TEACHING WRITING USING THE WRITING PROCESS Outcome Students

TEACHING WRITING USING THE WRITING PROCESS

Outcome: Students engage in a “writing process” to write for a number of different purposes. 0. 1 Teachers teach students the stages of the writing process. 0. 2 Directed teaching of writing occurs daily and includes implementing preplanned mini-lessons focusing on teaching students a variety of aspects of each stage of the writing process. 0. 3 Teachers develop and implement an efficient classroom management system for supporting each student in the various stages of the writing process. 0. 4 Teachers support all students with personalized scaffolding strategies, as needed, in the prewriting stage, including identifying reason for writing, choosing a topic, identifying audience, determining form, etc.

0. 5 Teachers support all students with personalized scaffolding strategies, as needed, in the drafting stage, including finding, ordering, and selecting information about which to write, etc. 0. 6 Teachers support all students with personalized scaffolding strategies, as needed, in the revising (for clarity) stage, including choice of grammar, determining amount of information, presenting information in different way, use of graphics, etc 0. 7 Teachers support all students with personalized scaffolding strategies, as needed, in the editing stage, including proofreading and correcting composition as it relates to spelling and mechanics of punctuation, and grammar. 0. 7 Teachers support all students with personalized scaffolding strategies, as needed, in the publishing stage, including making final copy, selecting a way to share with intended audience (e. g. , bookshelves, author’s chair/share, bulletin boards, “binding”, etc. ). 0. 8 Students are given routine opportunities to discuss their writing with their peers/others/intended audience. 0. 9 Each student has a writing portfolio that contains at least 5 publications representing different forms. All 5 publications have evidence of progress through each phase of the writing process.

Activity-Getting to Know One Another Form teams of four members who do not know each other. Pair up to do interview. Decide who is A and B. A’s interview B’s interview A’s. Without talking any more write about your partner. Partners get together to see if revision is necessary. Groups use Rallytable to proofread/edit. Make final copy. Share by introducing your partner.

“Another way students learn to read is by writing. For some children, their own writing provides the first successful reading experience. Many children love the combination of writing and illustrating that leads to a published work. Children’s writing samples, prior to the publication stage, serve as a rich portrait of how well young minds are applying important language skills and strategies, as well as what they know about words”. -Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, & Cheryl M. Sigmon

Why teach writing? Reading Improvement Required Communication Influence Others Thought Clarification

Writing to Learn What do you have to say? Be active. Do it. Student chooses the words. Productive. Output. Reading to Learn What did they have to say? Sit still. Pay attention. Teacher chooses the words. Consumptive. Input. Virginia De. Bolt, 1998

WRITING PROCESS Daily Opportunities to explore and create writing Progression through a number of levels Part of well balanced literacy program

CURRICULUM PHILOSOPHY • INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ARTS • COMMUNICATION AS CENTRAL FOCUS • LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS DEVELOPED AND APPLIED IN CONTEXT • RESOURCE BASED CURRICULUM • SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT • REFLECTIVE TEACHER/FACILITATOR • RESPECT OF GRADUAL, ONGOING

Purposes of Writing To record events To explain To hypothesize To persuade To invite a response To predict To command, direct, or request To amuse, entertain To narrate To invent To inform To find out To invite reflection To summarize To comment or give an opinion Dancing with the Pen

WRITING WORKSHOP A BLOCK OF TIME SCHEDULED EACH DAY WITH STUDENTS WORKING THROUGH THE WRITING PROCESS. THIS TIME TYPICALLY BEGINS WITH A TEACHER DIRECTED MINI-LESSON FOLLOWED BY STUDENTS WRITING ON THEIR OWN. THE TEACHER MOVES FROM INSTRUCTOR TO FACILITATOR AND PROMOTER OF WRITING WITH FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALIZATION.

THE WRITING WORKSHOP IS HIGHLY STRUCTURED AND GENENRALLY REQUIRES: A TIMETABLE RULES CLASSROOM SPACE A TYPICAL STUDENT MATERIALS LESSON

TIMETABLE DAILY SCHEDULED TIME KINDERGARTEN: 30 – 40 MINUTES GRADES 1 – 3: 45 MINUTES – 1 HOUR GRADES 4 AND UP – AT LEAST ONE HOUR OR MORE INTEGRATED INTO ANOTHER SUBJECT -Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos

SPACE WHERE WILL BE THE DESIGNATED WRITING AREA? WILL THERE BE A TABLE OR COUNTER SPACE FOR NEEDED MATERIALS? WILL THERE BE WALL SPACE CLOSE FOR WRITING POSTERS? WILL THERE BE WORD WALLS? ARE THERE PLACES TO DISPLAY STUDENT WRITING? -Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos

RULES KEEP TO A MINIMUM. THERE WILL BE MOVEMENT AS STUDENTS ORGANIZE WRITING AND OBTAIN MATERIALS FROM THE WRITING CENTER. THERE WILL BE CONFERENCING. A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS THAT “WRITING TIME IS QUIET TIME”. -Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos

A TYPICAL LESSON • LESSON STARTS WITH A MINI-LESSON THAT IS USUALLY 5 -20 MINUTES LONG. • STUDENTS PROCEED WITH THEIR OWN WRITING. THEY WILL BE AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THE PROCESS. • AT THE END OF THE LESSON STUDENTS NEED A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR WRITING. -Linda J. Dorn and Carla Soffos

MATERIALS DATE STAMP STACKING TRAY WITH VARIOUS KINDS AND COLORS OF PAPER MARKERS, PENS, COLORED PENCILS BASKETS FOR WRITING PAPERS STAGE STAMPS AND INK PAD ATLAS RUBBER STAMPS FOR DECORATION CHARTS STAPLER HOLE PUNCH TAPE STICKY NOTES DICTIONARIES THESAURUS WORD BOOKS PHONE BOOKS

STAGES OF THE WRITING PROCESS ~ PREWRITING ~ ~ DRAFTING ~ ~ REVISING ~ ~ PROOFREADING ~ ~ PUBLISHING ~

ROTATINg REVIEW 1. Topics are written on pieces of chart paper and hung around the room. 2. Each team is given a marker. 3. Designate teams to go to one of the papers. 4. Team is given one minute to write on the paper about specific topic. 5. Teams rotate to next paper when time is called. 6. Teams are given one minute to read what the previous team has written. 7. Teams put a question mark beside ones that they have a question on or disagree. 8. Team has an additional thirty seconds to write any other information. 9. Continue this procedure until each team has rotated to all the papers.

Prewriting The writer establishes and clarifies a purpose of writing, brainstorms possible topics, collects pertinent materials, identifies an audience, chooses an appropriate form of writing, and establishes an initial organizational strategy. The teacher helps students select topics, encourages them to talk to generate ideas and language about the topic, provides resources, suggestions, and materials and discusses appropriate format and audience.

INSPIRATION FOR TOPIC IDEAS • PERSONAL INTEREST INVENTORIES • CLASS INTEREST INVENTORIES • MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS • RADIO, TV, INTERNET • INTERVIEWS • DREAMS, MEMORIES, EXPERIENCES • LITERATURE RESPONSE • DISCUSSION, BRAINSTORMING, ROLE PLAYING, IMAGINATION

• • BRAINSTORMING FREE WRITING TOPIC OR WORD CHARTS LISTS JOURNALLING WEBBING MAPPING • • • CLUSTERING IMAGE STREAMING VISUALIZATION FAST WRITING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS • THINKING • DAYDREAMING

PREWRITING STRATEGIES ~ Graphic Organizers – brainstorming webs, mind maps, and other charts that help organize thoughts and ideas ~ ~ Come Aboard a R. A. F. T. – Role, Audience, Format, Topic ~ ~ Descriptive Word Prompters ~ ~ Five Senses Chart ~ ~ Handprint Organizer ~

Cooperative Learning Structures for Prewriting 4 -S Brainstorming Formations Inside-Outside Circle Roundrobin Team Discussion Team Interview Think-Pair-Share

Drafting The writers express ideas in an uninterrupted flow while keeping the purpose and audience in mind. They get information on paper, concentrate on content and explore topic possibilities. Invented spellings, blanks, cross-outs, and abbreviations are acceptable. The teacher offers encouragement, helps organize information, gives assistance focusing on the topic, provides enough time and structure to ensure students get off to a good start.

What is the purpose for writing this piece? What will my audience want to know about this topic? How can I best arrange my information? What main ideas do I want to present? What details will support my main ideas? What will make a good lead to catch the reader’s attention? How can I end the piece effectively? -Gary R. Muschia

Revising The writers narrow down topics, eliminate irrelevant writing, reorganize writing, write additional drafts, and research information. Content quality, clarity, smooth flowing ideas, and descriptive language is emphasized. Teachers encourage peer revision sessions and encourage students to talk to other students about their writing and add, cut, and reorder their writing.

Revision is not editing for mechanics and spelling. It is probably the most difficult stage to teach students. Encourage students to: • Write on one side of the paper. • Use markers or pens so they can concentrate on ideas and not on erasing. • Skip lines so it is easy to mark out/change words.

All writing does not have to be revised, BUT… Teach students to ask themselves: • Can I improve my writing? • Should I write from a different point of view? • Are there places where my writing could be clearer, more interesting, more informative, or more convincing?

REVISING METHODS A. R. R. R. Adding, Rearranging, Removing, Replacing R. A. G. Read Around Group A. R. M. S. Add, Remove, Move Around, Substitute

Proofreading/Editing Writers should correct mechanical errors (spelling, punctuation, and capitalization). Writing should be read aloud before the final copy is made. An editing checklist is a good tool. Teachers should encourage peer proofreading, provide vocabulary, give instruction of specific skills, help students evaluate their writing, and encourage students to consult reference materials.

Teach basic editing conventions to students and encourage them to use them in editing. Teach popular acronyms such as: C O P S Capitalization Organization Punctuation/Paragraphs Sentences/Spelling Use editing checklists

Cooperative Learning Structures for Editing/Proofreading Corners Experts Edit Pairs Confer Roundtable Teams Confer Virginia Debolt, 1998

Publishing Writers make their final copies and share their finished work. Writers feel that their writing is important when they share. Teachers should encourage students to share by reading aloud, publishing, organizing a class book, making their own books, displaying final drafts, and sharing with bulletin boards, electronic bulletin boards, multimedia presentations, newsletters, newspapers, oral presentations, journals, etc.

Author’s Chair is a popular way for students to share their writing. Response to writing • 2 Hugs and a Wish • TAG

Activity Look at your card. Go to the corner having the word that matches your word. Share with the other people in your corner anything about that stage of the writing process. Go to your seat and write about something that was shared in your group. Use Inside/Outside Circle to check to see if revisions are needed. Make any that are needed. Go back to your corner to proofread papers. Go to seat and make your final copy for publishing.

A comprehensive writing curriculum includes the best solutions to teach K-5 students to overcome a major problem they have learning to write well. • Every child has problems learning to write. • Every child has predictable problems. ~ J. M. Cunningham

Motivation • (2 -3 years to develop) • (More prevalent in writing than reading) • lack of self-confidence/ self-efficacy (many students do not • lack of intrinsic motivation ( need by 3 rd grade or very tough to teach) • lack of independence ( words to spell, topic to write…) see writing at home) -J. M. Cunningham

Solutions/ Addressing Motivation Problems Self-Selected Writing This is an approach where students choose what to write about and how to write without the guidance of a teacher Single Draft Writing Process writing assumes that students work on more than one draft. However, single draft writing is initially done without standards. This is a shaping process, in which students work on their own time to complete one single draft. Phonic Spelling Inventive spelling is accepted at this phase. Positive Sharing This is when students can share their first drafts in a positive atmosphere. In this positive approach, students can begin sharing with questions like, “I’d like to know more about…” -J. M. Cunningham

Writing isn’t just a speaking problem…. • Spelling • Capitalization • Punctuation • Formatting • Usage (more tolerant in speech than writing) -J. . M. Cunningham

Solutions: Writing Isn’t Just a Speech Problem • Word Walls for high frequency words • Writing mini-lessons • Editing instruction (how to use a Word Wall and editor’s checklist to proofread and correct you own paper independently) -J. M. Cunningham

Meta-analysis review of writing research… George Hallocks of Chicago stated, “If you want to teach students appropriate, mechanical writing, you must teach students to proofread and correct their own paper using a small set of rules …. editor’s checklist”. -J. M. Cunningham

(Take 4 -5 years to develop) • The natural inability to “juggle” all the components of writing at the same time • Need student to have an acceptable first draft. • “Good writers must handwrite, spell, capitalize, and format” • Taking dictation is a horrible writing activity • (example- Student can do one worksheet but doesn’t generalize to writing and spelling on test, not a writing paper) • By the end of elementary the automaticity has developed such that the first draft is “adequate” to the last draft. -J. M. Cunningham

The Writing Process & Writer’s Workshop • Revision… ways to change content (add, delete, re-order, replace content) • Editing… rule-based ways of finding and correcting errors • Copying -J. M. Cunningham

Mini-lessons begin in a “huddle” in the front of the classroom. The children are close and can see the teacher write as she “thinks aloud” and talks about what she is doing and why. The teacher writes and models all the things writers may do. Mini-lessons vary according to grade level and the observed needs of children. -J. M. Cunningham

Great ideas for Mini-Lessons 1. Actual class procedures used during the writing period 2. Rules for the writing period made by teacher and/or students 3. Teacher models writing using “thinkalouds” 4. Working together with the class on shared writing 5. “Words Authors Use” (Have a word a day. Examples: publish, illustrate, edit, topic, dedicate, etc. ) 6. Grammar and Usage -7. nouns-words that mean a person, place or thing 8. verbs-words that show action 9. adjectives- words that describe 10. 7. Capital letters 11. 8. Punctuation marks 12. 9. How to “Set a Scene” (setting) 13. 10. Fiction 14. 11. Non-fiction 15. 12. Mysteries 16. 13. Stories that teach 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. correctly) “Feelings” in writing Read a book, any book! Books are great writing models How to add to or change a story Staying on the topic Rhyming words Synonyms Homonyms Antonyms Poetry (This could turn into a week of mini-lessons) Letter Writing Interviews Riddles Jokes Newspapers How to make a list Student pieces (Always use a piece that a student has down -J. M. Cunningham

• Bring in something already written (with mistakes), and put on the overhead. • Revise- Is it interesting? Does it do what I wanted? • Get the student to elicit ways that address change. • Cut poor parts out (kids like to see you cut it out!) • Typically when adding revision during a mini-lesson, do not say what you are writing (teachers typically do). If you don’t say while writing, students have the chance to read. • Tape the parts to overhead • Ask if anyone wants to revise -J. M. Cunningham

Copying without new mistakes! • First- must be revised & approved. • Second- must be revised, edited, & approved. Step 1: Copy one sentence at a time. Check every sentence to see if copied. Use fingers word by word to help copy correctly. -J. M. Cunningham

There are many different types of genres or types of writing. Each one must be learned separately! -J. M. Cunningham

Solutions to the Multiple-Genres Problem Initially self-selected until enough confidence…motivation to write then address multiplegenres by: • Focused writing lessons on a variety of types of writing - teacher selected writing. • Carefully crafted prompts - problems not prompting students, it’s when we promptthis is the heart of a focused writing lesson. • Genre-based writing scales- not to teach students to edit, but how to revise --use descriptive writing scales (teacher use rubric, not students) --Scale is in a yes/no-present/not present format; one item at a time -J. M. Cunningham

What students read affects how they write… The Prior-Knowledge Problem • You cannot write well about what you do not know about. • You cannot write well about what you do not understand. • You cannot write clearly and interestingly about something unless you know the vocabulary. *Prompted writing disadvantages some students prior-knowledge. -J. M. Cunningham

1. Self-selected writing 2. Experience-based teaching of science, social studies, and current events. -J. M. Cunningham

Teachers should conference with students in all stages of the writing process. Students should do most of the talking. The teacher is a coach not a critic. Focus should be on one point/key element. Conferences should last no more than two minutes. Key Questions: How are you doing? Are you having any problems? What’s the best part of your piece of writing? What are you going to do next?

Peer Conferencing Use Gambits Use Peer Response Forms Use Modeling and Reinforcement

Cooperative Learning Structures for Conferencing Corners Inside-Outside Circle Numbered Heads Together Pairs Confer Roundrobin Roundtable Teams Confer Virginia Debolt, 1998

10 Rules for Writers 1. Write. 2. Write. 3. Write often. 4. Write about anything. 5. Write about everything. 6. Write about what you see. 7. Write about what you learn. 8. Write about what you think. 9. Write about what you read. 10. WRITE!!! Virginia De. Bolt, 1998

Writing Taught Only During “Language Arts” Period Writing Across the Curriculum as a Tool for Learning

Teacher control of decision-making by: Deciding on all writing topics Dictating suggestions for improvement Determining learning objectives alone Giving instruction as whole-class activity Student ownership and responsibility by: Receiving help in choosing their own topics and goals Having brief teacher-student conferences Reviewing their own progress

Time spent on isolated drills on “sub skills”of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, paragraphing, penmanship, etc. Time spent on writing whole, original pieces Real writing purposes with student involvement in determining Instruction/support in all stages of the writing process

Teacher talking about writing but never writing or sharing own work Teacher modeling all stages of the writing process and demonstrating the process

Grammar lessons, isolated and given in order as determined by a textbook, before writing begins Grammar and mechanics taught in context as needed, especially during the editing stage of the writing process

Only teacher reading assignments Real audiences reading writing assignments

Negative evaluations by teacher Marking errors heavily Editing paper instead of helping student make improvements Focusing on grading instead of growth Constructive, efficient evaluation Brief informal oral responses Grading of student-selected pieces Viewing of growth and self-evaluation Encouraging risk-taking and honest expression

Activity The topic is: Women are as effective in combat as men. Use class value line to demonstrate your feelings about this topic and participate in discussion with your partner after the line splits. Write--remembering your audience. Form teams of four. With one partner confer for content. Revise as needed. With another partner proofread. Make edits and prepare final draft. Share with the last person in your group.

Choose one of these topics. Birth control should be available to students from their high school counselors. President Bush is doing an outstanding job. Madonna is a good role model for our students.

If ____ were alive today, what would you ask him/her? • Think. Pad Brainstorm Questions • Independent Write • Arrange Questions/Answers • Put together as written interview

Compare & Contrast Plants & Animals • Pair Project with chart • Use chart to write your compare-and-contrast essay on another sheet of paper • Revise with partner • Proofread with partner • Make final copy

Math Writing Solve this problem: 2/4 + 1/8__ With a partner discuss the steps to how you solved this problem. With your partner, list the steps that you used taking turns writing each step. Create a poster illustrating the steps to solving the problem. You will present your poster to the class. Write a brief paper explaining the process you just analyzed and sequenced. The steps in your writing should match the steps as they were displayed on your poster.

NOW: On your card write something from today that squared with what you already thought. On your card write something from today that made you view something from a different angle. What new piece of information from the presentation completed or “closed the circle” for you? Write it down. Z List an action or a new approach that you will take and share with someone. -Bob Pike and Lynn Solem