Effective Writing Instruction for All Students Developed by Region IV Education Service Center in...

Effective Writing Instruction for All Students

Developed by

Region IV Education Service Center

in collaboration with the

Texas Education Agency

News Flash

“Children want to write. They want to write the first day they attend school.

This is no accident. Before they went to school, they marked up walls,

pavements, and newspapers with crayons, chalk, pens or pencils…

anything that makes a mark. The child’s marks say ‘I am’.”

“Children want to write. They want to write the first day they attend school.

This is no accident. Before they went to school, they marked up walls,

pavements, and newspapers with crayons, chalk, pens or pencils…

anything that makes a mark. The child’s marks say ‘I am’.”

Graves, 19832

Research shows that about 90% of the students entering first grade believe they can write, but only about 15% believe they can read.

Graves, 1983

What Happens?

3

Traditional Methods of Teaching Writing

• Frequency

• Grammatical

• Evaluative

• Formula

4

Components of Effective Writing Instruction

Focus on Established Standards

Teach the Writing Process

Monitor Progress

5

TEKS-Based Instruction

• Vertical Alignment of the TEKS

• Horizontal Alignment of the TEKS

• TEKS Strand Connection

• TEKS/TAKS Connection

KK

12121212

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Vertical alignment provides continuity of instruction across grade levels.

KK

1212

District and campus vertical teams of teachers must meet regularly and

have purposeful grade-level overlap.

Vertical Alignment of TEKS

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Horizontal Alignment of TEKS

Your Your grade grade levellevel





8

Purposeful horizontal alignment ensures that all classroom instruction at a

particular grade level is planned from a unified, connected curriculum.

Language Arts Strands

Receptive Expressive

Listening Speaking

Reading Writing

Viewing Representing

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Language Arts Strands

Writing TEKS

Listening/ speaking TEKS

Listening/ speaking TEKS

Reading TEKS

Reading TEKS

10

Viewing/ representing

TEKS

Viewing/ representing

TEKS

Reading and Writing Connection

“Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. Both

processes involve creating meaning

through print.”Cullinan, 1993

11

Research on Reading/Writing Connection

Reading and writing as processes involve the construction of text from prior knowledge,

personal meanings, and relationships discovered through reading/writing engagements.

Kucer, 1985

Proficient readers and writers actively control their actions and shift strategies as they construct

and monitor meaning. Birnbaum, 1982

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Research on the Reading/Writing Connection

The development of thinking and learning from multiple perspectives is greatest when the interrelatedness of reading and writing

is made evident to students.

Reading and writing are each enhanced

when they are taught and

learned together.

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Reading/Writing TEKS Connection

Writing Writing TEKSTEKS

Reading Reading TEKSTEKS

Reading Reading TEKSTEKS

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TEKS/TAKS Connection

WritingWriting

Grades 4 and 7Grades 4 and 7

English Language Arts (ELA)English Language Arts (ELA)

Grade 10 and Grade 11 Exit LevelGrade 10 and Grade 11 Exit Level

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TAKS Grades 4 & 7 Writing

Objectives 3, 4, 5, 6

Revising and Editing

Objectives 1 and 2

Composition

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TAKS Grades 4 & 7 Writing:Composition

Objective 1 (focus and coherence, organization, development of ideas, voice)

The student will, within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose.



Objective 2 (conventions)The student will produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar,

usage, and sentence structure.


usage, and sentence structure. 17

TAKS Grades 4 & 7 Writing:Revising and Editing

Objective 3The student will recognize appropriate

organization of ideas in written text.

Objective 3The student will recognize appropriate

organization of ideas in written text.

Objective 4The student will recognize correct and effective

sentence construction in written text.

Objective 4The student will recognize correct and effective

sentence construction in written text.

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TAKS Grades 4 & 7 Writing:Revising and Editing

Objective 5The student will recognize standard usage and

appropriate word choice in written text.

Objective 5The student will recognize standard usage and

appropriate word choice in written text.

Objective 6The student will proofread for correct

punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in written text.

Objective 6The student will proofread for correct

punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in written text.

Revising and editing objectives are accomplished Revising and editing objectives are accomplished within the context of peer editing. within the context of peer editing.

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TAKS Grade 10 & Grade 11 Exit Level: ELA Test

Objective 6

Revising & Editing

Objectives 4, 5

Composition

Objectives 1, 2, 3

Reading

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TAKS Grade 10 & Grade 11 Exit Level: Reading Objectives

Objective 1The student will demonstrate a basic

understanding of culturally diverse written texts.

Objective 1The student will demonstrate a basic

understanding of culturally diverse written texts.

Objective 2The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of literary elements and techniques in

culturally diverse written texts.

Objective 2The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of literary elements and techniques in

culturally diverse written texts.

Objective 3The student will demonstrate the ability to analyze

and critically evaluate culturally diverse written texts and visual representations.

Objective 3The student will demonstrate the ability to analyze

and critically evaluate culturally diverse written texts and visual representations. 21

TAKS Grade 10 & Grade 11 Exit Level: Composition






usage, and sentence structure.


usage, and sentence structure.22

TAKS Grade 10 & Grade 11 Exit Level: Revising and Editing

Objective 6 The student will demonstrate the ability to revise

and proofread to improve the clarity and effectiveness of a piece of writing.

Objective 6 The student will demonstrate the ability to revise

and proofread to improve the clarity and effectiveness of a piece of writing.

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The revising and editing objective is accomplished The revising and editing objective is accomplished within the context of peer editing. within the context of peer editing.

How Do We Teach Writing?“Teaching writing is no different than teaching any other subject. The teacher has to know the subject, the process, the children, and the means for the children to become independent learners.” Graves, 1983

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The Writing Process

•Promote effective writing instruction

in the classroom

•Teach writing as a process

•Understand the stages of the writing process

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Promoting Effective Writing Instruction in the Classroom

Sufficient Time

Modeling

Mini-lessons

Writing Conferences

•Teacher/Student Conferences

•Peer Conferences

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Sufficient Time

• Elementary students should write a minimum of four times a week, for at least 35 to 40 minutes. (Graves, 1983)

• Secondary students should write as much as possible each day during English class and across the curriculum.

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Sufficient Time

“Writing taught once or twice a week is just frequent enough to remind students

that they can’t write and teachers that they can’t teach.”

“Writing taught once or twice a week is just frequent enough to remind students

that they can’t write and teachers that they can’t teach.”

Graves, 1983

28

Support Provided Through Teacher Modeling

Modeling or demonstrating is an important part of all good instruction,

including mini-lesson instruction.

Modeling or demonstrating is an important part of all good instruction,

including mini-lesson instruction.

Writing Instruction

Examples of Good Writing

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Mini-Lessons in Writing

• Are of short duration (10–20 minutes)

• Demonstrate important aspects of the

writing process with clear, powerful

examples

• Focus on a specific writing principle or

procedure

• Are interactive and meet students’ needs30


Procedural MattersProcedural MattersProcedural MattersProcedural Matters

Literary ConceptsLiterary ConceptsLiterary ConceptsLiterary Concepts

Strategy and Skill LessonsStrategy and Skill LessonsStrategy and Skill LessonsStrategy and Skill Lessons

31


Students should apply and be held accountable for

skills and strategies taught in

mini-lessons.

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Teacher/Student Writing Conferences – Purposes

The teacher

• Helps the writer, not the writing

• Identifies instructional needs to be used as a basis for planning mini-lessons

• Learns how the writer is progressing in his/her application of the writing process

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The teacher discovers

What students know about

topic development

and organization

If students can revise and edit effectively

If students can write using

their own voice for a variety of purposes and

audiences

Teacher/Student Writing Conferences – Purposes

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Types of Teacher/Student Conferences

On-The-SpotWriting Process

Stages

Instructional Mini-lessons

Assessment Portfolio

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Teacher/Student Writing Conferences

– Listen to the student talk about the writing and find out what kind of help is needed

– Teach strategies and activities that a more experienced writer uses to write well

– Reinforce strategies taught in mini-lessons

– Evaluate student progress

Conferences should not be lengthy, drawn-out sessions.

Conferences should not be lengthy, drawn-out sessions.

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Teacher/Student Writing Conferences

– Point out specific positive aspects in

the writing and reinforce strengths

– Assist students in setting goals

– Teach students to be reflective and

evaluative about their writing

Our goal is for our students to become independent writers.

Our goal is for our students to become independent writers.

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Purposes of Peer Conferences

Assist students in becoming

self-evaluators

Improve student writing

Help develop effective

communication skills

Give students real and

immediate audiences for

their work

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Peer Conference Activities

– Talk about choices for topic, audience, purpose, and form

– Ask questions so the writing is clear and understandable to the reader

– Edit for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammatical errors

Work together through the stages of the writing process

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Why Teach Writing as a Process?

• Shifts emphasis from a product-driven approach to a process-driven approach

• Provides effective writing instruction

• Enforces the process all writers go through as they develop their compositions

Process writing is a reflective process because the writer is constantly thinking and rethinking about

his/her writing.

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Stages in the Writing Process

PrewritingPrewriting

DraftingDrafting

RevisingRevisingEditingEditing

PublishingPublishing

ReflectiveReflective RecursiveRecursive

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Prewriting Prewriting

•Helps create ideas and organize the writer’s thoughts

•Focuses a writer’s attention on a

particular subject, purpose, audience,

and form

•Motivates a person to write

•Helps create ideas and organize the writer’s thoughts

•Focuses a writer’s attention on a

particular subject, purpose, audience,

and form

•Motivates a person to write

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Prewriting Goals

• Explore the possibilities in the writing task• Stimulate and enlarge the writer’s thoughts• Move writers from the stage of thinking about

a writing task to the act of writing• Develop a plan to help choose the topic,

purpose, audience, and form or structure

Prewriting

Do not overlook prewriting activities!

Do not overlook prewriting activities!

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Selecting a TopicPrewriting

• Teacher-assigned topics should provide choice.

• Students should also have opportunities for self-selected topics.

If the teacher continually supplies the topic, students never experience the pleasure and challenge of

choosing their own subjects for writing. Furthermore, students may not have anything to say

about the topic or may not want to say anything about it.

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Selecting a TopicPrewriting

“Writing is best done if it involves a subject or idea about which

a child has some knowledge or

possesses some feeling.”

Bromley, 1998

45

Strategies for Topic Selection Problems

Prewriting

Teacher/peer discussion

Teacher modeling

Students hearing others’ choices

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Audience

Writers need to consider

• Who is the audience or reader?

• What does that reader know or want to know about the subject?

Prewriting

Writing for real audiences motivates the writer and gives a

reason for writing.

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PurposePrewriting

Purpose is a controlling factor in the way the paper will be written.

Types of purposes include

Narrative PersuasiveExpository

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Plot

Characters

Setting

Theme

Point of View

Elements of Story Structure

NarrativePrewriting

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ExpositoryPrewriting

Description

Sequencing

Compare and Contrast

Cause and Effect

Problem and Solution

Expository Text Structures

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PersuasivePrewriting

Writing Persuasively

Make the conclusion meaningful

State an opinion or position

Use reasoned or logical appeals

Support with evidence

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Have a clear sense of audience

Form or Structure

PurposeContentAudience

Prewriting

There are many forms of writing. Students should have a basic

knowledge of all forms but may have more in-depth experiences

with certain forms.

There are many forms of writing. Students should have a basic

knowledge of all forms but may have more in-depth experiences

with certain forms.

Form and structure are determined by

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Prewriting Activities

Brainstorm and quickwrite

Use graphic organizers Concept maps Venn diagrams KWL

Interview Research

Prewriting

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Prewriting ActivitiesPrewriting

Plot, diagram, or draw ideas

Incorporate direct

personal experience

Take notes and outline information

Read/listen to magazine

articles, short stories,

or books

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Moving from Prewriting to Drafting

Prewriting

First Draft

Prewriting

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Drafting

• As the first version of writing, the purpose of drafting is to put the thoughts onto paper.

• Writing’s recursive nature means that drafting will be revisited again and again and again.

Drafting

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Drafting Goals

• Write with the following in mind– Topic– Audience– Purpose

• Make decisions on – Organization– Voice– Development

Drafting

57

Organization in WritingDrafting

Ideas

Sentences

Paragraphs

Linked Text

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Voice in Writing

• The imprint of the writer on his/her writing

• The driving force of the writing process

Drafting

“Writing with voice is writing into which someone has breathed. It has that fluency, rhythm, and liveliness that exists naturally in the speech of most people when they are enjoying a conversation. . . . Writing with real voice has the power to make you pay attention and understand—the words go deep.”

Peter Elbow, 1973

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DepthDepth

Focus Focus

and and CoherenceCoherence

Development

Ideas that are Ideas that are interesting interesting

and not and not contrivedcontrived

The writer must

develop

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Drafting

FluencyDrafting

“Fluency with written English

is critical at this stage.”

Proett and Gill, 1986

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Fluency

Speed Accuracy

AutomaticityAutomaticity

Drafting

Flow Movement

FluidityFluidity

Technical Fluency Aesthetic Fluency

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Drafting

Students need to

• Focus on meaning rather than on conventions

• Feel free to

experiment

• Discuss drafts

with others

Drafting

“Drafting is not a smooth and steady process.” Bromley, 1998

“Drafting is not a smooth and steady process.” Bromley, 1998

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When Drafting Is Difficult

• “Big Picture” note cards

• Think sheets

• Freewriting

• Focused writing

Drafting

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Revising

• Improves the composition so that the

product is more interesting and

understandable to the reader

• Clarifies meaning and expands ideas

• Helps writers learn the craft of writing

Revising

Revising means seeing again.Revising means seeing again.

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Revising GoalsRevising

Students need to think again about

Purpose

Audience

Form

Development of topic

Word choice

Evidence of voice

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Revising Strategies

• Reread for meaning during and after writing the draft(s)

• Rethink what has been written

• Reread for meaning during and after writing the draft(s)

• Rethink what has been written

Revising

Revising is an ongoing process.

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Revising Strategies

Ask yourself questions:“Does this make sense?”

“What else can I do?”

“How does this sound or look to the audience?”

Revising

Receive feedback from the teacher and/or other students in conferences

Receive feedback from the teacher and/or other students in conferences

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When Revision Is DifficultRevising

Know enough about the subjectKnow enough about the subjectKnow enough about the subjectKnow enough about the subject

Know when to stop writing Know when to stop writing Know when to stop writing Know when to stop writing

Be familiar with the form or Be familiar with the form or structurestructure

Be familiar with the form or Be familiar with the form or structurestructure

Have enough time to writeHave enough time to writeHave enough time to writeHave enough time to write

Have a clear sense of audienceHave a clear sense of audienceHave a clear sense of audienceHave a clear sense of audience

The student may not

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EditingEditing

“Editing is making sure that the conventions of language

(spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are used correctly.”

“Editing is making sure that the conventions of language

(spelling, punctuation, and grammar) are used correctly.”

Fletcher, 2001

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Editing GoalsEditing

•Make corrections to errors in the

conventions of writing, including

spelling, grammar, capitalization, and

punctuation

•Understand that conventions help the

writer convey meaning

•Make corrections to errors in the

conventions of writing, including

spelling, grammar, capitalization, and

punctuation

•Understand that conventions help the

writer convey meaning

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Exchanging papers during

peer conferencing

Working with the

teacher during a

teacher/student

conference

Exchanging papers during

peer conferencing

Working with the

teacher during a

teacher/student

conference

Editing ActivitiesEditing

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When Editing Is DifficultEditing

• Focus on one aspect at a time

• Engage in multiple rereadings

73

Publishing GoalsPublishing

Help focus on the communication of meaning to a real audience, thus giving a

purpose for writing efforts

Acknowledge that writing is genuine communication

Practice the highest level of revision and editing skills

Making Publicly Known

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Publishing Activities

Share published

pieces

Publish one piece

every 3-4 weeks

Share published

pieces

Publish one piece

every 3-4 weeks

Publishing

75

Remember

• Learning any process takes time. • The process will not work if the student is

not comfortable with writing.• The writing process is taught by

example.• Paying more attention to how your

students write will ensure that what they write will be their best product.

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Journals Journals

Informal Writing

SummariesSummaries

DiagramsDiagrams

NotesNotes

ListsLists

Helps students understand ideas

better

Helps students learn from their

reading

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Types of Journal Writing

Dialogue

Personal

Learning Logs

Double-entry

Simulated

Response

78

Journals

Promote fluency in writing and reading

Encourage risk taking

Provide opportunities for reflection

Validate personal experiences and feelings

79

Journals (cont.)

Provide a safe private place to write

Make thinking visible

Promote the development of written language conventions

Provide a vehicle for evaluation

Provide a personal record for students

Routman, 1995 80

Monitoring Progress

Formal Assessment

Informal Assessment

Process Measures

Product Measures

81

The Teaching/Learning Cycle

AssessmentAssessment

EvaluationEvaluation

PlanningPlanningTeachingTeaching

LearningLearning

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Assessing Student Progress

• What should be assessed

• What is used to assess– Formal instruments– Informal measurements

• How data should be used to drive instruction

• How to continually monitor progress

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What Should Be Assessed?

Process as well as product

Drafts

Organization and

development of ideas

Writer’s craft, voice, word choice, and

language

84

Conventions

Formal Assessment

Formal assessments Texas Assessment of

Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)

State Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA)

Additional norm- or criterion-referenced tests

85

Informal Assessment

• Observations

• Conferences

• Writing Samples

• Anecdotal records

• Checklists

86

Process Measures

Assessment Conferences

Assessment Conferences

Self-Assessment

Self-Assessment

Writing Process

Checklists

Writing Process

Checklists

87

Product Measuring

Rubrics

– Holistic

– Analytic

RubricSkill/Topic + –

88

Sample Analytic Rubric

Score Point 1

Score Point 2

Score Point 3

Score Point 4

Focus and Coherence

Organization

Development of Ideas

Voice

Conventions

89

Sample Holistic Rubric

Focus & Coherence

OrganizationDevelopment

of IdeasVoice Conventions

4Composition, as a whole, is focused. Smooth, controlled progression of thought. Thorough and specific development of ideas. An original, authentic voice. Consistent command of the conventions.

3

Composition, for the most part, is focused. Generally smooth, controlled progression of thought. Some ideas thoroughly developed. An original, authentic voice for the most part. Good command of the conventions.

2Composition somewhat focused. Not always smooth progression of thought. Superficial development of ideas. Some demonstration of voice. Limited command of the conventions.

1Not focused. Progression of thought not logical. Little development of ideas. No sense of voice. No command of the conventions.

90

Grades

• Set the

criteria

• Involve

students as

evaluators

91

Using Assessment to Guide Instruction

Conferences

Portfolio Observations

Mini-lessons

Student Observations

92

Using Assessment forGrouping Practices

Type of Group Instructional Focus Instructional

Strategy

Whole Group

Introduce new concepts

Practice concepts not mastered by approximately 2/3 of the class

Review concepts

Mini-lesson Modeling

Small Group (same ability)

Instruction targeted to specific students’ needs


Pairs/Partners Practice concepts

already introduced

Peer conferences

One-on-One

Instruction targeted to a specific student’s need

Teacher/student conference

Type of Group Instructional Focus Instructional

Strategy

Whole Group

Introduce new concepts

Practice concepts not mastered by approximately 2/3 of the class

Review concepts


Small Group (same ability)

Instruction targeted to specific students’ needs


Pairs/Partners Practice concepts

already introduced

Peer conferences

One-on-One

Instruction targeted to a specific student’s need

Teacher/student conference

93

Research about Motivation to Learn

Clear goals Skinner &

Belmont, 1993

Zone of development Csikszentimihalyi,

1990

Student control

Erickson, 1995

94

Teachers Motivate Students to Write

• Model, guide, and scaffold• Support written

expression• Provide opportunities

to write • Set realistic

expectations that challenge

• Provide meaningful and functional activities

95

Remember, ultimately the motivation to learn to write

effectively comes through…

You!

96

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