Writing Workshop Adapted from The Teachers College Reading

Writing Workshop Adapted from The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) at Columbia University

Why the Writing Workshop Model? When learners are given explicit instruction and lots of time to write, clear goals, and powerful feedback, their writing improves. When teachers explicitly teach the qualities, habits, and strategies of effective writing, that writing becomes better, and the improvement is evident within days and weeks, not just months.

The On Demand Writing Assessment ● Identifies the particular strengths of each writer and places them on a learning progression for each type of writing. ● By looking ahead to the qualities of writing expected at the next level of the learning progression, teachers can make an individual learning plan for that student. ● Teachers can teach qualities of writing in whole-group mini-lessons, smallgroup strategy sessions, or individual conferences. ● The teacher can tailor teaching to the specific, individual needs of all the students in the class

RSU # 2 Learning Progressions place learners in their zone of proximal development

Writing Workshop Class Structure

Types of Mini Lessons

Success in Writing Day after day, learners need to write. They need to write for long stretches of time—for something like thirty or forty minutes of each day’s writing workshop. This means that volume and stamina matter.

The Power of Feedback ● We encourage learners to work toward crystal clear goals and give them feedback that shows them what they are doing well and ways they are progressing, as well as letting them know next steps. ● Effective feedback includes an understanding of what the learner has done and what the learner is trying to do or could do. ● Constructive feedback may include suggestions for the learner of strategies to try,

How Learners Can Go Deeper Writing Checklists: Tools for Independence and Goal Setting

Earning a 4 Each type of writing has a clearly defined 4. Example for Narrative Writing: KNOWLEDGE UTILIZATION ADAPTATION (taxonomy: Problem-Solving and Decision-Making) Use a different narrative format (ballad, play, movie, comic strip). Reflect and discuss your decision-making process. You may type your reflection or record it. ● What changes I made ● Why I made these changes OR INVESTIGATION Investigate how you would get your piece published. Go through the process. Type about the process. Reflect on the process.

“Powerful writing instruction produces visible and immediate results”. The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP)