Dear Teachers, For those of you who are planning to implement the Jane Schaffer Academic Writing Program, I have created a two-week Scope and Sequence that you might like. Days 1 and 2 – Beginning of the Year Class Agreement …
Dear Dr. Louis, I noticed that you instruct students to write a “throw-away” topic sentence (TS) and return to it later to improve it. What do you think about doing that for a literary analysis body paragraph? I teach 6th-9th …
DECODING A WRITING PROMPT We have all heard students exclaim, “I don’t know how to start!” The Jane Schaffer Writing Program® (JSWP) was designed by Jane to remove that thought from their minds. From the prompt to the final draft, …
Dear Dr. Louis, What is a WOW sheet? – A. Stout, AP® English Literature Endorsed Consultant, Boise State Writing Project Fellow Dear Mr. Stout, Thank you for your insightful question! “WOW” stands for the “Web-off-the-Word”™.” It is one of …
Dear Dr. Louis, How do I teach weaving? Scott Dear Scott: “Weaving” is Jane Schaffer’s integral step of blending concrete details (CDs) and commentary (CM). When a student demonstrates his/her ability to identify and understand CDs and CMs and when …
Dear Dr. Louis, “For the synthesis question on the AP Language exam (which is basically an argument prompt but the students have to use sources as CDs), I’ve heard much talk from other AP teachers that the commentary should still …
Dear Dr. Louis, Could you remind me of that wonderful three part phrase about concrete detail? With gratitude, Marie S. Dear Marie, Of course! For student writers, knowing how to evaluate what evidence to use in an essay is a …
The Vertical Vision: A Recipe for Success is a four-part webinar series that provides teachers with a practical and effective approach to teaching novel and drama selections while integrating vocabulary, grammar/syntax, and writing strategies. Teachers attending this webinar use their …
Dear Dr. Louis, Our district is considering summer reading. What is your opinion? Delainey Dear Delainey: One answer: the best of times; the worst of times. I say that because summer reading and any outside reading requirement can be …
I am wondering about the Dialectical Journal form. My students complete dialectical journals as we read our novels, but I love this form that you attached . . . we do them in a journal notebook in class. Now that …