Call for Great Ideas For Teaching (GIFTs)
JCCC Cavalier Conference on Writing & Literature 2017
A Regional Conference for Secondary & Post-Secondary English Instructors
Conference Date: Friday, April 21, 2017
Gifts Proposal Due: Friday, April 7, 2017
Submit a Great Idea For Teaching (GIFT). Everyone is invited to submit one-page teaching ideas for the Showcase & GIFTs
session. We seek innovative and cutting edge practices that stem from the classroom interaction of teachers and students
appropriate for secondary and post-secondary classroom use. Accepted submissions will be collected, bound, and distributed
during the conference.
Great Ideas for Teaching (GIFT) Submission Form
Please type your responses in the fields below.
Your Name:
Your School/Institution:
Title of Your GIFT:
Description of Your GIFT (In no more than 100 words, please explain what the GIFT involves, why you think it
is valuable, the suggested grade level, and the recommended timeframe):
Please submit your completed GIFT Submission Form and your one-page GIFT (as a Word or PDF document)
via email to [email protected] by Friday, April 7, 2017.
Example of a Completed GIFT Form
Great Ideas for Teaching (GIFT) Submission Form
Your Name: Ted Rollins
Your School/Institution: Johnson County Community College
Title of Your GIFT: Editing and Proofreading Log
Description of Your GIFT: I use this Editing and Proofreading Log to help my composition students identify and correct errors in
their writing. This tool was inspired by Nancy Sommers, who explains in Responding to Student Writers that to help students
“strengthen their writing skills” she has them “keep editing logs in which they copy and edit their sentences, write the grammar or
punctuation rules, and explain how to correct the errors” (32). The log conveys to students the importance of editing and
proofreading, emphasizes the time investment necessary to read their work carefully, and offers strategies for finding and
correcting their errors.
Editing and Proofreading Log
Editing and proofreading involve finding and correcting errors (related to spelling, grammar, punctuation, use of sources, and
formatting) in your writing. Rather than have someone else correct your errors, it’s important to be able to find and correct your
own errors. Editing and proofreading your writing help to communicate your ideas more effectively, avoid confusing readers, and
improve your grade on the final draft. The purpose of this log is to assist you in finding individual errors and identifying error
patterns in your own writing.
Here are some useful strategies for finding and correcting errors in your own writing:
(1) Read your draft aloud. When you listen to yourself (or someone else) read your draft you are more likely to notice sentences that
sound awkward or confusing. Mark any words or sentences that you have trouble reading or your reader does not understand. As
the authors of The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings (4th edition) explain, “Read[ing] your text out loud to yourself—or
better, to others, who may be able to hear problems you can’t see” or “[having] someone read your text aloud while to you while
you follow along on the screen or page” (Bullock and Goggin 286) can be helpful.
(2) Focus on one editing or proofreading concern at a time. Give attention to each concern (or type of error) individually. If you have
trouble with spelling, for instance, then try this approach: use a dictionary to go through your draft word-by-word, making sure
that you have the correct word and the correct spelling. To find punctuation errors use a pencil to focus on each comma, semicolon, period, colon, apostrophe, or question mark to make sure it is in the right place. Proofreading requires you to “slow down”
(Bullock and Goggin 286) and re-read your draft carefully to correct errors.
(3) Identify and keep track of your error patterns. Use this log to identify errors you tend to make, so you can focus on eliminating
those errors. You should study your previously-graded writing assignments to help identify error patterns in your writing. The key
is to track and figure out how to avoid the types of errors you typically make. Finally, consider this point about why you should
invest the time and energy necessary to find and correct errors in your writing: “Your ability to produce clear, error-free writing
shows something about your ability as a writer and also leads readers to make certain assumptions about your intellect, your work
habits, even your character” (Bullock and Goggin 282).
Use the following log to identify and correct errors in your writing:
As demonstrated in the examples below, you should identify and correct errors especially that reflect where you need to improve.
The writer in the examples below found an error related to words (affect and effect) that often get confused.
What is the error you’ve located in your draft?
My original sentence reads, “The author’s use of
statistics effects her readers emotionally.” In this
sentence the problem relates to using the wrong
word.
What is your correction to avoid the error?
The word “effect” can be a verb, but it means “to
bring about.” My sentence should read this way,
“The author’s use of statistics affects her readers
emotionally.”