How Can the Medals Improve Writing?

The medals become a kind of shorthand to use with learners when they are working on their next writing assignment. Medals can remind learners of the things they should look for when they are editing their writing. I also use them as a challenge to help learners focus on things they could improve the next time they write.

Challenge to the Group

When I offer the next writing assignment, I might set a challenge about which medals to aim for. If organization is a difficulty for many learners, I could challenge the whole group to aim for medals for organization. This means that learners who have difficulty organizing their pieces may pay special attention to this, and ask for help while drafting or editing the piece. As well, the challenge will produce many examples of good organization that can be examined with everyone in the next writing group.

Challenge to Individual Learners

While a learner is working on a piece, I might ask them which medal they think their piece will get; this encourages analysis and possibly prompts some editing. I might agree or disagree with their assessment, but we will have to wait for the next writing group to see who is right.

In the moment of working with them, I make a mental assessment of what most needs work in their story (e.g., a weak or confusing beginning) and say, “Suppose you wanted to get a medal for a good beginning. How could you be sure to get it?”

Change the Categories to Suit the Learners

Depending on the level of learners you are working with, you can change the medal categories. For example, there might be a medal for smooth transitions or for a clear thesis statement.

When you name the medals that the judges have available to award, you focus the learners on aspects of writing that you want them to pay attention to. This flexibility makes it possible to adapt the method to suit learners at any level.

If learners are writing essays that are too long to be brought to the writing group, sharing everyone’s introductory paragraph might be useful. In an introductory paragraph you are looking for a strong opening sentence, a clear thesis statement, clarity, and conciseness. Ask the panels of judges to award each introductory paragraph with one of those medals.

While working with a class of Grade 12 students, I pulled out two examples of good writing from each of their essays, included the students’ names, and arranged them into a single document under these headings: strong opening sentence, clear thesis statement, good transitions, correct use of quotations, and strong concluding paragraphs. After making a copy for everybody, I took a class period to examine every example, with discussions about what made each one effective.