Lori+Van+Hoesen

A possible topic for my inquiry: How does a teacher use manipulatives (or even one's own body movement) to help students access language and unlock their ability to write? After a student has a topic they really want to write about, the next struggle is translating that vision from the brain, through the arm and hand and recreating it with paper and pencil. Even accessing the language orally first can be hard for some.

Another possibility: In creating a story, how does the process of story telling differ from the process of story writing?

I'm interested in the connections and differences between oral and written language. Specifically, I'm wondering how the act of storytelling connects directly to learning and the development of metacognition, even for upper elementary students. It is widely accepted that talking before writing enhances writing, but how about the talking itself? Neuroscience tells us that brains are wired to understand and be attracted to information presented in the pattern of a narrative. I know that, as teachers, sometimes speaking and listening take a backseat to the easier-to-assess reading and writing, but these skills carry more potential than we tend to believe. Obviously there is a huge connection to teaching social skills and creating empathy, community etc. I don't think anyone would argue that children love stories and that they have a place in the classroom, but perhaps we don't use story to its full potential as a pedagogical tool? This is where I am starting from.

[]
 * Here is a podcast from your writing group about your Teaching Demonstration:**

Here is ours: http://soundcloud.com/user1068040/loris-demo-letter