National Writing Project

This is a highly readable book made so by its brevity as much as as the compelling and breezy style with which Carl Nagin composed it. In an ideal world, frankly, such a book would not need to exist; essentially, this book makes the argument that students should--indeed must--write across the curriculum if we expect them to understand the material to which teachers introduce them. And that doesn't mention the importance in this information age of learning to write cogent sentences, and to organize them into rich, meaningful paragraphs. It strikes me as odd indeed that this is a case that needs arguing, so obvious are its premises and consequences. If you're looking for ideas for units and lessons, you will find that here, but not in abundance. If you're looking for evidence to support your argument for writing in your pedagogy, that you'll find here--and used wisely, you will make your point.… (altro)

Secondary ELA teachers and teacher educators will find this book quite useful. The authors clearly delineate the advantages of implementing digital writing strategies within the secondary classroom, citing both the abstract pedagogical and sociocultural reasons as well as the practical implications of preparing students to use current technology, much of which they already use in extracurricular contexts.

Published in 2010, some of the information and resources in this volume might be a bit outdated already, but the framework for implementing a digital writing ecology (a term that the authors explain expertly) remains helpful to digital writing novices as well as veterans. Perhaps most impressive is the authors’ insistence on foregrounding teaching and learning objectives within the context of technology and digital resources. They advocate matching the tool (digital or otherwise) to the task rather than crafting objectives around the available technology.

Whether discussing rationale, strategies for implementation, standards, assessment, or professional development, the authors ground their thinking in sound pedagogy and real world contexts.… (altro)