iLearn – Literacy 8.6
Enrich Exit Project Writing with Technology
Editing for More Effective Verbs Using Microsoft
Word
Facilitator Agenda
Setting the Stage
To be reviewed before the session begins.
Session Overview
Throughout this series of sessions participants will learn strategies for infusing technology into
each phase of the writing process as they develop their own Social Studies Exit Projects. This
broad topic was selected so that, if desired, instruction could easily be adapted into an
interdisciplinary unit with social studies.
This session will focus on infusing technology into the editing stage of writing. In particular, the
session will guide participants in choosing the most effective verbs for use in their reports.
Participants will accomplish this by using Microsoft Word’s Thesaurus feature. They will convey
the thought process behind their word choice using the Comments feature.
Content Teaching Points
How can we convey our ideas more clearly using stronger verbs?
Technology Teaching Points
How can we use Microsoft Word to aid our choice of verbs?
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Focusing Questions
How can we convey our ideas more clearly using stronger verbs?
How can we use Microsoft Word to aid our choice of verbs?
Materials
The following materials are used in this session:
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Laptops or tablets with Internet access
Projector
Interactive whiteboard (optional)
Resources
The following resources are available on the iTeach/iLearn Web site:
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Literacy 8_6 Presentation.ppt
Session 6 Model Text
Project Rubric
Special Ed Supplement
Nonfiction Writing Unit
Writing Process for Nonfiction
Instruction
Typically lasts about 20% of session.
Framing the Session
Explain that a large part of editing is clarifying meaning in a lean, direct style. Writers accomplish
this by replacing vague verbs with verbs that convey more information. The use of Microsoft Word’s
Thesaurus feature can help writers to choose more effective verbs and Microsoft Word’s Add
Comment feature can be used to subsequently convey to teachers the reasoning behind those
choices.
Teaching
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Introduce the idea of using Word to list word options and choose appropriate verbs:
“Okay, writers, everyone has worked very hard on his or her Digital Reports of Information.
We have all selected a research topic, begun to find facts and expert opinions in our
research, and organized these facts as we drafted. In this session we will begin the work of
editing. In this phase of writing, writers aim to get across their ideas as clearly and concisely
as possible.
“In a written report or oral presentation, it is important for the writer or presenter to get
across his ideas concisely. An audience can easily lose focus if it feels a piece is too wordy.
The use of stronger verbs can help cut down on wordiness. Microsoft Word offers a quick
and easy way to find alternatives to weaker verbs. The use of the Thesaurus feature will
help you say more using fewer words.”
Step 1
Open the “Session 6 Model Text,” and focus on the first body paragraph of the writing for this part
of the session. Read the paragraph aloud, then think aloud to clarify which sentences could benefit
from a stronger verb:
“Imagine being told what bathroom to use based on your race.”
OR
“It was a step meant to change the mistakes of the past.”
Step 2
Model how to find alternatives. Begin by highlighting the verb to be changed and going to “Tools” >
“Language” > “Thesaurus” or by simultaneously pressing Alt + right-click. Move through different
levels of the thesaurus, clicking on different words to find more options. Think aloud which choices
convey what meanings. Avoid simply choosing words based on the greatest number of syllables—
the meaning conveyed by each word is paramount.
Step 3
Insert new verbs in place of weaker verbs.
“Imagine being told what bathroom to use based on your race and not being able to do
anything about it.”
“Imagine being ordered to use a particular bathroom based on your race.”
OR
“It was a step meant to change the mistakes of the past.”
“It was a step meant to amend the past.”
Step 4
Tell students that there is a tendency for writers to simply choose the biggest words they can find.
Sometimes, however, the biggest words do not convey the appropriate meaning. Students should
be sure that they are replacing words purposefully. The Comment feature of Microsoft Word will
help them convey to teachers the reasons behind word substitutions.
Step 5
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Demonstrate how to use the Comment feature. Highlight the replacement verb, click on “Insert” >
“Comment.” Complete the appropriate comment:
“I replaced ‘told’ with ‘ordered’ because I wanted to convey the idea that blacks had no
choice in their decisions. When someone is ‘told’ something, it sounds like there could be
some wiggle room. When someone is ‘ordered,’ there is no such room.”
“I replaced ‘change’ with ‘amend’ because I wanted to convey that the past decision was a
mistake. When something is amended, it is changed for the better.”
Guided Practice
Ask the participants to look at the model and identify other candidates for verb replacement:
“Let’s look at the remainder of the model. As I read it aloud, look for verbs that would make
good candidates for replacement. After we’ve read through the piece I’ll give you a couple of
minutes to collaboratively identify the verbs to be replaced and then explore the Thesaurus
feature for the best substitutions. As you identify and replace verbs, use the Comment
feature to state how your replacement gives the reader more information.”
Give participants two to three minutes to collaborate on this task. Allow one or two participants to
respond, asking for both the old and the new verbs, as well as how the new verb strengthens the
writing.
Work Time
Typically lasts about 60–70% of session.
Getting Started
Explain that participants will now look through their own drafts, use the Thesaurus feature to
replace verbs, and then use the Comment feature to explain their rationales.
Participant Activity
The Instructor should project and review the following instructions, making sure that all participants
clearly understand the next steps.
Step 1
Open your draft in Microsoft Word.
Step 2
Reread the draft, focusing on the verb choices.
Step 3
Use the Thesaurus feature to find the most informative verbs.
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title
Step4
Replace weaker verbs with options from the thesaurus.
Step 5
Use the Comment feature to explain rationales.
Facilitator Conferring
Circulate among participants to observe their thinking, provide assistance, and manage the
classroom.
Share
Typically lasts about 10–20% of session.
Share
Ask participants to share their changes.
Ask a participant to re-open and project the rubric from the “Collecting” folder.
Ask participants how the rubric could be adjusted to reflect the skills learned in this session.
Acknowledgements
This session was developed in collaboration with the following people:
Author: Troy Fischer, William Heller, Medea McEvoy, Lisa Nielsen, and Vera E. Sims
Gina Ceparano, Shante Chunn, Nate Dechongkit, John Natuzzi, and Shirin Shabdin
Email:
School/Employer:
Title:
Author:
Email:
School/Employer:
Title:
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title
TEMPLATE DESCRIPTION
Each session contains the following components and can be conducted in 45–60 minutes:
Session Overview
This is a concise summary of the session, and how it fits into the training series as a whole.
Focusing Questions
These are the specific questions that guide the session. The purpose of the session is to address
these questions.
Materials
This is a list of all materials that the facilitator must make sure are present at the training site,
including technology resources.
Resources
All handouts can be found linked from the Resources section of the participant agenda.
Participants will be able to access these materials online during the session, but the facilitator
should review them ahead of time, and any instructional support charts should be posted in the
room before the session begins.
Framing the Session
The facilitator explains to the participants what will be covered in this session, how it fits into the
training series as a whole, and how it may be incorporated into their reflective practice.
Teaching
This is a short period of facilitator-led instruction designed to prepare the participants for their work
time. The facilitator might demonstrate a specific use of technology in an authentic curricular
context, selected participants might be invited to share relevant experiences, or the group as a
whole might contribute to a shared brainstorming list. The facilitator should be careful to avoid
giving a lengthy lecture or straying too far from the focusing questions.
Guided Practice
Sometimes it is helpful for the facilitator to walk the participants through a process step by step.
This gives the participants the hands-on experience of work time before losing the scaffolding of
facilitator-led instruction.
Getting Started
The facilitator gives instructions to the participants for their work time, and lets them know what
they will be expected to share at the end of the session.
Participant Activity
Participants are given time to practice the specific process they have seen demonstrated. They
may be working independently, with a partner, or in small groups.
Facilitator Conferring
As participants work, the facilitator moves around the room holding short conferences to help guide
the work and make it more productive. The facilitator should be at eye level with participants during
each conference. These conversations need not be especially private; the facilitator may invite
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title
someone sitting nearby to listen in. If common needs among the group emerge, they can either be
addressed immediately or during the sharing time.
Share
Participants gather at the end of the session to demonstrate what they have done, discuss
experiences they have had, and reflect on what they have learned. This is an opportunity to return
to the focusing questions that began the session, and discuss what has been accomplished in the
interval.
Acknowledgements
This section acknowledges those who contributed to the creation of this session.
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title
iTeach/iLearn Project Overview
The Office of Instructional Technology (OIT) envisions providing the instructional community
with technology-rich tools and resources to enhance the teaching and learning process while
improving student achievement. We envision students using mobile wireless computers as a
tool for achieving high academic standards, supported by standards-aligned, technologyinfused curriculum, and highly qualified, well-trained, technology-literate teachers.
Each session contains the following components and can be conducted for teachers
in 45–60 minutes:
Session Overview
This is a concise summary of the session, and how it fits into the training series as a whole.
Focusing Questions
These are the specific questions that guide the session. The purpose of the session is to
address these questions.
Materials
This is a list of all materials that the facilitator must make sure are present at the training site,
including technology resources.
Resources
All handouts can be found linked from the Resources section of the participant agenda.
Participants will be able to access these materials online during the session, but the facilitator
should review them ahead of time, and any instructional support charts should be posted in
the room before the session begins.
Framing the Session
The facilitator explains to the participants what will be covered in this session, how it fits into
the training series as a whole, and how it may be incorporated into their reflective practice.
Teaching
This is a short period of facilitator-led instruction designed to prepare the participants for their work
time. The facilitator might demonstrate a specific use of technology in an authentic curricular
context, selected participants might be invited to share relevant experiences, or the group as a
whole might contribute to a shared brainstorming list. The facilitator should be careful to avoid
giving a lengthy lecture or straying too far from the focusing questions.
Guided Practice
Sometimes it is helpful for the facilitator to walk the participants through a process step by
step. This gives the participants the hands-on experience of work time before losing the
scaffolding of facilitator-led instruction.
LessonTemplate
Getting Started
The facilitator gives instructions to the participants for their work time, and lets them know what
they will be expected to share at the end of the session.
Participant Activity
Participants are given time to practice the specific process they have seen demonstrated. They
may be working independently, with a partner, or in small groups.
Facilitator Conferring
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title
As participants work, the facilitator moves around the room holding short conferences to help
guide the work and make it more productive. The facilitator should be at eye level with
participants during each conference. These conversations need not be especially private; the
facilitator may invite someone sitting nearby to listen in. If common needs among the group
emerge, they can either be addressed immediately or during the sharing time.
Share
Participants gather at the end of the session to demonstrate what they have done, discuss
experiences they have had, and reflect on what they have learned. This is an opportunity to
return to the focusing questions that began the session, and discuss what has been
accomplished in the interval.
Acknowledgements
This section acknowledges those who contributed to the creation of this session.
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iLearn Subject Session X.X: Title