Student Views of Writing Audiences

Student Views of Writing Audiences



This question matters to me because I discovered, in my preliminary research, that middle schoolers in a public school setting do not feel they can trust anyone to hear their writing period. Since I may teach in a setting such as this, I want to get at the root of students' feelings such as these. My goal is to create a safe environment in my class for students to engage in and exceed standards for all types of instruction, writing included. I believe there is an important question to be asked about the types of writing teachers assign and how and when students approach them differently. I plan to speak with teachers and students in middle and high schools in North Providence, Providence, and Pawtucket, where I have established relationships. I believe I will need to construct a line of questioning that encourages survey-takers to go beneath the surface of their reasons, to reflect on their school year thus far. At this time, I am developing a set of questions which I believe will reflect a process in their thought patterns.