Author's Syntax
Using Mentor Text to Improve Student Writing Craft
What is Mentor Text
*Texts from all genres
- Speeches
- Poems
- Journals
- Well-written student work
- Biographies, etc.
*Small, targeted excerpts
*Used to demonstrate a particular craft
*Gives struggling readers/writers a concrete model
*Motivation for students
*Taps the student's creative side
*Shows non-formulaic writing
*Encourages students to take risks
*Is to be studied and imitated
*Makes powerful connections to their writings
*Short enough to be read in one reading
*Opportunity to infuse diverse cultures
Examples of how to use mentor text.
Sample Lesson Using Mentor Text
Mentor Text Resources
- Books
· Strange Bedfellows /Surprising Text Pairs and Lessons for Reading and Writing Across Genres by Carol Rawlings Miller
• Text and Lessons for Content - Area Reading by Harvey Daniels and Nancy Stinebeck
• Text Lessons for Teaching Literature Harvey Daniels and Nancy Stinebeck
-Webpages
* achievethecore.org - sample lessons
* http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/mentor-texts-traits-writing
* http://www.writingfix.com/picture_book_prompts.htm
* http://corbettharrison.com/mentortext.html
* http://www.edutopia.org/blog/using-mentor-text-motivate-and-support-student-writers-rebecca-alber