The document summarizes a textbook called Emerging Writers that was created for developmental or college prep students, particularly those at Miami Dade College. It was developed by Merlene Purkiss over 35 years of teaching experience. MDC has a diverse student population, with over half being first-generation college students. The textbook covers writing fundamentals in a step-by-step manner and has helped increase student pass rates and retention since its adoption in 2010. It provides comprehensive examples and exercises to guide students independently.

1. Language Arts and Writing Textbook

2. 
Emerging Writers was created and is currently
used for developmental or college prep
students. Students with low college entrance
scores must take developmental or college
prep courses because, for instance, these
students cannot get into English 1101 or
1102, which are the required introductory
writing and language arts courses for all
college students.

3. 
Many of these students are ESOL students
who speak English as a second language.
Others are native American speakers who lack
skills in reading, as well as language arts.
This is mainly the case for Miami Dade
College where Emerging Writers was
developed and used by Merlene Purkiss, a
35-year veteran college prep instructor.

4. 


MDC has the largest undergraduate enrollment
of any college or university in the country, with
the largest Hispanic population in the nation.
MDC students represent 179 countries and
speak 85 different languages.
More than half of MDC students will be the first
in their families to attend college -- 52% are
first-generation college students.

5. The book’s author, Merlene Purkiss,
created this textbook with these facts
and her extensive experience with these
students in mind. She started her
instructional career at MDC as College
Prep English Department lab instructor.
While working in the lab for nearly a
decade, she worked one-on-one with
the students and created many of her
own worksheets to assist them. After
years of refining her instructional
material and working with all levels of
developmental students, she compiled
the information into a textbook:
Emerging Writers.

6. Since the Emerging Writers’ widespread adoption
at Miami Dade College in 2010, nearly 100% of
students passed.
 Since its departmental adoption in 2010, either
100 percent or most all students pass both parts
(the grammar and writing portions) of Florida’s
state exit exam
 Student retention has increased 100% in classes
that have used the book
 Students have also done well in subsequent
English courses, not just the college prep or
developmental courses


7. The key to the book’s success has been its unique
ability to fill scholastic holes that have caused student
learning gaps and deficiencies in writing. In other
words, we assume nothing about a students’ ability
and begin with fundamentals that every student
writer will need for high school and beyond. Thus, the
book covers everything from word basics and
sentence structure to complex compositions and
creative writing.

8. Emerging Writers Model
Words
Phrases
Sentences
Paragraphs
Compositions
Creative Writing

9. Mastery at the most basic level (“words”) must be
achieved before moving into more complex forms
(i.e. “compositions”). We do realize that a student who
has problems with reading (the mastery of “letters”)
will have to be remediated before mastering or even
undertaking writing basics. Using everyday examples,
the book begins with an introduction or review of
word basics in Unit I and moves into grammar in Unit
II. It then introduces the writing process, beginning
with the paragraph and culminating the essay in Unit
III. Finally, in Unit IV, the book moves to incorporating
creative elements into writing.

10. Other benefits include:
1. The book comes with complete examples to
guide students at their own pace.
2. Students can effectively go through the book on
their own, working independently from the
teacher.
3. The teacher’s edition comes with a recommended
syllabus and even suggested answers for openended questions and those with several possible
answers

11. Here are the textbooks used at MDC before Emerging Writers:
“Evergreen: A Guide to Writing with Readings”
by Susan Fawcett (978-0618397587)
 “Real Writing with Readings: Paragraphs and
Essays for College, Work, and Everyday Life”
by Susan Anker (978-1416056591)
 “Writing With Ease: Strong Fundamentals” by
Susan W. Bauer (9781933339252)


12. This book is perfect for high school use because:
• Students who use Emerging Writers early, in high school,
will be able to go straight into their required
introductory writing and language arts courses rather
than developmental course.
• These students will also do better on the SAT and ACT,
as well as any other high school end of the course tests
(ECOT).
• These students have all the language arts and writing
fundamentals, so they will be able to have better
mastery in writing across the curriculum.

13. The book now includes a new
section on fiction writing, which
is meant to stimulate ideas and
creativity, as well as help the
student understand the narrative
writing form in general. Leah
Miranda Hughes contributed the
new fiction section for the 3rd
edition. She earned degrees in
English and American Literature
from Oglethorpe University and
Georgia State University, and an
MFA in Creative Writing from
Queens University, Charlotte.

14. Just like nonfiction writing, in which support is
necessary to establish a point, writing stories
requires that a “plot” is established and
supported. Thus, Emerging Writers includes and
provides the basic premise in writing:
Most all forms of writing require that you
1. Make a point or establish an idea
2. Support a point or idea

15. This premise is especially necessary for teachers to
understand for writing across the curriculum. Here
are some examples:
1. Make a point or establish an idea
The car appears to be new.
2. Support your point or idea
I saw a sticker on the windshield.
I saw a dealer tag.
The car’s body is flawless.

16. Here is the same principle when writing across the curriculum:
Math:
The answer is 10 because…
Science:
Plants grow better in
sunlight because…
Literature:
According to the author,
loves means making a
sacrifice for someone, and
he shows this by….
Home Economics:
Baking a fluffy cake requires
that you avoid beating the
batter too much, and here
is the best way to do it….
Music:
You can remember the
notes going up on the
treble clef by using the
acronym FACE, and you can
use the acronym for…

17. Adopt
Emerging
Writers

18. Get Resources Online
www.emerging-writers.com

19. Four critical
components of
writing instruction:
A.I.D.E. for
Emerging Writers
Assessment
Implementation
Development
Professional Development Workshop
Engagement
At the end of this session, participants should be able to teach students to write effectively by:

Using Emerging Writers to “Develop a Common Core Writing Plan”

Identifying factors that affect instructional success

Employing formative assessments to determine student readiness

Utilizing student interest surveys to guide writing instruction

Applying EW’s suggested course assignments

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