From Research to Public Voice: Supporting Youth’s Writing for Civic Advocacy

Youth’s research into civic issues that engage their interests and ignite their passions can represent powerful learning experiences. Yet the genre of the academic research paper isn’t the most effective means for engaging in civic advocacy. In this session, the National Writing Project introduced a draft of its Civically Engaged Writing Analysis Continuum (CEWAC), comprised of two interconnected rubrics  – one focused on research about civic issues and the second on public arguments. Teacher-leaders engaged in this work shared their students’ writing and considered the implications of these tools for teaching and learning, focusing primarily on youth’s public arguments.

This hangout was produced in support of Letters to the Next President 2.0, a project engaging youth in civic participation on issues and topics that matter to them in the US Presidential Election. It was also co-streamed at connectedlearning.tv.

View the Conversation

During the broadcast, the conversation also took place on Twitter using the hashtag #2nextprez.

Participants for this Webinar Included: 

• Christina Cantrill (host), Associate Director of National Programs at the National Writing Project.
• Janelle Bence, English teacher at New Tech High School in Coppell, Texas. She has been an educator in public urban and suburban high schools for over 15 years, and is an active teacher-leader with both the NWP and NCTE.
• Linda Friedrich, Director of Research and Evaluation at the National Writing Project and the Principal Investigator for the Civically Engaged Writing Analysis Continuum. She is passionate about using assessment tools to inform teaching and help students make their writing better.
• Casey Olsen, Literacy and Composition teacher, Montana Writing Project. Member of the CRWP Leadership Team.
• Stanley Pesick, Co-Principal Investigator for the Civically Engaged Writing Analysis Continuum.  He taught history in the Oakland Unified School District for twenty years and then helped coordinate the district’s history/social studies program for another twelve. He currently works with the National Writing Project, the Mills College Lesson Study Group, and the Bay Area Writing Project.

Resources for this webinar:

• Resources from this Webinar
• National Writing Project to Develop the Civically Engaged Writing Analysis Continuum
• Letters to the Next President 2.0
• National Writing Project
• NWP’s College-Ready Writers Program
• KQED
• KQED’s Do Now
• #DoNowRefugee
• The Benefits of Sharing Student Work in Online Spaces
• My School My Rights project

Photo/ Jason Miczek