Spring-Summer 2021 CI Writers Group

Register today– this writing group usually fills up within a week

Want more easy-to-read texts in your language? Students need to read a lot of short, easy-to-read stories in order to make the transition from reading class-created texts (like Write & Discuss) to being able to read
a full novel. The theme for the Spring-Summer 2021 Writers Group will be extremely short, easy to read stories.

Whether you are writing to fill holes in your current curriculum, to provide more windows & mirrors for your students to see themselves in your classroom library, or simply to add good stories to the language learner experience, come enjoy the support of our writers group!

From April 17th until July 24th we will meet online on Saturdays at 2pm Eastern time (11am Pacific).

Every week our intention is to complete a new short story (of 500 words or less) within about 90 minutes. We start with a prompt and quickly freewrite to develop the kernel of an idea. Then, sharing our initial ideas in small groups, we help each other build our story ideas, develop unexpected plot twists, and recognize strong themes buried in the initial freewrite. Finally each writer returns to their original text to incorporate the ideas generated in small group and then scaffold and simplify the text.

Over the course of 15 weeks I expect that some authors will develop characters and plots that might expand into a full novel. I will be happy, however, if each writer simply creates a set of stories that helps smooth the transition in their own classes from reading spontaneous class-created texts (such as Write & Discuss) to reading full novels. The EXTREMELY short VERY EASY to read short story is the solution!

No problem if you miss a class; we start anew every time!