Secondary Ed SIG Update: Writing Contest

By Lila Birchfield

“I can shake off everything, as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
—Anne Frank

Writing is an enduring form of expression and communication which must be encouraged, especially now in our age of text messages and tweets. For ELLs, the ability to express their thoughts and ideas in the written form is a key component of their overall English language development. More often than not, ELL students view writing assignments negatively because they think they lack the necessary skills to express themselves. As teachers, we know that writing is a challenge for our students, so we provide instructional support and on-going opportunities for them to express their ideas.

For the past twenty years, the Illinois TESOL-BE has offered a writing competition for students in grades 6-12. Students can choose the type of essay they wish to submit: narrative, descriptive, expository or persuasive. As teachers, you are already teaching your students how to write for a specific purpose, whether it is to tell a story, describe an event, inform the reader on a topic, or convince the reader to accept a particular point of view. Take your students’ writing to the next level. Encourage them to submit an original essay to the Illinois TESOL-BE Grades 6-12 Writing Competition. Essays must be between 500-1000 words and not edited by the teacher. You can visit the Illinois TESOL-BE website for complete rules: https://www.itbe.org/grades_6-12_writing_contest.php

The following students received certificates and monetary prizes for their winning essays this past spring 2018:

Grades 9-12 Winners

First Place: $150
Jobran Abou Assaf
Lyons Township High School
La Grange, Illinois
Teacher: Francisco Gamboa

Second Place: $100
Zen Huai Sian
Mather High School
Chicago, Illinois
Teacher: Maria Elena Balanzategui-Aguilar

Third Place: $75
Tahmina Fnu
Mather High School
Chicago, Illinois
Teacher: Maria Elena Balanzategui-Aguilar

Honorable Mention: $50
Ameyiali Herrera-Hernandez
Lisle Senior High School
Lisle, Illinois
Teacher: Joanna Ng

Grades 6-8 Winners

First Place: $150
Amy Tochimani
Hubble Middle School
Warrenville, Illinois
Teacher: Andrea Fridley

Second Place: $100
Rufaida Chowdhury
Scullen Middle School
Naperville, Illinois
Teacher: Amy Dawes

Third Place $75
Andres Blanco
Hubble Middle School
Warrenville, Illinois
Teacher: Andrea Fridley

Honorable Mention: $50
Jesus Chavez
Hubble Middle School
Warrenville, Illinois
Teacher: Michelle Morez

Lila Birchfield and Margaret McGregor are the chairs of the Secondary Education SIG (Special Interest Group).


Secondary Ed SIG Update: Writing Contest By Lila Birchfield “I can shake off everything, as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” —Anne Frank Writing is an enduring form of expression and communication which must be encouraged, especially now in our age of text messages and tweets. For ELLs, the ability to express their thoughts and ideas in the written form is a key component of their overall English language development. More often than not, ELL students view writing assignments negatively because they think they lack the necessary skills to express themselves. As teachers, we know that writing is a challenge for our students, so we provide instructional support and on-going opportunities for them to express their ideas. For the past twenty years, the Illinois TESOL-BE has offered a writing competition for students in grades 6-12. Students can choose the type of essay they wish to submit: narrative, descriptive, expository or persuasive. As teachers, you are already teaching your students how to write for a specific purpose, whether it is to tell a story, describe an event, inform the reader on a topic, or convince the reader to accept a particular point of view. Take your students’ writing to the next level. Encourage them to submit an original essay to the Illinois TESOL-BE Grades 6-12 Writing Competition. Essays must be between 500-1000 words and not edited by the teacher. You can visit the Illinois TESOL-BE website for complete rules: https://www.itbe.org/grades_6-12_writing_contest.php The following students received certificates and monetary prizes for their winning essays this past spring 2018: Grades 9-12 Winners First Place: $150 Jobran Abou Assaf Lyons Township High School La Grange, Illinois Teacher: Francisco Gamboa Second Place: $100 Zen Huai Sian Mather High School Chicago, Illinois Teacher: Maria Elena Balanzategui-Aguilar Third Place: $75 Tahmina Fnu Mather High School Chicago, Illinois Teacher: Maria Elena Balanzategui-Aguilar Honorable Mention: $50 Ameyiali Herrera-Hernandez Lisle Senior High School Lisle, Illinois Teacher: Joanna Ng Grades 6-8 Winners First Place: $150 Amy Tochimani Hubble Middle School Warrenville, Illinois Teacher: Andrea Fridley Second Place: $100 Rufaida Chowdhury Scullen Middle School Naperville, Illinois Teacher: Amy Dawes Third Place $75 Andres Blanco Hubble Middle School Warrenville, Illinois Teacher: Andrea Fridley Honorable Mention: $50 Jesus Chavez Hubble Middle School Warrenville, Illinois Teacher: Michelle Morez Lila Birchfield and Margaret McGregor are the chairs of the Secondary Education SIG (Special Interest Group).
ITBE Link - Fall 2018 - Fall 2018