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Guided Writing for Teens (Supported Creative Writing)
In this 8 week guided writing course, learners will write a piece of creative writing inspired by a wordless book called "The Arrival". We will follow the plot points of the book, allowing us to concentrate on our writing development.
Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 10
Intermediate Level
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
This is a guided-writing experience, for teen learners to develop their creative writing skills. This means that we will all be writing our story at roughly the same pace as each other, following the same action/plot points. We will be using the class text 'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan, which ideally your learner will have a copy of. It is a wordless book published in 2006, that delves into the experience of being an immigrant. Through its evocative illustrations, it captures the journey and...
8 lessons//8 Weeks
ย Week 1Lesson 1Lesson 1We dive into chapter 1 of our class book with no words. We write our own paragraph/s where we develop our skill of showing not telling. This helps our reader have time to feel something and reduces our temptation to focus purely on action. We will consider how we can include conjunctions in our writing. Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 2Lesson 2Lesson 2The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will consider how we can include some of the 5 senses into our writing, to further deepen the reader's experience. We will also look at varying our sentence structures by using simple, compound and complex sentences. Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 3Lesson 3Lesson 3The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will learn how a motif can be used within a narrative to direct the reader to a theme or idea. We will explore how verb choices can strengthen writing. Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 4Lesson 4Lesson 4The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will look at how writers 'show not tell' to make their writing more interesting for the reader. The more the reader has to engage with the writing - the better! Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 5Lesson 5Lesson 5The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will look at how we can use metaphor to help the reader connect to what the character is experiencing. We will also reflect on how different adverbs can give the reader different impressions. Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 6Lesson 6Lesson 6The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will look at how we can accurately use commas to write grammatically accurate sentences. Learners should complete their writing after class if needed, and submit it for feedback.ย Week 7Lesson 7Lesson 7The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will continue writing our stories with instruction based upon each cohort. This could be extending punctuation use (colons and semi colons, or punctuating speech) or literary devices.ย Week 8Lesson 8Lesson 8The pace at which we work may vary depending on the learners in each cohort. The syllabus may not directly align with each week, as we may move slower or faster. We will continue writing our stories with instruction based upon each cohort. This could be extending punctuation use (colons and semi colons, or punctuating speech) or literary devices.
- Develop confidence in creative writing
- Develop skills in creative writing
I'm Ms. Riot, a creative teacher (certified, qualified and experienced) from London, England. My teaching adventure began at university with the completion of my 4-year degree (Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Primary Education) back in 2007. In the UK, we achieve our QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) through additional exams and proven experience which I also achieved in 2007. My dissertation allowed me to carry out research into how we can motivate young learners to want to read more. I completed one of my student teaching placements in Arizona, USA and I worked as the Literacy Lead for two summers at a not-for-profit camp in New York, USA. As an elementary classroom teacher, I developed creative classrooms where students felt safe enough to fail. My passion for reading also allowed me to develop a new career as a high school librarian, teaching reading lessons across the school. I have also taught students English up to the age of 16 at a prestigious online school. More recently, I have worked within the learning department in a large museum, teaching at a range of online schools and designing curriculum for education resource companies. I also deliver lectures to trainee teachers. At the heart of my teaching philosophy lies a belief that learning should be an adventure, sprinkled with curiosity and laughter. We can be serious about learning without it always being too serious.
0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Homework
Frequency: Available upon requestFeedback: Available upon requestDetails: Learners should give their work a small edit (basic spellings, grammar and punctuation should be checked after class, and any plot points started should be finished).Grading
Frequency: Available upon requestDetails: A certificate of completion is available by request
A copy of the book The Arrival by Shaun Tan A note book or paper to jot ideas down A pen or paper Access to the class on a computer to allow for typing
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Teacher expertise and credentials
NotInUS Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
๐ Welcome to the classroom of Ms. Riot! ๐ Greetings! I'm Ms. Riot, a creative teacher (certified, qualified and experienced) from London, England. My teaching adventure began at university with the completion of my 4-year degree (Bachelor of Arts...ย
Group Class
$21
weekly or $168 for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
45 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-16
1-5 learners per class