Chances are good that when YOU sit down to write, you have an audience in mind. Sometimes, this audience is ourselves. Sometimes, it is other people.
For example, here are the many different audiences I write for:
I write blog posts that are read online by other educators (like YOU, right now).
I compose emails to friends and family to keep in touch.
I send birthday cards with personal messages.
I keep a journal to record the happenings of my life.
I use writing to contact potential clients.
I am writing a book about best practices in teaching writing to help teachers who want to improve their writing instruction.
Every time I sit down to write one in one of these genres, I have that audience in mind. Knowing who I’m writing for shapes the writing I do. It tells me if my writing be needs to be professional, direct, and instructional or if it can be casual, funny, and entertaining.
My audience is always foremost in my mind when I write. It’s what motivates me and thinking about how my words will be received by my reader is one reason why I love writing so much.
Take a moment and think about the writing your students do. All of it. Every subject, every day.
Now, how you would answer the following questions:
Do your students enjoy writing?
What excites them the most about writing?
How do you teach your students that writing gives us power?
What genres are being written in your classroom? Are students writing only essays or is there a variety in what students produce?