Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language, Grades 1-5

by Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson and literacy coach Whitney La Rocca take you into primary and intermediate classrooms where students are curious about language, engage with the world around them, and notice and experiment with the conventions all writers use. Instead of chanting grammar rules or completing countless convention worksheets, we invite young writers to explore conventions as special effects devices that activate meaning. Our students study authentic texts and come to recognize these "patterns of power"--the essential grammar conventions that readers and writers require to make meaning.
The first part of the book introduces a vibrant approach to grammar instruction and sets up what you need to immerse yourself in the Patterns of Power process, inviting students to experiment and play with language. The second part of the book offers over seventy practical, ready-to-use lessons,


Extensive support materials
Over 100 mentor sentences, curated for grades 1-5
Student work samples
Tips and power notes to facilitate your own knowledge and learning
Examples for application
In Patterns of Power Jeff and Whitney suggest that taking just five minutes from your reading workshop and five minutes from your writing workshop to focus on how the conventions connect reading and writing will miraculously affect your students' understanding of how language works for readers and writers.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, School

458 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2017

About the author

Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of great information and practical ideas. I am looking forward to applying them in my classroom.

[Shannon Rolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to a training at our local service center last week. The facilitator mentioned this book as a resource to teach conventions. Her review was so favorable that I immediately spent the $52.11 including tax to buy the book before the training was eve over. Two days later, Amazon delivered this gem! I flew through intro chapters and then developed a scope and sequence for my grade level for next year. I now have 33 weeks of incredible lessons that align with every conventions standard for my grade level and extend slightly into the next grade level! So excited! This book is essential for all writing teachers at the elementary level!! (and middle school teachers whose students lack conventions ability). This book is an instant classic akin to the Book Whisperer and Jennifer Serravallo’s Reading and Writing Strategies.

[MaryMargaret Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a writing manual. I am not a very good writer and I am dreading teaching writing/grammar. Last year I helped teach ELA. We were successful. My partner in crime, is no longer teaching and I am expected to teach RLA, Science, Social Studies and interventions. I’m not sure I can do this, but hopefully this book will get me started.

Positives about the book: it covered a lot of grammar, it chunked the information and stated over and over less is more.

Negatives about the book: in most instances the book recommendations seemed for younger children, the discussions seemed geared to younger children and it seemed written for perfect world scenarios. What do I do for those who won’t discuss and won’t write? Cookie cutter information in so many instances.

[Devan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the introduction chapters, browsed the lesson sets, and read the conclusion. This is an amazing resource for teachers; even middle school and high school teachers looking to implement Anderson's methods of teaching grammar should check this out. I wish he would organize a book like this for the middle school and high school level, but in the meantime I will be splicing together ideas from this one, Mechanically Inclined, and Everyday Editing.

[Tenille Shade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably incredible. A must have for every teacher!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great edition of Jeff’s secondary work and loved Whitney’s additions. The amount of work that went into this is amazing. A fantastic resource.