Writing, Redefined

Book excerpt: What does it mean to write or to be a writer? In Shawna Coppola's book Writing, Redefined: Broadening Our Ideas of What It Means to Compose, she challenges the reader to expand beyond standard alphabetic writing and consider alternative forms of composition when assigning writing to students. This book empowers teachers to change what counts as writing in schools and classrooms, opening the door to students who may not consider themselves to be writers, but should and can. Inside you'll find alternative, engaging writing assignments that are visual, aural, or multimodal that will involve all students, specifically those: Who prefer to compose using a wider array of forms and modes For whom standard English is not the norm Who have been identified as dyslexic Whose cultural traditions lean heavily towards more aural forms of composition Who are considered struggling writers By finding ways to accommodate all styles of writers, students are free to unleash their creativity and share their story with others. While there is no question composition in written form is important and worth of study, broadening our definition of writing expands an enormous range of possibilities for composing for all students.