Multigenre Writing: Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay

By Stephanie Vucko and Jennifer Goodall

Underpinnings of a multigenre approach in the classroom...

• Writing assignments should have a purpose other than punishment and busy work.
  
  
• Multigenre writing asks students to explore many patterns of discourse and guides them in sequencing their thoughts into forms that will facilitate communication to others.
  
  
• The best topics for writing come from the writers themselves.
  
  
• True growth in writing is gradual, in order for students to see their growth their writing should be housed in a student-centred portfolio. This is a place where they are able to set writing goals, conference with peers, parents, teachers; where they are able to further revise writing pieces and where they can reflect on their progress.
  
  
• Multigenre writing allows students to communicate in forms that are appropriate to the message.
  
  
• There is often overlap in genres of writing in terms of style and form.
  
  
• The best way to learn to write is by writing.

Look at the Projects that provide students with opportunities to experiment with a variety of writing forms. These projects are not recipes to be followed exactly - they illustrate different ways to handle multi-genre activities. Included are instructions written for students, with background work being covered by the teachers.

The Tools that help students organize their work.