Arkansas Delta Writing Project encourages applications for 2010 Summer Writing Institute for Teachers

Jan. 20, 2010 -- The Arkansas Delta Writing Project at ASU is accepting applications for its 2010 Summer Writing Institute for Teachers. The four-week summer institute is being held at Arkansas State University in the Department of Teacher Education from Monday, June 7-Friday, July 2.

The Arkansas Delta Writing Project hopes to recruit up to 22 teachers to participate in the institute. There is an application and interview process that guides the selection of the institute’s Fellows. Final selections will be made by the end of March, and selected participants will receive graduate credit toward several College of Education master’s degree programs. Beyond that, participants will belong to the national network of more than 200 National Writing Project (NWP) sites on college campuses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The National Writing Project is the most significant coordinated effort to improve writing in America. Through its professional development model, NWP develops the leadership, programs, and research needed for teachers to help students become successful writers and learners.

Central to the writing institute are teacher-participants’ demonstration lessons based upon individual expertise and classroom experiences. In addition, participants will explore innovative ways to integrate technology into classroom practice. This exploration will be facilitated by technology experts from the Arkansas Delta Writing Project and ASU. Fellows experience writing on a personal level, as well, following the National Writing Project model that “teachers of writing also write.”

Educators from kindergarten to college, in all content areas, are invited to apply for the summer institute. National Writing Project sites promote writing across all disciplines and consider writing  an important thinking tool for inquiry into all content areas.

"Teachers who attend NWP summer institutes return to their classrooms with new strategies for teaching writing and with experience using digital tools," said Sharon J. Washington, NWP executive director. "Eighty percent of Americans believe there is a greater need now than there was 20 years ago for a person to be able to write well in order to succeed. Summer institutes are one of many writing project programs that address this need."

National research studies confirm significant gains in writing performance among students whose teachers participate in NWP programs. Directors of the Arkansas Delta Writing Project at ASU are Dr. Dixie Keyes and LaToshia Woods. The project’s technology liaison is Dr. Audrey Bowser.

For more information, visit the Arkansas Delta Writing Project online at http://www2.astate.edu/cpi/adwp/ or contact Dr. Dixie Keyes by telephone at (870) 680-8065 or by e-mail (dkeyes@astate.edu).
 

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