Using Commonplace Books to Help Students Develop Multiple Perspectives

Autor/in	Carbone, Paula M.
Titel	Using Commonplace Books to Help Students Develop Multiple Perspectives
Quelle	In: English Journal, 99 (2010) 6, S.63-69 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0013-8274
Schlagwörter	Rhetoric; Perspective Taking; Persuasive Discourse; Critical Thinking; Thinking Skills; Student Journals; Assignments; Teaching Methods; High School Students; Writing Skills; Discussion (Teaching Technique) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Rhetorik; Zukunftsperspektive; Persuasion; Persuasive Kommunikation; Kritisches Denken; Denkfähigkeit; Studentenzeitung; Assignment; Auftrag; Zuweisung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Writing skill; Schreibfertigkeit
Abstract	In this article, the author describes how she used a commonplace book assignment to help students expand their background knowledge and as a means to formulate mature, informed perspectives regarding issues of importance. In the assignment, the author wanted the students to: (1) investigate issues of the day; (2) develop multiple perspectives surrounding them; and (3) to practice writing effective, concise summaries, a skill that is important in many types of writing. The assignment also required students to format a citation properly, which helped emphasize the importance of citing sources and of avoiding plagiarism. Lastly, for self-preservation, the author wanted to streamline the grading process. The commonplace book assignment focused somewhat on writing skills, but it focused primarily on thinking skills. This format accomplished all those things without being too intrusive regarding the students' creative expression, which had an outlet in how they formulated arguments around the information they provided, if not in the form in which they presented it. The author used the commonplace book assignment in a few different ways to foster development of multiple perspectives--through small group discussions, whole-class discussions, individual presentations, and reflective revision. She concludes that providing a means to discuss issues in an informed manner gives students more than just the ability to acknowledge and appreciate multiple perspectives. Introducing the commonplaces and grand narratives to students--of all backgrounds and skill levels--gives them the means to formulate stances on issues; they are less inclined to allow media, friends, or teachers to dominate their responses to the issues. (Contains 2 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Council of Teachers of English. 1111 West Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096. Tel: 877-369-6283; Tel: 217-328-3870; Web site: http://www.ncte.org/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10