Basic Writing

To put it very simply, I think the point of the book and article is that teachers should have a better understanding of basic writing and basic writers like the last reading. According to the article “The Tidy House,” Steedman referred to a record of children’s voices for last several decades to understand her students, and Mina Shaughnessy is said to go to her heart to know about her students.

I remember that one teacher said that every error is highly likely to have a valid reason. the reasons behind the errors do not seem to be very systematic or reasonable until the writer explains why he/she does that. I like the insightful analysis that Shaughnessy provides because I feel that her commitment to understanding is not superficial. She studies her students’ writing in every aspect to know better about them, not alone their writing.