Writing On Demand

SPAM Situation: Event that causes you the need to write. Purpose: The reason you’re writing: to persuade, to narrate an event, to inform or explain. Audience: The person (people) you’re pretending to write to. Mode: The type of writing you are to do: letters, feature article, blog post, editorial or speech.

Situation Situation is the setting. It’s usually located in the first part of the prompt. If it’s a situation that hasn’t really happened to you (pretend). It creates a need to write.

Purpose The writing prompt may ask you to: Inform/Explain to the text using a main idea and supporting details. Argue the audience as you solve problems and/or convince them. Use main ideas and supporting details. Narrate something you saw, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, said, thought, did…to make a point.

Audience Locate the audience in the prompt. It might be an individual or a group. The prompt will state the purpose (i.e., to persuade, to inform, to describe). Consider what the audience knows, needs to know, and might want to know. Imagine what questions they might have for you. Answer them in your writing.

Mode Look in the prompt for the mode: letter, feature article, editorial, speech. Follow the format, for example: Letters have a date, a greeting, a body, a closing and a signature. Speeches have titles, leads, bodies and closings.

Using Your Time Wisely: Stand Alone Prompt: 40 Minutes Informational OR Explanatory Stand Alone (No passage to read) 5 mins: Read prompt carefully. Underline as you read. 10 mins: SPAM (Situation, Purpose, Audience, Mode) 25 mins: Write and revise

Using Your Time Wisely: Passage Based Prompt: 90 Minutes Argumentative or Informative/Explanatory Passage Based 5 mins: Read prompt carefully, mark what’s important 10 mins: SPAM (Situation, Purpose, Audience, Mode) 15 mins: Read Passage. Underline as you read. 50 mins: Write On-Demand Answer 10 mins: Revise answer, making it clear and complete; edit your work to make it correct; re-read your entire answer.

First… Identify what you are being asked to do. SPAM: Situation, Purpose, Audience, and Mode Circle Situation Underline Purpose Box Audience Encircle (Mode) with parenthesis

Sample Prompt SITUATION: Your site-based council is considering whether or not to sell junk food to students as snacks. They like the money it makes for the school, but worry about students’ health. WRITING TASK: Think about what you’d like to see the school do about snack sales. Write a speech to the site- based council with your suggestions. Convince them to follow your advice.