1. + Chapter 12: Improving the Quality of Expository Writing

2. + What Content-Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy? Research-Supported Strategies 1. Empowering explicit, systematic writing instruction 2. Teaching the importance of prewriting 3. Providing supportive instruction 4. Using rubrics 5. Addressing diverse needs - According to The National Institute for Literacy’s (2007).

3. + Teach Summarizing “Summarization demands explicit and coherent expression” (Gore 164). Teachers must identify the difference between microstructure and macrostructure. For example according to our textbook in microstructure inefficient readers focus on individual words or one to two sentences. However, in macrostructure students process the global meaning. Reasons for teaching summarizing 1. Reasoning is supported when students are taught to condense and combine ideas 2. Metacognition is developed when students are taught to think about their thinking 3. Frustration is reduced when students can use summarization for note taking and motivation is increased when students know exactly what to do 4. Production is increased when students see their progress

4. + Summarizing rules for use with students with ELN Begin with selecting a topic sentence Invent a topic sentence if necessary Delete all examples and unimportant details Delete repetitive material Substitute a superordinate concept for group of items or actions Condense main ideas Combine similar ideas - Brown & Day (1983), Block & Pressley (2003)

5. + Teach Text Structure Experts have found that students with ELN do not understand the structure of a paragraph (i.e. main idea and sentences that support that idea) and the logical organization of the sentences. According to our textbook students with ELN need instruction on identifying and using text structure in their writing. Compare and contrast text structure is a good technique to improve writing skills for students with ELN. Teachers can identify a dimension and tell how each concept is alike and different (Gore). The strategy is helpful to students because students can avoid confusion when they have a pattern to follow, and frustration when the confusion is circumnavigated.

6. + Writing Frames “Writing frames can scaffold students’ understanding of how to write expository text” (Wray and Lewis). Reasons for teaching writing frames 1. Sequencing of the paper is clarified and supported 2. Confusion is eliminated 3. Organization is ensured 4. Motivation increases as students experience success 5. Persistence/ production is increased when students experience success

7. + Sample of a Writing Frame

8. + Rubrics for Writing Students can use rubrics as a guide in order to do well in an assignment. Rubrics also make teacher expectations explicit and help to provide constructive feedback to students. Furthermore, rubrics allow for the criteria to be explicitly identified, and provide structure because of their graphic structure Reasons for using Rubrics for Writing 1. When students understand what to expect and what they must do their motivation is increased. As a result attention is elevated. *See next slide for a sample Writing Rubric

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10. + Graphic Organizers for Expository Writing Researchers gave recommended the use of Graphic Organizers (GOs) for secondary students with behavioral and learning problems, migrant students, late-arriving immigrant students, English language learners (Gore). Specifically, in using GOs for writing is a great way to scaffold students with ELN because: 1. Discrimination between essential and nonessential information is ensured 2. Organization is supported by the structure of the tool 3. Reasoning is strengthened when the invisible is made visible 4. Production problems are relieved when a difficult task becomes manageable

11. + GO Sample