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What are mentor texts and why are they important to writers?

Megan Nelson- A mentor text is a piece of writing that can be used to teach a writer about some aspect of writer's process or craft. The mentor text can be a picture book, poem, excerpt from a chapter book, magazine article, or a newspaper article. Mentor texts can also be written by teachers! The best mentor texts are those that can be used by the teacher throughout the year to teach different aspects of writer's craft. Mentor texts can be used for whole group mini-lessons or in individual student conferences. Most mentor text mini-lessons are based on ideas, structure, or craft. Mentor texts are important to writers for these reasons. They provide a model for students to use when writing their own pieces. Writing is difficult for most students particularly because they do not know how to control time. Using mentor texts in mini-lessons encourages students to get ideas, organize their writing, and experiment with different writing styles. Mentor texts not only help struggling writers, but strong writers as well. They inspire all writers and encourage students to try new things and take risks in their writing. Since professional writers look for ideas from other writers, students should be taught how they can get ideas for writing in this way and how to emulate authors.

Elyce Rickerl

Mentor texts are written works that are used specifically to teach students about writing. They can range from children's books and poetry to longer works like essays and novels. These texts can be selected and adapted teach a particular element of the writer's process or style. Depending upon student need, teachers can use mentor texts for whole-class writing activities, small-group instruction, or even individual instruction. The mentor text is selected to appropriately address an area of writing in a mini-lesson, gradual release instructional setting. Providing a model for students, especially struggling writers, can serve to ease the stress often associated with writing tasks. Many students fear the writing process. Providing a model for students gives a sense of direction and scaffolding that can help lead them in the right direction. They are often more willing to be creative and take risks when they know they have the idea of the "model" to fall back on.

I have found mentor texts to be important to writers of all ages. My particular classroom is full of reluctant writers. The most common resistance I find with adolescents is the age-old, "I don't know what to write about" argument. Since using mentor texts, I have begun to hear a bit less of this. Students not only appreciate the comfort of having a model to follow, but they seem to feel an increased sense of confidence when they feel they are able to imitate "the professionals." Even these small victories in the struggle to "win over" reluctant writers are very significant.

-Elyce Rickerl