I woke up. And then I ate breakfast. And then I got dressed. And then I went on the school bus with my friends. And then the teacher gave us a test and it was hard. And then…
Raise your hand if you’ve ever received a narrative piece from a student that had a serious case of the “and thens.” If your hand is waving in the air, I am right there with you! When I first started teaching narrative writing, I was overwhelmed by the tremendous challenge of helping students write a well-organized and engaging narrative.
Early on in my career, my instructions to students were vague, and consequently, students’ narratives lacked focus and an effective storyline. Basically, I was disappointed and frustrated every time I collected their finished products. Fortunately, I was able to reevaluate my instruction and teaching materials, and I am proud to report that my students now write kick-butt narratives nearly every time.
The biggest change I made to my narrative writing instruction may be surprising, and it likely sounds counterintuitive, but I promise that it transformed my students’ writing outcomes and it will do the same to yours.
In today’s episode, I share my best tip for focusing students’ narrative writing so that the plot of their stories is engaging and organized–all the way through the end. Listen in to hear the simple strategy that changed everything for me.
Plus, to learn even more about how to uplevel your narrative writing instruction, join us for our FREE “How to Teach Narrative Writing” course.
Tune in today to hear:
- [02:45] Our best, counterintuitive tip, for helping student write strong narratives
- [03:15] How this tip relates to backwards lesson planning
- [03:45] How to teach students to write strong leads
- [05:00] How to teach narrative endings
- [08:25] All about our FREE online Narrative Writing Masterclass!
*Please note this live event has passed
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One Comment
I love the idea of having students create 3 leads for their narrative. I believe that this will help students truly slow down and think about how their entire narrative should flow, and that each part matters… the use of language, word choice, etc.
Thank-you for sharing your ideas! I enjoy each Podcast, and look forward to each one!