facing our fear of writing
DESCRIPTION
Presentation done at the 2014 NECTFL (NORTH EAST CONFERENCE ON THE TEACHING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES) IN BOSTON, MA. March 29, 2014TRANSCRIPT
NECTFL 2014 * BOSTON, MA.
FACING OUR FEAR OF WRITING
By Mónica Mulholland, Ph.D.
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
March 29th- 3:30-4:30
AGENDA
* Brief intro on “writing agony”
* How to turn this agony into productive writing
* Process Writing in stages
* Techniques & Practice
* Samples from Nuestro Blog
A PRODUCTIVE WRITING ATTITUDE
1. Tolerance: To err is human, we
learn by making errors.
2. Manageable expectations: Go for
“Good” rather than “Superlative”.
3. Discipline: Practice makes perfectly good
4. Involve the Multiple Intelligences Howard Gardner’s Theory (1983).
Linguistic
Logical-mathematical
Visual
Musical
Bodily-kinesthetic
Intra-personal
Interpersonal
5. Turn down the volume of the Inner Critic
Denise Jacobs, “Creativity Evangelist”, describes the Inner Critic as an aggressive and mean troll.
PROCESS WRITING IN STAGES:
* Write in class (composition notebooks).
Holistic grading (IB type): Content,
Style, Language
* Review following instructor suggestions.
Students might have to submit a second
draft
* Post on blog
* Read and respond to a classmate
* Out-of-the-classroom replies (i.e. from
Argentina)
TECHNIQUES & PRACTICE
1. Observation
What surrounds me?
2. Personal connection
A. Finger prints
B. Object/photo
3. Meditation and Mindfulness
Walking meditation
SAMPLES FROM NUESTRO BLOG
Article from Revista: Conversación sin barreras
“If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.” Ray Bradbury
BIBLIOGRAPHYBlanco, José A. Revista: Conversación sin barreras. 4th
Ed. Boston, MA: Vista Higher Learning, 2014. Print.
Bleichmar, Guillermo and Paula Cañón. Taller de escritores. Boston, MA: Vista Higher Learning, 2012. Print.
Goldberg, Natalie. The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with Language. Shambhala, 20013. Print.
---. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, Shambhala, 1986. Print.
Jacobs, Denise. Banishing Your Inner Critic. Creativity. September 20, 2011. Web, March 10, 2014.
