Our Stage 4 and Stage 5 English classes have been working on short writing tasks throughout the term and I thought this would be a great one to finish on because it involves writing about someone the students know. I am excited to see what they put together.
I introduced written portraits by asking students what a painted portrait entails - the purpose, what they look like, and what an artist might capture. I then explained what we would be creating - a portrait in words - I had several confused responses - 'we have to make our writing in the shape of a face?' and 'we have to draw, with words?' I knew then we needed to read a portrait immediately.
Before we read I asked students to highlight all the way the subject of the portrait was described - their voice, appea
rance, their work, and mannerisms.
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In the time following, we spent some time preparing for students to interview someone. We collected details about the person the students wanted to interview, reflected on what happens in a good interview, what active listening looks like, and how to record answers (workbook with handwritten responses preferred, but recording using a smart device could work, with permission of the subject!). I found a list of general interview questions on the internet that we used for inspiration and I asked students to pick up to 7-10 and then to come up with another five questions specific to the person they wanted to interview. Students had two weeks to interview their subject. During this time we read several portraits in class and then came up with a list of written portrait features before beginning a WOP (Writing Off the Page) in order to prepare for writing the portrait.
What makes a portrait a portrait?:
- Description
- Interview surroundings
- Appearance
- hair
- skin
- facial features
- clothes
- mannerisms
- voice
- How the interviewee engages with the world
- social media
- work
- study
- friendships
- family
- Pithy title - short, catchy, captures the personality of the subject and maybe even the 'so what' of the interview
- Dialogue
- include quotes from the interview/comments from others about the subject
- So what? What is the point?
- capture personality and WHO the interviewee is
- to entertain
I added some prompt questions to the board to help students begin their WOP - I have been working to ensure students aren't faced with a blank page when they begin writing.
- WOP Inspiration
- Background
- What other people say about the subject
- 'So what?' - what are you trying to capture about the subject?
- Description - appearance of subject and interview location
The structure of a portrait is next on the agenda - where will the writing start?
Begin your portrait with a:
Title (You may write this at the end!)
Introduction
- Description of the subject - their appearance OR
- A quote from the subject
- Try to get to the 'So what?' - what is it you are 'painting' in your portrait?
Paragraph 1.
- Continue by adding some of the subject's life story
- Include details of where the interview took place
- Include some dialogue from the interview
Paragraph 2.
- Present some information about who the subject is - what kind of person are they?
- Add some description of the subject - more of their appearance (what does this show about the person?)
Paragraph 3.
- Do you know anything of the work/hopes and dreams/hobbies of the subject? Include them here.
- Add some more description of the subject - what are their mannerisms? What does their voice sound like?
Conclusion
- Wrap up the portrait
- Is there a funny anecdote (little personal story) you could finish on?
- The conclusion is the last thing the audience reads - it is important so needs to be just as thoughtful and interesting as the rest of your writing.
Hopefully I will be reading portraits by tomorrow afternoon!
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