The videos, activities, and readings in this workshop illustrate that successful writing conferences begin with questions that lead students to discover what they have to say and that encourage them to talk about their work. Now apply what you have learned to modify or develop your own approach to conferring with students.

Asking Good Questions

List questions that you can use to facilitate conversation during writing conferences. Be sure to include questions that:

• open up writing conversations
• encourage students to talk meaningfully about their work
• invite students to share information about their writing that the reader wouldn't know
• ask students to talk about their writing process, specifically, how they decided what to write about, solved problems, or developed the piece
• probe students' knowledge of the writing craft and their ability to apply what they know to their own work
• encourage students to reflect on their growth as writers

When you have finished, save your list to submit as an assignment.