Missy Coons REED 745

Consider the following: If you were asked to write a police report following an accident, could you do it? How about a legal brief?

“Often students are asked to write about topics they do not know much about and to write in a format with which they are not familiar” (Read, 2010, p.47). How can we avoid this frustration for students in our teaching of writing?

First, we must expose students to mentor texts. Then, we must model strategies for writing. “The mentor texts help students to make decisions about the design and quality of their own writing” (Karsbaek, 2011, p. 8). “Kids use stories they read as models for their writing” (Pearson, 2011). “When clear and targeted modeling of the ways in which writers work is presented by teachers and co- constructed with students during collaborative, rich discussion, learners develop understandings of the purposes, intrinsic motivation, and techniques of writing (Gibson, 2011).”

The Writing Process Reviewed “The process can be used in all areas of the curriculum and provides an excellent way to connect instruction with state writing standards (IRA/NCTE, 2011).” Prewriting and planning Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Strategies to Support the Process Graphic Organizers Stage- Prewriting Interactive or Shared Writing Stages- Revising and Editing Writer’s Workshop Conferences Stages- Revising and Editing Do you currently use any of these strategies in your classroom?

Graphic Organizers- A tool for prewriting “Graphic presentations of ideas and how they connect to each other can help students through that brainstorming process, helping them organize their thoughts in a visual, nonlinear way before taking pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard)” (Adam & Mowers, 2007, p. 24). Graphic Organizers for Writing Which graphic organizers do you prefer to use in your teaching of literacy? Why?

Graphic Organizers Continued Kidspiraton Raise your hand if you have ever used Kidspiration software with your students. We will explore with this software later. Kidspiration software was used in a study conducted in an elementary school in California. Those students who used Kidspiration outperformed those students who used a traditional wheel and spoke graphic organizer. (Brown, Green, & Lorenz, 2009) Why do you suppose this is the case?

Interactive and Shared Writing Similar in each… Different in each… Students work collaboratively to compose a text. The teacher acts as a facilitator of the discussion taking place. Can be adapted to fit the needs of any grade level. Can be used during small group or whole group instruction. During Shared Writing, the teacher writes the entire text as the students share ideas for composing. During Interactive Writing, students share the pencil while composing a particular text.

Interactive Writing “Students learn the forms and functions of writing as they observe and participate in writing events that are directed by knowledgeable writers, particularly when these events are followed by opportunities for exploration during independent writing (Gibson, 2011).” “Interactive writing can provide students in the upper elementary grades a chance to apply and experiment with new and more advanced writing concepts with the help and support of their peers (Wall, 2008, p.152.)” What more do you want to know about interactive writing?

Writer’s Workshop Defined 1. Mini-lesson A specific skill introduced or reviewed based on student need. 2. Writing (The majority of the workshop time.) Students focus on writing their ideas. 3. Sharing (Focus of Professional Development) Students meet with peers and or the teacher to read their writing and receive feedback.

How important is conferencing during the writing process? “Conferences often became a shared thinking space where writers and their writing teachers came to new understandings” (Laman, 2011, p.136). “As students share their work with others, they are able to see other people’s points of view and acknowledge other ways of thinking” (Karsbaek, 2011, p.5).” What are your reactions to all of the above?

References Brown, A., Green, T., & B. Lorenz. (2009). Using multimedia graphic organizer software in the prewriting activities of primary school students: what are the benefits. Computers in the Schools, 26, Gibson, S. A., (2011). Teaching Writing: Shared Writing. Retrieved from Inspiration Software, Inc. (2011). Kidspiration [Computer Software]. Beaverton: OR. Karsbaek, B. (2011). Writer’s workshop: does it improve the skills of young writers? Illinois Reading Council Journal, 39(2), Laman, T. T. (2011). The functions of talk within a 4 th -grade writing workshop: insights into understanding. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 25(2), Pearson, P.D. (2007). Reading researcher advocates strengthening literacy programs through reading-writing synergy. National Writing Project. Read, S. (20101). A model for scaffolding writing instruction:imsci. The Reading Teacher, 64(1), 47. Wall, H. (2008). Interactive writing beyond the primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 62(6),