Greg Rivard's
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                                           Writing

Hello! Welcome to my blog. At the top you will find a list of pages for each session we have had in PED 3148. Within the posts there are pictures and resources relevant to the given topic. Below is my introductory piece on why writing is important in English language and literature studies.

            Importance of Writing in my Subject Area 

As a future teacher of writing in the field of English and literature studies, there are many things about writing that I believe are important. However, if I had to choose one, I would say that it is important for students to understand that writing is a messy process. There is no “correct” writing process, and writing does not have to operate in a linear fashion. If I decide that I want to write a descriptive paragraph about a foggy meadow, I may begin my writing process by drawing a picture of the meadow. Although the picture will not contain words, it is a part of my writing process because it has helped generate ideas, and has formed a visual for what I will be describing. As a teacher I would try to allow my students as much time as possible for pre-writing and brainstorming activities. I believe many students benefit when extra time is devoted to pre-writing. When students have time to develop ideas without the stress of a good copy deadline bearing down on them, they are more likely to use writing as a tool for exploring ideas. One of my main goals as a teacher of writing would be to try and relieve the stress that can accompany writing. I think prewriting exercises are one solution. Once students have had the opportunity to put their ideas on paper in any form, it is then possible to assist them with the more technical and structural aspects of writing.