Teaching Students the Magic of Words

I love words. I love language, in general, but I especially love words. I think it comes with the territory for being a writer. So it breaks my heart to know that there are kids who hate reading--and, by proxy, despise writing too. I want to reach all of them. I want to get them as excited as I am about the idea that arranging arbitrary symbols on a page can somehow convey meaning, can paint a vivid picture in someone else's mind, can transport a reader to a different time and place and perspective; I want to fill them with wonder over the subtle differences between "mumble," "mutter," and "murmur."

Incorporating technology in reading and writing assignments, like we've been reading about doing, is one way to start. Most kids enjoy watching movies, and if I can help them bridge the gap between movies and books, I just might be able to turn a reluctant reader into an avid bookworm. Of course, I'll have to do it with just the right stories that can grab a student's interest and lure them into the world of literature, and just the right writing assignments that can spark a student's interest and ignite their creativity.

But none of it will work unless I'm just as passionate about the assignments as I am about the subject I'm trying to teach. And sure, making movies and slideshow presentations is nice, but it just doesn't thrill me quite like playing with words. I may have found the link that I need on page 57 of Teaching Literacy in the Digital Age. There are two short activities here: one where students explore the different possible meanings of the word "Oh," depending on the situation and how it's said, and the other looking at the sentence "I didn't say he ate your sandwich" and exploring how the situation changes depending which word of the sentence is being emphasized.

The point of these activities is to show students how they way they say words can create meaning, so that they won't need to use as many words in their stories--which, for the assignment given, are limited to five frames of photos, 50 words, and a three-minute time limit. What I like most about this assignment is its potential to teach young students the value of each word in their own writing; something that many students still struggle with in high school and beyond. Even the slightest understanding of the value of each written word early in life could give them such an advantage later on.

Of course, part of me immediately wants to bring it back to the plain, simple, written word. I can't help thinking how an assignment like this would make such a great segue to introducing students to "55 Fiction," a tiny little writing niche for stories that are each 55 words or fewer. Maybe sharing some 55-fiction stories with a class would help inspire them for this kind of assignment, or give them a clear idea of how an "expert" might craft a whole story by packing as much meaning as possible into each word, but I think for anything beyond that, I'll have to stop and really gauge how each specific class is responding. I might serve some students better by focusing on the technology and the movie-making aspect, rather than rushing them back to the written word. I have to guide and teach my students in a way that suits them, not just the way that's the most fun for me--because really, if they're not having fun learning, I won't be having fun teaching, either.