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LinguaFolio ® Training Resources

Training modules to show how to implement LinguaFolio ®

1.6 Language Biography

The Language Biography is a record of personal, language-learning history . In this section of LinguaFolio, students are prompted to reflect on how they learn and to set learning goals. They evaluate their learning goals and reflect on language learning and cultural experiences. The Biography’s can-do statements help learners assess their language competencies and interactions in authentic cultural contexts. The Biography is the most important part in the formative assessment process.

Sometimes we wonder, why do students come to us and ask what their grade will be? Why don’t they know? It may be easy for us to evaluate our own proficiency, but students must have plenty of opportunities to practice self-assessment in order to form realistic and accurate evaluations of their abilities.

Parts of the Biography Learners use the three parts of the Language Biography to reflect on and document their overall language-learning processes.

PART 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION In this part of the LinguaFolio Biography, language learners document personal language-learning history. They reflect on how they learn and complete a learning inventory.

PART 2: INTERCULTURAL ENCOUNTERS Learners evaluate their responses to various intercultural encounters and learn to react appropriately to a specific audience. Using cultural experiences as a starting point, students explore their feelings, perceptions, and goals.

PART 3: CHECKLISTS AND SELF-ASSESSMENT GRID The checklists and self-assessment grid are from the standard version of LinguaFolio — usually for students in heritage language programs, middle school language programs for high school credit, and high school or university language programs. When learners feel they can check off most of the can-do statements within a category, they summarize that ability in the Language Passport using the self-assessment grid indicators. A checklist sample and the self-assessment grid are both linked below.

The checklists are used by the learner for self-assessment but can also be used for peer- and teacher-assessment. The teacher may draw information from the Biography to guide instructional decisions.

In this video, teachers comment on the effect of the checklists in the language learning process . In your opinion, what are the three most important impacts?

Watch video here . Video transcript: “Language Biography Checklists” (pdf)

It is not unusual for a learner to be more competent in one area than another. For example, a learner may be intermediate-low in the speaking mode, but already at intermediate-mid in the interpretive mode.

Reaching consensus about where to place students in classes and when to move them to the next level is difficult. The checklists provide a unique opportunity to educators making these decisions. Using these checklists helps build a deeper understanding of proficiency levels, which can impact the expectations for the articulation sequence of a program at each level.

Also linked below is an example from LinguaFolio Junior that lists can-do statements for students in grades 3–5. Teachers can ask students to use a tool like this at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. It is important that students realize that learning is a cyclical process; exposure to a new concept does not mean fluency. Plenty of opportunity to practice the new concept is essential to achieve proficiency.

The second page of the LinguaFolio Junior handout, geared toward students in grades 6–8, is a worksheet for students to keep track of dates they accomplish certain tasks. After winter or summer breaks — or even a week after a lesson — students may be unable to demonstrate previous learning. This ongoing check-up reinforces the fact that language learning is a process that requires continual use of skills until they are mastered. This worksheet also demonstrates how LinguaFolio creates opportunities to help students maintain what they have learned. What is a motivating factor for the student also functions as an accountability factor for the teacher — who is then encouraged to provide more language production situations.

Sample interpretive listening self-assessment checklist ( pdf )

Self-assessment grid ( pdf )

LinguaFolio Junior samples ( pdf )

Next: 1.7) Language Dossier

Educational Sociolinguistics

Reflecting on my Language Biography

Maxime Lavallée

Hello! Having grown up in several countries and spoken different varieties of the same languages in different places, I decided to begin with a brief timeline for some context.

• Native speaker of French.
• No prior knowledge of English before moving to California.
• Went to primary school in English.
• Became indistinguishable from native speakers of English.
• Adopted Californian vernacular and accent.
• Over time, adopted Australian vernacular and accent.
• New vocabulary and cultural norms very different from Australia.
• Found a job and made some serious improvements to my stagnating French.
• Began to learn Spanish.
• Adopted Montreal English vernacular and accent

Today, I consider myself more a native speaker of English than of French, even though I learned English much later in my life. I’ve also often had to ‘reinvent’ myself, with regards to the languages I speak, because I moved to countries with different sociolinguistic contexts. When we spoke about how context was a large part of sociolinguistics, it made me realize a few things about myself. Although I lived in three countries with relatively similar cultures (Canada, USA, Australia), the sociolinguistic differences still felt very significant to me. I believe that having experienced these different contexts as a student myself makes me better at understanding the experiences of some of my students. I like to think that I can in some way better empathize with the difficulties some students may be having on the basis of different sociolinguistic contexts.

We also touched on the subject of ‘native speaker-ism bias’ in class. Over the course of my studies, I have come to realize that one really does not need to be a native speaker to be an effective language teacher. I did not always think this way however, as I had once purposefully chosen a native language teacher over a non-native one before. One teacher’s name was Spanish, so I inherently believed them to be more qualified. Today, I find myself questioning what a native speaker really is, as I do not really consider myself a native speaker of either French nor English, but rather of both.

There is an inherent unfairness to this (I guess it’s considered as a bias for a reason), as I will always pass for a native speaker due to my physical appearance and my countries of residence, but others who may look physically different or come from different countries may not escape this bias. For example, I was looking for jobs just the other day when I saw an advertisement for ESL teacher positions in China. The requirements were to either have a degree in TESL, or be a resident of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or England (no degree in TESL needed). I can’t think of a much more pertinent example of this bias. Why would someone from England be any better at teaching English than an Iranian who studied how to teach the language for many years? This is such a wide topic with no clear answers, and I’m not quite sure how it pertains to my teaching practice yet. I hope this class will provide me with some answers!

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3 thoughts on “Reflecting on my Language Biography”

Samuel: Thanks for sharing your language biography! What an interesting account of your various selves! I guess if you have learned English in a “natural” context in different countries, you must consider yourself a native speaker of English, because you haven’t had the experience of learning it in school. I guess when a teacher is native, there may be no consequences for the practice, because you cannot become non-native when you are. But, it you would interesting to explore to what extent metaknowledge about your first language might influence in similar ways how you teach your first language, maybe there is some overlap with what second language learner discover in a second language ? Thanks again for sharing!

It was the most inspiring language biography I’ve ever read, and I also liked the following sentence:”I have come to realize that one really does not need to be a native speaker to be an effective language teacher.”

Maxime, Thanks for your posting! As compared to mine, I really find your language biography is complicated. You mentioned that you had to change the spelling in Australia, which reminded me the time when I prepared for both IELTs and TOEFL. Initially, I decided to pursue my master degree in the US so I only took the TOEFL, which is widely accepted in the US. Because I got used to the spelling of American English, I just used it in the TOEFL. However, as I accepted the offer of admission from McGill. I had to take the IELTs, which would facilitate the process of getting students’ visa. As a result, I had to learn the British writing style as my friend told me that examiners in IELTs would like to deduct grades if examinees use American spelling in the writing section. That is why this process was very difficult for me because I had to acquire the differences between “-sation” or“-zation”, “-er” or “-re”, and “flavor” or “flavour”. However, when I was able to master some of these spellings, I merely scratch the surface and I have a lot to learn!

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• > Multilingualism and Education
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Book contents

• Multilingualism and Education
• Copyright page
• List of Contributors
• 1 Humanizing Research(ers) and Understanding How Concepts Evolve in Context
• 2 Become a Teacher-Researcher to Find Your Turkish
• 3 Between Languages, Norms and Social Variations
• 4 Learning to Language, Learning to Live:
• 5 A Retrospective Look at Multi/Pluri/Linguistic Transformations
• 6 Multilingualism as Lived, Felt and Evolving through Dialogue and Melody of Life
• 7 Revisiting the “Plurilingual-Intercultural” Orthodoxy
• 8 The Languages That Started to Flourish in Our Childhood, Developed over Time into Beautiful Blooming Meadows
• 9 On the Borderline between Languages and Knowledge
• 10 Multilingualism as Part of Social Reality
• 11 Some Elements of Family History and Language Biography
• 12 My Trajectory in Languages and Language Learning
• 13 Multilingualism as Norm
• 14 From Patois to Inter-comprehension Issues
• 15 Biography, Linguistic Coexistence, and Epistemological Reflection
• 16 Fighting off Zombies in France’s Multilingual Education
• 17 From Language Planning to the Didactization of Plurilingualism
• 18 A Sociolinguistic Biography and Understandings of Bilingualism
• 19 Experiential and Research Journey
• 20 Multimodality and Multilingualism
• 21 Researching Multilingualism and Language Education across Borders and over Decades
• 22 Possible Selves
• 23 Feeling at Home across Languages, Schools and Countries
• 24 From Monolingual Habitus to Plurilingual Education
• 25 My Path toward Awareness of Languages and Linguistic Diversity
• 26 A Personal Journey
• 27 Cultivating Plurilingual Gardens
• 28 Unbecoming a Monolingual Anglophone
• 29 From Plurilingual Experiences to Pluri-Artistic Practices
• 30 A Personal and Professional Journey to Multilingualism
• 31 Journey towards a Translanguaging Pedagogy for Social Justice
• 32 From Language Biography to a Research Life’s Journey
• 33 My Linguistic Biography
• 34 Travelling Back and Forth between Local Language Variation and Global Multilingualism
• 35 A Reflection on Generational Diaspora and Resulting Linguistic Acclimatization
• 36 On Language(s), Education and Dynamic Language Users

33 - My Linguistic Biography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2022

In Belgium, Piet Van Avermaet and Sven Sierens offer a joint biography where "Dutch" and local dialects were their norm. Both of them grew up in a multilingual environment with migrant classmates. As researchers, they turned to a critical sociolinguistic perspective to propose functional multilingual learning to give multilingual students a chance to use their linguistic repertoires.

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• My Linguistic Biography
• By Kelleen Toohey
• Edited by Gail Prasad , York University, Toronto , Nathalie Auger , Emmanuelle Le Pichon Vorstman , University of Toronto
• Book: Multilingualism and Education
• Online publication: 02 June 2022
• Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009037075.033

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Delving Into The Deep Mind

Exploring new things about the world we live in.

My Language Biography

In my final year of university, one of my linguistic courses required us to write a language biography. This consisted of the language background we have, in terms of languages we have learned, languages our family knows, etc.

My mother tongue (or first language) is English with most of my family only speaking English in the presence of my sisters and I. However, my grandmother on my dad’s side is German so, whenever we would visit her while we were young, she would try teaching us basic German. As we didn’t end up seeing her much due to a disagreement between her and my parent, we only successfully learnt how to count to 10. Even now, without having practice or thinking about it for years, I can count to 10 and introduce myself (only my name though). She would often speak German to my father and aunt even though my dad had moved here when he was 2. He once told me, he didn’t have any interest in learning the German language or about German culture and considered himself 100% Australian and was only fluent in German to speak to his mum. I’ve always wanted to learn German myself but have never been motivated enough to do so.

I studied Indonesian in school but had no motivation and lacking interest in the culture as it was a compulsory subject. I can understand the role that age can make in language acquisition as even though my motivation wasn’t as strong as for other languages, I was quick at understanding Indonesian. I wonder how different my language learning experience at that age would have been if I was invested in grasping the language and not just getting a good grade.

In my teen years, I gained an interest in Japanese and Korean culture through my love of their entertainment. My sister introduced them to me as she had many friends into anime and K-pop. As I have gotten older I have continued to enjoy the culture more broadly and made attempts to learn the language. I did some classes on each but neither of them matched my learning style so I soon lost motivation and gave up. Fortunately, I can still remember aspects of the language such as the alphabet. I found that the Korean alphabet is very easy to memorise but harder to pronounce. It took me about 20 minutes to remember all the alphabet whereas Japanese took me a week and I still know very minimal Kanji. I can still introduce myself in both language as I tend to revise the few things I know every week.

Back to English, as it is the dominant language in my life, I use it significantly more than the others and can practice it very easily in my day to day life. But, I can still feel a sense of lacking in my vocabulary especially when reading texts, both literature and linguistic articles. So, I am constantly improving the language I speak with the introduction of new words or phrases which can often come from other cultures. My thoughts, dreams and work is always in English as it is the dominant language yet sometimes I can incorporate the limited knowledge of other languages I have into each.

We had to attach a diagram of where we believe these languages are, I put English throughout my body, with Japanese/Korean in my brain and German in my heart. The reasons being;

English = An essential element of everything I do.

Japanese and Korean = Language I would like to learn as I love the cultures and would love the opportunity to visit one day.

German = My families native tongue that I would like to learn to feel more of an attachment to my ancestry.

What is bilingualism or language learning to me?

Bilingualism to me is like learning to roller skate as even through trial and error eventually I will learn from my mistakes.

I chose roller skating as my example, as from personal experience it exemplifies my language learning experience. Roller skating is something I have tried numerous times, and ultimately given up before reaching a satisfactory level. I am optimistic that I will eventually learn a language successfully, making this simile obsolete. So, I have that to strive and look forward to.

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Things I wish which I knew before joining B.Tech CSE and while doing it.

my_qualifications: 2nd yr B.tech CSE

Sorry if i didn't use the right flair but I really feel like writing this post. I wish someone told me this. Idk how useful it will be for the students here but hope it helps people who have a similar situation . Also this is a very long post.

So I joined CSE paying huge amounts to a private college without any interest in CS and I kind of regret it . I wish knew what I needed in my life and how to do it instead of blindly following what others said about my career .

I did really well in school and didn't really have an ambission , just did what most of the good students would ie do MPC , prepare like life and death for JEE MAINS (obviously failed in it ) and took CSE because a couple of relatives said to do so . One was a high school teacher who had no experience in the job industry but knew the trend among students and the other who is highly successful career bc he was nerd since birth .

But I wish I had searched well about careers and taken the decision seriously by myself , I told my parents that I had no interest in CS at all for a long time but eventually they pushed me into it bc this was the only to have a successful career bc I didn't crack IIT's.

But you know what , IIT's =/= guaranteed successful career

And so please you decide your future , do a good research about careers , ask people who are similar to you , consider all the factors from financial aspects to your interests and mentality before joining .

Our parents will be willing to do put any amount of money in high rated private college only hoping that we will be successful after grad but u don't know what may happen . I thought I will work hard in college and get some 12 lac placement like a fool just because I joined a good college. Highly rated colleges can provide a good platform only and nothing else . They don't teach u a single thing required to get a good placement.

Now some may chosen CS because they want to choose CS so here are some things do well in college: Many know these but some innocent ones like me may not know ..so...

Have a good knowledge in one coding language according to the domain u want to do in future.

Learn how to use command prompt very well.

Take first two years subjects very seriously bc if u feel like doing mtech and realized it late u will still have a chance to do well in GATE.

Do own or small grp projects individually , you may not be successful at all but it will help u very much.

Learn about binary number systems well before doing second sem. My tiny monkey brain struggled to understand major concepts bc I was confused about number systems.

Watch nptel videos. Everyone knows this but many find it boring and don't do it but that one is gold .

Have a close friend circle but better keep it short . What many do is have a bigg network of people but none of them are close . It can be frustrating and no one helps u when u need it . I didn't face this problem but many guys I knew had this problem .

Read textbooks but don't prepare the week before by just reading ppts, if u do so u sure will pass but wont get a good cgpa.

Be aware that ppl are extremely competitive and smart in college so just because you did well tillyour 12th doesn't mean it will be the same in colleges too .

Edit: By word 'fail' in JEE MAINS ; I didn't mean I failed lmao I got a useless 93 percentile

Tanya Romero-Gonzalez

Linguistic Autobiography: A Reflection

I wrote the following linguistic autobiography in the Fall of 2012 as a reflective task for the linguistic seminar “Principles of Language Learning and Teaching” taught by Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl.

I am from Málaga, Spain, and my native language is Spanish. I began learning English in primary school and continued through high school. The main focus of the classroom was grammar study with priority given to reading and writing. I was not the best student back then, but English was the subject I enjoyed most. I have an aunt who lives in Massachusetts, and I spent a month with her and her family in the States at age 12. For the next few years I continued to visit them during the summer and while I was able to understand English, I was reticent to actually speak it except when needed. I also took Latin for two years (which I really enjoyed but didn´t truly remember when I had to take my PhD required Latin course two summers ago). I also wanted to take French in high school, but the school decided that my overall grades were not good enough and that I should take an “easier” subject. Regardless, I was eventually required to take French at the end of high school, but everyone in the class had already taken either two or four years of French. I remember struggling through the class and just wanting to pass the exams. After that, the only other foreign language that I have formally studied has been Portuguese.

When it came to choosing a major (which in Spain you do prior to starting university) it was clear to me that I wanted to study English Philology. I realized, much to my and everyone else’s surprise, that I was a very capable student if I studied things that I liked (This also taught me a lot about the negative effects of (self)labeling students as “good” or “bad”, and about different types of learners ). After completing my BA and MA in English, I decided that I could continue studying what I loved, but this time in my native language. I find it linguistically curious that I have come to study/teach English in Spain and then study/teach Spanish in the States.

One of the hardest linguistic challenges has been coming to terms with my own native language and acce nt , as I sometimes encounter dialectal prejudices . One (well-intentioned) professor told me that my native accent was not “professional” and his comment caused me a great deal of self-consciousness. When I first began teaching Spanish, the textbooks often excluded Peninsular Spanish vocabulary and verb forms, and I felt it was unfair for my students that I used, for example, the “vosotros” form (the peninsular Spanish, second person plural pronoun). On the other hand, it did not seem natural to me to use “ustedes” and I was quite inconsistent, confusing both myself and my students. Then, one of my most linguistically enlightened professors helped me realize that my way of speaking was a way of integrating culture in the classroom . Since then, I work to make my students aware of the rich dialectal and cultural varieties that they can encounter in the Hispanic world .

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More From Forbes

Applying the 7 rs of marketing to your life.

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How can we apply the 7 Rs of marketing to our lives? originally appeared on Quora : the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Charlene Walters, PhD, Business Mentor, Consultant, Corporate Trainer & Author, on Quora :

There are 7 Rs that are correlated with developing a marketing plan. They help to make a business successful and enable its marketing efforts to pay off. I’ve said it many times before, but in life, we are constantly marketing ourselves. Then, why not apply these same 7Rs to marketing ourselves, or being successful in life? After all, we need to have a plan to move forward, particularly when we are going after new goals, or even when we are trying to have a major glow up.

Here’s how you can apply the 7 Rs of Marketing to your life. The first R is Research . When goal setting, or trying to attain the results that you want, you must conduct thorough research. What do you need to do to move to where you want to be? Which steps will you take to get there? Research will help you figure out exactly what you should do and how.

The second R is Rates. In the marketing sense, this has to do with figuring out how much you are going to charge for your products or services. In the personal sense, this has to do with knowing your own value and worth. Performing this type of self-analysis can be a challenging thing to do, but until you understand your own value and worth, you will likely settle for less in all aspects of your life.

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The third R is Resources . I believe that this R is key. You must have the right resources to present yourself in the way that you want to, and to accomplish what you long to accomplish. Part of having the right resources is pinpointing exactly what they are, and then conducting an analysis in terms of what you already have and what you need to acquire. These can be physical, intellectual, spiritual, or emotional resources. Do you have the support you need to be successful? Are there any areas that you would like to beef up? What would enable you to glow up and perform better?

The fourth R is Retailing . For marketing, this is just like it sounds. It involves determining the channels that you will leverage to sell your products or services. For life, it has to do with putting yourself in the right places, and surrounding yourself with positive people who have a similar mindset and goals.

The fifth R is Reliability . In marketing, you must be reliable to your customers. When it comes to your personal life/goals, you have to be reliable both to yourself and to others. What does that mean? It means sticking with taking action towards your objectives, following through with commitments, and treating others the same way that you would want them to treat you.

The sixth R is Reward . Reward has to do with offering incentives in marketing. When it comes to your personal life, you must think about what incentives others have for interacting with you. What do you bring to the table? Is it friendship, support, knowledge, relatability, humor? What’s in it for those in your company?

The seventh R is Relationship . With business being so competitive today, establishing strong relationships with our customers only makes sense. We want them to continue to interact with us and buy from our company. The same thing applies in life. Having strong bonds with other people brings more joy to us and helps us in terms of support and achieving our goals. It also ups the ante in terms of our emotional, spiritual, and intellectual fulfillment.

As you can see, adhering to the 7 Rs of marketing is useful when it comes to marketing yourself and living your best life. By leaning into research, rates, resources, retailing, reliability, reward, and relationships, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to, and grab a lot of fulfillment along the way!

This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

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My Broken Language

62 pages • 2 hours read

My Broken Language: A Memoir

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Summary and Study Guide

My Broken Language  (2021) is a memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes. Born to a white Jewish father and a Puerto Rican mother, Hudes grows up in her West Philly townhouse, surrounded by her mother’s aunts and cousins but unsure of her true place in the family. Frustrated with the inadequacies of both English and Spanish, Hudes begins a search for her own language, one that can describe the complexities of her multicultural existence. The memoir explores themes of searching for belonging, facing inequality in American society, and discovering the importance of storytelling and representation while living between two cultures. 

This guide uses the 2021 One World Kindle edition of the text. 

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Content Warning: The source text contains references to AIDS, substance use disorder, racism, and some brief references to colonial violence, sexist slurs, child abuse, and religious animal sacrifice.

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At four years old, Quiara Alegría Hudes moves with her parents from their home in West Philly to a horse farm in the nearby town of Malvern. The Spanish that Quiara is used to hearing around her is suddenly replaced by English. Her mother, Virginia Perez , only speaks Spanish outdoors when she conducts rituals in her garden full of medicinal plants. Quiara’s English-speaking father is a carpenter and an atheist, very different from her spiritual mother.

When Quiara’s mother and father separate, Quiara’s mother moves back to West Philly. Quiara takes the train to spend every other week with her father, but he has remarried, and she feels more like a guest than a true family member. She also misses her mother, and the vibrancy of her Philadelphia neighborhood contrasts with the “chilling” white homogeneity of Malvern. She moves in with her mother full-time, and her visits to her father’s house become less and less frequent. 

Back in Philly, Quiara’s mother does outreach and advocacy work, opening a community center in the neighborhood to reach the underserved Latina population. Quiara often tags along with her mother and learns about issues that plague Hispanic women in Philadelphia, including disproportionate rates of infant mortality, cervical cancer, and HIV infection. She also begins to notice that her family suffers more death and tragedy than her classmates from “other zip codes.” Her childhood is full of funerals and disappearances as family members are lost to substance use disorder and AIDS, although the causes of these tragedies are never discussed. 

Quiara’s mother, who experienced visions and premonitions as a child, also progresses in her spirituality and becomes a devout worshiper of the Afro-Caribbean Lukumí religion. Strange alterations appear in their home, and Quiara struggles to explain them when her friends visit. She feels increasingly like English words are inadequate to describe her multicultural reality, and she wishes for a language that fits her better. 

As a high school senior, Quiara is accepted to Yale University, where she studies music. In North Philly, music from around the world constantly filled the air. However, at Yale, the coursework is all canonical Western classical music; anything else is dismissed as inferior, and Quiara is often frustrated with this narrow approach. She is also unsettled by the stark contrast between the wealthy university and her poor block in Philly. This discomfort grows stronger when she learns how deep the inequality runs even in her own family: One of her cousins is illiterate, and her baby sister Gabi struggles to read as she starts school. In her junior year, Quiara receives a fellowship to build a scholarly community with other students of color. The project cumulates in a musical inspired by her mother’s Santería worship, and her family comes up from Philly for the show.

After Quiara graduates, she returns to Philly and makes money playing gigs. However, she begins to grow bored with music, and still struggles to truly articulate the intricacies of her identity. She finds an “old silence” sneaking up on her when called to speak about herself, and she longs for a “better language.” When she confesses her boredom to her mother, Virginia encourages her to become a writer, telling her that her family needs her to record their stories.

Quiara accepts her mother’s advice and enrolls in Brown for a graduate program in playwriting. Her professor, Paula Vogel , encourages her to let go of her loyalty to language, telling her to write in a “broken” language if she needs to. Quiara thus begins to write plays based on her family. A lifetime of watching and listening to their stories spills onto the page, and she thinks perhaps she can create “a safe space” where she can “center [her]self and [her] loved ones” (293). 

For her thesis, she writes a queer Latina coming-of-age story with a protagonist based on her little sister. The play draws on all the ways her female family members have been shamed for their bodies and sexuality, and Quiara reclaims slurs that have been used against them to create a new “code for belonging.” However, she struggles to find inspiration for the second Act. Writing late one night in the computer lab, Quiara is possessed by a spirit in a way that has only happened a few times in her life. Four hours have passed when she recovers, and the second Act is finished. Her funny, rebellious play has turned dark and frightening, ending with the protagonist’s declaration, “I AM A WHORE” (309). Quiara is horrified by what she has written but recognizes it as her protagonist “reclaiming monstrosity as her earned, rightful power” (309).

Addressing the Perez women directly, Hudes tells her female relatives that they must become their “own librarians,” managing and protecting the family archive that lives in their bodies.

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How to Write a Biography in 8 Steps (The Non-Boring Way!)

Compelling biographies help us better connect with others while fostering empathy and understanding. Discover the steps to write one that captivates your audience!

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Have you ever been captivated by someone’s life story? From the ancient tales of great conquerors to the modern accounts of influential figures, biographies have enchanted readers and viewers for centuries. 

The stories of real people’s lives not only entertain and educate but also provide a unique window into the human experience. In fact, according to research 1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796048/ , human stories like biographies can help us better connect with others while fostering empathy and understanding.

In this article, let’s dive into how to write a compelling biography, from the research phase to delivery.

What Are the Key Elements of a Biography?

The key elements of a well-written biography bring characters to life. They include thorough research, relevant interviews, clear structure, captivating prose, compelling themes, and a balance between objectivity and empathy. 

• Thorough research: Helps create an accurate portrayal of your subject
• Relevant interviews: Insights help provide a deeper understanding of your subject
• Clear structure: Helps you outline your ideas for a compelling narrative
• Captivating prose: Provides descriptive language to paint a picture of your subject
• Compelling themes: Showcases the motivations and desires behind your subject
• A balance between objectivity and empathy: Keeps biases in check and allows your subject to shine for who they are

As you develop your biography, remember that these stories hold an enduring appeal because they offer people an opportunity to explore the depths of the human psyche, unravel extraordinary accomplishments, and discover the vulnerabilities and triumphs of individuals who have left their mark on the world. 

Here are the topics a biography typically covers:

• Early life and background : Provide context about the subject’s upbringing, family, and cultural influences.
• Achievements and milestones: Highlight notable accomplishments, contributions, and significant events throughout their life.
• Challenges and struggles: Explore the obstacles they faced, the lessons learned, and how they overcame adversity.
• Personal characteristics: Describe their personality traits, values, beliefs, and motivations that shaped their actions and decisions.
• Impact and legacy: Discuss the lasting influence and contributions of the subject, both during their lifetime and beyond.

Ready to start crafting your biography? Find greater success with this helpful goal-setting resource!

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Let’s look at the six key elements of a well-written biography more closely and the steps you can follow to develop your own.

How to Write a Biography in 8 Steps Using Key Elements

Choose your presentation format.

Presenting your biography can take on various forms, the most traditional being written form. The basis for this article assumes you’re writing a conventional biography; however, this foundation can also help you create a multimedia presentation or website as well. 

Consider these various formats to present your biography:

• Traditional Written Biographies: This classic approach provides a comprehensive account of a person’s life through the written word. Traditional biographies can be published in print or ebooks , allowing readers to engage deeply with the subject’s story.
• Multimedia Presentations: In the digital age, multimedia presentations offer a dynamic way to present biographies. Incorporate audio, video, photographs, and interactive elements to enhance the audience’s experience.
• Online Platforms: Online platforms, such as blogs or dedicated biography websites, provide accessible avenues for sharing biographies. They allow for easy updates, reader engagement, and the incorporation of multimedia elements. 

Choose your subject and conduct research

To create a vivid and accurate portrayal of a person’s life, conduct extensive research. Dive into archives, read letters, examine diaries, explore photographs, and immerse yourself in the historical and cultural context surrounding your subject. This will help you unearth the small details that breathe life into your biography. 

Whether you’re writing a biography about a historical figure, contemporary icon, or everyday individual, you’ll want to consider the different factors to focus on. Here are some examples of three types of individuals and the kind of research that will be most helpful.

• Historical Figures: When writing about historical figures, immerse yourself in their era. Understand the social, political, and cultural forces that shaped their lives. I recommend visiting your local library and connecting with a research librarian for support. Otherwise, other tools for historical research include Google Scholar. Analyze primary sources and multiple perspectives to present a well-rounded account.
• Contemporary Icons: Biographies of modern icons offer a chance to delve into their ongoing impact. Conduct interviews or gather insights from their close associates to understand their present-day influence. Stay current with the latest developments, and be prepared to update your work as the subject’s story unfolds.
• Everyday Individuals: Biographies need not be reserved for the famous. Every day individuals possess stories that can be just as compelling. Uncover the extraordinary within the ordinary, highlighting the struggles, triumphs, and personal growth of individuals who might otherwise remain unsung.
• Yourself! Want to write a biography on yourself? Autobiographies are a great way to explore who you are. Get ready to do some serious self-reflection with the steps below.

Pro Tip: Compile your research digitally using helpful cloud filings systems like Google Drive , OneDrive , or Dropbox . Organize your files by category, including information about their youth, family, achievements, and life lessons. You may also choose to write down research references or collect paper clippings on note cards, categorizing your physical files of research along the way.

Develop compelling themes and motifs 

Identify overarching themes or motifs that emerge from the subject’s life. These could be resilience, ambition, love, or societal change. Weave these elements into the narrative, highlighting their significance and impact on the person’s journey. Here are some examples:

• Overcoming Adversity: These biographies feature perseverance, resilience, and determination. Examples include Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai.
• Pursuit of Excellence: These biographies highlight people who have worked tirelessly to achieve their goals. Examples include Steve Jobs, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan.
• Quest for Knowledge: These biographies focus on the curiosity that led to significant contributions to our world. Examples include Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Charles Darwin.
• Personal Transformation: These biographies explore a change in beliefs, values, or priorities. Examples include Malcolm X, Oprah Winfrey, and Maya Angelou.
• Legacy and Impact: These biographies examine a body of work that made a lasting contribution to society. Examples include Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Conduct relevant interviews 

Whenever possible, seek firsthand accounts from those who knew or interacted with the subject. Conduct interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, or experts in the field. Their insights and anecdotes can provide a deeper understanding of the person’s character and experiences.

When conducting interviews for a biography, consider the following tips to ensure a productive and insightful conversation:

• Familiarize yourself with the interviewee’s background and accomplishments.
• Develop a list of well-thought-out questions that cover key aspects of their lives and experiences, including questions about your subject’s youth, family, achievements, and life transitions or struggles.
• Begin the interview by establishing a comfortable and friendly atmosphere to put the interviewee at ease.
• Show genuine interest in their story and listen actively to their responses.
• Ask open-ended questions encouraging detailed and reflective responses.
• Avoid yes/no questions and ask for their insights, memories, and personal perspectives.
• Some topics you might consider for your questions include early life, achievements, challenges, motivations, values, relationships, lessons learned, and advice.
• Pay close attention to the interviewee’s answers, body language, and tone of voice.
• Ask follow-up questions to clarify or delve deeper into specific topics.
• Show empathy and understanding, creating a safe space for the interviewee to share personal or sensitive information.
• Remain flexible during the interview, allowing the conversation to flow naturally.
• Be prepared to deviate from your prepared questions if unexpected but relevant topics arise.
• Respect the interviewee’s boundaries and be mindful of any topics they may not wish to discuss.
• Take thorough and organized notes during the interview to capture important details.
• Consider recording the interview (with permission) to ensure accurate quotes and references.
• Ask for permission to follow up with additional questions or for clarification.
• Doing a biography on yourself? Ask yourself deep questions to harvest new stories and anecdotes.

Remember, the goal of the interview is to gather valuable information and personal perspectives that will contribute to the authenticity and depth of your biography. Approach the interview process with sensitivity, respect, and genuine curiosity about the interviewee’s life and experiences.

Develop a clear structure

Outline your biography, ensuring a logical and engaging narrative flow. Consider the chronological order, significant milestones, and turning points in the subject’s life. Organize your gathered information to capture the essence of their journey while maintaining a compelling rhythm throughout. 

A good outline for a biography can vary depending on the specific subject and the desired structure of the narrative. However, here’s a general outline that can serve as a starting point:

A. Introduction

a) Hook or engaging opening to capture the reader’s attention

b) Background information (birthplace, date, family, etc.)

c) A brief overview of the subject’s significance or why they are worth exploring

B. Early Life and Background

a) Childhood and upbringing

b) Influences, such as family, education, or cultural factors

c) Formative experiences or events that shaped the subject’s character or interests

C. Major Achievements and Milestones

a) A chronological exploration of the subject’s notable accomplishments, contributions, or milestones

b) Focus on key moments or achievements that highlight their impact or significance.

c) Provide context and details to paint a vivid picture of their achievements

D. Challenges and Obstacles

a) Discussion of the challenges, setbacks, or adversities the subject encountered

b) How they overcame obstacles or grew through difficult experiences

c) Insights into their resilience, determination, or problem-solving abilities

E. Personal Life and Relationships

a) Exploration of the subject’s relationships, such as family, friends, or romantic partners

b) Insights into their personal joys, struggles, or transformative experiences

c) How their personal life intersected with their professional or public achievements

F. Legacy and Impact

a) Examination of the subject’s lasting influence, contributions, or impact on society

b) Discuss how their work or actions continue to resonate or shape the world today

c) Reflection on their legacy and the lessons we can learn from their life story

G. Conclusion

a) Summarize the key aspects of the subject’s life and their significance

b) Provide a final reflection or insight on their overall journey or impact

c) Leave the reader with a lasting impression or call to action

Pro Tip: Looking for help drafting an outline to get you started? Use free tools like ChatGPT to jumpstart your outline by putting in a prompt request like, “Write an outline for a biography about X, including any relevant details on the subject that should be included.”

Craft captivating prose

Employ descriptive language to transport readers into the subject’s world. Paint vivid portraits of their physical appearance, mannerisms, and surroundings. Use sensory details to evoke emotions and create a strong connection between the reader and the subject. 

Here are some examples:

• “She was a force of nature, with a fierce determination and an unwavering commitment to justice.” (Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
• “His piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through you, and his voice had a commanding presence that demanded attention.” (Winston Churchill)
• “She moved with a grace and elegance that belied her inner strength and resilience.” (Audrey Hepburn)
• “His rugged features and piercing gaze made him a natural leading man, but it was his depth and vulnerability that set him apart.” (Marlon Brando)
• “She had a contagious energy and a magnetic personality that drew people to her like a moth to a flame.” (Princess Diana)
• “His quiet intensity and unwavering dedication to his craft made him one of the greatest artists of his time.” (Leonardo da Vinci)

Action Step: While writing descriptive prose takes some practice, it’s an art you can master with little creative writing skills. To help you write descriptive prose, practice closing your eyes and imagining your subject. 

• What expression is on their face? 
• How are they dressed? 
• What does their body language express? 
• How do they smell? 
• How do they make you feel? 
• How do they make others feel? 
• What’s in their surroundings? 
• What are they doing with their hands? 
• What do you imagine they’re thinking about? 

With questions like these, you’ll start to use descriptive language to bring your subject to life.

Build a balance of objectivity and empathy

Strive for an objective portrayal while infusing empathy and understanding into your writing. Remain aware of biases and preconceived notions, giving your subject the space to shine in their unique light. 

To check yourself, filter your writing and interviewing with these tips:

• Verify Information: Cross-reference information from various sources to ensure accuracy. Use tools like Fact Check Explorer to fact-check claims, dates, and events to avoid errors or inaccuracies that could skew the narrative. 
• Multiple Perspectives: Seek out different viewpoints on the subject. This includes interviewing or reaching out to people with significant interactions or relationships with the subject. Incorporating diverse perspectives can counterbalance biases and provide a broader understanding.
• Empathetic Listening: During interviews or conversations, practice active listening and empathize with the interviewee’s experiences and emotions. This allows you to understand the subject’s perspective and incorporate their insights and feelings into the narrative.
• Contextualize Emotions: When sharing the subject’s emotional experiences or personal struggles, provide sufficient context and background. This helps readers understand the motivations and circumstances behind their actions and allows for empathetic understanding without veering into excessive sentimentality.
• Credible Interpretation: While interpreting the subject’s thoughts, motives, or intentions, be clear about what is factual and what is speculative. Clearly distinguish between evidence-based information and your interpretations to maintain objectivity.
• Respect Boundaries: Be mindful of the subject’s privacy and any requests they may have regarding sensitive or personal information. Respecting their boundaries shows empathy and allows for a respectful portrayal while maintaining the necessary level of objectivity.
• Acknowledge Limitations: Recognize that achieving complete objectivity in a biography is challenging. Biases can inadvertently seep into the narrative. However, by being aware of your biases and consciously presenting a fair and balanced account, you can mitigate their influence.

Respect truth, privacy, and sensitivity

Remember, writing biographies carries ethical responsibilities. It’s important to maintain accuracy through credible research and gain consent while being sensitive to controversial or difficult topics. Here are some considerations:

• Accuracy: Maintain a commitment to truth and accuracy. Verify facts and corroborate information from multiple sources to ensure the reliability of your narrative. Cite your sources and be transparent about any uncertainties or gaps in knowledge.
• Privacy and Consent: Respect the privacy of living individuals mentioned in your biography. Seek consent when sharing personal details or sensitive information. Balance the subject’s right to privacy with the importance of honesty and transparency.
• Sensitivity: Approach sensitive or controversial topics with care and empathy. Consider the potential impact of your words on the subject’s loved ones or affected communities—present differing perspectives without sensationalism or bias.

Writing a Biography FAQs

The length of a biography can vary greatly, depending on the subject and the depth of exploration. Some biographies span a few hundred pages, while others extend to multiple volumes. Focus on capturing the subject’s life’s essence rather than strictly adhering to a predetermined length.

Some common mistakes to avoid when writing a biography include the following: Lack of thorough research or reliance on a single source. Inaccurate or misleading information. Excessive personal bias or projection onto the subject. Neglecting to verify facts or failing to cite sources. Poor organization or a disjointed narrative flow. Neglecting to balance objectivity with empathy. Overloading the biography with irrelevant details or digressions. Failing to respect privacy or ethical considerations.

While chronological order is commonly used in biographies, it is not required. Some biographers employ a thematic approach or explore specific periods or events in the subject’s life. Experiment with different structures to find the most engaging way to tell your subject’s story.

The purpose of writing a biography is to capture and share an individual’s life story. Biographies provide insights into a person’s experiences, achievements, and challenges, offering readers inspiration, knowledge, and understanding. They preserve the legacy of individuals, contribute to historical records, and celebrate the diversity of human lives.

When choosing a subject for your biography, consider someone who inspires you, interests you, or has significantly impacted society. It could be a historical figure, a contemporary icon, or even an everyday individual with a remarkable story. Choose a subject with sufficient available information, access to primary sources or interviews, and a narrative that resonates with you and potential readers.

Key elements to include in a biography are: Early life and background: Provide context about the subject’s upbringing, family, and cultural influences. Achievements and milestones: Highlight notable accomplishments, contributions, and significant events throughout their life. Challenges and struggles: Explore the obstacles they faced, the lessons learned, and how they overcame adversity. Personal characteristics: Describe their personality traits, values, beliefs, and motivations that shaped their actions and decisions. Impact and legacy: Discuss the lasting influence and contributions of the subject, both during their lifetime and beyond.

Including personal anecdotes can add depth and humanize the subject of your biography. However, be selective and ensure that the stories are relevant, contribute to understanding the person’s character or experiences, and align with the overall narrative. Balancing personal anecdotes with factual information is critical to maintaining accuracy and credibility.

Conducting research for a biography involves exploring a variety of sources. Start with primary sources such as personal papers, letters, journals, and interviews with the subject or people who knew them. Secondary sources such as books, articles, and academic papers provide additional context and perspectives. Online databases, archives, libraries, and museums are valuable resources for finding relevant information.

Consult a wide range of sources to ensure a comprehensive and accurate biography. Primary sources, such as personal documents, letters, diaries, and interviews, offer firsthand accounts and unique insights. Secondary sources provide broader context and analysis, including books, articles, scholarly works, and historical records. Remember to evaluate the credibility and reliability of your sources critically.

Organize the information in your biography logically and engagingly. Consider using a chronological structure, starting with the subject’s early life and progressing through significant events and milestones. Alternatively, adopt a thematic approach, grouping related information based on themes or significant aspects of their life. Use clear headings, subheadings, and transitions to guide readers through the narrative flow.

Writing Biographies Key Takeaways

In summary, take note of these ideas and tips before you start writing your biography:

• Biographies hold enduring appeal, offering a glimpse into the human experience across time.
• Thorough research, interviews, and captivating prose are essential for crafting compelling biographies.
• Ethical considerations, such as accuracy, privacy, and sensitivity, are crucial when writing about real people’s lives.
• Choose subjects that genuinely inspire and resonate with you.
• Immerse yourself in the subject’s world to understand their motivations and challenges.
• Develop strong research skills and utilize a wide range of sources.
• Craft a compelling narrative that engages readers from the very first page.
• Seek feedback from trusted sources to refine your writing and storytelling abilities.
• Continuously explore new biographies to broaden your understanding of different styles and approaches.
• Embrace the unique voice and perspective you bring to the storytelling process.

Writing a biography book? Check out this helpful article, How to Write a Book: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Start Writing !

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