Amy Lannin and Juanita Willingham

“Mucking Around in Multi-Genre”

 Grades 5-College

Amy and Juanita help you explore Tom Romano’s definition of multi-genre by reading books and student examples. They provided examples of multi-genre writing, book lists, and possible lesson plans. Amy teaches at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Juanita teaches at Auxvasse Elementary, North Callaway R-I School District. *Writers have experimented with blending genres for years, quite naturally moving between different types of writing, yet creating one unified piece. Imagine combining different types of writing: poetry, drama, letters, editorials. More writers are trying what Tom Romano defines as multi-genre, when a writer composes in “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” (Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multi-Genre Papers, pp. x-xi). In this workshop, you will explore this definition of multi-genre by reading books (picture books, young adult books, non-fiction, fiction) and student examples. To understand multi-genre is to read it and write it, so this workshop will connect reading and writing in different genres. You will leave with examples of multi-genre writing, book lists, and possible lessons. *Write to Learn program description