Chapter 3: Writing Strategies and Skills Prepared by Kathleen Luttenegger, PhD

Capable Writers… (p. 55) Vary their writing based on the purpose and audience Use the writing process flexibly Focus on developing ideas and communicating effectively Ask for feedback Monitor their own writing Use formats and structures appropriate to the genre (ie, letters, poems, stories, essays) Edit their writing at the end of the writing process

Writing involves both strategies and skills Strategies involve complex thinking and problem solving. We learn strategies and become more effective using strategies through PRACTICE! Skills are information- processing techniques. Students learn to use skills automatically and unconsciously in their writing.

Writing involves the use of several strategies (Dean, 2006). Generating Organizing Visualizing Monitoring Playing with language Revising Proofreading Evaluating

Writing also involves many different types of skills: Structuring skills Writing complete sentences Using Standard English grammar Mechanical Skills Spelling Using apostrophes Language Skills Creating similes and metaphors Playing with rhyme

Writing also involves many different types of skills: Reference Skills Using a dictionary or thesaurus Creating a table of contents Handwriting Skills Forming letters correctly (legibly) Spacing between words Computer Skills Keyboarding Using word processing software

Strategy and Skill Instruction Teachers use both direct and indirect methods for teaching strategies and skills Each of the 5 types of writing may be used for teaching strategies and skills (Modeled Writing, Shared Writing, Interactive Writing, Guided Writing, Independent Writing)

With a small group: Choose one strategy. Discuss how this strategy could be taught in each of the 5 types of writing. Choose one skill. Discuss how this skill could be taught in each of the 5 types of writing.