Lost Tools of Writing - Forms
Lost Tool of Writing! I love it because it teaching our students how to write and how to think! Each week LTW builds a skill of thinking and writing in one area of the 5 Cannons of Rhetoric. In the Student Workbook, there is a form for the student to complete related to the skill at hand. It is intended to help the student in the thinking/writing process.
As the student progress from Essay 1 forward new techniques and skills are added. However, the previous week's technique forms are not given. This specifically holds true for the Cannons of Invention and Elocution. For the Cannon of Arrangement, the from changes Essay to Essay as elements are added. If you didn't understand any of that here is the bottom line. You have to make copies of the forms for each Essay.
What I have done is make digital copies of the forms. With each Essay, I have included previous Essays forms. I find it is easier to print pages as needed than make copies.
For a Challenge A student I do not recommend printing out all the forms and handing them to the student. It will be overwhelming. Essays take 3 weeks to write. 1 week on Invention, 1 week on Arrangement and 1 week on Elocution. Each week print the pages necessary for your student. In class students often write in their workbook while learning the new technique. This is great! It is nice to know you have a digital clean copy on file.
“Focus your instruction on the thinking that leads to good writing. ”
Finally, LTW is not about the worksheets it's about the thinking. We started using the forms in this complied format at about Essay 3. There were so many elements to remember to include. I found that printing the forms each week was helpful to keep us organized. My student did start to complain about doing so many worksheets. The purpose of the forms is to make sure they are practicing and incorporating previously learned elements. The goal is that they will internalize this thinking process and do it without the forms. Use the forms only as needed to organize and remind your student.
Do not leave IEW skills and techniques behind. Require your student to incorporate dress ups, decorations and sentence openers in their writing.
If you like checklists I have scanned in the LTW checklist from the back of the Student Workbook for your convenience.
Don't forget to assess your student work and provide them with feedback. In the Teacher Edition of the LTW book on pages 275- 286 they give an insightful way to assess your students work. I HIGHLY recommend you read and digest this approach. I created a template (Surprise Surprise!) using this approach.