Writing Steps/Warne

"Some scholars argue that generalizations about writing processes are far too removed from real-world practice, inevitably turn into rigid rules, or create paralyzing self-consciousness."

Ouch! So much for my undergraduate training!

I'm thinking a way through the problem of teaching students concepts about revision without shackling them with more "rules"--perhaps there is an analogy from linguistics that would prove useful here.

Remember the debate over the teaching of "Eubonics" in the California public schools? I saw the solution as teaching "standard" English as one of many dialects or conventions. I would have encouraged speakers of "Black" English to consider "Standard" English as second language, and that by doing so one would be "bilingual," rather than increasing the suction power of so much racially charged quicksand. Better to teach the convention without forcing students to abandon their home speech and make them feel inferior about their particular flavor of English. After all, within the United Kingdom, there are numerous dialects of English, from Cockney to Cornwall.

So, in regard the subject at hand, students need to be aware that there is a "convention" attached to the ISAT, WASL and other state standardized tests. They need to know the expectations of such conventions, but should also know they have the freedom to use or not use such conventions (of the revision "process") in their own composing and revising. I think that if they are able to see and hear good writing, such standardized tests should not be something that they need fear.