Story Matters: Teaching Teens to Use the Tools of Narrative to Argue and Inform

by Liz Prather

When we read a nonfiction text, what is the difference between one that keeps us interested and one that merely informs? Especially when the topic may be a bit, well, dry? The difference is narrative. The writer who threads a story throughout her text - using the tools of human connection, of narrative - is the writer who brings information to life. The argument she makes is compelling and real, because we care about the story within her story. This writer understands the power of narrative. In Story Matters, Liz Prather provides activities, lessons, exercises, mentor texts, and student samples to help teens learn to seamlessly weave narrative into their nonfiction writing. She provides concrete ideas for using the tools and techniques of narrative, - finding stories within any topic
- using characters
- creating tension
- exploring structure
- selecting details
- crafting words and sentences.

Give Liz's ideas a try and watch your students' writing rise to new levels. Because story matters.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Middle Grade

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2019

Reviews

[Mrs. Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book about teaching students how to use narrative to enrich argumentative and informational texts. Great examples. Great writing (one would hope so, in a book about writing). And a sample unit plan at the end. Sweet!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this book. The examples shown were fantastic and very useful. I felt like the middle of the book got a little bogged down and repetitive, but the last chapter was great.

[Aaron West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I've been at this one for over half a year, I only now consider myself as having completely *read* it. It's a lot to pack in to one review, so I'll provide a general overview of what I liked, and what raised further questions.

Story Matters finds itself on my list of professional development reads that I'll include on Goodreads—because, like so many of these latest PD reads, it dovetails with so much of who I am as a person, writer, and lover of the craft.

Liz Prather does a really solid job outlining the power of narrative—the human condition of connecting to story—and its ability to transform informational, expository, or argumentative writing. Throughout the book Prather explores the techniques, craft moves, and intentional decisions authentic writers make, and how those myriad examples can enrich the genres of writing we encounter "in the wild," which have too often fallen prey to the deadening and stagnating lifeless effects of what the standards and testing have understood successful writing to be.

Complete with references to professional works, student examples, tables and figures, practical instructional techniques for students, and tools/references for days—this book was as useful as it was inspiring and challenging. My only question for Prather is where she finds the time to instruct such rich writing at such a molecular level—and who these students are that naturally give it their best shot with regularity and engage with the at-times technical material so willingly. If you're a teacher of secondary writing, give this one a read!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Prather's book lives up to its double-entendre title, exploring why stories matter to the development of informational and argumentative writing and explaining how matter of stories -- plot, character, tenstion, structure details and language --work and sharing ideas for teaching the hows and whys of narrative.

[Heather Stringham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prather clearly explains why it is important to help students realize that every piece of writing needs the elements of story. She envelops the reader in the way to assist students to write as writers do without separating into genre.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've come across on writing non-fiction. NOT some asshole who thinks he's god's-gift-to-writikng, drilling a list of hard-and-fast rules (ie, 95% of all writing-advice books). Liz is a high school teacher ❤ (and former student of Wendell Berry's, fwiw) and this is about learning tools, not rules. You can use her methods to break down your favorite non-fiction essays and see the structure, flare, and flow the authors use. Honestly the best thing I got this book is probably just the language to talk about what these elements are. It also gives me a more specific appreciation of masterful writing.

110% recommend to writers.
120% recommend to HS English teachers.

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A National Writing Project find on twitter. Asked our librarian at school if she had space for it in the budget, and WAHOO!!

I will need a copy of my own, though, as this is one I'll be coming back to again & again. Putting page #s on my post-it annotations to add them to my copy later. Light on theory and heavy on activities. Good one.

[Cristi Julsrud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have tried and tried to read this book, but it just never felt like the right time. Teaching AP Lang made me revisit this one, because many of the writing approaches are just what my students need to be more fluent writers of nonfiction. I'm glad I finished it this time; I think it will be very useful this semester and I'm excited to try out some of these approaches.

[Jenny Leitsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read. Liz Prather makes her reader feel right at home. Many of my beliefs about student writing were affirmed while reading, but I was also challenged to rethink how argument is typically approached in the classroom. Highly recommend!

[Tobye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful breakdown on how to teach students narrative writing skills in terms of nonfiction work. Teaching them how to integrate facts and information without innate desire to story tell is important. With many exemplars and tools, great book for any educator wanting to improve student works.

[Lauren Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many great ideas to show students how genres overlap and how our experiences can inspire and enrich ALL genres!

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book on how to help students bridge narrative and nonfiction (argument) writing. There are some great resources and lesson ideas presented.

[Erin Adwell Teague · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not the biggest fan of teaching books, but this one is great! I love the real world examples and practice Prather provides. I have a concrete idea of practice I want to work into my lessons.

[Debs Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb resource for teaching narrative nonfiction. Great tools and treasure trove of other resources.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes teaching with mentor texts to another level.
Brilliant

[Cameron (readsandwritesbyc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting and accessible text I read for Teaching Writing! The biggest thing that this book did for me was that it humanized nonfiction writing to me. As one who is incredibly partial to fiction writing, I struggle to find the joy in nonfiction writing, especially because it was presented as nothing but the process of stating cold hard facts when I was in high school. After reading Prather's book, I found that you can get creative when writing nonfiction, and that it doesn't have to be a dull, humdrum regurgitation of facts. This book not only overturned my perceptions of nonfiction writing, but it gave me great tools that I can teach to my future students so I can communicate how fun nonfiction writing can be!

[Cassey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one’s for my teaching friends! This book focuses on using narrative nonfiction mentor texts to guide student writing. Teaching the techniques of writing with engaging studies of how authors craft their own writing has been my new passion these past 4 years, so this book filled my toolbox with a ton of great texts to use in class. Totally a 5/5!