Upon completion of a writing unit on personal narratives, seventh grade students in Jessica Arrigotti’s and Ann Metz’s inclusion English as a New Language class at Bellport Middle School shared their works with peers during a writing celebration.

The students have been learning to write personal narratives which include  small moments in their lives. They learned that in writing in this particular genre, it is best to show and not tell, use details to create tension and to include dialogue. 

During the celebration, the finished narratives were placed on desks for peers to read and to write a note or “fan mail” about the narrative, making sure to include positive, encouraging and specific criticism of each piece. After each of the narratives were read, several students volunteered to read their work out loud to the class.