Article 2

I. Title: Writing With Voice
II. Author: Tom Romano
III. Author’s Purpose: The author wanted to share with readers how students can
develop voice through drafting and crafting.
IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they
support the need for the study? Romano works with students in class and
workshops, and he wants them to find ways to develop their own authentic voice in
their writing. In order for him to do this, he must model the skill for them; share his
method and his writing.
V. Author’s Inquiry Question: How can I, as their teacher, help students develop
their own, authentic voice?
VI. Author’s Methodology: The author used student writing and student ideas and
comments throughout his study.
A. Who is being studied? Students in Romano’s classes and workshops
B. Over what length of time? Semester; not really stated
C What data is being collected? Student writing and reflections were collected
and analyzed.
D How is it being analyzed? Romano is looking at the writing created by his
students for content and to determine the best way for him to help his students
can be improved.
E. Any other interesting or pertinent data? Romano shows the reader how to
work with students to create or develop voice. I enjoy reading Romano and have
used his books and methods in my class. He makes writing easy and fun for
students.
VII. How the author collected information: The author based this information on
research by Linda Reif (100 Quickwrites, 2003). Students used the prompts from her
book plus readings Romano shared, such as When I Was Young in the Mountains by
Cynthia Rylant to spur the writing. He showed his students how to penetrate the
barriers to writing, “how to break free with a string of words that generates more
words, more thinking, more meaning.” (Romano, 2003).
VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications: The author
discovered that it is in both the gushing and the cultivating that voice is developed. He
doesn’t want his students to write in a stilted, academic manner; he wants them to
bring forth a unique and authentic voice that can be identified as theirs. He discovers,
or perhaps rediscovers, that one of the best ways to do this is to model, and model
again.