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= = **Motivating Struggling Writers - Using Technology**

Purpose
Motivating Struggling Writers - Using Technology is designed primarily for K-12 writing teachers. Whether you identify yourself as a writing teacher or as a teacher who incorporates any form of writing in their curriculum, this course is for you! The purpose of this course is to explore ways that we can engage struggling writers and work to motivate all writers specifically through the use of a variety of technology.

This course will provide opportunities to further your thinking and reflection, as well as tools and classroom ideas for how you may choose to incorporate a new idea to engage writers. While the information on this site is especially helpful to motivate struggling writers, the materials on this site can be adapted for various grade levels, writers and instructional needs. Further, the difficulty of the technology and assignments vary. It is our hope that this site will prompt further reflection and that you might begin to further engage student writers using technology. Also, we recommend that when planning your work with writers, identifying the objectives of your lessons and activities should remain at the heart of your practice. That is, don't pick the technology for your assignment, select the technology based on your goals and objectives. We hope these ideas motivate you on your quest to engage writers.

You may also join the discussion about topics related to motivating struggling writers. To engage in the discussion, click on the discussion tab at the top of the page and make a post.

In general, technology tools noted in this course are free to use as of 2011.

How to Use this Course
**You don't need to "join" the wiki to use this course, so don't click the "Join This Wiki" button - just get started.** You can write in the discussion tabs without being a formal wiki member. Just contact the instructor directly or register at [].

**As a Resource or Professional Development**
We hope you will engage in the content on this website and choose the area of writing or technology (see the links in the navigation as a guide) you are interested in further exploring through use of the navigation. You may also join the discussion through the discussion forum.

Registering for this Course
Please register for this course through Ingham ISD Professional Development or contact Amy Kilbridge at AKILBRID@inghamisd.org for assistance with enrollment. There is no need to belong to this wiki in order to comment. Simply respond to the discussion forums provided on each page to engage in the professional development conversation.

** Professional Development for Credit **
To obtain credit for 5 hours of online learning through this course, please complete the following:


 * Complete the introduction page using the discussion tab to post your responses.
 * Identify one area of writing or technology to focus on (see the links in the navigation as a guide).
 * Try a skill with a student or students.
 * Write a reflection about your experience and post your response under the discussion tab.
 * **Your reflection should include but is not limited to:**
 * What did you choose to do?
 * Why did you choose that? What were your objectives for the writing experience?
 * What worked? Why did you think this turned out well?
 * What didn't? Why do you think it didn't work?
 * How did you go about teaching the material? Provide examples.
 * How did the students respond?
 * What did you learn about your own learning and teaching?
 * Would you do this again? Why or why not? If so, what would you revise?


 * If you are unable to work with students, remember that as a teacher of writing, it is important to be a writer yourself. Therefore, create your own writing examples that may be used as models when you are able to work students and reflect on your process and the connection to your classroom.

If you have a reflection or student work (with permissions to share) that you would like posted on the site, please share this in the discussion tab under the area of writing that you focused on.

When you have completed your work, email Amy Kilbridge at AKILBRID@inghamisd.org Ingham ISD Secondary Literacy Consultant.

This work has been developed by Dawn Reed and Elana Waugh under the auspices of Ingham Intermediate School District, Red Cedar Writing Project and Project Write. Dawn Reed is a high school English teacher working with students in grades 9 - 12. Elana Waugh is an elementary school teacher.

This work is copyrighted 2010 © by Ingham Intermediate School District. All rights reserved.