ESOL STRATEGIES FOR WRITING/LANGUAGE ARTS!!! Descriptive Writing

Descriptive Writing

Next Generation Sunshine State Standards

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LA.4.4.1.2 The student will write a variety of expressive forms (e.g., short story, poetry, skit, song lyrics) that employ figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification), rhythm, dialogue, characterization, plot, and/or appropriate format. 

Common Core Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

ESOL Standards:
11) Apply essential strategies for developing and integrating the four language skills of listening composition, oral communication, reading, and writing.

The purpose of descriptive writings is to allow the reader to "see" what the author sees. Students will learn how to be more descriptive as they learn new vocabulary. For instance, if the author wants the reader to like a certain character, he/she needs to portray that character as having a nice personality. The author needs to think about what audience he/she is trying to attract. Once the author knows the majority of the audiences likes and dislikes, he/she can describe that characters likes and dislikes to be the same. It is important that this concept is explained to the students. Teachers need to constantly encourage their students to add more details, because it not only builds the students vocabulary, but also sparks their creativity.

Procedures:

1. Select a variety of descriptive passages to read to the learners.
2. Encourage learners to share passages they have been reading that
really made them feel like they were there. These passages might be
describing the setting, an object, or a person. The words used to show
action might be particularly descriptive.
3. Have learners try descriptive writing without further instruction. If they
are at a loss for where to being, you might try one of these activities:
Imagine you are asked by a person blind since birth to explain what
colors are like. Make a list of colors. Think about what they remind
you of. This might give you a handle on how you would describe them
to someone who could not see. You can use only those senses that
the blind person has – hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling. (Knots on a
Counting Rope by Bill Martin has a section when Grandfather is trying
to explain colors to his blind grandson. This might be read as an
introduction or as a follow-up activity.)


Graphic organizer that supports this concept: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/devchar.pdf