CEClang.47
TITLE: THE PERSONAL TOUCH: A LESSON IN EXPOSITORY
WRITING
AUTHOR: Trudy Stillwell White, St. Charles Borromeo
Catholic School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: Middle school through high school
language arts.
OVERVIEW: Human beings use hand-to-hand touch between
individuals to convey a wide range of affective
communication. This lesson uses examples of such
communication as a springboard for practice in expository
writing.
PURPOSE; In addition to providing an opportunity to
practice clarity and thoroughness in writing, students are
made aware of some of the subtle non-verbal messages in
common social situations involving hand touching.
OBJECTIVE(s):
Affective:
1. Students will understand that much of what we say to
one another is communicated without words.
2. Students will reflect on the meanings of some common
non-verbal messages communicated through the way we
touch each other's hands.
3. Students and teacher will experience a moment of
personal communication.
Cognitive:
1. Students will express their thoughts in clear,
grammatically correct sentences organized into coherent
paragraphs.
2. Students will use descriptive words and phrases to
describe physical actions and sensations.
3. Students will use feeling words to convey emotional
reactions.
4. Students will share their writing with each other.
ACTIVITIES:
1. The teacher will explain that a simple, familiar
interpersonal exchange such as a handshake can convey a
number of different messages and that she is going to
go around the room demonstrating.
The teacher then approaches each student and, without
saying anything, touches each one's hand in a different
way. For example, one student may receive a "power"
handshake, another a limp one. She may give one a
"High Five" and do a hand jive with another. She may
simply hold a student's hand like a little child holds
the hand of an adult. She may grasp the wrist of
another student as if helping him to stand, or link
"pinkies" and swing hands playfully. The possibilities
are numerous!
2. Students are then instructed to write about their
experience as clearly as possible so that a reader of
their paragraph(s) could demonstrate the touch the
writer has received. Encourage them to write about how
the touch made them feel as well as a description of
the actual physical action.
3. Students read each other's finished paragraphs and
attempt to replicate the touch described. Remind them
to use the written word only and no remembered visual
clues. Allow ample time for revisions if needed - and
they will be!
4. Ask for volunteers to demonstrate their finished
products for the class.
5. Follow with a class discussion and sharing. It will be
lively!
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
This is a great exercise to do early in the year, as it
provides the teacher with a vehicle for personal
interaction with each student. Students ordinarily respond
quite positively, seem to enjoy the "personal touch", and
love to talk animatedly about their experience. Even when
the rare student reacts negatively, the teacher acquires a
better understanding of that individual. It is usually best
to limit the touch to that which will leave the student with
a positive experience, especially if done before
teacher/class bonds have been established.
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org