Encourage Students to Write Their Life Story

Adult learners enter our program having lived rich and interesting lives. They may want to write about their lives.

Following are a few tips to get students started writing their life story:

• Ask them to begin with a favorite memory and write.
• Reassure them about their spelling and grammar. Tell them to write and not edit.
• Again, tell them not to worry about grammar and spelling in the beginning. Just as water flows from a faucet, write without stopping.
• Encourage them to write for a full 5 minutes or once they have reached 1 page.

Don’t correct. They can simply keep it in a notebook. They can set a day and time when they will write their life story again. Maybe it will be tomorrow or on the weekend. Help them come up with a plan.

Repeat for a few weeks.

If they ask you to read over it, take your time. Read it a few times.

Concentrate more on content and correct word usage in the beginning. If they ask for comments on editing and spelling, do so sparingly. Concentrate on one aspect of language at a time such as the correct use of pronouns or articles or verbs. Do not bombard them with changes. This will be defeating.

This exercise is about connecting with writing in a personal way. It is also about consistently and exploring language while feeling safe.

In her published novel, Red Azalea, Anchee Min wrote about her life in China before coming to the United States. At age five, she began taking care of her younger siblings while her parents worked. The family often went hungry and life during the Cultural Revolution was difficult. She barely survived.

When she came to the United States, she began to write her life story in order to explore language.

Check out her interview on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl75dP3MnOE&feature=related