Students need updated writing genres, and a real reason to write.
Evolutions in technology and connectivity have brought about significant changes in the ways writing is produced and shared. Yet despite monumental shifts in the practice of writing, how we teach writing has remained largely static. What we need is a new set of genres for writing instruction: genres that will speak to students who are already immersed in rich and multifaceted literacy practices through social media, gaming, and new technologies.
Jessica S. Early's Next Generation Genres provides an alternative framework for a secondary writing curriculum that places a central emphasis on helping students gain the experience they need to write with confidence in academic and civic life. If your students' eyes glaze over when they face a standard essay assignment, perhaps it's time to let them try writing an infographic or a podcast!
