1. Practices of Acceleration
Introduction
Scaffolding the Writing Process
Mary Ann Gomez-Angel
Mt. San Antonio College

2. When was the last time you were in unfamiliar territory?
How did you navigate ?
What steps did you take?
What was helpful ?
Did you reach your destination?
Sharing

3. We need strategies to get through difficult task!
Scaffolding is a teaching strategy that breaks a problem down into manageable steps.
The writing process is broken into steps that are focused and promotes the student to grow independently in writing.
It is accelerated because initial support gradually diminishes, students gain confidence, and move forward in competency/proficiency.
Why scaffolding helps accelerate a learning process

4. Scaffolding Strategies
Model the thought process: think out loud as you outline an essay.
Provide organizers or starters, who, why, how, what next? (Prompts)
Do part of the problem (Help with topic)
Give hints and cues (brainstorm with students)
Connect new learning to students’ interest or prior learning (favorite topics)
The strategies we use in our Writing sequence courses

5. Scaffolding Strategies
Use graphic organizers: timelines, charts, tables, categories, checklist, and graphs.
Simplify the task, clarify the purpose, and give clear directions.
Teach clear vocabulary and provide examples
Adapted from
continued

6. Writing a persuasive paragraph
Instructional time: Selecting a topic
Analyze a persuasive paragraph
Complete a graphic organizer
Complete a paragraph outline
Persuasive paragraph rough draft
Complete editing and revising rubric
Instructional review and final draft
Steps are used for compare and contrast, cause and effect.

7. Persuasive Graphic Organizer
Organize your argument in the following graphic organizer. Remember this can be a brief summary of your details. It does not have to be complete sentences. You will use this organizer to complete your paragraph outline.
Topic
Position =
Opinion Statement
Evidence to support topic (quote from article)
Why did you choose this quote? How does it support your opinion statement
Counterargument (what is the other side of the argument?)
Rebuttal: (Why is that argument wrong?)
Concluding Statement
Restate the topic:
Restate a summary of evidence:
Various organizers can be used for example; Venn diagrams, hierarchal, concept maps, sequential diagrams, cyclical diagrams, matrices and flow charts

8. Paragraph Outline The outline will help with order
Before you complete: Look at your graphic organizer. Decide which quotes you are going to use. Put
those quotes in the box labeled “Detail/Evidence”. In the “Explain” box make sure to explain how your
quote supports your topic sentence.
After you complete: Please use the sentences you wrote on this worksheet to write a rough draft of
your paragraph. You will use the sentences below and write them in paragraph form.
Please ask for help if you need it!!
Topic Sentence:
Detail/Evidence from your graphic organizer(This should support your topic sentence. May be a quote):
Explain (Explain how your detail supports your topic sentence. This may be a few sentences):
Another Detail/Evidence from your graphic organizer (This should support your topic sentence. May be a quote):
Explain (Explain how your detail supports your topic sentence this may be a few sentences):
The outline will help with order

9. Paragraph Outline –cont.
Counter Argument
Counter Argument (State the argument that is opposite of yours):
Rebuttal (Explain why the counter argument is incorrect and reinforce your argument):
Conclusion: (Sum up what you said with a strong ending statement):

10. Paragraph editing &revising
Editing will prepare the student to review work and can reinforce grammar skills

11. Instructional Review & Final Draft
The paragraph writing rubric is based on :
Organization-clear topic sentence
Development-details are provided
Reasoning & Ideas- answers entire question
Language-all sentences have subject verb, different lengths, academic language is used
Rubrics will inform the student on what they are graded on and what they need to work on.