Authentic Writing directly relates books to real-life writing scenarios by allowing a student to take a problem, idea, or situation from a book and write about it in an authentic format. LightSail does this by pairing books in its wide-ranging library with various, creative calls to action, specific to your student’s developmental level. Example authentic writing assignments may include reading a story that centers around a problem within a community, then responding to that by writing an editorial for the local newspaper, a letter to the mayor, or a new community policy.
The creative possibilities of Authentic Writing assignments are endless, and the true learning value is two-fold. First, the pairing of the writing assignment with the book gives context and enrichment beyond what reading or writing alone would provide. And, secondly, the real-life writing scenarios allow a student to express themselves personally, feel invested in their finished writing piece, and recognize how writing is used in the real world every day.
Help your students transition post-secondary by exposing them to advanced writing skills such as MLA/APA citations and paraphrasing and learning through focused feedback.
