Wonderful post! This gets our heads thinking and preparing for next month! Thank you!

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    1. As you read and study mentor texts, Angie, may the books touch your heart, too. Thank YOU, for your support of the GROG Blog.

      Happy reading & writing.
      Suzy

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  6. thanks for helping us get ready for ReFoReMo! This is great, Suzy.

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    1. ReFoReMo is around the corner! Thank you, Sue.

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  7. Thank you, Susy, for this cue to get ready for ReFoReMo. I find Bloom's taxonomy quite interesting, and try to prompt my son to slow down and evaluate what he's reading, especially when he's reading nonfiction. But it's important reminder for us all. I love the acronym BHH. That's a great entryway into reader response. Great post!

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    1. You are too kind, Jilanne. Hope you AND your son discovered some tools to support your reading and writing.

      Suzy

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  8. "Embrace mentor texts in a way that makes room for your meaning to improve your writing." Love this post, Suzy :) I'm looking froward to ReFoReMo 2019. Thank you for the inspiration.

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    1. My pleasure to share with you, Cute Charlotte. May your manuscripts shine as you read stacks of mentor texts.

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  9. Great information and good reminders, Suzy. These are all the techniques I stressed with my middle school readers, but it's good to be reminded that they work for us as writers, too!

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    1. Thank you, Julie, for sharing your experience of using the techniques with your middle school students.

      All the best with your writing.
      Suzy

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