Following Dr. John Collins' method, foreign language students can gain confidence.

1. Fear not Write a lot:
lines, limit, language
Dr. Joyce LaOrden
FGCU
SCOLT/FFLA
March 16-18, 2016
Orlando, FL.
jlaorden@fgcu.edu

2. Collins, J. (1993). Developing Writing and
Thinking Skills across the Curriculum: A Practical
Program for Schools West Newbury, MA.
Collins, J. (2007). The Collins Writing Program,
“Improving Student Performance” through
Writing and Thinking across the Curriculum
West Newbury, MA.

3. TYPE I
1. Time limit (5-10 minutes)
2. Determine number of lines
3. Skip lines ( Place an X)
4. To motivate a discussion
5. To Introduce a topic
6. There’s no wrong answer
7. Grading: pass if all of the lines are filled
2

4. Samples:
1. What do you think a ___looks like.
Describe it.
2. Write 4 examples of____.
3. For the next test, what questions do
think I might ask that would require a
written answer.
4. Describe a way of doing this task.
3

5. X__________________________________________________
_________________________________X_________________
___________________________________________________
_______________X___________________________________
________________________________________________X__
___________________________________________________
______________________________X____________________
___________________________________________________
____________X______________________________________
_____________________________________________
3A

6. TYPE II
1. Write an answer to a question
2. Skip lines
3. Grading: pass if the answer is RIGHT
not HOW it is written
4

7. Samples:
1. List 5 facts about_____.
2. Summarize the 3 most important points
from______.
3. Describe 3 ways that ___ and___are different.
5

8. X____________________________________________
______________________________X______________
_____________________________________________
_______________X_____________________________
_____________________________________________
X____________________________________________
______________________________X______________
_____________________________________________
_______________X_____________________________
_______
5A

9. TYPE III
1. Focus Correction Areas (FCA): maximum 3
areas: underline, circle, number
EXAMPLES:
(a) complete sentences
(b) subject/verb agreement
(c)noun/adjective agreement
6

10. Samples:
1. If you could live anywhere in the world,
would it be? Why?
2. What would be the perfect age? Why?
3. What has been your proudest moment?
4. Your school will no longer sell junk food. Take
a stand and defend it.
5. Who am I? (biographical sketch about a
classmate)
6. Write a letter to a future student describing
how to do well in this class.
7. Reflect on what you have learned.
7

11. Multiple Drafts
First draft: student reads it aloud and
listens for the following:
(a) Did I complete the assignment?
(b) Is it easy to read?
(c) Did I have problems with the FCAs?
Second draft: small groups read and
comments about FCAs
Third Draft: pairs read and make
comments about FCAs
Final paper: to Instructor
8

12. REFLECTIONS
1. The least challenging: Type II
2. The most challenging: Type III
3. Small group process
4. How my writing has improved
9

13. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.