Interview with Miami University professor Dr. Tom Romano on multigenre papers

 
        Q: Where did multigenre papers come from?

Romano: Well, in 1988 I read a book called "The Collected Works of Billy the Kid" by Michael Ondaatje and wondered if students in my classroom could do the same thing.  In May of !988, I assigned the first ever multigenre paper to my students.  I then presented about the multigenre papers that fall.  1991 was when I wrote my first publication about them.

 Q: How do teacher motivate their students to complete multigenre papers in all grades?

Romano: Teachers need to keep on students.  Requiring bits of the assignment as they go, “checkpoint pieces,” keeps students accountable to doing their work.  I also require a research design from students that usually helps jumpstart students into researching and writing.  Once students start researching and writing, they become self-motivated because they’re interested in their topic.

Q:  Any insight on where multigenre papers are headed?

Romano: Multigenre writing is developing everywhere.  Many young adult novels are becoming more multigenre based.  However, I see multigenre papers becoming more digital—a sort of digital storytelling.

Q: Any specific do’s and don’ts when teaching multigenre papers?

Romano: Definitely support kids the whole way.  Do not assign the paper and then abandon the students.  Show the students genres and subgenres they can try.  Give them plenty of choices, and be prepared for surprise.

Interview with Miami University professor Dr. Brenda Dales on multigenre papers

Q: How can we use multigenre papers in the classroom?

Dales: A teacher could use multigenre papers as a form of a research paper, as a means to explore literature, you could use multigenre’s as an assignment after reading a book in class and speak through the voices of different characters using different scenes. There are no limits for the uses and creativity of multigenre papers.

Q: Do you have any lesson plan ideas for multigenre papers?

Dales: Lesson plans could be made for character development, poetry, creating a “good lead”, any writing lesson plans could be tailored to be made into a multigenre paper.

Q: How can multigenre’s be used with high school students?

Dales: You could use them to integrate different subjects. An example of this could be using the topic The Wright Brothers to incorporate science, research and writing.

Q: How can multigenre papers be integrated with technology?

Dales: For example, you could have the Wright Brothers talking to one another via PODCAST and one of the genres in the paper, one could create a Website, WebQuest, Video, pair computer illustrations with audio recording, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Q: Where can I get more information about mutligenres?

Dales: Some sources that I know of are---NCTE website, “Language Arts” magazine, “English Journal”, Heinemann Publisher, author Camille Allen, Dr. Romano, Melinda Putz.

Q: Why are multigenre papers more effective than other writing assignments?

Dales: They are very flexible and allow a lot of freedom for ideas and creativity while incorporating a variety of writing skills and research.

Q: What are some multigenre Do’s and Don’ts?

Dales: Do’s—Make sure to give the students examples of finished works, good and not so good. Introduce many different writing genres to the students. There are many published multigenre books, two of my favorite are “Pirates” and “Regarding the Trees”.

Don’ts—Tell students not to come up with genres first, come up with ideas first. Then figure out what you are going to say and how you envision the information being presented.