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What is the difference between an author's chair and the authors' circle?

Authors' circle is a small group meeting where students bring writing to share and think about more before publication. Authors' chair is just about sharing.

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During an author's circle, is the focus on spelling and grammar, or is the focus on content?

The focus is on content. Writers read aloud so the focus is kept on content rather than technique. After author's circle, writers are encouraged to go back and edit their writing for technique.

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Is this a whole class activity or for small groups?

Small groups of 3-4 students that are ready for the next steps of writing. Teacher's are included in these groups and should give feedback and recommendations, but their opinions do not bear more weight than the rest of the group.

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How often should teachers use Authors' Circle in their class?

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How often should teachers use Authors' Circle in their class?

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Is this a part of revising a student's writing? What is different from working in a small group?

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-In this article it describes what makes good descriptive writing.
-Using cluster brainstorming is a good way to help students think about what words are good to use for their writing.
-Use of dialogue can play a major part in telling a story.
-Metaphors and similes are a good way to compare something in descriptive writing.
-Writing with the use of all five senses is a major part of descriptive writing. Using all the five senses can really help pain a picture in the reader's head.
- Lastly using good word choice is important.

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-In this article it described the difference between personal narratives, autobiographies, and bibliographies.
-Personal narrative writing is something a student can really connect with, because they are drawing oon their own experience.
-Life boxes which contain important items about someones life can be used for personal narratives, autobiographies, and bibliographies.
-A bibliography poster is different type of project that allows more creativity then just a report.
-It's important when writing bibliography to write it in a structured way and to have the most important facts about their life.

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Talking about using digital writing in the classroom.
Argues that technology and digital writing does not take away from students writing and that they can help in students' communication.
Looking beyond the usual ways of writing and bringing in writing through examples of video games, comic strips created online, and blogs can help students see different possibilities in their writing.

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* Introducing stretching conferences and having one on one meetings between students and teachers to help the student understand more of their writing.
* Giving students less specific questions regarding their writing help with the student as a writer, not just their writing.
* Indicates that in her continuum of task Complexity that the conferences are more focused on the more complicated to learn aspects of writing, the uniqueness, organizing, and the why this matters sections of writing.
* Fight giving students feedback that they can use, and instead provide a comment that prompts them to think.

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* How to structure writing conferences.
* Hold conferences but not all writing needs a form of a conference. If time constraint written responses can help continue the conference after time allowed.
* Conferences are not to necessarily just to fix papers but to teach students about writing and to teach them about a concept not just point where to do something with in the writing.
*Teacher responds to students writing as a person and thinks aloud. Through this also responding as a writing teacher.
* It is important to see were students writing can give data on plans for future lessons. Writing conferences give teachers a sense of where the classroom is a whole.

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1.  Make sure the conference is an easy, confidence-building process.

We have to ensure that the child leaves the conference eager to continue writing, rather than deflated and discouraged.  Start with a compliment for something the writer has done well.  Encourage kids to approach writing in a playful way.

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2.  Start by figuring out what the writing is trying to convey before you respond with suggestions.

Assume the child is making sense.  Adopt an accepting mind-set and use supportive language.

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3.  Give an overall response first.

If someone gives you a valentines day card you would not say, “I really like how you used the word beautiful instead of good.”  You would say how touched you feel or how it made you feel.  Start by celebrating the whole writing piece.  When we comment first on mechanics we may give the message that students’ ideas are secondary to correctness.

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4.  Be generous with your praise.

Starting with the content, note everything the writer has done well.  Repeat memorable, high-quality language that the student uses.  Encourages students too use such language again.

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5. Make important teaching points.

Initially ignore editing concerns.  Keep your comments to the essentials you’ve been stressing—an opening that brings the reader in, a closing that summarizes, and ties the paper together, organizing the body of the piece.

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6. Before making direct suggestions, first establish trust with the writer by celebrating and building on his strengths.

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7. Over time, gradually hand over more responsibility to students.

At first, until students “know” what they need to do to organize, revise, and craft their writing, we teachers assume most of the responsibility for the structure of the conference.  As students become more familiar with, competent at, and confident about the process and purpose of conferences, they assume increasing responsibility for leading the conference.

The teacher can ask questions such as, “What do you think you want [need] to work on next?” or “How can I help you?”

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The Authors’ Circle is made up of 3 or 4 authors who have a piece they would like to think more about with others.  It demonstrates the social nature of writing and helps develop a sense of audience as writers read what they have written to an audience and the audience response to it.  It helps writers clarify what they have written based on the audience’s questions and responses.

Each participant in the Authors’ Circle must bring a piece of writing, including the teacher.  The piece must have been self-revised and deemed worthy by the author of possibly moving to publication in some form.  The focus in the circle is on the content of the writing, not editing things like spelling.

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Basic Procedure:

1.       The first author reads the piece aloud to the other authors in the circle.

2.       The listeners receive the piece by telling what they heard in the piece, especially focusing on what they fund most effective.

3.       The listeners then have the opportunity to raise questions about parts that were unclear to them or areas where they felt additional information was needed, or to make any other comments about the meaning of the piece.  The author can take notes to remember comments.

4.       The next author reads a piece and the process continues until each author has been heard and responded to.

5.       The authors then leave the circle to consider the suggestions that were made and to arrive at their own decisions.

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Teacher’s Role
When Authors’ Circles first begin, the teacher plays the essential role of setting the tone for the type of exchange that will occur.  The goal is to create a supportive environment for authors.  Comments that are non-supportive or that deal with aspects other than meaning are not allowed.

Like other participants at the Authors’ Circle, teachers are free to make suggestions, but their recommendations bear no more weight than anyone else’s.  After walking students through the process, teachers do not need to participate in every circle.