Body | Objective: Learners will be able to evaluate, embellish, and reflect on their own work.
Mode: Presentational Writing
Materials Needed: envelopes, paper for letter writing (provided), ff appropriate, a container to hold the letters (consider using culturally relevant realia to serve as your “time capsule”).
Procedure:
- Students compose a letter to their 100 year old self. (A separate sheet has been provided for this.)
- When done, students place their letter in an envelope with their own name on it. The instructor collects and stores the letters. Consider adding some drama by storing the letters in a time capsule type container (like a shoebox).
- Periodically pass the letters back out to students. It is recommended that students revisit the letter at least 3 times through the year. If possible, incorporate material being covered in class into the subsequent work with the letter (e.g. embellish the details of the letter using new vocabulary. This can be done through annotations or a rewrite, or both.)
- Each time the students work with the letter they add another layer of information to the original assignment, and they continue to return the letter into its original envelop and to re-submit it all together. The revisions can be formal or functional, but it is a good idea that there always be a reflective component.
- The more self directed the process can be the better. The idea is that students are seeing themselves, their choices, and their language ability unfold over time. The more agency they exercise through the process the more accurately the work will reflect their development and inspire them to act autonomously.
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