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Focus on Writing

Alice J. Gregg
Okay School, Okay, Oklahoma

Subject: English
Grade: 8-12

"Students discovered that pictures emitted emotions, and they attempted to recreate these emotions in their writings."

Purpose and Description of Project

The aim of "Focus on Writing" was to use photography to encourage creativity in writing by placing the students outside the classroom environment. Alice Gregg developed posters containing photographs, assigned writing in relation to the photographs, and developed an illustrated anthology of students' writing.

Activities

Using black-and-white photos, Gregg prepared five posters, one each on kite flying, the nearby countryside, basketball, the local park, and school activities. She chose only topics and photos the students could relate to. Each poster then became the source for ideas during poetry and free writing lessons.

During free writing, for example, the class examined the photos and discussed the activities associated with each. They then brainstormed ideas and spent 10 minutes on free writing. This was followed by small-group discussion on each individual's written exercise, a class discussion on the elements of good writing (including such aspects as conversation, suspense, and beginnings and endings), students' editing and revision of their work, and a sharing of the finished products with the class.

In the case of poetry, the lesson began with a discussion of imagery, alliteration, personification, repetition, and rhyme-in short, the elements that come together to make good poetry. This was followed by a timed writing period during which the students wrote poems based on ideas suggested by the photos. As students reviewed each other's work, they underlined phrases they particularly liked. Then each student rewrote his or her work in three different forms, with lines being longer or shorter, verses separated differently, or, perhaps, in an entirely new shape. Small groups selected each student's best effort to be displayed and included in Gregg's writing anthology.

The 30-page anthology included student-selected prose and poetry from Gregg's eighth- through twelfth-grade classes. One criterion for selection was that the writing had to complement the photos from the class posters; yearbook photos and relevant clip art were also used to illustrate the anthology.

Materials, Resources, and Expenses

To prepare the posters, Gregg used a borrowed 35 mm camera and one roll of 36-exposure film that was developed and enlarged by a former student. Additional photos used in the anthology were originally taken for the school yearbook. A social studies teacher contributed the drawing for the anthology cover, and the printer who produced the anthology assisted Gregg in preparing the material for reproduction.

The anthology was an 81/2" x 11" 30-page book with 17 photos and a plastic comb binding.

Outcomes and Adaptability

Gregg discovered that using photos of familiar subjects made it easier for students to get into the process of writing and to write something they could take pride in. They also were more motivated to complete and revise their writing so it could be included in the anthology. By combining writing with photography, Gregg helped students develop their writing skills, and the illustrated anthology gave them a product they could show with pride to family and friends. Because she thought writing and photography are subjective art forms, Gregg did not give a pre- or post-test. But she did note definite improvement in writing ability, as well as in spelling and grammar usage.

"Focus on Writing" could be used in any language arts class, according to Gregg. By using fewer or more photos, a teacher could simplify the project or provide a full semester of assignments. The anthology could also be limited or expanded as funds permit.

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