Writing Anchors: Explicit Lessons That Identify Criteria, Offer Strategic Support, and Lead Students to Take Ownership of Their Writing

Lori A. Dunn is an ESL teacher and an event coordinator, with a
background in linguistics and education in Okanagan, B.C.

Jan Wells and Janine Reid have entered into the vast field of resources
for the teaching of writing with a well-developed series of lessons
designed to “unlock the students’ personal voice.” The
establishment of a writing workshop is now an assumption in every
writing classroom, and it is approached with varying degrees of success.
Wells and Reid offer enough guidance to ensure that classroom writing
time is not relegated to journal writing alone. They establish a clear
plan for teachers wishing to encourage students to write personal
accounts, non-fiction, narratives, and poetry.

Each anchor lesson teaches a skill, such as “Zooming In on a Personal
Moment,” “Special Places,” and “Find a Hook.” The lessons are
clearly laid out, with examples, photocopiable resources, and guidelines
for evaluation. The authors share expectations for the dimensions of
students’ writing: its level of development based on the students’
engagement with the topic, vividness of language, organizational
structure, and adherence to the conventions of grammar. They also
include a rubric for assessing a student’s response to literature when
writing non-fiction.

With its clear lessons, meaningful criteria for evaluation, and
theoretical support, Writing Anchors is a useful resource for writing
teachers.