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Blending Genre, Altering Style : Writing Multigenre Papers
For Tom Romano, the multigenre paper is much more than a writing assignment. It is a multilayered, multivoiced literary experience. Genres of narrative thinking require writers to make an imaginative leap, melding the factual with the imaginative. Writers cant just tell . They must show . They must make their topics palpable. They must penetrate experience. Multigenre papers enable their authors to do that. Blending Genre, Altering Style is the first book to address the practicalities of helping students compose multigenre papers. Romano discusses genres, subgenres, writing strategies, and stylistic maneuvers that students can use in their own multigenre papers. Each idea is supported with actual student writing, including five full-length multigenre papers that demonstrate the possibilities of a multigenre approach to writing. There are also discussions of writing poetry, fiction, and dialogue, in which readers will discover how students can create genres out of indelible moments, crucial processes, and important matters in the lives of the subject under inquiry. One chapter alone is devoted to helping writers create unity and coherence in their papers. Imbued with Romanos passion for teaching, Blending Genre, Altering Style is an invaluable reference for any inservice or preservice English language arts teacher. The only prerequisite is a desire to help students write.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 23, 2021
I have in the past a couple times and also this semester used this book in one of my teaching of English methods courses. So you know the traditional research paper, focused on one genre, argument, if you went to any kind of schooling. What Romano describe here is a multi-genre research paper, involving, in addition to argument, any other genre such as fiction or poetry, and even multimodal options, art, music, and so on. The idea is to use multiple means to explore a topic, such as, in my classes, what it means for them to become an English teacher.
In this book Romano himself uses multiple genres including memoir and poetry and so on to make his point, sharing lots of examples from students and teachers all around the country. Practical, and exciting work.
In this book Romano himself uses multiple genres including memoir and poetry and so on to make his point, sharing lots of examples from students and teachers all around the country. Practical, and exciting work.
September 4, 2017
The author is considered one of the fathers of the multigenre paper. I enjoyed all the mini lessons he suggested along the way in preparing students to write in a variety of genres across one central idea/theme, although I felt some of his models of papers were too complex to show to middle schoolers.
May 18, 2008
Oh my word. I heart Tom Romano BIG TIME. I just want to curl up on a couch with him, writer's notebook under my arm, and say, "Teach me. Tell me stories. Write with me." Rarely do I find a professional development book that I joyfully read from one cover to the other. True, when I first bought the book, I was hurting for student examples of multi-genre projects; since the book contained FIVE full projects, I just flipped through, photocopied those, and threw the book back in my bag.
Later though, when I did not have an appropriate book on me for a "Read-in," I fished it back out of my bag and started from the first chapter. By the time the Read-in was over, I was enthralled. I even stopped the kids exiting my room with a, "Wait, listen to this." Another day, I began their workshop time with 3 pages from another chapter. Their mouths were gaping open when I finally looked up.
This book does not contain lesson plans, rubrics, organizational strategies for your classroom, or troubleshooting solutions. If you're looking for that, check out Melinda Putz' book. THIS book reveals multi-genre writing for everything it can and should be. It is spiritual nourishment for a tired writing teacher. It is darn good writing from a variety of authors. It is vignette after vignette of great yet humble teaching moments. I simply adored it.
Finally, I had a big "WOAH" moment toward the end as he was discussing expressive, poetic, and instructional writing. I feel like I understand....or at least desire to understand...the writer's notebook on a whole new level. I really want to start a study group this summer with some teachers who have tried this tool in their classroom so we can share the ups and downs of particular features or approaches. If you're interested, please email me.
Later though, when I did not have an appropriate book on me for a "Read-in," I fished it back out of my bag and started from the first chapter. By the time the Read-in was over, I was enthralled. I even stopped the kids exiting my room with a, "Wait, listen to this." Another day, I began their workshop time with 3 pages from another chapter. Their mouths were gaping open when I finally looked up.
This book does not contain lesson plans, rubrics, organizational strategies for your classroom, or troubleshooting solutions. If you're looking for that, check out Melinda Putz' book. THIS book reveals multi-genre writing for everything it can and should be. It is spiritual nourishment for a tired writing teacher. It is darn good writing from a variety of authors. It is vignette after vignette of great yet humble teaching moments. I simply adored it.
Finally, I had a big "WOAH" moment toward the end as he was discussing expressive, poetic, and instructional writing. I feel like I understand....or at least desire to understand...the writer's notebook on a whole new level. I really want to start a study group this summer with some teachers who have tried this tool in their classroom so we can share the ups and downs of particular features or approaches. If you're interested, please email me.
December 10, 2012
Read this in college. This book introduced me to the idea of the multi-genre project, research paper, even writing analysis. A book every E/LA teacher should own.
December 25, 2024
I'm late to the party, but I'm revamping a unit, and one of my colleagues suggested this text. The multigenre paper is an interesting concept, and Romano gave me a few ideas to make the assignment my own, but this book could have offered more. The bulk of the book comes from its student examples, which became repetitive space fillers. Did we need that many? I would have appreciated more theory and research behind writing multigenre papers and more explicit directions/instructions. I'm in the minority here, but I wanted a stronger argument for moving from what I'm currently doing to this type of assessment. Ultimately, Romano flooded the book with student work rather than his insights, which left me with more questions than answers.
Grade: D+
Grade: D+
April 18, 2010
Tom Romano, known by many in the field of English Education as the father of multigenre writing, chronicles the different approaches utilized by many teachers that have embraced multigenre writing. Romano begins his book Blending Genre, Altering Style with a chapter of testimonials from teachers who have successfully implemented a multigenre approach in their classrooms. As Sirpa Grierson asserts “…the power of the multigenre form makes the information real- the “imagination puts some meat on those bones� by creating pictures to go along with the words� (qtd. in Romano 5). Romano follows these testimonials up with actual examples of multigenre papers to show the reader the power that the teachers have attested to. It is at this point that the power of the book is evidenced; Romano spends subsequent chapters breaking down various genres that can be explored in the use of multigenre writing. He shows traditional models and then gives practical advice about how to give more life to the writing through a multigenre approach. He follows this comparison with actual examples of the genres and practical advice on how to incorporate them into actual class lessons.
Romano’s book is very readable and broken down into understandable steps for a novice in the multigenre style. He follows each bit of advice with teacher and student testimonials, and then research that supports the use of multigenre writing in the classroom. Blending Genre, Altering Style is chock-full of wonderful, full-length multigenre papers, as well as Romano’s obvious passion for the multigenre style. Romano also acknowledges teachers� unique styles and their expertise in finding the right path for their classes when incorporating multigenre writing. Reading this book has inspired me to make multigenre writing a present piece of my own classroom.
Blending Genre, Altering Style also addresses the big questions of how to grade multigenre papers and offers advice for pushback that may come with implementation of this style of response. Romano leaves his readers with these sage words, “Amid my passion for seeing and saying with words, Jill and her students remind me that changing the mode of expression adds richness and complexity to thinking, catapults us and our audience into other ways of knowing� (172). This book will help the teacher that wants to encourage those “other ways of knowing� that might emerge in their classrooms.
Romano’s book is very readable and broken down into understandable steps for a novice in the multigenre style. He follows each bit of advice with teacher and student testimonials, and then research that supports the use of multigenre writing in the classroom. Blending Genre, Altering Style is chock-full of wonderful, full-length multigenre papers, as well as Romano’s obvious passion for the multigenre style. Romano also acknowledges teachers� unique styles and their expertise in finding the right path for their classes when incorporating multigenre writing. Reading this book has inspired me to make multigenre writing a present piece of my own classroom.
Blending Genre, Altering Style also addresses the big questions of how to grade multigenre papers and offers advice for pushback that may come with implementation of this style of response. Romano leaves his readers with these sage words, “Amid my passion for seeing and saying with words, Jill and her students remind me that changing the mode of expression adds richness and complexity to thinking, catapults us and our audience into other ways of knowing� (172). This book will help the teacher that wants to encourage those “other ways of knowing� that might emerge in their classrooms.
July 16, 2015
Really, I would give this 4.5 starts. I truly enjoyed this in depth look at multigenre papers, something which had become incredibly interesting to me. Personally, I loved the insight and writing advice Romano offered and will dig into this text again and again in my own pursuits of multigenre writing. Professionally, this is a fantastic starting point but was geared largely toward older high schoolers and college students. I am still in the process of figuring out how to adapt this to the abilities of 6th graders to make the task engaging and accessible to them and would have really loved to have more examples of multigenre in middle school and elementary classrooms. I will definitely be going in search of more texts about multigenre writing in the classroom.
April 8, 2016
I would make this a 3.5 rating if I could.
I devoured this book, taking in all the different options for multigenre papers in classrooms. It made me want to go through the process with students right then and there and, all the better, start the process myself once I put the book down. As it is, maybe I'll just settle for a weeklong workshop in the summer.
The reason this is 3.5 stars and not 4, though, is that the title is misleading and this particular structure of writing was not what I was looking for. The multigenre paper is blending, in a sense, but I was looking more for guidance on how to use the narrative structure to write about information, for example, or vice versa.
I devoured this book, taking in all the different options for multigenre papers in classrooms. It made me want to go through the process with students right then and there and, all the better, start the process myself once I put the book down. As it is, maybe I'll just settle for a weeklong workshop in the summer.
The reason this is 3.5 stars and not 4, though, is that the title is misleading and this particular structure of writing was not what I was looking for. The multigenre paper is blending, in a sense, but I was looking more for guidance on how to use the narrative structure to write about information, for example, or vice versa.
February 5, 2014
The best part about Tom Romano's book is the idea that education can and should change. That bringing students into a place of creativity and critical thinking is more important than regurgitating facts. Multi-genre writing encourages this creativity by focusing on how writing has the ability to cause people to feel and experience something. I love the idea as a way to spark creativity even in more traditional writing genres and a way to write about important experiences. I still would prefer a well written and creative essay but I am excited about this new genre for sure
August 11, 2009
It's not the best methods book I've ever read, but it really got me thinking about the intellectual underpinnings of how we teach writing in this country. It kind of makes me sad too. My co-teacher and I did a multigenre project last year with our kids. And, reading this, I see so many ways we could make it better, but we don't teach together anymore. Maybe it'll provide some inspiration for me and my new co-teacher.
Read
November 17, 2013Tom Romano's honest approach to teaching and using multi-genre works was refreshing and interesting as I turned from page to page. He discusses his personal experiences and the experiences of his colleagues to help teachers avoid the pitfalls they experienced. He also includes a good number of mentor texts, so you can approach the multi-genre papers form different angles and with different ideas about what works.
December 19, 2008
This is an excellent text for teachers to use to incorporate a multigenre approach in their classrooms. Romano takes the two MGRP chapters in Writing with Passion and expands them to encompass more detailed guidelines, examples, and teaching strategies to make the process less ambiguous for students and teachers alike. I love this book, and wish I knew about it earlier.
December 30, 2009
I read this book for a class about teaching writing. This book discusses the idea of "multi-genre projects" as an alternative traditional research essays. This book was a real eye opener. Such projects provide a world of opportunity for learning and expression and can incorporate research and other traditional learning tools to promote learning.
March 13, 2012
I know I'm late to this party, but I finally read Romano's important book on multi genre research. This year will be my first foray into a modified version of what Romano created, so I'm not yet ready to speak with any authority on his ideas. He certainly deserves major credit for his innovative approach to reaching students by tapping into their passion and creativity.
April 8, 2009
An amazing book to introduce multigenre writing. Takes it step by step and includes student samples. I would definitley recommend to anyone contemplating this type of project or who is looking for an alternative to the traditional research paper.
October 29, 2010
I can't stop thinking about ways to use the multi-genre piece in my future classroom. I can't wait to build it into the structure of my class and expose students to an alternative to just expository writing.
August 10, 2010
This book really added to my understanding Multigenre Papers. Lots of helpful resources to support teaching this type of paper.
November 30, 2020
Tom Romano says:
“A multigenre paper arises for research, experience, and imagination. It is not an uninterrupted, expository monolog nor a seamless narrative nor a collection of poems. A multigenre paper is composed of many genres and subgenres, each piece self-contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images and content. In addition to many genres, a multigenre paper may also contain many voices, not just the author’s. The trick is to make such a paper hang together.�
This book has been around for 20 years. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to figure out it existed.
“A multigenre paper arises for research, experience, and imagination. It is not an uninterrupted, expository monolog nor a seamless narrative nor a collection of poems. A multigenre paper is composed of many genres and subgenres, each piece self-contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images and content. In addition to many genres, a multigenre paper may also contain many voices, not just the author’s. The trick is to make such a paper hang together.�
This book has been around for 20 years. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to figure out it existed.
December 10, 2019
Though published in 2000, the examples that Romano uses from students are no less interesting. What is interesting is how so many educators teach in less creative, engaging ways when there resources have been around so long.
I do think that Romano could use more theory in his exploration of creative forms and identity, and should also consider examining how currere serves as a multi genre form, but perhaps he has in later works.
I do think that Romano could use more theory in his exploration of creative forms and identity, and should also consider examining how currere serves as a multi genre form, but perhaps he has in later works.
December 17, 2023
Romano clearly explains the theory, the process, and the practical application. He also provides multiple exemplars from a variety of grade levels, including college. Abd, he offers multiple ways to structure and assess the work. In short, a clear inspiration.
December 4, 2022
Read this for a grad class, and I found the ideas and assignments very helpful. Definitely want to utilize multi genre assignments in my classroom!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
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