How do you teach your children to "find" resources for writing?

[home4school]

So we've been using a mish-mash of writing programs-WWE, IEW, Meaningful Comp, Remedial Outlining, etc. We've done the narrating, dictation, copywork.

 

I don't have a problem so much about teaching them "how" to write from material given to them, but how do you go about teaching them to "find" material?

 

Everything so far has presented them with a prepared document to "imitate". Even for a history topic we're studying, I will prepare something for them to use.

 

How do you get away from handing them the source document?

 

We've never done book reports. When we do bios, I give them the bio to imitate.

 

I just can't think this through.

 

They're 12 & 14, btw.

 

Thanks for any suggestions,

Kim

[Capt_Uhura]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question. If DS wants to write an essay on the early life of Alexander the Great, have him go to the library, use the catalogue and find suitable books on Alexander the Great. Or if you have a lot of books at home, have him peruse your bookshelves. If he's looking in general history texts then talk about using the index etc. Is that what you mean?

[home4school]

I guess I mean teaching them how to really use an entire book or or multiple books to write their paper. Up until now, they have just been imitating an already written work, except for narrations.

 

I just don't know how to teach them to scan for info that would be a cohesive paper.:confused:

 

Like now, when I need something for a history topic, I will just google and pull things from different sources together into an IEW-type paper and then they do the IEW thing to it, basically rewriting from a KWO.

 

How do I teach them to do the part I'm doing, pulling info together?

 

Does that make any sense at all?:tongue_smilie:

[Daisy]

We brainstorm the expectations of the report.

 

She makes a general outline.

 

I help my daughter find books/article/resources. She skims them (we've discusses skimming versus having to read the ENTIRE thing) and jots down notes on 3x5 cards. Each resource gets its own 3x5 card. She writes down the information and puts the bibliographic information on the back. No copying direct quotes unless she gives the proper due.

 

If she needs to tweak her outline she does that.

 

She puts the 3x5 cards in order with the outline.

 

She writes her report using the information she pulled from the resources.

 

I review it. I make sure there is no plagiarism (she is still learning how to synthesize information and make it her own) and help her tweak for grammar, syntax, etc.

 

She copies out the finished report and lists the resources she used (I don't make the bibliographies very complex at this point).

[regentrude]

I just don't know how to teach them to scan for info that would be a cohesive paper.:confused:

How do I teach them to do the part I'm doing, pulling info together?

 

 

Just have them do it. Often. You can assign them reading for instance for history and have them take notes. Some people prefer outlining; we don't, we just take notes. This extracts the information from the sources.

Use one or multiple sources. Then assign (or have them select) a topic for a writing assignment related to their reading. They will refer to their structured notes for information.

I am not quite sure what you mean by "imitating", but I can tell you what we do. My kids read and find an interesting topic. Right now, DS11 has decided to write about the changing role of the church between Middle ages and Renaissance. He gets his history books, reads them, takes notes or remembers the content, and then writes down in a report what he finds important. He edits his report, with some help from me.

For longer assignments, I encourage them to make an outline or plan of what they want to accomplish before they start writing.

But I don't quite see what I would "teach" there - aside from giving them many opportunities to write about many different topics and let them improve their skills.

[redsquirrel]

I would add that it is very important to teach them how to quote the work they are using to help prove their point, use the correct notation and site the work properly.

 

I would expect to start introducing that issue in late middle school to early high school. But I am sure there are people who are there already.

[Keniki]

I guess I mean teaching them how to really use an entire book or or multiple books to write their paper. Up until now, they have just been imitating an already written work, except for narrations.

 

I just don't know how to teach them to scan for info that would be a cohesive paper.:confused:

 

Like now, when I need something for a history topic, I will just google and pull things from different sources together into an IEW-type paper and then they do the IEW thing to it, basically rewriting from a KWO.

 

How do I teach them to do the part I'm doing, pulling info together?

 

Does that make any sense at all?:tongue_smilie:

 

Just exactly the way you described it. :) At 12 and 14 I'm guessing they know how to "google". If not, teach them. Then teach them how to carefully look at the information on the sites they find and decide if the infomation is interesting and useful. If so, print it off. If not, go on to the next site. SWIM? If they pick a topic that's interesting to them, it will be fairly easy for them to decide if the website is useful and interesting to them, then it will probably be useful and interesting for pulling together a paper, and if not, they get experience at going "back to the drawing board". (Wow, that was a horrible sentence!)

[1Togo]

Sent you a pm.