“Informal Intake Discussion: Let’s Talk about Writing” is a beginning conversation to get the learner thinking about writing in his or her life. It is an opportunity for you to find out a lot about your learner. This is also when you begin the conversation about the contexts and reasons for writing. In writeforward, as in the ESDC Literacy and Essential Skills framework, the writing contexts are Home, Community and Work. While the “Informal Intake Discussion: Let’s Talk about Writing” conversation does give you lots of information about your learner and his attitude towards writing, you still need know where to start him in the writeforward process.
The Informal Placement Exercise is a simple tool that will give you an approximate starting placement for your learner. Comparing the writing sample provided by this simple form to the Competency and Skills Progression Chart will give you a good sense of where to place your learner.
This process is explained very well in both the Quick Start guide provided and the Video: Informal Intake Discussion & Informal Placement Exercise: Let’s Talk about Writing!
